I Love Everything About Our Cheap New Truck EXCEPT for THIS One Very Unexpected Issue! 

I remember when you could get that same configuration for under 20k with dealer incentives and rebates.

Something I'd love to see - "The Battle of the Base Models". So many channels focus on comparing decked out vehicles, which is fine, but not everyone can afford these trim levels. I am assigned a basic 4x4 truck for work which gets replaced every handful of years. I've found that the Fords I've gotten have felt most fitting of the "poverty spec" nickname that we use, especially considering that they are missing features that GM and Ram include with their trucks as standard equipment. A comparison of each manufacturer's basic 4x4 trucks would be pretty cool.

Cant believe no one mentioned the cab size, ram has by far the best regular cab truck of the big 3. You even have room behind the seat like a mega cab.

Had this truck as a fleet vehicle. Had the 32 gallon tank. On a longer trip across Florida I was able to get over 800 miles on the tank with the V6. I had the bigger cab with much more room and the bed spray in is a must. Once you throw something in without it you will see why lol. It was truly a great truck with no issues.

I’ve driven that route literally dozens of times and can confirm it’s always bad on the leg between Boise and Ogden or so. A lot of it IS uphill, and there’s often a headwind. And the speeds are high. And I think Boise gas stations are probably on winter blend fuel at this point, which hurts quite a bit too.

Nice truck! I like watching an entry level truck video because there is plenty of content about the most expensive trim levels. I will be pleased to watch you next videos with the truck. Greetings from Argentina!

The price of that truck is absolutely insane. It should be priced in the 25-26k range maybe.

i owned a 2019 like that. fuel mileage varies great from 65 to 80. 65 u will get your 23, 70 about 21mpg 75 about 19 and 80 16-18

Honestly still a kinda good looking truck visually from the outside, despite being the “cheapest” one!

No matter how small the engine it takes a certain amount of power to go 80mph in a truck. That amount of power directly translates into the amount of fuel used. Probably doesn't help that it is not fully broken in yet either. My RAM 1500 with the 5.7 HEMI drank a lot of fuel until I got about 1500 miles on it. Now I can get about 19-20 highway but our speed limit is not 80 here it is mostly 70.

Everything you're complaining about the truck not having, I'd be glad it doesn't. LED Headlamps... I hate them living in the cold snowy north... they cake up with snow and ice in storms due to no heat from the bulbs no matter how much ceramic coating I rub on them, Vinyl steering wheel... it's a work truck... who cares... no lane watch, or radar collision avoidance... I have that and they are annoying. I say most people need to learn how to drive and not rely on that stuff. It's a basic work vehicle. It's cheap for a reason. Add all that stuff and add 4-5K on the sicker. I agree it could use more gear... at least a 3.55 over that 3.08 or what ever it has.

I bought a 2013 Ram1500 2wd with the flex fuel 4.7L engine and 6'4"bed with spray liner and manual door locks and manual windows in 4/2014 still new from the dealer with 8miles on it for ONLY $17,100, We will never see prices that low again for ANYTHING new

You're also probably bucking the wind since you're heading west. That might also contribute to the lower MPG's, along with the higher speed.

Most people buying a base truck could care less about extra safety equipment. Plus they cost a lot on an already $40k truck. If you want LEDs you can swap that in, did it on my Ram makes the difference.

i have a 17 tradesman crew 4x4 with the hemi. its gets 18 mpg pretty consistent. as for things like adaptive cruise control and lane monitoring. i turn all that off when i get in a car lol. i truly hate that junk.

Curious what set that check engine light 14:27

Cheapest != affordable. Come on TFL.

My wife Durango has the same v6 and going to Washington state we get 19 miles per gallon. That's up and down big mountains. Thanks for the enfo and videos. 👍👍👍

I had a 2017 Ram 1500 Express with basically the same set up. I had a Hemi and extended cab but otherwise very similar. had it for 5 years, 175,000km and it never let me down once. Air lift 1000 is a great cost effective way to help when carrying loads in the bed or trailering. doesn't increase you capacity but allows the truck to ride better and maintain better fuel economy when towing. By far the best/ most cost effective lift is the Bilstein 5100 set a 2" and a 2" rear spacer paired with Bilstein 5100 rear shocks. It allows that truck to clear a 35x12.5. I used my very heavily on road for towing and very heavily off road. The truck did surprising well, being that it is coil spring the rear flexes very well. I loved my truck and used for off road recoveries more times then I can count, even had to recover a power wagon a few times!

