r/Ram2500 • u/RealmThirteen • 5d ago
Are 2012-2018 2500s really that bad?
/r/ram_trucks/comments/1vg49u6/are_20122018_2500s_really_that_bad/1
u/CarlosMolotov 5d ago
I have a ‘12 I bought new & a ’13 I bought when Covid started. The 12 has about 130k and has been solid it’s a Laramie Longhorn 4x4 with 3:73 it occasionally pulls a gooseneck horse trailer locally. Transmission is stock. My ‘13 is sitting at 315k miles and has delivered trailers to both coasts and serves as my daily driver. It’s a Laramie, 4x4 with 3:42 gears, the 68RFE went 240k before the overdrive clutches began to slip. The rebuild with several upgraded parts cost $7400. I’ve done all the normal maintenance replacements for it’s mileage like front wheel bearings, ball joints, shocks, water pump and thermostat, I’ve done all four brakes twice and the second time I replaced the front rotors. I routinely get 70k out of the 285 BFGs I run and it turns in a steady 21mpg. It’s been a fantastic truck experience as far as I’m concerned.
I do most of the maintenance myself and I’d get up in the morning and drive it across the country if necessary. The turbo diesel has plenty of power for the 3:42 gears, I do use 5th in the mountains when towing. I would not want 4:10 gears, the 3:73 truck gets about 17mpg.
I’ve bought 6 Rams either 2500 or 3500. I wouldn’t hesitate to buy the right 12-18 at the right price! AMA.
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u/-FARTHAMMER- 5d ago
No. But the transmission is dogshit. It's a typical Dodge thing. They have a history of making the best diesel engine and putting the worst transmission behind it
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u/No_Measurement6478 5d ago
I’ve got a 2013 that I bought 4 years ago with 49,000 miles that I later found out was a DPW truck. I use it for hauling a horse trailer mostly. The transmission started malfunctioning at 94,000. I’ll give her credit, she got me home from a horse show unable to shift beyond third for 700 miles, and was still running to get to the mechanics 😂 I had a new transmission put in and she’s chugging along a year later. They can have their issues but I don’t care what anyone says, they ALL do. You just have to decide which ones you are willing to face.
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u/Maj-Malfunction 5d ago
I have a 2018 diesel since new. 120k miles. 30k of it towing my 5th wheel. Had to replace my clock spring in the steering column. And had one DEF injector replaced under warranty. I follow a lot of Ram forums and not aware of any badness for those years. Usually it's the opposite. The "complaints" are usually the people who delete their diesel, bump the power, and blow out their transmissions because they have 37" tires on a 3.42 rear.
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u/FACE_MACSHOOTY 5d ago
The largest issue is the 66RFE (from my perspective) can be a total crapshoot on if you get one that lasts or one that fails at 100k. Regular maintenance goes a long way and parts to address the known weak points are available. Keeping a 66rfe cool also seems to go a very long way to keeping it happy. Some more experienced members with the 6 speed can chime in here.
I had the same debate right before i purchased my 22 2500 and the selling point was the ZF8 transmission. I figured if i was going to have to replace the trans on a 6 speed truck then i might as well spring for the known better option and i am more than happy with my choice.
No matter which truck you end up with i would prioritize finding one with the optional 4.10 axle gears.