We Bought a New Truck! Yes, I said WE because as I dove head first into this venture I needed to be sure everyone was onboard with the decision! What drove that was the realization that my bank account and financial standing were going to be considerably LESS than I was used to, I mean, have you SEEN the prices on new trucks these days?
After sticker shock wore off, I went back to researching via the Internet and we finally made our way to a dealer and salesman we knew and trusted from previous experience. I have to give our salesman credit, he kept asking questions, (gently), and really made a big effort to find out not just what we needed but what we wanted, and then matched us to some vehicles. Then he asks, “have you ever heard of a RAM Warlock”? I actually did remember something about Dodge and the name Warlock but it was an OLD memory almost completely lost to my CRS. Thanks to the Internet and Danielle Gibson for providing some history of the original Dodge Warlock: https://www.hotcars.com/original-dodge-warlock-truck-real-story/
When the salesman pulled the truck around, I’ll admit I was impressed but I was also worried because full-sized trucks with lots of options were far north of where my budget line was located. He jumps out and tells us, “Take a look and see what you think. This is a base-level truck with a special trim package and a couple of options tacked on it but it’s designed and marketed as a “budget-friendly 4X4 work truck”.” I’m not sure about you but the term ‘budget-friendly’ and car dealerships don’t go together very often and/or don’t inspire confidence, but there was a level of trust so we moved forward.
Initial impression, I liked the truck. I’m not a big ‘bells and whistles’ kind of guy, I don’t need them and frankly, I don’t like having to buy a higher-level trim package to get the options I want so having the options I wanted on this truck was a big plus already. My next step was to steady myself and check the price, which I found to be less than expected and well under the mid-level trim price needed to get most of the options.
The next step was for the wife to be ‘sold’ so off she went with the salesman while I started poking, prodding, climbing on / over and around the truck to see what it was made of. Yes, I even crawled underneath to take a look at all the skid plates, (wow, lots of them), and dam that’s a BIG gas tank. LARGE coil springs with Bilstein shocks, (we like that), Goodyear Wrangler LT275/70/18E Off-Road tires with 18 X 8 black painted aluminum wheels, and more. All told this is most of what I found and verified:
Front and rear performance-tuned shock absorbers
Hands-Free phone with Android Auto / Apple CarPlay
Uconnect 5 with the 8.4-inch touchscreen display
Front Fog lights
Electronic Locking Rear Axle
3.92 Rear Axle Ratio
5.7L V8 HEMI MDS VVT eTorque Engine w/ Stop/Start
115-Volt Auxiliary Power Outlet
33-gallon Fuel Tank (which the dealership FILLED for me)
Class IV Receiver-Hitch
12,000lb+ towing capacity
Front Suspension/Fuel Tank/Steering Gear/Transfer-Case Skid-Plates
Tow hooks
Rear Power-Sliding Window
And a sexy “Warlock” decal
There are more options but those are most of the extra things due to the Warlock package or the Tradesman Level 1 Equipment Group.
The eTorque is new to me and it’s a good thing to have, for those who aren’t familiar with it there isn’t just an alternator anymore, instead there is a generator on top that provides more / better power distribution to assist with startup from a stopped position. This helps initial acceleration by providing power from the electric generator to initially move the vehicle forward rather than just using the normal acceleration via gas. This saves gas and assists the “start on hill” feature as well as provide the instant acceleration even if the engine is off when the vehicle is at rest at a stop light/sign. The alternator is engineered now to provide the ability to easily connect multiple devices inside the cab all trying to do their own thing and charge at the same time. God help us if the “young’uns” don’t stay connected 24×7 while the rest of us are solving our senior moments by finding new addresses via Google Maps.
After discussing it at the dealership we went home and finalized the process of an older vehicle and did some more research on the RAM Warlock. In the end we went ahead with the purchase and brought the new truck home. First note of interest the RAM is slightly higher than my last truck. I know this because my wife has problems climbing in and out of it so the first add-on will be, rails!!
Other than that, the first thing we did was drive around our area some, and 3 days later we left for our Grandson’s house 6 hours away. Nothing like a road trip to test out the new vehicle and learn how it likes to run. In this case, the HEMI really likes to RUN!! If you push that gas pedal down you ARE going to “move out” and you might leave some indicators behind you! Just be aware when you do that a lot, the gas gauge reacts accordingly. It took me most of the trip to learn where everything is and/or how to set up stuff, yes it was not only new but I was coming from an older Nissan system to an American system, something I used to joke to other people about.
A positive part of the Uconnect system was being able to use Google Maps wirelessly. That may be old news to some people but my previous truck required a wired connection to use the phone apps, not so here. Uconnect provides a very rich system of choices even though this is a Tradesman level truck, enough that the first time you can easily spend 20 to 30 minutes exploring all the different options. It’s very easy to use though and I’ve found it to be a good system, different but a good and useful system for me.
The Front panel gauges are easy to read and there’s a level of customization here as well that allows you to put the information you want in front of you when you need it. Yes, the interior has knobs and dials due to its being a Tradesman level trim but they are very functional and they blend well with the available electronic offerings and together bring the driver and passenger all the info/comfort needed in what seems to be a decently thought-out package.
Storage is another part of the package that is different but seems to be as functional now in the 40/20/40 bench seat as what we had before in my old truck with a full center console. The back seat doesn’t have the storage bin underneath it but our Great Dane Layla seems to enjoy getting in and out more easily and she likes making use of the added space she now commands.
With the 700 mile road trip and almost a full month in the truck behind us, my wife and I, are looking forward to our journey with the Warlock. I’ve already ordered rails and a grill guard, I’m thinking about a storage system for the back of the seat that’s recommended by a LoadoutRoom reviewer and an in-the-bed storage system is on the horizon, which one though remains to be seen!
One thing is sure, this road trip is just beginning and there will be more coming!
Garfield out.