Got a lot of love for the 4th gens. Still think it’s one of the best looking trucks out there.

I have a 2019 ram 1500 classic crew cab bought it brand new I've had it for almost 4 years been a really good truck I average around 19-20 mpg. But definitely add led lights to it makes a huge difference.

80 mph is definitely the issue here. I've driven dozens of shop vehicles with the 3.6L and they are decent on fuel at normal speeds. Even a big Promaster 3500 gets about 20 mpg at 65 mph.

I had a single cab short bed with the hemi in sport trim. I loved it!!! It was much faster and better MPG then my current 4 door. Also it only cost 23k used with 14,000 miles on it !!!

Holy crap. You do not NEED all of the fancy stuff. Your idea of Safety necessities is a statement of what’s wrong with the industry. My Ram Express has good breaks, good tires, and a Hemi. It also has manual windows and locks, because electric locks and Windows are luxury items, not necessities. And if you want to get better fuel economy, slow down to 60mph. Come on, you guys are smarter than that.

I love the 3rd cupholder for the 3rd passenger

Love the lil RAM classic and Love this series. My 2017 STX is pretty sparse too, but compared to my older trucks it’s loaded, my truck has the plastic steering wheel too, don’t bother me now, but the one touch point your always touching should be nicer. My wife’s 22 Pacifica has the 3.7 and on the the highway at around 70 we regularly get close to 30, but I gotta say they are great engines, around town like 22.5 mpg. I’m really pulling for the RAM, whole lot of honest goodness for the price compared to what’s on the market now, Great show!!!❤️

I bought a 2018 Ram Ecodiesel Laramie mega cab 4x4 on 11/24/18. The MSRP was 54k they were clearing them out because of the recall for 20K below MSRP, I drove it off for 38K! It was still the most money I have ever spent on a Truck, and that includes 3 F-250 Powerstroke 4x4 XLT, Supercab work trucks, and a 04 Eddie Bauer 6.0 Excursion. I thought I got screwed, but the Ecodiesel has 140k miles on it and is still going strong with meticulous maintenance needed to keep it reliable and it still is a good-looking truck too.

Just to put this out there, but I work in a refinery and our plant will order 20 to 30 of these base work trucks at a time and most of them will never leave the plant. It is beneficial to not have blindspot monitoring and adaptive cruise for companies like mine that order these trucks.

I was wandering about check engine light which I saw 🤔 why !!

Interesting that you consider adaptive cruise a basic necessity. I have never used adaptive cruise, but I use regular cruise control all the time and really could not care less about having the adaptive type.

Heated seats are def higher on the list than adaptive cruise, or auto breaking.

I've driven that route. You can't accommodate for the wind at times. It does drain fuel mileage. It freeway mileage direction and adds back in another.

$41k sticker for this configuration seems outrageous. This is a case where buying a 1-2 year old vehicle makes much more sense.

I’m liking Stubby! Unless you are hauling massive loads, the little v6 is a great choice. It can also be a high mileage hero. I’ve seen minivans with that engine over 300,000 miles. They chewed up a few transmissions, but the engine can go and go and go. I know nothing about the 8 speed on yours, so I can’t comment to its durability but it seems to be a well behaved sort of thing.

I have a 2017 ram 1500 RCSB Express with 5.7. Bought it new for 21k. It has 115k miles now. I have added the 20” inch wheels and a toolbox. I plan on adding a leather steering wheel this winter.

I have a 2018 F150 XLT-FX4 supercrew, 4x4, 2.7 ecoboost, 3.73 rear end, 5.5ft box, 36 gallon fuel tank. We drove from Minnesota to California and back, total 6500 miles, up and down mountains, going 75-80mph and averaged 20.4mpg, plus we were hauling 2 kids, all our luggage, 2 coolers full of ice, food, drinks, and I brought a bunch of tools incase of an emergency. Bought it used for $27k 2 years ago! Got a great deal on it! Been very happy with it!

