2024 Ram 1500 Tradesman on 2040-cars

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Deep discounts — $12K, $13K, $16K — are fueling a pickup price war

Heavy discounts of up to $16,000 per vehicle are fueling a "truck war" among full-size pickups sold in the United States by the Detroit Three, a Reuters analysis shows. Strong U.S. sales this year of the highly profitable big trucks have helped offset lagging passenger car sales. But it is not clear how much of the truck demand is linked directly to ample factory incentives and dealer discounts, or how far sales might decline without those subsidies. A Reuters survey of Ford, General Motors Co's Chevrolet and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles's Ram truck dealers across the United States indicates stores are offering deep discounts the country's bestselling full-size pickup trucks. "The walls are not crashing down on full-size trucks," said Sam Fiorani, vice president of global vehicle forecasting at AutoForecast Solutions in Chester Springs, Pennsylvania. Detroit-based automakers want to keep cranking out their high-margin trucks, he added, and "giving up a little of the profit is the cheapest way to do it." Stores are offering discounts of up to $12,000 on the 2018 Ford F-150, which remains the best-selling vehicle in the country, recording more than 80,000 sales in May. Discounts run up to $13,000 on the 2018 Chevrolet Silverado and as high as $16,000 on the Ram 1500. Average transaction prices for full-size pick-ups range from around $42,000 to $45,000, industry analysts and automakers say. All three companies are spending furiously - GM and Fiat Chrysler to help sell off carryover 2018 trucks to prepare for redesigned 2019 models, and Ford to sustain its long-held sales crown. A supplier fire that temporarily shut down production of the F-150 last month "changed the game," said Jeff Schuster, senior vice president of forecasting at LMC Automotive in Troy, Michigan said. The supply halt nudged Ford's crosstown rivals "to ratchet up incentives on the current models to go after weakness at Ford," he said. Deals advertised on the companies' official websites range from rebates and low-interest loans to ultra-cheap lease rates, but they are not telling the whole story. Ford, for instance, advertises a $2,000 rebate and a $500 financing credit on sales of certain F-150 models. But James Collins Ford in Louisville, Kentucky, is offering discounts of up to $12,215 on the 2018 F-150 XLT SuperCrew 4x4. The price cuts are even steeper at a number of GM and Fiat Chrysler dealers. Quirk Chevrolet is selling the 2018 Silverado 1500 Double Cab at $13,000 off sticker.

2019 Ram 1500 truck gets loaded with Mopar goodies in Chicago

Last month saw the debut of the all-new 2019 Ram 1500. While there are a slew of variants coming down the pipe (Ram 1500 Tradesman, Ram 1500 Sport, etc.), Ram used the 2018 Chicago Auto Show to showcase a whole host of Mopar parts and accessories on a bright-red 2019 Ram. In total, there will be more than 200 new parts available when the new Ram hits dealer showrooms later this year. The truck here is a Flame Red 2019 Ram 1500 Big Horn Sport 4x4. It's sporting a 2-inch lift kit, 35-inch tires, 18-inch beadlock wheels, black fender flares and black aluminum running boards. The bed has the adjustable "Ram Rack," a sort of frame that can be used to strap down large items like a couple of kayaks. The rear bumper has a bed step that articulates outward when needed. The Nissan Titan has a similar feature. View 9 Photos There are a few performance upgrades, too, though Mopar doesn't list any new power ratings. There's a new cold-air intake for the 5.7-liter Hemi V8 that's functional with all of the new Ram's hood designs. The Hemi also gets a new stainless steel catback exhaust system. The 5-inch exhaust tips fit into the bumper. Visually, the Ram gets a black Mopar logo on the hood, black Ram emblems and badges, black tow hooks and a Mopar logo in the trailer hitch. The interior is done up in Katzkin leather with red stitching, and the ram's head logo on the seat backs and rubber floor mats. One of the coolest things about all of these parts is that customers can have them installed before ever taking delivery. Those parts will also be backed by the same warranty as the rest of the truck. Related Video: Image Credit: FCA Aftermarket Design/Style Chicago Auto Show RAM Truck Off-Road Vehicles 2018 Chicago Auto Show

FCA recalls Ram dualie chassis cabs to recalibrate top speed

If you're one of the 1,771 owners of a 2014-15 Ram 4500 or 5500 chassis cab with a 6.4-liter Hemi V8 and a dualie rear axle, you may be hearing soon from Fiat Chrysler Automobiles to bring your truck in to your local dealer. The reason, you ask? To have the speed limiter recalibrated. The problem, according to the statement below, is that while some of these trucks are electronically limited to 106 miles per hour, their tires can't safely maintain that speed. As a result, FCA is having dealers recalibrate the limiter to 87 mph. Of course, that's still well above the speed limit in most places, and "FCA believes it is unlikely that these trucks are operated at such speeds," but that it "is acting out of an abundance of caution." In addition to the 1,771 units in the United States, the company is recalling another 169 in Canada. In an unrelated campaign, FCA is also recalling a handful or two of 2015 Dodge Challengers – 72 in the US, six in Canada and three in Mexico – to secure a side-curtain airbag bolt that may have been improperly installed during assembly over the course of a ten-day period. In both cases, FCA says it is unaware of any complaints, accidents or injuries related to these issues. Statement: Speed Recalibration May 15, 2015 , Auburn Hills, Mich. - FCA US LLC is voluntarily recalling an estimated 1,771 trucks in the U.S. to recalibrate their maximum speed. The dual-wheel trucks are currently restricted to a top speed of 106 miles per hour (mph), but an internal specification review revealed top speed should be set at 87 mph, in accordance with their factory-equipped tires. The Company is unaware of any related injuries, accidents or customer complaints. Dealers will recalibrate vehicle speed accordingly. While FCA believes it is unlikely that these trucks are operated at such speeds, and that doing so would exceed posted speed limits in nearly every applicable jurisdiction, the Company is acting out of an abundance of caution. The campaign is limited to certain model-year 2014-15 Ram 4500/5500 Chassis Cabs equipped with 6.4-liter HEMI V-8 engines. An additional 169 vehicles are believed to be in Canada. Affected customers will be advised when they may schedule service. Customers with questions may call the FCA US Customer Information Center at 1-800-853-1403. ### Statement: Bolt May 15, 2015 , Auburn Hills, Mich. - FCA US LLC is voluntarily recalling an estimated 72 cars in the U.S.