2008 Dodge Ram 1500 2WD.. Woefully Average.

What is more American than a big truck? Trucks have been a staple in our society for decades and recently, more of a prestige vehicle than it has ever been. Sure, it’s not for everyone, but if your business requires you to own a truck, you really need to get out there and see what’s available and how it can adapt to your needs.

The 2008 Dodge Ram 1500 has shown many signs of improvement over the years tending to transmission and cooling woes from 㥪 to 㤉 which made it an abysmal choice compared to powerhouse Ford and Chevrolet marketing. Available as a 2Wheel Drive, part time 4wheel drive and permanent 4 wheel drive model, the 2 wheel drive is a good choice for everyday use as a work truck with minimal off road applications. Available in regular, crew cab and mega cab, there is a body style to meet anyone’s needs willing to spend $21,485 to $40,885 at this writing.

Exterior

The 2008 Dodge Ram 1500 2WD is 228 inches long, 80 inches wide, 77 inches tall with a 141 inches wheelbase making it a considerable vehicle to have on the road. In crew cab dressing, the bed measures 6ָ”” which makes it a little less desirable and a bit more target marketed and desirable than a regular cab with full sized 8’ bed. The front door sill sits 26” off the ground which makes it a real candidate for running boards if you are shorter, suffer back problems or elderly. The burgeoning hood will be a challenge to see over for shorter drivers. The hood, however, is raised easily by anyone by twin pistons that effortlessly lifted the heavy hood to reveal the 4.7 liter V-8

The exterior appointments in standard dress are Spartan as one would expect with a work truck, but it can be outfitted with all the luxury appointments driving the price to the $45k mark. I particularly like the standard cargo lamp which is helpful for late nights on the job. Twin electric mirrors are a handy feature but if you pull a trailer they can be spun vertically to serves as a trailer rear view as an option. An oversight is a locking gas cap which is a tempting target for fuel theft these days. The height of the vehicle would make it a real candidate for an integrated or pull down step to negotiate the heavy tailgate.

Sporting the classic Dodge Ram look, the 1500 is an elegant looking truck that should garner much market appeal though there are other considerations that need to be brought to bear on this vehicle. Twenty inch Goodyear Wrangler HP P225/60/R20 on five spoke wheels fill the wheel wells nicely adding to the beefy look on this truck. The lines all meld the rear and front clip resolving at the front lamps. Lighting is provided by single halogen beam with bumper integrated fog lamps and do a nice job illuminating the road.

Interior

Inside the 2008 Dodge Ram 1500 you get a sense that this is a pricier truck in standard dress. From nice short pile carpeting, rugged yet stylish seating materials and a handsome dash, it feels comfortable as soon as you sit in it. The center stack in faux wood grain is convincing that Dodge is really trying. The dash is minimal with battery and fuel occupying twin smaller gauges on the left with the tachometer and speedometer in the center flanked on the right by the oil pressure and temperature gauge in matching smaller gauges. An Aux input allows for use of your favorite mp3 player and a nice touch.

The air conditioning and heating are controlled by 3 large rotary controls and 4 sizable rectangular vents. An overhead information center, forward of twin large courtesy lamps, gives the driver readouts on temp average mpg, distance to empty, odometers, elapsed time and compass just above the day/night rear view mirror. The steering wheel houses the cruise control functions on two ergonomic 2 way controls, which perform flawlessly the ladies will have to do without a lit vanity mirror. A nice feature is the electrically controlled sliding rear glass. Fit and finish is fair.

A large drop down center console is cavernous with a flat top which serves as a makeshift desk that flips back to provide an extra seat, providing the last piece of what becomes a 40/20/40 bench seat. The twin beverage holder also folds back into the dash to provide for extra legroom for the center occupant. Shoulder belts are provided for all with the exception of the center occupants on both regular and crew cabs. Full sized door bins provide extra storage for notebooks, maps and tools. On a crew cab, the rear bench folds up for even more space.

Powertrain

The 2008 Dodge Ram 1500 comes in a monstrous 5.7 liter 345 hp Hemi with MDS which reverts to a 4 cylinder when appropriate to save fuel. There is also a 4.7 liter V8 and more modest 3.7 liter. The 4.7 liter V8 in this review purrs with authority and runs effortless under load. Payload capacity is 1810 lbs for the 8 ft bed and 1470lbs for the smaller bed. For a 6026 lbs vehicle under load, the 4.7 liter prowls effortlessly through a days work. Towing capacity runs up to 9100 lbs. for the 1500 series. An automatic 5 speed transmission drives the 1500 shifting smoothly and quietly. A 6 speed manual transmission is also available for those consumers who wish to be more engaged in the experience.


Driving Impressions

Driving a new 2008 Dodge Ram 1500 you get the impressions of a great riding vehicle. The anti lock brake equipped 1500, brakes sluggishly reminiscent of trucks not equipped with modern brake systems, which was disconcerting. The 4 wheel drive model stopped better without the lurching forward of the 2 WD model.

Interior noise is kept to a minimum with engine hum barely discernable which is admirable for a vehicle of this caliber. Ride is much improved over last year’s model and it corners nicely and has a 45 ft. turning circle.

Acceleration lag is apparent when getting into traffic which leads you to wonder if the condition is a deficient oxygen sensor or simply a manufacturing issue. Other than that the 2008 Dodge Ram 1500 is a good daily driver if you like frequent gas stops, as 13 mpg is the norm while the vehicle is rated 16/19 ( city/highway).

The double wishbone independent front suspension with Hotchkiss Rear suspension with Bilstein monotube shocks provide a good firm ride that is very much truck like but well within the acceptable level. You aren’t insulated to the bumps and imperfections of the road. Stability and traction controls are optional, which is a mistake not to have on this vehicle as standard equipment.

Advanced multi staged air bags up front with optional side curtain airbags are minimal in today’s market and perhaps a deal breaker for this vehicle if the marginal crash test results aren’t. While this is a big vehicle it performed inferior to vehicles half its size and on par with most pickups aside from the Ridgeline, Frontier and Sierra.

Final Thoughts

While I like the 2008 Dodge Ram 1500 aesthetically, that is where it ends. For starters there are better rides to be had in the Silverado or Ford F150, though they all performed miserably on crash tests. While I don’t care for a 2WD truck, there is a place for them. Personally I liked the 4WD better on a number of fronts including acceleration, braking and road feel. The 2WD 2008 Dodge Ram 1500 is skittish though is more stable, understandably, under load.

The interior is quiet and comfortable. Resale is horrible but the 2008 Dodge Ram 1500
is great looking though if you were in for the long haul, resale isn’t an issue nor is fuel economy as that is the norm for this caliber of vehicle until something better comes along at this price point.

The question of whether I would buy this vehicle looms large. I am not keen on its heritage of poor reliability only because it speaks more about company responsiveness and perhaps indifference to consumer demand. The fact is American trucks have evolved but now need to take it to the next level with reliability and consumer satisfaction. In a troubled economy, die hard loyalty can be gained by ramping up consumer satisfaction, not garnering mistrust and dissatisfied consumers by cutting corners on consumers who will remember doing without because they had to repair the truck.

Aesthetics are one thing but they don’t fulfill the value equation. Granted that is going to be a big expectation of Detroit and a major hurdle to negotiate. If you need to have a truck, the 2008 Dodge Ram 1500 is as good as any truck out there, which is about as much of a recommendation as I can make for a truck that has so many possibilities.