"Lil Guy's Got a New Ride

While in Kerrville, with 16K miles on my 14 Ram 2500 CTD , the trans started acting up. It would just start to take off and then it would act like it was in neutral. I was able to limp over to a Dodge dealer for them to look at it. I was hoping it was a minor issue and could be checked out. I was told they were booked for 4 weeks. I explained my situation and told them had a 5th wheel over at the park by the river and needed to get back. After raising a commotion they said they would look at it for me and to call back in the morning. At least now I could make some plans. Called back Saturday morning and hadn't looked at the truck and the guy I was to call was off. Drove back up there Saturday morning ( in a rent car) to explain that if they checked it out with the scanner and read the codes, just maybe we could find some parts if they were required or maybe just reprogram it. Now the owner is involved and he had someone take it back to look at it. Said the trans would need a total rebuild. Maybe 4 to 6 weeks. My good Sams road service was good for 10 miles and I would be out about a grand to get my rig back to Houston.
And then it happened. As I was sitting there pondering my good fortune, I was looking at this 2015 ram 3500 DRW long bed truck and it started calling me. I hate the DRW and really hate the long bed design but I asked to test drive it. The 3:73 gears really makes a difference in how they accelerate. It rode smoother than my 2500. Problem solved.lol My truck is under warranty, they gave me a fair price and I bought the **** thing. Having the leather seats and a B&W companion hitch installed along with moving my transfer flow 50 gal tank over and it would be ready by Wednesday. Talked to the park and made arrangements for them to pick the 'Lil Guy' up with the new truck and deliver it to my house by Thursday. My rig is going to be looking smaller behind that truck. The bed looks long enough to put the 'LG' in. So, DW and myself drowned our sorrows Saturday night and left this morning for home in that little crysler 200.
On a plus note, I feel the final "Lil Guy" could be had sooner than expected. What a week. I'm heading to the Heartland site to see what we want to end up with. Whatever it is, it will be called the "Lil Guy'.
Later and have a great day.

Awesome Frank. You will love that truck.
Pics?

Peace
Dave

Dude upgrades at 2ft a time get expensive. Lol

Congrats on the truck hope to see it this fall on the bayou.


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Next will be a Landmark 365.

Great story - congrats Frank (aka Lil' Guy)!

jo9463 said:

Next will be a Landmark 365.

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Yep! "Lil guy" will be the "Big guy" before too long!


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Congrats. Pictures

Congrat's on the new ride and the clever almost painless way of getting out of a sticky situation Frank. Hope to see it soon.

Pictures? I'd have to hook up my wide angle lens to get all of the bed in it. I forgot the name of the color but it's a gunmetal metallic dark gray color. They didn't have black. I can't believe Debbie wanted this truck. Bernie said he could barely see the 'Lil Guy' behind my 2500 Ram SWB. He won't be able to find it at all now. I still have a little apprehension about using this thing as my everyday truck for the rest of the year. It drives great, no problems. However, where in the world can you park this thing if going out to dinner or shopping? Do you just take up 2 spaces? Will it go through a toll booth? I guess I'll figure it out. If anyone has one with the on board navigation, is it good for towing or are you using something different?
Thanks in advance.

Don't know the color? It sounds a bit like my color which is called Maximum Metallic....I think. They have 22 colors available.
As far as parking goes I take two spaces on the other end of the parking lot and you will fit through a toll lane.
I have the onboard nav system, only because it came with the truck. It is Garmin based and works pretty good although I prefer the standalone Garmin unit. Updates are pretty expensive when you consider that you can buy a Garmin with lifetime updates for less than the price of one RAM update.

Peace
Dave

baker said:

Pictures? I'd have to hook up my wide angle lens to get all of the bed in it. I forgot the name of the color but it's a gunmetal metallic dark gray color. They didn't have black. I can't believe Debbie wanted this truck. Bernie said he could barely see the 'Lil Guy' behind my 2500 Ram SWB. He won't be able to find it at all now. I still have a little apprehension about using this thing as my everyday truck for the rest of the year. It drives great, no problems. However, where in the world can you park this thing if going out to dinner or shopping? Do you just take up 2 spaces? Will it go through a toll booth? I guess I'll figure it out. If anyone has one with the on board navigation, is it good for towing or are you using something different?
Thanks in advance.

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I have the 2500 now with the nav and it is not good for pulling a trailer. it likes to take you down side roads a lot and does not take into account your trailer size

As far as the dual wheels when got our first dually we parked out and took two spaces wide now we have gotten used to it we can put it in most spaces with out a problem. Now I usually take part of a space due to length but I try to find a space I can back in to. Most drive throughs are not an issue except at one bank atm I can't fit easily so I avoid it. Toll booths should be no problem. You will love it as a daily driver.


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Re: "Lil Guy's Got a New Ride

Turn wide, park out away , back slow and enjoy the tow...😎...have yet to find a car wash it will fit except the self serve...my 250 is narrow enough but too tall.....

I quit driving mine, not because it was hard, but because people were always dinging up my doors! !..

Now it's time for you to find a bigger camper! !..I think my wife googled "giant 5th wheel toy hauler"...

Then we ended up in a road warrior 420...lol

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baker said:

......However, where in the world can you park this thing if going out to dinner or shopping? Do you just take up 2 spaces? Will it go through a toll booth? I guess I'll figure it out. If anyone has one with the on board navigation, is it good for towing or are you using something different?
Thanks in advance.

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I park mine in the back 40 at Wally World. Kills 2 birds....easier to park plus I get more exercise. Watch parking garages, if the ceiling doesn't get you, the bollards will help make the truck narrower. Don't EVER take your Dooley through the bank drive-thru. Don't ask how I know this! I use my 3500 Dooley as an everyday vehicle. I thought about getting a used car for commuting, but decided I could get by with the truck for a few more months.


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I've come within inches of removing a dually fender 3-4 times. ..usually I'm in a hurry and not focusing on what I'm doing...i find it not a huge difference than the jacked up 250..

But I've clipped a few things with the f250 even..the aftermarket wheels and 13" wide tires aren't much narrower than a dually!!

I daily drove the trucks about a year...then I gave up and got a daily driver sedan...killed all my birds with that stone!.....lol

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"Lil Guy's Got a New Ride

Well, this is Texas. I'm not the only Dooley on the freeway. It does get interesting when you get three dooleys going 70 side by side. Besides driving a real truck makes it look like I actually work for a living!


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pegmikef said:

Congrat's on the new ride and the clever almost painless way of getting out of a sticky situation Frank. Hope to see it soon.

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Mike, I like the almost painless remark.lol Anyway, great excuse to get that bigger rig now. This thing should be able to handle them all.

Re: "Lil Guy's Got a New Ride

Granbury Texas and Wataga (I think that's how you spell it) both have drive through car washes for 10 bucks each for a full wash and blow dry. I haven't seen any others, they are awesome. Duallys are a lot of truck to wash. I wonder if we could drive the truck and fifth through one of the 18 wheeler truck washes?? Not sure how much they costs but that would kill two birds with one stone. Congrats on the new truck.

I know the big rig wash here will wash rv/trailers...Watauga is a lil far drive lol.....

I usually just pay the mobile kid 20$ when he is around...best deal for me and helps him too...

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Keeping it clean is the least of my worries. I just want to make sure there is paint on the fenders to wash.