2019 Ram 3500 DRW

[Gran Casita]

Looking to buy new Ram since the price has come down with the employee pricing break. The issue is I am having problems finding the truck with the trim package I want. A loaded Laramie or Limited is fine. The the trucks that I have located have everything I want with the exception of either the surround camera or the auto air ride system. So far its one or the other. I want both. So if you were me, what would you choose and why?

If you're not dead set on a Dodge.....I would go with a F-O-R-D F-350 DRW! In all seriousness though, I have been towing with my F-350 without an air ride system for over 27,000 miles & have not seen a need to upgrade my suspension in any way. I would hope (tongue-in-cheek) that a Dodge 3500 DRW would be able to do the same, but then again I'm not a Dodge fan.

As far as the camera system, it really comes into its own when you're having to park the behemoth. Aside from that, it comes in handy when connecting your trailer. I would categorize it as a "nice to have" perk, but not an absolute necessity.

Good luck! -Diego

[Backforty]

I have an 18 with the auto leveling system. These were the facts then ; the rear springs with the auto level system have 5 leafs and the truck has a one inch rake back to front(unloaded) . A truck without auto level has 7 leafs and has a 2.5 inch rake back to front. The limited trim level was not available with the 3.73 rear gear I wanted or the Asin transmission. So for me the choice was simple, Laramie w/AL and 6.7L (HO) w/ Asin & 3.73 rear gear.

[Rick10]

I was also looking for a 3500 DRW Laramie that had both air and surround cameras. I ended up with a loaded Big Horn and am very happy.

Rick

[bwbags]

I bought a 2019 Ram 3500 Longhorn with both options you are looking for. I use the camera and like it. I park my truck in my garage and it comes in handy then. I don’t have the surround cameras on my trailer so that feature isn’t one I can comment on. The surround camera also can be used to help while backing my reflection although my muscle memory has me using my mirrors more it is still a useful feature. When I upgrade my trailer in a year or so I plan to get a back up camera on the trailer, I am hoping that this will help while backing into a tighter spot. As far as the air ride goes, it is automatic and unseen. When I load the trailer onto my Anderson the bed sinks a little - then before I am finished the bed levels itself out. Nice! But also there is the option of me raising or lowering the bed whether hooked up or not from inside the truck. As far as ride goes, it can be quite firm. I traded my 17 Ram 2500 which rode MUCH better than this truck on most uneven surfaces. This truck is fine on the highway but you will notice (and remember it’s a 3500), when encountering potholes, construction, etc. I used the Ramtruck.com website to find the exact truck I wanted (all options down to color), then just called that dealership prior to it being shipped. They called when the thing showed up and by then I knew what I would pay and we made a deal. The website only lets you search 150 miles around a zip code - so searching can be tedious but worth it if you will invest some time. This is A LOT OF MONEY - get it optioned the way you want it!

I also looked at Ford, but the Ram was a much nicer fit for me. I like the short box and mega cab - not available on Ford. I also like the 12 inch touchscreen on the Ram. It really helps with the surround camera.

Good luck.

[MarioG9999]

In 2017, I needed to buy a dually with 4:1 axel ratio due to the size of my Momentum 376 (20,000 lbs). I couldn't find one in Nevada or California. I ordered it through David Smith RAM in Kellogg, Idaho. They claim to be the biggest Dodge dealer in the world.

[Backforty]

In 2017, I needed to buy a dually with 4:1 axel ratio due to the size of my Momentum 376 (20,000 lbs). I couldn't find one in Nevada or California. I ordered it through David Smith RAM in Kellogg, Idaho. They claim to be the biggest Dodge dealer in the world.

I searched for quite a while for the right truck. Started @ Ram.com, found one in Illinois, took a long time to arrive at dealer and when it finally got there it was damage in transport. Finally I had a salesman friend of mine do a nationwide search. Found the exact truck I wanted in Kentucky. After the usual haggling back and forth, I took a one way flight and dove it home.

[LovingIt]

Looking to buy new Ram since the price has come down with the employee pricing break. The issue is I am having problems finding the truck with the trim package I want. A loaded Laramie or Limited is fine. The the trucks that I have located have everything I want with the exception of either the surround camera or the auto air ride system. So far its one or the other. I want both. So if you were me, what would you choose and why?

I ordered my truck with the options I wanted. Like others have said get what you want. If you settle you’ll always wonder about the option you didn’t get. And like geotex1 said its “rear levelling” on the 3500, and its a smart thing to have if your gonna have a big rig. I also got all the camera options that were available and no regrets. I don’t rely on cameras but the more I see with the help from technology is never a bad thing.

[Papachiax6]

Thanks, everyone for your input. I value and will consider your advice. Ram isn't making it any easier by dangling the employee pricing. I spent yesterday at the dealer. Truck MSRP 86,128 2019 3500 DRW Limited. My price 67800.Everything on it with the exception of air ride. At the end of the day and after driving one with air ride and one without I walked away from what I thought was a great deal and will search for what I want.

[[email protected]]

I'm always amazed at the stock ordering guy at many dealerships. They will order a "tow beast", and advertise it as such, with the biggest engine and best transmission, but then forget some of the most important things for towing. They have no clue. They leave out things like a TBC. Who does that on a truck ordered for towing?

When we bought our truck, we were in Las Vegas at the time. There was only one CC/LB/DRW/CTD/Aisin/4.10/5th Wheel Prep in the state, but another dealer had one on order that was scheduled to arrive in a couple of weeks. It turned out that the dealer that we bought ours from had ordered several that they planned to sell during the WFR. Ours was only a Tradesman, and it was the only one that didn't sell during the rodeo. They had several others that lacked at least one of the key features we were looking for. I managed to get a great deal on it since it was right before the end of the year.

I would have ordered one if they didn't have it on the lot, and if the deal wasn't good enough I would have walked away and looked at the other one. Ordering may be the only way to get what you want.