more about this model
In previous decades, Dodge's full-size pickup was to its rivals from Ford and Chevy what Phoebe on Friends was to Rachel and Monica. Phoebe had her share of fans, but Rachel and Monica were by far more popular. That is, until the mid-'90s when Dodge introduced its then-new Ram pickup with its buff, big-rig styling and strong engine choices that included a V10. Those Rams got truck buyers' attention and boosted Dodge's bottom line, appreciably closing the gap between the Ram and its competitors.
With its redesigned-for-2010 (and redundantly renamed now that Ram has become a separate division of Dodge) Ram Ram Pickup 2500 and 3500 series heavy-duty pickups, the former dark horse brand looks to remain a strong choice for those who need a serious workhorse. We got to check out the trucks during a press preview held at the Canyons ranch outside San Antonio. Though we didn't brand any cattle, we did subject the Ram HD to a Texas-style triathlon.
First up was a several hours' stint on open highways and twisting byways to the ranch. Once there, we tackled some tight, muddy trails with the off-road-oriented Ram "Power Wagon." Lastly, we used a Ram 3500 crew cab dually to tow 16,000 pounds over hill and dale. In all three radically different scenarios, the 2010 Ram heavy duty did itself proud.
Fact is, any of the big three's heavy-duty pickups could probably handle whatever you could throw in their beds or hitch behind them. After buyers have studied the specs and picked a price range, chances are the purchase decision will hinge on factors such as refinement, comfort and styling. And in all those areas, the 2010 Ram Pickup 2500/3500 puts the heat on its "Friendly" rivals.
Performance For the 2010 Ram Pickup 2500/3500, you have a choice of either the 5.7-liter gasoline ("Hemi") V8 that, at 383 horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque, is the most powerful standard engine in a heavy-duty pickup. Then there's the optional 6.7-liter Cummins turbodiesel that pumps out 350 hp and 650 lb-ft. A five-speed automatic comes with the Hemi. A six-speed manual is standard on the Cummins, and a six-speed automatic is optional.
We mostly put the spurs to the Cummins with the automatic during the on-road driving and towing portions, while we put the Hemi through its paces off-road. The Cummins won't allow you to outgun kids in Camaros (these are 7,000-pound trucks, after all), but it pulls with a steady, strong surge up grades and runs down the highway at 75 like a freight train. To help slow things down, the Cummins features a class-exclusive exhaust brake (just like the big rigs) to help prevent brake fade on long downhill runs and extend the life of the brake pads.
Once acclimated to the Ram 2500 crew cab's size, we had no trouble negotiating winding country roads. The precise steering and solid, no-wander tracking made it easy to place the truck as we went 'round the bends.
During the towing exercise, we employed a Ram 3500 dually (dual rear wheels) crew cab that did a yeoman's job of lugging around 16,200 pounds' worth of Kubota farm tractor and its trailer. That's just about max capacity (16,800, for 2011 max GCWR goes up to 22,000 lbs for some models) and equal to the weight of four Dodge Challengers. The transmission's "tow-haul" mode worked smoothly and showed it had brains by downshifting and holding gears when needed (such as when going up and down hills) to keep speed constant. The smart tranny and the exhaust brake both bolstered our confidence while pulling that monstrosity.
The off-road portion made it seem as if the Power Wagon crew cab was shrinking in our hands. At first we thought it'd be too big for the trails with their switchback turns and steep approaches and departures. But as we rolled on through, we were impressed by the Ram's maneuverability and the fact that we never scraped the truck's chin, belly or bottom of its tail (thanks to impressive approach, breakover and departure angles) while ascending and descending the grades.
Comfort Though the Ram's steering wheel doesn't have a telescoping feature (tilt only), you can get power-adjustable pedals. Along with the power driver seat, that was enough to allow an editor measuring 5-foot-5 and his 6-foot-1 co-driver to get comfortable during their turns behind the wheel. The seats were soft yet supportive on a three-hour drive to the ranch, and even helped hold us in place while banging around on the trails once we were there.
The backseat of the crew cab is more than adequate for a trio of adults and offers a comfortably angled seatback (rather than the bolt upright seatbacks of old). The aptly named Mega Cab is simply cavernous and could easily accommodate a trio of Shaqs in its rear quarters.