Nice content guys. My dad has the 2wd 2010 version with the V8. Personally all the recent safety systems are intrusive. I prefer to drive and not guided down the highway 🛣️. I believe the systems are good ideas 💡 but it causes laziness by creating less responsible drivers.

One small suggestion. If you’re not a huge fan of the plastic steering wheel you may consider a cover. They make some really nice ones these days, even some that are leather. Supposedly anyway. Thank y’all for all if your hard work and reviews.

In a Recent road trip to Boulder Co from MN, our 2022 Ram Bighorn with the 5.7 with a 3.21 averaged 24 MPG when we arrived. Last year our 2015 Ram Express with the 5.7 with the 3.55 got 23.4 MPG to Salt Lake City from MN. Yeah we loving our Rams. BTW thats burning nothing but Premium.

My 2013 single cab hemi gets 23.9 on the road doing 72.I have factory 22s, cold air intake, Flowmaster exhaust system and transmission and engine tuned

that extra 3k gets you much better engines and tech in the chevy and ford though. The refreshed 2.7 turbo in the chevy is especially impressive

ive got the same truck but a 2016, but with crank windows and no keyless entry. Badass little truck and the v6 moves it just fine with decent gas mileage.

Roman, I laughed when you said you didn't like the plastic steering. Have guys our age become so luxury jaded a plastic steering wheel sends us into a tailspin? LOL (BTW, I had one in my 2020 Ranger. I didn't like it either :) )

A few years ago I had a '13 Ram 1500 Express double cab with the HEMI. It was a very solid and reliable truck. Powerful engine, comfortable, and good-looking. It was that Cranberry Red color and I got so many compliments on it despite being a six year old truck at the time. The only thing was it was such a gas hog, only averaging 11-12 mpg. Gas was cheap at the time (2018 average was $2.49) but it still meant a once a week trip. Also, being a 2013 vehicle, no advanced safety features of any kind. No rearview camera, no bluetooth, ACC, BLIS, Forward Collision, you name it. They either didn't exist or were only available on top tier luxury vehicles such as Mercedes, BMW, or Lexus. Despite its shortcomings, I still loved it. It was a great work truck/commuter truck. Ram has always been the leader of best-looking full-size pickups. And the fact they still make the fourth-gen body style alongside the current fifth-gen is amusing but it shows how well revered the old one still is.

Insane. I paid $34k out the door for my new 2015 4x4 4 door RAM Express with the Hemi, and got a consistent 18+ MPG.

It'll get better. I have a 1500 classic V6 and I average about 17 MPG. I'd say 50 percent of my driving is city, so I don't expect to get the efficiency it could. Fuel matters too. I love the benefits of E85, but it's a lot less fuel efficient than 87 or 89 octane.

Sinclair pulled out of North Dakota several years ago. Kinda miss the dinosaur. But we did get Mobil gas stations which we haven't had since the 60's.

So, you guys have been talking about the poor headlight issue for some time now. How about doing a video installing new solutions? Appreciate the work you do

I can not believe that is a $40k truck.

Had a 2015 silverado blackout edition rcsb and I loved it. That truck was sharp and got a ton of comments. It had the 5.3 with the 4x4 on the floor. With such a short wheelbase, it made backing my camper and enclosed work trailer a breeze. Such a tough little truck

We just drove our 2022 Lariat FX4 with an 8K pound trailer with the ecoboostfrom Ogden, UT to Anchorage, AK and got 15.9 mpg. I was impressed to say the least. It also had oversized tires slightly and were the Wrangler ultraterrains.

Funny,When I bought my 2018 the NEW Ram body style was out and I thought I'd have an old looking truck instantly. 5 years later my '18 still looks like a new Ram. Just Classic. :)

That body style is a lot older than 2008 chief. That iconic look came out in 1994. I remember my friends dad buying a 94 ram with that style. Was all the rage back then. But it was built in the United States back then.

For a cheap truck at 37k, its still very expensive. Sad that things have gone up 20% in the last 2 years.

I have a 2014 Ram, regular cab, Express Blackout with the 5.7 Hemi. My in town gas mileage is 20-21 mpg. I put about 600 miles/month on it & the odometer reads 78,600 today. Never once had any problems with it. Oil change & tire rotation every 5K miles. The only thing was the crappy Goodyear tires that came with the truck & wore out at 30K.

