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  1. #1
    Site Sponsor Steven@147's Avatar
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    Holiday Trip With 3500 Ram

    For those of you contemplating purchasing a 1 ton vehicle for towing and pleasure driving thought I would relate our Holiday trip and fuel data analysis. See truck specs on signature line.

    From Austin Texas to Kokomo Indiana - then to Middletown Ohio - then back to Austin. Total 2,628 miles - non towing. average mpg for round trip 18.3. Best fuel mileage on one tank of diesel fuel 19.6 mpg. Average speed for trip 57 mph, mostly running 70-75 mph cruise control on interstates. Full DEF tank at beginning, 1/2 tank of DEF left when back home in Austin. Highest price paid for diesel fuel $2.89 /gal - cheapest $2.40 /gal. Used Pilot/Flying J good sam discount a lot on trip. Best discount given at pump 0.10 / gal off normal price. The truck was a great ride up and back. Ended up costing us $100 more in fuel round trip for the truck verses our last trip with the Wife's SUV Durango we traded for the new Ram 1 Ton. Average miles capable on single 32 gallon tank of diesel fuel 500 miles depending on mpg. That isn't bad for a 1 Ton truck!

    Most of the time driven to work commute around Austin 16-17 mpg. The best on this extended trip non towing was 19.6 and that was across I30 & I40 from Dallas to Little Rock to Memphis. I55 to I57 from Memphis up to Cario Illinois was 18.5 mpg. The worst mpg was I75 from Cincinnati down through Kentucky to I65 and Tennessee I40 at 16.3 mpg.

    The little we have towed our 2950RL on longer trips was from Austin to Galveston and back- best mpg 12.1 - worst 10 mpg.

    We just got our 1 Ton in July 2018 so I didn't really know how it would be on a really long trip non towing. I was impressed with its ride except on I55 through Arkansas, horrible road.

    Just wanted to relate our experience with a 1 Ton. So don't be afraid with all the horror stories you might read on the internet. It was a very pleasant driving experience on this long trip. Oh we came back with a bed full of suit cases and 5 big plastic totes. The TruXport tonneau cover kept everything dry in the bed traveling one whole day in rain.
    Steve & Tami Cass - Escapee's, FMCA Members, Texas Fulltimers Since July 2020
    2019 Solitude 3350RL S-Class, 2018 Ram 3500 DRW, Laramie Longhorn, B&W Companion, Texas Class A Non-CDL Drivers License
    Sharing the Fulltime Lifestyle - www.youtube.com/@tsrvadventures3219/videos, Nonprofit Channel

  2. #2
    Site Sponsor
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    I have owned Chevys and Fords. Only time (a number of years ago) I test drove a Dodge 3500, I did not like the ride. I understand that Ram has really upped its game for the new ones. Better ride, better tranny and more towing ability. I will really have to try the Ram when we ware this Ford out.
    2018 Solitude 375 RES 2022 F450 Powerstroke Dually

  3. #3
    Rolling Along RVRunners's Avatar
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    I love my one ton SRW and don’t mind the non-towing ride. I do always have several hundred pounds of stuff in the bed of my truck plus more in the cab so that helps. I do have Timbren springs on the rear and with the stuff I keep in the bed, even non-towing, they are typically in contact with the axles as they should be under load. I scale though with the truck and an empty dump trailer during the week on a regular basis prior to being loaded with material sold based upon combined weight. I know exactly what the trailer weighs empty which leaves the remaining weight of the truck, contents and me right around 8,800 - 8,900lbs depending on the amount of fuel and contents at the time. I’ve got a sales guy driving a gas F-250 with very little weight on it most of the time and he complains its a bit stiff.
    The Adams - 2017 Reflection 367BHS, 2019 F-350 6.7L PSD 4x4 CC DRW, B&W hitch on Ford pucks, Air Lift Loadlifter 5000 Ultimate Plus air bags, "Rupert" the Weimaraner.

  4. #4
    Big Traveler
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    We love our truck. Towing, not towing, love it.

    For us it was a coin flip between the ram and the Ford. I'll look at them all again in 15 years or so after I ride this one into the ground.
    Last edited by Aridon; 01-06-2019 at 07:37 PM.
    2019 Momentum 395
    2018 Ram 3500 DRW 4.10 AISIN

  5. #5
    Seasoned Camper
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    I don't know how anyone could not consider the 2020 Chevy with the Duramax and the 10-speed Allison when they come out soon. Unless you're just brand loyal. I look at them all every time I buy new.

  6. #6
    Long Hauler DaveMatthewsBand's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Leon T View Post
    I don't know how anyone could not consider the 2020 Chevy with the Duramax and the 10-speed Allison when they come out soon. Unless you're just brand loyal. I look at them all every time I buy new.
    I’m not brand loyal.
    I like the Ford and the Dodge.

    [emoji14]


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    Resistance is Not Futile, It's Voltage Divided by Current.


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