How to Shop for a Used Ram Pickup

It seems like every day here at Faricy Chrysler Jeep, we work with a customer who is exhausted from trying to figure out everything for themselves while shopping for a vehicle. We’ll admit that going at it all by yourself when shopping for a car or truck can be a lot of work; that’s one of the reasons we’re here as your Colorado Ram truck dealer, ready to help you with everything you need. That being said, looking at used Ram trucks doesn’t need to be as difficult as it might seem, as long as you keep some important details in mind.

Essentially, it’s all in the details–even when you first start shopping for your next truck, and you’re mostly focused on big-picture items, the details are still very important. Looking at a Ram truck from 2018 and one from 2019 will be vastly different, yet models from 2017 and 2018 are nearly identical. Not to mention the Ram 1500 vs Ram 1500 Classic; what’s the difference there? Understanding all of these details can be the difference between quickly narrowing down your options and spending a lot of time going down the wrong rabbit hole only to end up confused and frustrated.

The Importance of Model Year

You might think this doesn’t need to be said, but you’d be surprised how often Colorado drivers can be easily confused or misled by overlooking the importance of the model year while shopping for a used Ram truck. In fairness, sometimes the model year isn’t all that important; there are enough times when it is vitally important, however, that you should still keep it in mind. Ultimately, the real key here is to do a little research in order to understand which model years are the most meaningful when you shop for a used Ram.

The Ram 1500 or Ram Pickup has been around, in one form or another, since about 1980, though it was the Dodge Ram prior to 2010. During this time, there have been five generations of Ram trucks available with pretty huge differences between them. The most important thing, as far as we’re concerned, is recognizing the different years these generations started because those are the major milestones to consider as you look at used models. The third generation of Ram trucks kicked off in 2002, followed by a fourth generation that launched in 2009, and a fifth generation starting in 2019.

Most of the used models you find here at Faricy Chrysler Jeep will be from these two most recent generations, but in addition to these major milestones, there was also a restyling update in 2013 and minor engine changes throughout the years. If you’re not planning on going too far back, the big generation change between the 2018 to 2019 model years is what you should really keep in mind while you shop. Just how big of a difference does this one year make? Quite a bit.

Focusing on Vital Specs

As you are looking at different used Ram trucks in Colorado, starting with big picture things like cab size, model year, and mileage is a great idea. Beyond that, however, it’s very important that you take a good look at the specific features of each truck in order to find what you’re looking for. This includes the engine in the truck as well as the kind of specific capability it offers because there have been numerous options available each year.

Here’s a clear illustration: there were three engines available on the 2018 Ram 1500, and they offered wildly different levels of performance.

• 3.6L Pentastar V6: 305 hp and 269 lb-ft of torque
• 5.7L HEMI V8: 395 hp and 410 lb-ft of torque
• 3.0L EcoDiesel: 240 hp and 420 lb-ft of torque

See how much of a difference looking at the engine on a used model can make? The HEMI and diesel engines that were available on 2018 models offered far greater torque than the standard engine, and the V8 delivered a lot more horsepower for much greater overall performance. This not only translates into a very different driving experience (more power really impacts what it’s like to drive a heavy truck here in the mountains around Colorado Springs) but also greater capability. The standard engine can handle up to 7,600 lbs of maximum towing, while the HEMI V8 tops out at more than 10,000 lbs of towing.

That’s just looking at one model year; remember how we mentioned the change to a new generation going from 2018 to 2019? With the new generation, Ram overhauled the engines available on the 1500 and increased the capability of what the truck can do. Most notably, the standard Pentastar V6 and the available HEMI V8 engines were both offered with a new eTorque mild hybrid system that boosts torque at low RPMs. This helps make towing and initial acceleration feel better as the engine has more oomph to get going.

The engines available in the 2019 Ram 1500 include:

• 3.6L Pentastar V6: 305 hp and 269 lb-ft of torque
• 5.7L HEMI V8: 395 hp and 410 lb-ft of torque
• 3.0L EcoDiesel: 260 hp and 480 lb-ft of torque

You can see the numbers for the gasoline engines are the same as they were in 2018, yet the improvements in design mean the 2019 model can handle up to 12,750 lbs of towing when properly equipped with the HEMI engine. The EcoDiesel some a larger revamp, offering noticeably greater power than the diesel option from the previous model year.

Those differences are already significant, but that was just looking at the engine and the kind of performance and capability it has allowed across a couple of different model years. With the launch of the latest generation, there were other significant differences too. The 2018 Ram 1500 came with a standard 5-inch infotainment display, with an 8.4-inch screen available, and there was an available 10-speaker sound system. Looking inside the updated 2019 model, a stunning 12-inch infotainment display became available, along with an incredible 19-speaker Harman Kardon sound system. You can see similar changes like this all throughout various parts of the Ram pickup, so looking at all of the details is massively important.

What’s a “Classic?”

One thing that’s very easy to overlook, or misunderstand, is the use of the word “Classic” with certain Ram trucks after 2018. As we said, the 2019 model year kicked off a new generation for the Ram 1500, but the previous version was still quite popular. In order to offer something for everyone, Ram continued to make new models of the previous generation, selling them as the 2019 Ram 1500 Classic. That’s just one word, but it’s a very important one.

Effectively, all of the features and options from the 2018 model year rolled forward into the 2019 Classic, creating more options as you look at used models. The engines are essentially the same as the 2018 models, without the eTorque feature found on the 2019 Ram 1500, though a few improvements helped boost maximum towing to 10,680 lbs. It’s very easy to look at a Ram 1500 Classic model and not realize it due to only one word of difference in the name, so whenever you’re considering a used Ram pickup from 2019 or later, be sure to note which one it is.

Know When to Ask for Help

As you can see, shopping for a used Ram truck doesn’t have to be difficult, but there are definitely a lot of little things to keep track of. This is why one of the best things you can do is recognize when it’s time to ask for help and get a professional to work with you as you look for the best truck for your needs. It’s fantastic to be able to do research, look at inventory, and do a lot of truck shopping from the comfort of your couch, but there comes a time when it’s best to have a knowledgeable expert by your side. That’s when you should visit us here at Faricy Chrysler Jeep and let us help you find the perfect used Ram truck with everything a Colorado driver could need.