There should be a storage cubby under the center seat as well. I have one in my 17' quad cab with the front bench seat.

I really like the short cab short box configuration. Would be better with a hemi, and better yet with a manual (I know not available 😢) . But I understand availability and pricing is not an option for the purpose of your video series. Looking forward to seeing what you will do with it throughout the series. Find it much more interesting than the overpriced and bloated up GMC Bummer.

Thats insane i remember buying my 5.7 variant in 2019 brand new for 26k

Had a 2018 tradesman 4x2 would average 24 mpg on my 200 mile daily commute going at about 75mph, in SoCal. Upgraded to a 2018 sport 4x4 and average about 17 on the same commute. I noticed a huge difference going from the pentastar to the hemi.

Are my eyes deceiving me or is the check engine light on at 14:32? Maybe cause fuel filler was open? Great video as always guys

I like this series, even though I would never buy the most basic vehicle with no options. I used to drive a company provided work van that was part of a fleet. It was the lowest possible spec Nissan NV200 compact cargo van and I was always complaining about the lack of basic features like cruise control and power door locks. Many business owners choose fleet spec vehicles because they’re the cheapest option they can get their hands on and the business owner is very rarely if ever going to be the one stuck driving it.

Personally I’d have gotten the Hemi, even though it costs more. Because you’ll get back most of that cost when you go to sell it bc the hemi is more desirable

Literally a few years ago, this truck was under $30k out-the-door. $42k would buy you something like a big horn, 4x4 crew cab, with the 5.7 and a bunch of options. Totally insane what has happened. Truck (and car) ownership is getting less obtainable for the average person.

One thing that I really like about my 2022 F-150 is it’s optional 36 gallon fuel tank. Here in Alaska it’s a must have.

The average American leaves a 16 ton carbon footprint A YEAR (second place if compared to the chinese,). One Jet flying straight to COP27 leaves a 50 ton footprint(one way trip). But 50tonners want you to stop driving your fossil fueled truck.

These overhead cam 3.6 pentastar engines are not very good, just go look behind any Chrysler Ram dealer repair center and you will see many 3.6 replacement engines

I have the 2004 version of this truck (2WD Manual) and it basically the same truck. Still have it. Very dependable. Everything works. Paid $11,900 in 2004. Runs fine and doesn't burn oil. I have always gotten right at 20 MPG. So somthing is wrong. Check your tire pressure. Never drive a new anything without double checking the tire pressure. Dealers always take air out of the tires so the ride will always be quiet. No reason to get the low mileage. Dodge engines do great with high quality gas. Never put cheap gas in a dodge engine. Cheap gas will always lower you mileage on a RAM 3-4 MPG. My experience.

Turning around in the parking lot was fun. My CCLB has the turning radius of a drunk hippopotamus so it usually just laughs at me while I do a 5 point turn in a parking lot. 🤣

i want to see this truck with a small lift, AT tires, and a camper shell! modest and capable!

The Stinker gas station! Hahaha.

Leased a bighorn short 4 door cab for a recent 750 mile hunting trip. The most comfortable 1500 mile round trip. The 5.7 was similar in response to my 14 f150 5.0. Difference was comfort and amazing braking.

I've got a buddy with the 3.6 and one with a 5.7. Both are quad cab 1500 classic models. My buddy with the 5.7 gets better fuel economy.

The 3.6 pentastar engine is a nightmare !! So many problems

The fuel economy should get much better. I have a similarly equipped truck at work, but with the small back seat. It will get mid-20mpg on the highway at around 70mph. I’ve gotten high teens when towing a trailer at 55mph. Good truck overall.

We have a 2021 top of the line Corolla we bought for our son for about $23K (before the shortages and stupid markups) and it has all the Toyota safety sense features installed. Adaptive cruise, lane keep, lane departure, Automatic emergency braking, etc.

Hey guys!!! Greetings from Montana!! I have an ancestor of that truck. Bought my 2012 Standard Cab-Short Box a couple years ago fairly cheap cuz everyone wants the big trucks. I wanted a truck to go camping, fishing and exploring in. 4.7L V8 with 4x4 does what I need, great turning radius and easy to maneuver. Love it!!

