What we love about our Ram 3500
Our Ram 3500 is a beast of a truck, and there are a few things about it that really stand out as being exceptional. Read on for what we love about our truck!
We’ve had our truck for over six months now, and while we thought it would be paired with our dreamer camper at this point, we’re grateful to have had a nice, long time to grow accustomed to driving without it.
Like any new vehicle, it took some time to adjust to the driving experience, quirks, and joys of our 2024 Ram 3500. After half a year, however, we feel like we have a pretty strong grasp of its strengths and weaknesses, as well as the things we like and dislike about it.
There’s no doubt that some of these pros and cons come down to personal preference, so don’t take our word as gold. With that in mind, let’s dive into what we love about our Ram 3500 Big Horn.
Things to know:
We’ve had our 2024 Ram 3500 Big Horn for over six months, and there are a handful of things that we absolutely love about it. Here, we’ll share our opinion on the best features of Ram trucks.
The best features of our Ram 3500
Is Cummins the best diesel engine?
We can’t say for sure, but we know we absolutely love it. Our Ram came equipped with the high-output 6.7L Cummins diesel engine, which is good for 420 horsepower and 1,075 pound-feet of torque. Yeah, that’s a lot!
Our truck has no shortage of power, that’s for sure.
The power is noticeable, especially on grades and when passing at highway speeds. The turbo spools, you hear that trademark diesel whistle, and next thing you know, you’re off like a rocket ship. It is addictive, and we love how it gives us a little extra boost on the highway to drive defensively and get out of questionable situations before they devolve.
While we don’t have the camper yet, we know that’s when we’ll truly appreciate the power of the Cummins. We can’t wait to experience it under load!
What gas mileage does a Ram 3500 get?
When people see our big ol’ truck and hear about our plans to travel full-time, one of the first questions is, “What kind of gas mileage do you get?”
This is a loaded question because it is affected by a variety of factors ranging from elevation and load to tire type and pressure. So, we can only give you our findings so far with the caveat that they are likely to change once we have the camper.
As is, we average between 18.5 and 20 miles per gallon on the highway. With mixed driving, we are around 15 to 16 mpg.
You don’t buy a big truck for the gas mileage, but we’re happy with our Ram’s efficiency so far.
What factors should you be aware of when interpreting those numbers? Our truck is factory height, but is equipped with aggressive all-terrain tires that are slightly larger than 35”. Most of our driving has been mostly unloaded, and we are on the East Coast where highway speeds are around 70 miles per hour.
While we did decrease our gas mileage by around 10% when we opted for much more aggressive tires, we are very happy with our Ram 3500 fuel economy so far, especially after driving Jeeps for so long!
Vehicle storage galore
Forget, for a moment, the 8’ bed this behemoth of a truck is equipped with. The interior alone has enough storage to transport a one-bedroom apartment, and we’re hardly exaggerating.
The cabin of our Ram 3500 has a generous center console, upper and lower glove boxes, in-floor storage boxes, underseat storage, and even a fold-flat floor (which we bought used). While we do have some complaints (looking at you, center console), the sheer volume of storage available in the cab is shocking.
Not only does this give us ample opportunity to transport all of Chowder’s very necessary and not at all excessive belongings, but it also gives Riley the opportunity to do what he loves–organize our lives. When we’re fully nomadic, all of this organized storage will be truly invaluable.
Interior comfort and styling
While we’re on the topic of the interior, we love both the design and functionality the cabin of the Ram 3500 offers. From silly things like loving the column shifter to more practical features like the adjustable headrests, there is a lot to like inside the Ram.
A few of the highlights are:
The seats are phenomenal. They’re exceptionally comfortable, and make long drives more than bearable.
The adjustable headrests contribute to the overall comfort of the seats.
The interior is spacious and doesn’t feel claustrophobic, even after hours on the road.
The dash is nicely appointed, and we appreciate the analog dials.
The auxiliary switches allow for easy wiring and control of accessories.
How does the Ram 3500 drive?
Looking at the Ram from the exterior, you would assume it is cumbersome and difficult to drive thanks to its size and long wheelbase. In some ways, you would be correct.