As expected, the ride is firmer than what you'd get in the light-duty 1500 series truck (which features a coil-sprung rear suspension vs. the Ram HD's leaf springs), but not overly so, and the ride is darn good for this segment. A strong point of the Ram HD is its serene cabin. At highway cruising speeds, it's impressively quiet, with minimal wind and road noise. If you have the Cummins and put your foot into it, you'll notice some diesel clatter, though even that is fairly muted.
Function To aid in maneuvering, whether it involves backing a boat down the launch ramp or parallel-parking the truck itself, the Ram HD eases the tasks via available swing-out, wide-angle mirrors and an available back-up camera and/or reverse parking sensor. While towing, the integrated trailer brake controller provides smoother deceleration by allowing the two vehicles to slow virtually as one. Should you opt for the Power Wagon, there's a 12,000-pound Warn winch (which feeds through the front bumper) ready to pull you, or much more likely, your friends out of trouble.
Inside the cabin, most controls are user-friendly except for the audio system in navigation-equipped trucks. Though there is a volume knob, there's no tuning knob. That is done via the touchscreen, as is selecting your preset stations. We'd prefer an easily spun knob for tuning (especially with satellite radio and its nearly 200 stations) and large, hard buttons for our presets. That said, the steering-wheel-mounted controls alleviate this gripe somewhat.
If you're a mobile pack rat, you'll be glad to know the Ram has dual gloveboxes and, in crew cab models, spacious under-floor compartments. And there are enough additional stowage nooks and crannies to make a Thomas' English muffin jealous.
Design/Fit and Finish The new Ram HD follows the Ram 1500's styling direction, set last year when it was redesigned. That meant retaining the big-grille, big-rig look of past Rams along with the newer, more sharply defined fender bulges. Unlike other dual-rear-wheel pickups, the 3500 dually features unique rear-quarter panels that seamlessly cover the wide track, rather than having tacked-on fender extensions.
However, it's in the cabin where the Ram clearly head-butts its rivals out of contention. Soft-touch surfaces are everywhere and the dash top even features a handsome stitching detail. Overall fit and finish in the trucks we sampled was excellent, and in the top-of-the-line SLT, the wood and metallic accents and plush seats seem almost too nice for such a workhorse.
Who should consider this vehicle Anyone who wants to be pampered while hauling hay for their quartet of Clydesdales, while simultaneously transporting said steeds to the Budweiser team tryouts.
Others To Consider
Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD, Ford F-250 Super Duty, GMC Sierra 2500 HD.
Edmunds attended a manufacturer-sponsored event, to which selected members of the press were invited, to facilitate this report.
Used 2011 Ram 2500 listings and inventory:
Shop Edmunds' used car, SUV, and truck listings of over 6 million pre-owned vehicles to find a cheap used and certified pre-owned (CPO) 2011 Ram 2500s for sale near Ashburn VA. There are currently 244 used and CPO 2011 2500s listed for sale in your area, with list prices as low as 11,999 and mileage as low as 56,000. Simply research the type of used car, SUV, or truck you're interested in and then select a vehicle from our massive database to find cheap pre-owned vehicles for sale near you. Once you have identified a used vehicle you're interested in, check the Carfax and Autocheck vehicle history reports, read dealer reviews, and find out what other owners paid for the used 2011 Ram 2500. Then select Edmunds' special offers, perks, deals, and incentives to contact the dealer of your choice and save up to 300 on a used or CPO 2011 2500 available from one of 2,633 dealerships in your area.
What's a good price on a used 2011 Ram 2500 ?
Save up to $300 on one of 11 used 2011 Ram 2500s for sale at dealerships within 25 miles of Ashburn, Virginia with prices as low as $11999 as of Apr 20, 2018, based on data from 10 dealers and 7 consumer-driven dealer ratings ranging from 5 to 5 out of 5 stars.
Price comparisons for used 2011 Ram 2500 trim styles:
The used 2011 Ram 2500 Laramie Longhorn Edition is priced around $21990 with average odometer reading of 147974 miles.
The used 2011 Ram 2500 SLT is priced around $26877 with average odometer reading of 110506 miles.
The used 2011 Ram 2500 Laramie is priced around $32500 with average odometer reading of 83736 miles.
The used 2011 Ram 2500 ST is priced around $21450 with average odometer reading of 102886 miles.
Shop with Edmunds for perks and special offers on used cars, trucks, and SUVs near Ashburn, Virginia. Doing so could save you hundreds or thousands of dollars. Edmunds also provides consumer-driven dealership sales and service reviews to help you make informed decisions about what cars to buy and where to buy them.
What options are available on the 2011 Ram 2500?
