New F350 with no 5th wheel prep?

[DutchmenSport]

Originally Posted by corn18

It's a $78k truck. Adding a $550 5er prep package is nothing.

Um ..... $550?? That would purchase 1100 cans of 12 ounce Coca Cola, if you purchased 24 packs at about $13 a pack. Yep, THAT is something.

Don't forget, if you finance the truck, you are also paying additional interest on that $550.

[corn18]

Originally Posted by DutchmenSport

Um ..... $550?? That would purchase 1100 cans of 12 ounce Coca Cola, if you purchased 24 packs at about $13 a pack. Yep, THAT is something.

Don't forget, if you finance the truck, you are also paying additional interest on that $550.

Who would buy a truck for $78,000 and not buy a truck for $78,500?

[MarkSaxton]

Who would buy a truck for $78,000 and not buy a truck for $78,500?

IMO, a puck system is not optional for a tow vehicle, its mandatory.


That said, its important to go into major purchases with a budget, or the line of reasoning you state above will frog-boil you into spending 25% more than you had initially thought you were going to spend.

[Dave Pelletier]

Originally Posted by Lantley

I think it has to do with the fact that way more F350 trucks do not tow a 5th wheel than do. Putting it on all trucks as a standard would be a waste.

Yep; this......especially on a SRW truck. I bought my F350 DRW off the lot and it came with the 5th wheel prep and camper package and it's likely I'll never use either.....but that's OK, they are there in case I do. Not sure I would have paid extra for them though. ....and of course, the 5th wheel stuff can be added later whether aftermarket or OEM.

There were a plethora of options that were slowing down or stopping orders at one point; 5th wheel prep, bedliner, massage seats, etc. etc. When we ordered our 2023 F350 SRW we purposely avoided everything that could slow down the order and we received the truck in under 6 weeks......and the dealer sent it to Line-X before we picked it up.

Cheers,
Dave

[Dana D]

I wasn't in the market for a new truck. I was watching a TV ad on 12/28/2023 that a local RAM dealer was discounting 2024 RAM 1500's. Hum! What about 2500's and 3500's. Called up the sales manager. Told me to go online and pick out which of his trucks I wanted. All the RAM 3500's were basic work trucks. I found a RAM 2500 Lamarie Night Edition with almost all options. List price $96,400. Yup it had the 5th wheel package installed. I told sales manager I would consider that truck. Oh, Ford 250's and 350's weren't being discounted. Sales manager asked if $14,800 off MSRP got my attention. Whoa, say what. However, the "added" paint sealant, seat protection, nitrogen filled tires, etc. had been added. I said I don't want that stuff; sorry no deal. Sales manager said how about another $1000 off. Where do I sign!!! I would have liked a Ford, but I've never gotten a deal like that. Oh, I have a travel trailer, and now I'm researching 5th wheels!

[CharlesinGA]

Originally Posted by Dana D

I wasn't in the market for a new truck. I was watching a TV ad on 12/28/2023 that a local RAM dealer was discounting 2024 RAM 1500's. Hum! What about 2500's and 3500's. Called up the sales manager. Told me to go online and pick out which of his trucks I wanted. All the RAM 3500's were basic work trucks. I found a RAM 2500 Lamarie Night Edition with almost all options. List price $96,400. Yup it had the 5th wheel package installed. I told sales manager I would consider that truck. Oh, Ford 250's and 350's weren't being discounted. Sales manager asked if $14,800 off MSRP got my attention. Whoa, say what. However, the "added" paint sealant, seat protection, nitrogen filled tires, etc. had been added. I said I don't want that stuff; sorry no deal. Sales manager said how about another $1000 off. Where do I sign!!! I would have liked a Ford, but I've never gotten a deal like that. Oh, I have a travel trailer, and now I'm researching 5th wheels!

RAM 2500 models are running over 700 days of inventory, thats why deals can be had on them.

Charles

[Dave Pelletier]

Originally Posted by Dana D

I wasn't in the market for a new truck. I was watching a TV ad on 12/28/2023 that a local RAM dealer was discounting 2024 RAM 1500's. Hum! What about 2500's and 3500's. Called up the sales manager. Told me to go online and pick out which of his trucks I wanted. All the RAM 3500's were basic work trucks. I found a RAM 2500 Lamarie Night Edition with almost all options. List price $96,400. Yup it had the 5th wheel package installed. I told sales manager I would consider that truck. Oh, Ford 250's and 350's weren't being discounted. Sales manager asked if $14,800 off MSRP got my attention. Whoa, say what. However, the "added" paint sealant, seat protection, nitrogen filled tires, etc. had been added. I said I don't want that stuff; sorry no deal. Sales manager said how about another $1000 off. Where do I sign!!! I would have liked a Ford, but I've never gotten a deal like that. Oh, I have a travel trailer, and now I'm researching 5th wheels!

Diesel? They are nice trucks; I still have 5 Rams in my little fleet. Be careful with a fifth wheel with a 2500 diesel as the payload is pretty small and most 5ers will be 20-22% on the pin. You will need to be looking at small fifth wheels if you want to stay in the ratings.

Dave

[MFL]

Originally Posted by corn18

Who would buy a truck for $78,000 and not buy a truck for $78,500?

The Ford FW OEM prep cost is a real bargain, that is much higher to add, when purchased from Ford Accessories, plus installation.

When selling or trading your truck later, not having the factory puck system, may cost you a sale, or give dealer a reason to lower trade-in price.

I agree, $500 today, for a popular useful feature, to add to a new truck is almost nothing.

[Dana D]

Dave. That's the plan, however I've seen people towing 41' 5th wheels with a RAM 2500. OMG!

[corn18]

Originally Posted by Dana D

Dave. That's the plan, however I've seen people towing 41' 5th wheels with a RAM 2500. OMG!

Last year I was camping next to a guy with a 40' triple axle toy hauler and he had a brand new Ram 2500 oil burner. I asked how it pulled something that big and he said "great!". I could tell he had no clue what his actual weights were. But it pulled great!

[Dana D]

Last week I was walking around the campground where I was camping. I spoke with 4 people towing 5th wheels with RAM 2500's, including the guy with the 41 footer. I asked each of them if they had ever weighed their truck with 5th wheel attached. None of them had. They all said they tow great. One guy, an airline pilot understood what I was telling him about GVWR. He said he would go to a CAT Scale and weigh truck and fiver, truck alone, and fiver alone. He had a 37' fiver. He called me last night. His RAM 2500 with fiver attached, full diesel, one passenger, ready for camping, weighed 9900lbs. His fiver was a couple hundred pounds under GVWR. I was shocked at the truck weight with fiver attached. Too low I thought. Oh well!

[Scottybdivin]

About a year ago when I was in the market, the 5th Wheel prep was one of the options that was causing major delays on orders due to S&D. There were a few other options responsible as well. I lucked out and found a 22 with 9K mi for a decent price with everything that I wanted.

[dave22554]

I have a F250 and when I bought it got a bunch of Ford points that were prob suppose to be used for an oil change but I used it to buy the prep pkg hardware with it so essentially free. Another dealer installed it for $1000. At the time I bought we had a TT so didn't think about it or would have included it in the deal. So it can be added and I went to the expense to add it to give myself the most flexibility on hitching options.

[Alleyantique]

RAM 2500s pull great because they have the same drive train as the 3500 and 4500. The difference is the heavier truck has a heavier frame and better suspension.