Smooth enough to enjoy a Baconator on the go.
In many respects, however, the 3500 is a joy to drive. On the highway, it simply glides, making the miles fly by without beating you up over the course of hours. The visibility from the driver’s seat is also superb thanks to the redesigned mirrors, large windows, and suite of cameras.
Contributing to our positive driving impressions–particularly on the highway–is the exhaust brake. This feature provides additional braking power, helps hold your speed on steep descents, and should be a game-changer once the truck is equipped with a camper. It’s one of the top highlights of the truck overall.
The best-looking HD truck
Here’s where things get really subjective. We strongly feel that Ram makes the best-looking trucks in the HD segment. There, we said it–let the debate commence.
The exterior design of the Ram 3500 is aggressive and bold, with tall, strong shoulders, a looming grille, and a stance that appears ready to pounce. Factor in the new mirrors, and we think the styling is nearly perfect.
The Ram stylish is top-notch, if you ask us.
Shockingly, we even prefer the long bed. In the past, we thought they looked a little silly, but after experiencing the functionality of an 8’ bed and seeing the side profile of the 3500 every day, we’ve grown to adore it. Now, standard beds just don’t look quite right!
If it isn’t apparent by now, allow us to say it plainly–we LOVE our new Ram. While we do have a list of things we wish were different (tune in next week for that one), we are ecstatic about our choice and have no regrets so far. You can also check out the video below for a more in-depth look at everything we like (and dislike) about the truck.
With our camper nearing completion, the Ram will soon fulfill its purpose of being the foundation for our home on wheels. We can’t wait to see the finished product and share the results with you. It’s going to be epic!
Until then, feel free to drop your thoughts below, check out our adventures on Instagram and YouTube, and otherwise join us on this exciting journey of full-time travel we are about to embark on.
All our best,
- Riley + Hanna
Choosing a truck for full-time travel - Brands and trim levels
What is the best HD truck brand for full-time travel? Do you need a high trim level? We explore these important questions before buying our new one-ton truck.
Brand rivalries are loads of fun to observe (and jokingly participate in), but at the end of the day, we’re not terribly brand loyal. Sure, we’ve had a handful of Jeeps and a couple of Fords, but that’s not because we detest other manufacturers–we’ve simply always purchased the vehicles that appealed to us for one reason or another.
Our latest Jeep - a bare-bones two-door Wrangler (hand-crank windows, anyone?!)
As we began our hunt for the ideal truck for our impending full-time travel, we did so with (relatively) open minds. We have limited experience with heavy-duty trucks (and zero experience with one-ton trucks), so we wanted to be thorough and allow our research and test drives–not any preconceived bias–to shape our path forward.
Things to know:
We’re hitting the road full-time in 2025, and we need to choose a truck to facilitate that adventure. Part of the purchasing process is determining which truck brand and trim level we want to call our home!
Note: By the time you read this, we might already have a truck. Our intent is not to mislead you, we simply wrote these blogs well in advance!
What is the Best Truck for Full-Time Travel?
There are many factors to consider when choosing what vehicle to buy. Throw in the wrinkle of living in said vehicle, and the decision suddenly feels even more potent–you want to make sure you get it right the first time.
Among those many factors are two relatively personal considerations–brand and trim level.
Choosing a Truck Brand for RV Travel
While it seems that brand loyalty is a big deal to a lot of people, especially in the world of trucks, we have never been overly concerned with this brand versus that brand. Based on our vehicle history, we’ve clearly gravitated toward certain brands (Jeep and Ford), but it was always because the vehicles appealed to us, not because we had a sense of loyalty toward those brands.
Our Ford F-250 treated us very well.
When we started looking at heavy-duty trucks, we decided to drive one from each of the big three manufacturers–Ford, Ram, and GM. So, we did exactly that, test driving a Ford Super Duty, Ram 3500, and GMC Sierra HD (we did not drive a Chevy since the platform shares so much overlap with the GMC).
In addition to test driving a handful of trucks, we (and by we, I mean Riley) spent hours researching, reading forums, and watching videos about the trucks on our list. Ultimately, we narrowed our shopping list down to two brands–Ford and Ram.
