There is radically conflicting info on reliability being put out these days. Yesterday, I watched a video saying Ram trucks were the most reliable brand overall. I've also read that the hurricane engines are pretty reliable. I thought the problems with Ram trucks were mainly glitches in the infotainment system, not the drive train.

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The article I am referring to is the Auto Blog Pickup Report. The main thrust of the article is that all new pickups suffer from over technology syndrome. Basically the old 'Just because you can do something, it does not mean you should do it'. For an OLD, I have to agree that all the new vehicles we have had, Mercedes, GMC Denali Ultra and now the RAM suffer from so much tech you almost cannot drive them, and to understand it at all there is a 400 page owners manual.

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This is the truth.

I just wanted a center console in my truck, but to get that, I had to buy one of the higher trim levels. The thing has way way way more tech than I will ever use.

My wife will routinely complain that her car is 'messing up'...but 90% of the time it's a setting that she needs to change.

I think it's funny that it's illegal to pick up your phone in the car, but almost every vehicle has an oversized Ipad on the dash now, that drivers are fiddling with as they go down the road.

I would be curious to know how a company would do, if they came out with an option to purchase a less expensive bare-bones truck, without all the tech. Though, that would likely be more expensive to produce if they have to change production lines to accommodate.

Reply to Buck Turgidson and MouthBQ98: Howdy, cannot hit the reply button but once and wanted to reply to both of y'all.

Buck: You Sir are correct, the infotainment system has glitches, Biggest complaint is the iPhone Car Play connection, worked sporadically, had to buy a dongle that connects perfectly.

Mouth: You Sir are also correct! I am one of those that purchased a pickup that in the past would have been a Lincoln Continental. Actually, it is more of a Mercedes pickup, all leather, massage seats, vented seats, a passenger side screen that will play videos (driver cannot see it), hands free steering with adaptable cruise control.

Pros and Cons: Con: There are about 50 software setting that have to me made on the 14" info screen. I had to sit in the truck, with it running, for 2 hours a couple of times just to get through them all and get them set. It really is almost tech overkill, no, it is tech overkill, but that is the new trend.
Con: Key Fob, it is so strong that it will talk to the truck all night, runs the battery down. Had to buy an RIFD pouch to keep fob in to save my battery (and sanity).
Con: Infotainment System, in 2026 you ought to have a SOLID Blue Tooth connection. Hence the dongle to get my CarPlay.
Pro: The Adaptive Cruise Control/Hands Free is great, it slows you down when a vehicle is too close, and then speeds you up without you braking, then have to reset the cruise. It does follow the road perfectly.
Pro: Incredible interior, very smooth ride, for an OLD amazing engine performance, it will fly!
Pro: All the new vehicles have Acrobat User Manual, you can search for the info you need without flipping through endless pages

Mark Fairchild said:

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Howdy, I am (maybe was) proud owner of a 2026 RAM 1500 Tungsten with the Hurricane HO engine. Before going much further I will preface my remarks with the fact that I am an OLD. I began driving when you used a key to open the door, put that key in the key slot. You then stepped on the brake and depressed the clutch, turned the key to the right, the engine started, put the floor shifter in 1st or the Three on the Tree in first, gave it some gas, released the clutch and drove off, while tuning the AM frequency only radio to your favorite Rock and Roll station, I was raised in Dallas so it was KLIF.

The article I am referring to is the Auto Blog Pickup Report. The main thrust of the article is that all new pickups suffer from over technology syndrome. Basically the old 'Just because you can do something, it does not mean you should do it'. For an OLD, I have to agree that all the new vehicles we have had, Mercedes, GMC Denali Ultra and now the RAM suffer from so much tech you almost cannot drive them, and to understand it at all there is a 400 page owners manual.

There was one small issue with the RAM the article addressed that I had an found a way to overcome. What has got me freaked, however, are two MAJOR issues with the Hurricane HO. One is catalytic converter melting. The other is fluid in the the turbo causing engine failure. I read the Dodge Owners Forum very often and have found no reports of these issues. I a now feeling like I have a gun to my head waiting for some major disaster. Where can I go to confirm (or hopefully not) these major issues?

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I started a thread on this a few weeks ago, but I have several gear head/mechanic-by-hobby type buddies who swear that all of the half ton engine trucks are currently at elevated risk because of all of the turbos, cylinder deactivation etc etc. Don't even get me started on engine shut off at stops...researched how to deactivate that in my F-150 after i almost got in a wreck because of it.

They recommend 3/4 ton gassers for the simplicity, even though the mpg is pretty crappy. i.e. 13-14mpg combined for a Chevy 2500 gas truck if you drive pretty conservatively. They don't have all of the enviro stuff...although it sounds like the 10-speed transmissions aren't exactly bulletproof.

I am going to be in the market in the not too distant future and not looking fwd to it, but I am keeping my eye mostly on the Silverado 2500 Custom....because the interior and electronics are a lot more basic so seems like less things to go wrong. And you can get a nice looking 4WD in the low $50's.

Chevy says, more screens for 2027



Does have 5.7L and 6.6L V8s

MouthBQ98 said:

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Most of the truck purchasers DEMAND luxury car features and a luxury car like ride in their trucks. Most actually use them like people would use a crown Vic or caddy 30 years ago.

Then many people complain how much they cost and how complex and u reliable they are.

Granted, some of that reliability issue is distorted nostalgia about older trucks that were probably less reliable but at least cheap and easy to fix. And some of it is the complexity required by government regulations for safety and efficiency.

Most of is really is customer demand, given the vast majority of truck owners use them as luxury daily drivers instead of simple and less expensive work vehicles.

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The problem is that low trim level trucks seem like a bad value at the inflated prices. Who wants to pay $50K+ for a truck and still have a poverty pony interior? If you're already going into insane debt, you might as well pay a little more and make it comfortable or better yet, buy a high trim used truck for the same or less.

Howdy, Kinda weird just saw these two posts.

One addresses the ultra low cost EV pickup, so if it is no frills, this is it:
Slate EV Pickup

Two: Infinite Complete failure, damned spell check will not let me spell the make but you know what it is.
Infinite Complete Failure

So, even at my age, lesson learned, as someone said, just enjoy your truck and if it needs fixin' get it fixed, stop worrying about it failing.