Day 1:
2009 Dodge Ram 1500
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So much for all the luxury and sports cars
 at least for a few weeks. This week I step up, way up, into the 2009 Dodge Ram 1500 Laramie edition. The Ram won AJAC s truck of the year category in February, and with all the troubles Chrysler has been having lately, the Ram and the Challenger are its shining lights right now. Hopefully, the Ram is good enough to compete in a very tough truck market.


Like most trucks, the Ram comes in a variety of configurations and offers something to suit pretty much anyone s needs. My tester is in the  family  configuration, or at least that is what I would call it; Dodge calls it  4*4 Crew Cab 140-inch wheel base. 
2009 Dodge Ram 1500
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The base price for my tester is $46,340; not inexpensive by any stretch, and she is loaded up with some goodies as well. Leather seats ($1,000); an upgraded radio with Sirius and hard-drive based audio system as well as navigation for a very reasonable $925; the rear backup camera, which is very handy in a vehicle of this size for $325; the protection package (tow hooks, and front and rear skid plates) for $200; a power sunroof at $1,250; rear seat entertainment system for $1,200; RamBox cargo management system ($1,495); and finally, a Class IV receiver hitch for $250.


Honestly, in a truck most of this stuff could be left out, unless, like I said, this is going to be used as a family vehicle, although I m not so sure many families are opting for the tarted-up truck as their every day hauler anymore, at least not in Canada.


My initial impressions are positive, at least with regard to the interior, although the new Ram really strikes me as a weekend warrior / family truck more than a work truck, like many of its competitors, especially the other domestic trucks.


2009 Dodge Ram 1500 Laramie
MSRP as tested (including destination): $54,385


For more information on Dodge and the Ram visit Dodge Canada


Day 2:
2009 Dodge Ram 1500
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A little less interest from onlookers in the new Dodge Ram than the Chevrolet Camaro I had last week. I guess that is to be expected for the most part, as Canada is not truck country; although, I hit the highway today to zip across town and surprisingly there are a lot of trucks roaming the  big city. 


The price of my tester is a little hard to swallow, as some have mentioned, but a lot of the included features such as the DVD entertainment system are easy to leave out when buying. There is one thing missing though: a bed liner. I have a hard time figuring out how a truck that costs fifty grand plus doesn t have a bed liner standard.
2009 Dodge Ram 1500
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Actually, let s make that two things missing: the tailgate is not equipped with any type of dampening system to aid in opening and closing, and it is very heavy. I opened it and let it drop and nearly lost my arms, it came down so fast.


On the inside, things really look up, though, and you could forget that you are in a truck and not a luxury vehicle - if it wasn t for the copious amount of space. The centre console, which doubles as a nice armrest, is large enough for a small laptop in the first level of storage, while the second level is large enough for the rest of your possessions, it seems.


There are storage locations everywhere in the interior, large and small, and too many cup holders to count. The leather seats are comfortable, and with this interior package, the dash is stitched to match. Rear leg room is as generous as you could expect; although it s not as ridiculous as in the new Ford F150, you would still pretty much need to be a giant to have issues with it.


The rear seats do fold up to reveal some storage bins below. Personally I prefer the flat floor in the Ford, but this is a good compromise and a good location to keep tie-downs or other truck accessories that may come in handy. The RamBox sides on the outside are excellent, and fairly large as well. They re a very expensive option, though, and they cannot be used with a tonneau cover or box cap, so unfortunately, it is a choice of one or the other.


Day 3:
2009 Dodge Ram 1500
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Well I had quite the adventurous day today. I wish I could say that I tested the towing ability of the Ram, but decided I would take my own truck to the track today because I have a brake controller and the Ram does not. Of course, that turned out to be a wash, at least on the way home, as my trailer brakes stopped working. Here is to hoping it s just a fuse (it was raining all day).


I was looking forward to driving the Dodge Ram for a few reasons, and most notably the coil spring rear suspension setup, which replaces the typical-truck leaf spring arrangement. There is another truck with this setup, but many wouldn t call it a real truck (the Honda Ridgeline), but the Dodge retains its truck-like ride even with the coils.
2009 Dodge Ram 1500
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The ride is certainly smoother over rough terrain compared to a  typical  pickup truck, but there is still some hop with an empty bed. I wouldn t say that this setup offers as dramatic a difference as the marketing machine may want you to believe, although on the highway, the truck does feel very stable and comfortable.


Wind noise is virtually nil; oddly, it used to be that pickup trucks were the noisiest vehicle you could buy, but now they are some of the quietest available, some of it due to great engineering and sound deadening, and some of it due to new tire technologies. Many truck tires these days are great in dirt yet no longer drone on the highway, like the big, blocky tires of the past.


Engine noise is very well-controlled in the Ram as well, though I would like to be able to hear the 5.7-litre Hemi engine more when I get on the go-pedal. The truck seems to move along quite well for a vehicle of its size, although I m disappointed by the rated towing capacity of only 6,200lbs; I have a feeling that with a lot of weight in it or behind it, the Ram would feel anemic, despite the Hemi!


Day 4:
2009 Dodge Ram 1500
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I missed a few things when I did my driving impressions. The great thing about the internet and the day-by-day format, is that I can touch on them now. I find the brake pedal a tad bit on the high side; with one particular pair of shoes I have, I could not comfortably push the brake pedal without lifting my heel completely off the floor and placing it on the brake, and I found this very uncomfortable.


I finally had a chance to drive over some railroad tracks and some bumpy roads, and wheel control and general ride quality is certainly superior to that of most other trucks I have tested, including my own. The coil springs do their job, providing a more predictable ride over rough terrain.


On the fuel consumption front, it went pretty much as expected, with an average of 16.8L/100km over the course of the week. This week consisted of mostly highway driving, though, so I m slightly disappointed but that average is about on par for a large truck with a big V8 engine.


The Ram did grow on me a little, and it is a well-put-together machine. The optional cooled seats in my tester were certainly impressive in the hot summer sun as well!