Below, we’ve laid out some of the pros that compelled us to list Ford and Ram as our top two truck brands for full-time travel. Why did we leave the GMC and Chevy off our list? While there were a few other contributors to this decision, the primary factor was based on personal preference–we have always liked solid front axle vehicles, and the GM trucks come with independent front suspension (IFS).
Off-road capability. Thanks to the solid front axle, the Ford and Ram trucks have a more traditional off-road-worthy design. You can eke a bit more off-road performance out of these trucks than an IFS alternative, especially at the HD level. Note: we are aware of GMC’s amazing partnership with American Expedition Vehicles and the off-road goodies now available from the factory on their HD trucks. However, those models are far outside of our price range.
Aftermarket modification and support. It seems most aftermarket manufacturers are focused on bringing parts and accessories to the Ram and Ford platforms, giving us more options to modify our truck to our preferences and needs.
Aesthetics. While we don’t mind the looks of the GMC trucks (especially those AEV varieties), we gravitate toward Ford and Ram from a purely visual perspective.
Experience. We have hands-on experience with both brands (or brands adjacent to them), giving us a degree of comfort and familiarity. The interior of a Ram echoes that of a Jeep, and we’ve had (and loved) a Super Duty before.
Observation. While we see our fair share of GMC and Chevy trucks on the road, we noticed a lot more Fords and Rams pulling trailers and working in commercial settings. While anecdotal, this definitely affected our perception of those two brands.
Truck Trims - A Luxury Land Yacht?
If you’ve ever played around with the “truck builder” configurators on manufacturers’ websites, you know that the number of options and level of customization available is astounding. In some ways, this is great–it gives you an opportunity to tailor your truck to your specifications. On the other hand, it can be overwhelming, and prices sure do add up quickly.
Because we got a late start to the truck buying party, we don’t have the luxury of ordering a custom truck to our exact preferences. Instead, we used these online tools to explore the various trim levels available from Ram and Ford, make a list of must-haves and that-would-be-nices, and see how different options might influence the final price.
As a reader of this blog, there’s a good chance you know how ridiculous truck prices have gotten and how excessive many of the trim levels are these days. While it’s amazing that you can get massaging seats and luxury finishes in an HD pickup truck, we have no need or interest in such a bougie rig.
Chowder, our certified comfort expert, loved the posh interior of the F-250 Lariat.
In fact, our previous F-250 was a Lariat, and it was too fancy for us. Some of the features were neat, but we definitely didn’t need them. So, this time around, we would be focusing on lower trim levels–Tradesman and Big Horn for Ram and XL and XLT for Ford.
Here are a few of the features we wanted. Some are what we’d call necessities, while others are more wishlist items.
Four-wheel drive is an absolute must.
A decent screen for the backup camera.
360-degree cameras would be nice. We had them on the F-250, and they were convenient with the camper.
A big enough back seat for Chowder.
Power mirrors would be a huge bonus.
We don’t want “advanced safety features,” as they may not play nice with modifications.
Large fuel tank.
That’s about it! If that seems like a pretty simple list, it’s because it is. However, when you throw in other prerequisites–like cab size, bed size, and engine preference–you’d be surprised how few matching trucks are available.
Come One, Come All
Whether we buy a Ford or a Ram or lose our minds and import a Unimog, lovers of all brands are welcome here. Please share your experiences with the different truck brands, leave some recommendations about trim options that are full-time must-haves, and otherwise help us out as we narrow down our list of potential trucks to purchase.
While we have a bit of a reputation for swapping vehicles every two years (a trait Riley inherited from his grandfather), we’re hoping that this truck is reliable and sticks around for a long while. Only time will tell, but that’s the intent!
Tune in next time for the next bit of brainstorming as we continue through our truck-buying thought process. We hope you’ll join us on our journey as we convert into full-time travelers and help us out along the way as we inevitably hit bumps in the road.
In the meantime, don’t be shy–feel free to leave a comment below, send us a message, or otherwise join our little community!
- Riley + Hanna