It’s been a long time coming.
If you’ve been following along, you know we’ve been exploring the various considerations that go into making a major purchase–in this case, a one-ton truck platform for the camper that we’ll be living out of starting in 2025. If you haven’t read those ramblings yet, be sure to check them out as they document our journey to this moment–the big reveal.
We’ve picked and purchased our future home, and we have to say, it might be our favorite rig so far (and we’ve had way too many).
Introducing our 2024 Ram 3500 Big Horn.
Our 2024 Ram 3500 Big Horn.
Things to know:
We’ve finally landed on a truck for our full-time travels, and it sure is a doozy. It had to check some pretty specific boxes to fit the needs we foresee, but we feel confident that we found the perfect truck that works for us and landed (almost) within our budget.
Why we bought a RAM
It’s sure to be a controversial decision–the truck brand tribalism seems to be as strong as ever–but we bought a Ram. Here, we’ll detail the specifications of our new truck, as well as why we made the decision we did.
A detailed look at our new Ram
First things first, let’s lay out the specifics of the Ram we purchased. This foundation will provide context so we can dive into our thought processes as we made this massive decision for our new full-time RV lifestyle.
The Basics
Our Ram is a 2024 Ram 3500 with the Big Horn package. It is a crew cab with a long bed and single rear wheel–a shockingly rare combination, it seems (more long bed Rams come with dual rear wheels).
It is equipped with a high-output 6.7L Cummins diesel engine, 6-speed Aisin transmission, and (of course) a 4x4 transfer case.
The Packages
Outside of the Big Horn package (which is essentially a glorified Tradesman), our truck features a handful of upgrades and equipment packages. We didn’t have much interest in adding a bunch of features to our truck (more on that later), so we were more than happy with the additional options on this one.
On top of the Big Horn package and high-output engine, our truck came equipped with:
Billet Silver Metallic paint
Cloth bucket seats
Towing Technology Group
Night Edition package
Level 1 Equipment Group
Auxiliary Switches
Clearance Lamps
Side Steps
50-Gallon Fuel Tank
Alpine Sound System
Trailer Surround-View Camera System
The Ram may be huge, but it is still a capable rig.
Our thoughts on our Ram’s features
To be totally transparent, we were not looking for anything more than a base model. Our budget was the biggest factor in our search for a truck, and we would have been content with a bare-bones truck that fit our functional needs.
With that in mind, we have some initial thoughts on the options our truck came equipped with–including things we’re glad it has, wish it didn’t have, and might have opted for given the chance.
Features we love
Despite not personally selecting the options our Ram was equipped with, it does have a handful of packages that we’re grateful for. We didn’t seek them out, but given that the truck has them, we are happy to have them!
Towing Technology Group. This package includes some very useful features. We personally love the Surround-View Camera System (great for tight spaces and parking), as well as the Blind-Spot Detection. Both of these features make navigating this massive machine just a little less stressful.
Night Edition. Call us shallow, but we are glad our truck doesn’t have any chrome on it. The Night Edition package is practically useless (and there’s no way we’d choose it for over $4,000), but the painted bumpers and blacked-out trim are aesthetically pleasing.
Level 1 Equipment Group. While we could do without most of the things included in this package, we do appreciate the power mirrors. Manually adjusting all four mirrors–including telescoping and folding them–gets old real quick, and this package eliminates that annoyance.
Auxiliary Switches. Easy wiring and control of accessories? Sign us up!
50-Gallon Fuel Tank. 1,000-mile unloaded range. Do we need to say more?
Features we could do without
This section is going to be a little lengthy, so we won’t go into as much detail as we did in the one above. Just because a feature makes this list doesn’t mean it’s inherently bad or not worth the money; it just means that we don’t need it and wouldn’t pay for it if we optioned our truck from the factory.
Night Edition. Do we like how it looks? Absolutely. Would we pay the premium for it if we were given the option? Absolutely not.
12-Inch Display. Does it look nifty? Yep, but we prefer a smaller screen with more physical buttons, dials, and knobs.
Level 1 Equipment Group. Outside of those handy power mirrors, the majority of the features included in this package are not worth it to us.
Alpine Sound System. This system sounds wonderful, but it is $600 and eliminates a substantial amount of storage space beneath the rear seat.
Trailer Surround-View Camera System. This package is intended for those who tow often and want a (you guessed it) surround view of their trailer. At $1,000, it is just excessive–especially when you can find them online for less than half of that price.
Premium Cloth Bucket Seats. Having a center console is nice, but we would have been happy with a bench seat.
Feature we wished we had
While we aren’t too picky, we would have liked it if a couple of additional features were included–especially with the ridiculous prices of trucks these days.
An inverter. Okay, Ram–seriously?? What modern truck doesn’t have an inverter?
LED headlights. If a truck costs more than about $5, it should come standard with LED headlights.
Remote start. We know, we know–this particular feature is a bit “extra,” as the kids say. Still, it would be nice to let the diesel warm up before hopping into the cab.
Heated seats. This is a Hanna specialty. She loves heated seats, and though we’ve rarely had them, she always appreciates it when we do.
It sure is a beautiful truck.
Why we chose Ram
Ultimately, we chose Ram because we preferred it to the other options after a few test drives and the price made sense. We got a great deal (as far as cars go these days) at about 25% off MSRP. Heck, Riley flew down to Florida just to snag it.
We will go into more detail in the future, including why we chose Ram over Ford. For now, we just wanted to introduce our new rig and move on to talking about campers. After all, that’s the next big purchase–we need a camper to pair with the truck!
If you have experience with full-time RV travel, diesel trucks, or simply want to share your insights and opinions, please drop a comment below. We’d love to hear from you and engage with our little travel community!
We can’t wait to share our journey with you. From selecting a truck and a camper to adjusting to life on the road, we’ll be documenting every aspect of our experience with full-time travel. We hope you’ll follow along!
- Riley + Hanna