Available Ram 2500 2011 Submodel Types: Mega Cab, Regular Cab, Crew Cab
Available Ram 2500 2011 Trims: Tradesman, Big Horn, Longhorn, Power Wagon, Limited, SLT, Laramie, ST, Laramie Longhorn Edition, Lone Star, Outdoorsman
Exterior Colors: Bright White Clear Coat, Brilliant Black Crystal Pearl Coat, Granite Crystal Metallic Clear Coat, Delmonico Red Pearl Coat, Bright Silver Metallic Clear Coat, Maximum Steel Metallic Clear Coat, Black Clear Coat, Blue Streak Pearl Coat, True Blue Pearl Coat, Pearl White, Black Forest Green Pearl Coat, Flame Red Clear Coat, Black Clearcoat, Deep Cherry Red Crystal Pearl Coat, Bright White Clear Coat/Bright Silver Metallic Clear Coat, Bright Silver Metallic Clear Coat/Brilliant Black Crystal Pearl Coat, Bright White Clearcoat, Low Vol Power Tan, Black Gold Pearl Coat, Brilliant Black Crystal Pearlcoat, Case IH Red, Granite Crystal Metallic Clear Coat/Brilliant Black Crystal Pearl Coat, New Holland Blue, Blue Streak Pearl Coat/Brilliant Black Crystal Pearl Coat, Bright Silver Metallic Clearcoat, Bright White Clear Coat/Brilliant Black Crystal Pearl Coat, Bright White Clearcoat/White Gold Clearcoat, Brilliant Black Crystal Pearlcoat/White Gold Clearcoat, Copperhead Pearl Coat, Delmonico Red Pearl Coat/Brilliant Black Crystal Pearl Coat, Flame Red Clear Coat/Brilliant Black Crystal Pearl Coat, Flame Red Clearcoat/Mineral Gray Metallic Clearcoat, Hills Green, Hunter Green Pearlcoat, Midnight Blue Pearlcoat, Mineral Gray Metallic Clear Coat, Mineral Gray Metallic Clearcoat, True Blue Pearlcoat
Interior Colors: Black/Diesel Gray cloth, Black leather, Black/Diesel Gray premium cloth, Black/Diesel Gray vinyl, Black cloth, Canyon Brown/Light Frost Beige leather, Black premium leather, Canyon Brown/Light Frost Beige premium leather, Canyon Brown/Light Frost Beige cloth, Black/Diesel Gray leather, Canyon Brown/Light Frost Beige premium cloth, Dark Slate leather, Dark Slate/Medium Graystone cloth, Indigo/Frost premium leather, Light Pebble Beige/Bark Brown leather, Light Pebble Beige/Bark Brown premium leather, Black/Cattle Tan premium leather, Dark Slate/Medium Graystone vinyl, Dark Slate Gray/Russet premium leather, Dark Slate premium leather
Popular Features: Stability Control, Mobile Internet, Electronic Folding Mirrors, Apple Carplay/Android Auto, Keyless Entry/Start, Standard Cab, Upgraded Stereo, 10,000lb+ Towing Capacity, AWD/4WD, Aux Audio Inputs, Crew Cab, Fold Flat Rear Seats, Post-collision safety system, Rear Bench Seats, Tire Pressure Warning, Towing Hitch, Trip Computer, Remote Start, Bluetooth, USB Inputs, 6ft Bed, Audio and cruise controls on steering wheel, Parking sensors, 8ft Bed, Alarm, Auto Climate Control, Back-up camera, Heated seats, Leather Seats, Multi-Zone Climate Control, Power Driver Seat, Upgraded Engine, Navigation, Sunroof/Moonroof, Cooled Seats
Engine/Mechanics: 6, 8 cylinders
Transmission: MANUAL, AUTOMATIC
Fuel Types: diesel, natural gas, regular unleaded
Drivetrains: four wheel drive, rear wheel drive
Used 2011 Ram 2500 Overview
The used 2011 Ram 2500 is offered in the following submodels: Crew Cab, Mega Cab, Regular Cab. Available styles include SLT 4dr Crew Cab 4WD SB (5.7L 8cyl 5A), SLT 4dr Crew Cab 4WD LB (5.7L 8cyl 5A), and SLT 4dr Mega Cab 4WD SB (5.7L 8cyl 5A). Pre-owned 2500 models are available with a 0-liter gas engine, with output up to 0 hp, depending on engine type. The used 2011 2500 comes with four wheel drive. Available transmissions include: 5-speed automatic.
