Used 2018 Ram 2500 Crew Cab Consumer Reviews
RAM convert
Dentist775, 04/04/2019
2018 Ram 2500 Laramie 4dr Crew Cab 4WD SB (6.4L 8cyl 6A)
49 of 55 people found this review helpful
I used to be a Toyota truck junkie. I was in the market for a new Tundra and decided I should do my due diligence and drive a Ford, Chevy and a RAM. I was only impressed with the RAM 1500. The dealer then suggested I test drive the Cummings 2500. I was blown away with the build quality and the power of this engine. I had always thought that Dodge made the worst trucks. I was wrong. I went back to Ford and drove the F-250 diesel and felt the interior was made of cheap materials for the price, but the ride was nice. The same went for the Chevy 2500 I drove. The power in the engine was great, but the cab felt small and had too many buttons on the dash. The cost for both of these vehicles similarly built (i.e., leather, heated seats, back up camera, etc) was outrageous. I bought the Ram 2500 with the Laramie package, off road package, etc. and it was about $15-20K less than either of the other trucks. I'm getting 19-21 MPG after about 5000 miles on the truck. I know people are very passionate about their truck brands, but do yourself a favor before you buy your next truck and check out a RAM diesel pickup. You will have a tough time justifying the cost and quality of a Ford or Chevy after you test drive this truck.
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The Cummins Makes the Ram
JRG, 08/07/2018
2018 Ram 2500 SLT 4dr Crew Cab SB (5.7L 8cyl 6A)
32 of 36 people found this review helpful
There are only a few choices in HD trucks and none of them are bad. What the Ram brings to the table is a good platform with a fantastic engine and presented in a good value. Even the SLT has plenty of goodies. This is a work truck and a very capable, comfortable, reliable one. I know there are brand aficionados out there and that’s all good. I’d argue that the Ram is the best value in the HD truck segment, especially with the Cummins engine.
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Absolutely love my Cummins
Oilfield trucker, 04/20/2019
updated 10/22/2021
2018 Ram 2500 Tradesman 4dr Crew Cab SB (5.7L 8cyl 6A)
26 of 29 people found this review helpful
I did a lot of research before I bought my 2018 ram 2500 with the Cummins and g56 6 speed manual. I’m not a ram fanboy so I looked at all the brands before I went with the ram. The reliability of the Cummins engine is really what sold me on it. I got the tradesman with the chrome package and it ended up being a lot cheaper than most half ton trucks! The diesels hold their value a lot better than gasoline engines and they just simply run longer. I haven’t regretted getting the ram once. The towing power it has is just ridiculous compared to a gasoline engine. UPDATE: 1 year later.... still just as happy with it as I was when it was new. My ONLY complaint is the location of the oil filter, you can’t get it out without dumping half the oil out of it. It’s not hard to get to through the passenger side fender well but you’ve just got to tilt the filter to one side. I guess it’s only a problem if you do your own oil changes
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True believer
William, 12/11/2018
updated 06/11/2019
2018 Ram 2500 Laramie 4dr Crew Cab SB (6.4L 8cyl 6A)
29 of 33 people found this review helpful
Watch for the factory tires if they have been sitting ,they might be out of round or flat spotted . HD to change mine because of this reason but dealership was outstanding with it once we found they were flat spotted and out of balance.
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Best heavy duty trail ready truck on the market
Jrod, 12/31/2018
updated 07/06/2022
2018 Ram 2500 Power Wagon 4dr Crew Cab 4WD SB (6.4L 8cyl 6A)
18 of 25 people found this review helpful
I'm a Dodge/RAM fan and I have been since my dad gave me my first truck in 1998; a 1974 Dodge 3/4 4x4 pickup. Years and several brands later, I can honestly say that the new breed of trucks across all manufacturers are outstanding choices. I looked at the Ford Raptor, Tundra TRD Pro, and the Silverado with a Z71 package as potential suitors. I even considered the new ZR2 for a very, very brief moment. I wanted a truck with off road capabilities from the factory, with a nod towards locking diffs and other features that went beyond off-roading badges, skid plates, and mild trail tires. I don't need speed sensitive cruise control, lane departure warning systems, or blind spot warning lights, and the Power Wagon understands that. This is not an on-road pageant winner to address a comparison with my Tesla owning friends looking to carry home Ikea furniture. My RAM has the proven trail features that I was looking for as a weekend getaway vehicle for my family of five as I get back into fishing, bike riding, and camping with my maturing kids. Aggressive styling and very good build quality, this truck exhibits excellent road qualities from peppy acceleration to great braking (the Wrangler DuraTracs take away a bit on the braking and quick maneuvering but I've adapted my driving style with no issues). The Power Wagon option has less payload than the other HD 3/4 trucks on the market but with the coil over springs in the rear and the Bilstein shocks, axle hop on expansion cracks with an empty bed is far less than the competitors. I consider this to be a half ton truck with HD axles. One area that needs improvement is with the headlights. Although they are projector beams, the light dispersion is poor and a truck of this size would do far better with HID or LED to light the way. I replaced my factory halogen bulbs with Sylvania Ultrastar bulbs but the improvements are not substantial. With a new body style and interior options coming for the RAM 2019 HD lineup, I expected tried and true electronics and mechanics in this truck and so far I have not been disappointed. Sure, I have a ways to go and with no off road time as of yet, it's a bit early to assess reliability. However, this generation of RAM HD has been around a while and I have no doubt that it will have minimal problems and years of great service. 