2005 Dodge Ram 1500 on 2040-cars

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Didn't get the toy you wanted for Christmas? Grab this '79 Dodge Macho Power Wagon

This Christmas, kids everywhere got tons of toys, but what about the grownups? Adults like toys, too, and we particularly like this 1979 Dodge Macho Power Wagon pickup for sale on eBay. Dodge plugged it as one of its "adult toys" back in the day, which makes it the perfect post-Christmas purchase for anyone who's feeling a little left out. Dodge began advertising a lineup of specialty trucks as "adult toys" back in 1977, during the period when trucks were first becoming personal-use vehicles rather than just workhorses. Dodge's specialty models ran though the end of the decade and included the Street Van version of its B-series panel van, the Macho Power Wagon 4x4 pickup, the Warlock short-bed stepside pickup, the Ramcharger SUV, and even a variant of the Ram 50 mini-pickup. The Macho Power Wagon was a 4WD W100 pickup with a Sweptline bed, and could be had in short- or long-wheelbase configurations. Two-tone paint included black on the lower body, the hood, and the roof. Tape stripes, painted spoke wheels, and a bed-mounted roll bar added to the look. This '79 Macho Power Wagon is a long-bed version, riding on a 131-inch wheelbase. It's powered by a 318-cubic-inch V8 with dual exhausts, mated to a three-speed column-shift automatic and four-wheel drive. Not the most manly powertrain, maybe, but it was the late '70s, and one's engine wasn't as important as one's graphics. This Power Wagon's visuals make an emphatic statement indeed, with the two-tone white and black livery set off with bright orange stripes, wheels, and most critically, POWER WAGON emblazoned on the bed and tailgate. It's enough that we can forgive the missing roll bar. Inside, we find a vinyl bench seat, a floor-mounted shifter for the two-speed transfer case, and a period-correct Craig cassette stereo. Factory A/C is also present. Sure, you could get a new Ram 2500 Power Wagon, but would that really have the gold-chain-in-a-bed-of-chest-hair swagger of this beast? If this Adult Toy speaks to you, we would point out that sometimes the best presents are the ones you get yourself. Related Video:

Dodge offering novel 1-year lease on '14 Challenger and Charger models

Dodge is just days away from unveiling refreshed versions of the Charger and Challenger at the 2014 New York Auto Show, models promising updated styling and new powertrain options. Depending on how you look at it, the company is either so confident in its forthcoming 2015 models that it's offering an interesting Double-Up lease deal on the current vehicles, or it's so eager to clear out existing stock that it's resorting to novel lease deals. In any case, what they present is an interesting scenario, one which allows buyers to get the existing model right now, and then trade up to the facelifted 2015 models in one year.
Starting April 17, when the refreshed cars debut through the end of August, buyers can lease a 2014 Charger or Challenger for one year and exchange it for a three-year lease on a 2015 model next year, with no additional money down and the same monthly payment. Customers can even switch vehicles when the new lease starts. If drivers want to buy the '15, they get $1,000 off the purchase price. To be eligible, both leases must use the same dealership and be financed through Chrysler Capital. The Double-Up deal excludes the SRT versions of both cars and Charger SE models.
To offset the flood of one-year-old models coming back to dealerships, Dodge has struck a deal with rental car agency Enterprise, which has agreed to buy them all. "One-year leases are highly unusual in the industry," said company spokesperson Ralph Kisiel, and the fleet sale deal is what makes it possible.

Best car infotainment systems: From UConnect to MBUX, these are our favorites

Declaring one infotainment system the best over any other is an inherently subjective matter. You can look at quantitative testing for things like input response time and various screen load times, but ask a room full of people that have tried all car infotainment systems what their favorite is, and you’re likely to get a lot of different responses. For the most part, the various infotainment systems available all share a similar purpose. They aim to help the driver get where they're going with navigation, play their favorite tunes via all sorts of media playback options and allow folks to stay connected with others via phone connectivity. Of course, most go way beyond the basics these days and offer features like streaming services, in-car performance data and much more. Unique features are aplenty when you start diving through menus, but how they go about their most important tasks vary widely. Some of our editors prefer systems that are exclusively touch-based and chock full of boundary-pushing features. Others may prefer a back-to-basics non-touch system that is navigable via a scroll wheel. You can compare it to the phone operating system wars. Just like some prefer Android phones over iPhones, we all have our own opinions for what makes up the best infotainment interface. All that said, our combined experience tells us that a number of infotainment systems are at least better than the rest. WeÂ’ve narrowed it down to five total systems in their own subcategories that stand out to us. Read on below to see our picks, and feel free to make your own arguments in the comments. Best infotainment overall: UConnect 5, various Stellantis products Ram 1500 Uconnect Infotainment System Review If thereÂ’s one infotainment system that all of us agree is excellent, itÂ’s UConnect. It has numerous qualities that make it great, but above all else, UConnect is simple and straightforward to use. Ease of operation is one of the most (if not the single most) vital parts of any infotainment system interface. If youÂ’re expected to be able to tap away on a touchscreen while driving and still pay attention to the road, a complex infotainment system is going to remove your attention from the number one task at hand: driving. UConnect uses a simple interface that puts all of your key functions in a clearly-represented row on the bottom of the screen. Tap any of them, and it instantly pulls up that menu.