It's kind of interesting to hear complaints about 40k for a basic truck (which I agree is crazy), but what do we think is gonna happen when everyone makes adaptive cruise as standard as they wished? Def not gonna bring the price down

That was $10k cheaper like 3 years ago....

Thinking about Tommy's comment about the Ram being introduced when he was 11....the Square body Chev was introduced when I was 6 and the GMT400 that started to replace it was introduced when I was 21...

Engine light at first refill ?

For an extra $1800 I'd of optioned for the hemi. Very hard dollar to power ratio to beat

I had a regular cab Dodge Ram in College, it has the widest interior, you can sit 4 people across if you really need to. I had the big V8 in mine, was a blast.

I have a 2017 Chevrolet Silverado single cab short bed 4x4 WT that is what they consider their base model and it’s been a fantastic truck! It’s got everything I need and none of the things I don’t! It’s still got the manual transfer case and tow/haul mode, I’ve installed a Range device to keep it from going into the AFM and I am still getting close to 18 mpg with mixed driving in North Carolina, which for me isn’t too bad considering I am running 285/75R17 Toyo Open Country AT3 tires!

Great video! This is going to be a great series to watch on this truck! The question I have is regarding the mpg. It seems to me that even though your doing 80 mph, you were only tacking 2000 rpm so why such low mileage? I know the motor is new and it will take a bit to break in but after you get 500 miles on it I would think you will get better mpg. Excited waiting for the next tank fill up to see if mpg went up!! Great job both of you!!

Take a shot every time Tommy says "fantastic"

41K is unbelievable for an old generation single cab short bed v6. I payed 75k for a 22 Lvl1 TRX. I still remember in 2013 when Ram became a Ram, not Dodge, I got a quote from a dealer for 2013 Big Horn Quad Cab 5.7 4x4 and no other options for $28,500. Those single cab, short bed 5.7 Rams were valued as most HP per $ at the time. IIRC you could pick one up for $20-22k.

My 2019 Tacoma Access cab 4x4 came with adaptive cruise, blind spot monitoring, backup sensors and more. Was a 4cyl and had a payload of over half ton (door sticker 1,300 lbs). $30k. Was it a dog? You bet! Did it get crappy mileage? For sure! Did the transmission hunt up and down constantly? They all do that! Sold it and ordering F-150 XL 4x4 shortbed with 5.0 ;-)

Super excited to see how this truck does. Hopefully the fuel mpg is because of break in

I really wish they would have put this version of the 3.6 Pentastar in the Gladiator. Just that little extra HP and torque is really what it needs. I'll also say, as a previous owner of two 4th gen Ram 1500's, they get their best MPG at 65 MPH or less. At 70 and above it really starts to drop off.

very nice to see you again. Much joy, health and peace to you and your entire family. Visiting your channel and supporting. Congratulations for your work. LIKE GUARANTEED 😃👍 Beautiful 4X4 you have there, congratulations.

I just bought a 15 f150 4x4 single cab, 2inch lift 33"s on, its so easy to drive, weighed it today, 4650 empty so not bad. I had a crew cab prior just dont need the backseat.

Maybe I missed it but what was the unexpected issue?

Tow mirrors are a very rare in a 1500. They are a must have in my opinion.

Crazy how much cars/trucks have become. This is why the smaller trucks like the Maverick have come out, you can actually get one for a reasonable price.

I'm a Union Carpenter and I have a 14 Ram 1500 5.7 hemi 4x4 big horn with 8speed trans drivetrain. I'm at 152k and I still get 20 to 22 mpg. At 65 70mph.i love my 14 I also got the 8.something UCONNECT flat-screen radio. Also mine is a Crew Cab

Ok so you have mentioned several times now how crappy the headlights are on the Ram. What do you recommend is the best fix for that? Maybe a headlight upgrade video is in order

Haha, most affordable just sounds better than cheapest. $40k for a stripped truck…ouch Just a question: do modern motors still have to be “broken-in?”

I had a 2012 Wrangler with the 3.6. It was of course at the beginning of the Pentastar… and it developed the dreaded cylinder head issue.

I had an 02 similar set up, loved it, it was my "motorcycle." It had the 4.7L & I think I paid about 14k for it.

I wouldn’t pay a dime over $25,000 for that