2026 RAM 1500 Black Express

[Blueprint]

A little change from my recent series of hybrids...

This rig is a 4x4 crew cab short bed with the s.o. Hurricane six, a $3,795 option over the base Pentastar. The Limited I tested a couple years ago had the premium-fed h.o. version of that engine, and it was a hoot! But even the standard setup has more torque and hp than the HEMI. Plus, I commuted downtown with this thing for a couple of days and it stayed in the 12's as far as fuel economy goes. And "goes" it does - the s.o. has plenty of power.

Black Express is a dress-up pkg based on the std trim (Tradesman), so you get hard plastic dash and door panels, but evrything still looks nice in there. Advertised "starting at $56,995", my tester sits at $75k.

[GreatBigAbyss]

$75k for essentially a tradesman truck with hard plastics is just insane. 

I'm never going to own a full size truck ever again. 

[Blueprint]

$75k for essentially a tradesman truck with hard plastics is just insane. 

I'm never going to own a full size truck ever again. 

They pay the bills at the "Big 3", and it shows...

Funny thing is - I have to buy reno materials this week (mouldings, electric baseboards, railings, etc.) and nothing fits it the RAM. My CX-90 carried 11 footers inside, and 12 footers leaning on the front right windowsill. The RAM has 7' diagonal max in the bed, and you can't lean MDF on the tailgate or through the rear window, especially if it rains every day like this week.

[GreatBigAbyss]

I'll be borrowing my buddy's 12 year old Ram this weekend to go pick up sheets of OSB and furring in order to do my siding reno project. 

It sure is handy having a truck - I just can't afford to own one.

[RRocket]

I'll be borrowing my buddy's 12 year old Ram this weekend to go pick up sheets of OSB and furring in order to do my siding reno project. 

It sure is handy having a truck - I just can't afford to own one.

My biggest issue with pick ups (and full size SUV) is they all drive like crap to me. Even the newest ones.

I think, maybe, you need to grow up driving pick ups to "appreciate" (or overlook) their driving dynamics.

[Blueprint]

I'll be borrowing my buddy's 12 year old Ram this weekend to go pick up sheets of OSB and furring in order to do my siding reno project. 

It sure is handy having a truck - I just can't afford to own one.

My biggest issue with pick ups (and full size SUV) is they all drive like crap to me. Even the newest ones.

I think, maybe, you need to grow up driving pick ups to "appreciate" (or overlook) their driving dynamics.

The RAM 1500 Limited I drove a couple years ago had muscle car performance and luxury car ride, thanks to the Hurrican H.O. and the pneumatic suspension. This rig still has plenty of go with the S.O. Hurricane, but is much bouncier even with the coil springs in the back. Still, the level of refinement is incredible for something like this.

The truck was well-used this week with the renos at my daughter's condo and the boxes of furniture that needed to be moved. Also made a run to the ecocenter to dispose of bulky packaging, old mouldings and and old electric baseboards. We you really need it, it's fun to have a truck around,

[Blueprint]

Plenty of trucks in fleet this summer, more than my schedule can take.

[Blueprint]

Doesn't look too bad in there, despite the hard plastics.

[Blizzard]

Do people pay MSRP for these trucks now? Wasn't too long ago that there was always $10-12K off list price, and list price was lower by $20K as well compared to today.

Just for fun I looked at the base price of an F-150 today. $49K! For an XL trim regular cab, 2WD, 8 foot bed. In 2014, that same truck was $20K. It's crazy how much truck prices have increased in the last decade or so, I see so many expensive trucks on the road and I wonder how people afford them.

[Blizzard]

As someone who's not a truck person at all, why do so many plumbers/electricians/other tradespeople have pickup trucks with a cap on the back? I just don't understand the utility of those things. A van would be cheaper to own and operate probably, have way more capacity, and you could set up permanent storage inside like fixed racks and bins.  I'd 10 times out of 10 rather have a van that I can actually get into and have everything organized, than some truck where the bed is 3 feet off the ground, pain in the ass to climb into, stuff gets jammed at the back and you can't see it...