2008 Tundra vs. 2009 Dodge Ram Part Three – Ride, Handling, and Comfort
The third and final installment of our 2008 Tundra 2009 Dodge Ram 1500 comparison compares the ride, handling, and comfort of the two trucks. If you haven’t read part one – Mechnicals – or part two – Features and Pricing – then you might want to take a look.
RIDE:
We have to insert our caveats here. Both vehicles were tested empty. Also, it’s important to remember the most subjective judgments concern ride, handling and comfort.
The Ram rides like a car. Indeed, that was Dodge
2008 Tundra vs. 2009 Dodge Ram Part Two – Features and Pricing
The second part of our 2008 Tundra vs 2009 Dodge Ram 1500 comparison will compare the relative costs of the two trucks and available features for both. If you haven’t already read part one of our 2009 Dodge Ram Tundra comparison – Mechanicals – you might want to.
INTERIOR:
The Ram Laramie cab is exquisite – wood grain, everything within easy reach and the peripheral vision is perfect. There
2008 Tundra vs. 2009 Dodge Ram Part One – Mechanicals
Dodge and the new Dodge Ram have been under fire quite a bit lately, and for good reason:
- Two years in a row, the Toyota Tundra has been more American than the Dodge Ram.
- With the price of gas dropping every day, Dodge’s “fuel price protection program” officially ripped-off thousands of truck buyers.
- The auto industry has been ablaze with predictions that Chrysler will file bankruptcy, thereby completing destroying the resale value of their vehicles (not to mention thousands of jobs lost).
- The new 2009 Dodge Ram launched with a $1000 customer cash incentive, which doesn’t speak well to the truck’s appeal or value.
- Finally, Dodge’s emphasis on the new Ram’s luxury and superior ride have us wondering if the new Dodge Ram is soft.
While everything we’ve said above is true, one thing is certain. The new Dodge Ram 1500 is a hell of a truck. Our official comparison of the 2008 Tundra and the 2009 Ram will follow our previous 2007 Tundra vs. 2007 Ram comparison format – we’ll give you the highs and lows around the important distinctions and evaluate the key components. In an effort to decrease the perception of bias, we’ve pulled in freelance writer Dan Murphy to assist us with this comparison.
Let the showdown begin! Read more…
20,000 Spam Comments
Not that this has anything to do with the Toyota Tundra, but this website has been up and running for about 18 months now and we’ve been hit with about 20,000 spam comments.
That’s probably not that bad – there are probably a lot of sites with more attempted spam – but it sure seems like a lot.
Fortunately, the system we use to manage the site manages to catch most of these spammers automatically so we don’t have to read them all.
Thanks for reading our site – we’re getting ready to publish a three-part updated comparison of the 09′ Ram and the 09′ Tundra so we don’t have a formal post today. Thanks for checking-in.
Is The New Dodge Ram Soft?
The new 2009 Dodge Ram offers quite a few “refinements” not found on most pickups. In addition to a more powerful – and more economical – HEMI, Dodge is also offering a rear coil suspension on the new Ram and the new “RamBox” feature on their new crew cab trucks. While it makes sense for truck manufacturers to innovate, at what point do these “refined” additions hurt a truck’s image?
Is the new Dodge Ram too “nice and refined” to be considered tough?
First of all, it’s important to understand today’s truck market. According to many industry analysts, the days of the “casual” truck user are nearly over. While it was once a common occurrence for consumers to evaluate a truck as a commuting vehicle, the vast majority of today’s truck buyers are more interested in a pickup as a work vehicle than as a status symbol. No longer are we going to see “soccer moms” and urbanites buying crew-cab pickups that are never used for their intended purpose.
If these industry analysts are to be trusted, then future truck sales will be fostered by utility and work features. Read more…