16000 MILE UPDATE Outstanding performance over the past 13 months and I highly recommend the vehicle for anyone in the market. The truck still drives rattle free and no electronic issues to report at all. Mechanically, I’ve not taken the truck in for repairs for the drivetrain or suspension but I’ve had a couple of small issues which are noted below. 1. The RAM box on both sides have small clips that connect the mechanism to lock and unlock the lids electronically with the rest of the doors. Both sides have broken at least once and on two separate occasions. Nothing jammed under the lids or anything but it seems that the original clips were not that great. Hopefully, the replacements will last from here on out. 2. One recall for the steering link and the possibility for it to loosen. The recall fix is to weld it together on the jam nut. Not a big deal really but it does mean that a front end alignment requires a bit more work if and when I need it. Thinking about it now, I should have skipped the recall. The Goodyear Duratracs that came factory are wearing very smoothly and evenly. I have noticed some increase in on center wandering but nothing excessive. Suspension still rides smooth for a 3/4 ton truck and with a cab full of kids and a weekend of camping gear, it rides even better. Headlights are still a disappointment even after I swapped the bulbs for Sylvania Ultras. One huge improvement I did was to install Rigid fog lights and spot lights to the factory location and what a difference. No issues with the headlights now. Maintenance is a breeze and I do my own oil changes. There is one grease fitting to be lubed every oil change so I had to buy a grease gun and a needle tip. Plan on a bit of a hassle to find the grease point if you elect to do it yourself and the service recommendation is every oil change. Unless you 4 wheel drive often, I’d say that this lube point could go every other oil change. I have no body issues and everything fits together very well. I did get a cracked windshield my first month of ownership and it took two months to get a factory replacement due to demand. However, it was fixed locally by a big glass company and I’ve had no issues other than the wait. I do give up some on road agility such as quick steering and hard braking but the off road ability is outstanding. I do not tow anything but the capabilities of this truck on the backroads is impressive. Look for a different vehicle option if towing is your intended purpose. My overall impression with this as my daily driver is above satisfactory and I highly recommend the Power Wagon. June 2022 ~49k miles I’ve had one recall for the trac bar but I also replaced it with a Thuren part and a Carli drag link. I still have factory springs but upgraded to King 2.5’s, King steering stabilizer, and a Thuren rear drag link. This is still an exceptional truck with no issues on or off the trail. Feeling that the battery was a bit slow to start this past winter, I went ahead and replaced it with an X2 AGM from Batteries Plus. I have several auxiliary lights for trail running and it has been my experience with other vehicles that this plus the factory accessories that run electronics after the vehicle is turned off tend to wear a battery down quickly. 4 years on a factory was long enough for me but others may disagree. I’ve taken it in for service twice in 4 years, and both occasions were a broken plastic switch inside the Ram Box preventing the mechanism from locking/unlocking with the doors. That was in the first year and I’ve had no issues since. Black plastic pieces around the windshield along with the grill and bumpers are starting to discolor subtly. Otherwise the truck looks excellent. I replaced the Duratrac tires at the end of 2021 and stepped up to Toyo AT3s in a 305/70/17. Excellent tire that was every bit a 34” or so and at street pressures, it fits in the spare well under my truck. I have an AFE cold air intake and a Magnaflow catback exhaust and my MPG (12-15) is the same as with the shorter Duratracs. Power was excellent with the shorter Duratracs but still great running larger Toyos. At 40k on the Duratracs, they had half the tread remaining but the road noise and wearability overall wasn’t enjoyable for me. A personal choice/change that I’m happier with. My impressions of the Power Wagon remain very high. I don’t tow anything but feel confident that if I had too, this truck will not disappoint. I’ve had no electronic issues, no leaking sunroof or rear slider, and the performance is exceptional. This running the highway for camping or biking trips is a joy. We load up and go to the range and it’s always a topic of conversation for other shooters. RC park and baseball games too. My kids and neighbors love it and it’s sure to be in my family for my boys to drive when they turn of age.
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