Current quad cab short bed 2003 4x4 CTD 48re with 227k on ticker. Maintained and all original major mechanicals, maintenance and wear items kept up w no rust.
Considering an upgrade to new 2022 configured same but with the hemi. I don't tow super heavy stuff anymore, max is 24' enclosed <8k lb.
Think I've narrowed it down to laramie 6.4 with 8 speed.... tow etc and all the crap the factory likes to add.
Notwithstanding the price for what will likely be our last truck purchased is rather steep. Reading online there is some good and some bad reports.
Any input (and any unused f&f help might soften blow).
I realize I can keep the ctd going for more years with regular maintenance yet seems quality shops for major stuff is getting to be slim choices.
Reality bites.

Keep your truck.only thing better about new one is they are a little more comfy

I have been leaning that way.

I just bought a 2010 to get rid of the DEF on the diesel, still have my 2015 diesel and the 2015 5.7 gas 4x4. I didn't buy a 6.4 because of the MDS and towing to so much. Keep what you have...

I have an 2012 Ram 1500 quad cab, Hemi auto

It pulls an open trailer just fine. A friend of mine uses his truck ( exact same as mine ) tows a 22ft enclosed just fine.


BUT, I think I would agree with the masses, Keep your truck

Thank you all. We like our truck even with it's rear lamp and passenger power window gremlins. I do wonder how long replacement parts will be available. The headlight replacement quality sux, and time to get a new block heater cord.
This (gen) dodge has been pretty kind to us, 2 lift pump replacements, a fuel float, one front axle, couple sets of brakes, band adjusts, lots of various filters and lubes. Oh, the driver seat foam replace, that was a good move.
Still on original injectors, I attribute to regular use of power services fuel additive.

Most electrical issues are due to the TIPM under the hood, had it with EVERY 2004-2015 Ram I have had. That is the fuse box under the hood, all electrical connections that go through the entire truck go into that box, and they had a poor design that was never fixed! I lost connections to the lights, connection to the entire cab, gremlins that come and go, and one time even killed the truck and had to tow it home (2007 Cummins dually). My 2004 had the worse one, had to buy a rebuilt TIPM off of eBay and replace it. Mopar never would acknowledge the issues but it is well known, all you have to do is Google TIPM issues...

This is good advice. If your not using it for any long distance travel, keep the old one it's paid for. I have an '18 Quad cab hemi that I use for towing out of town, but I bought it new for 36,000, couldn't do that now. i use my '99 Ram for beating.

Gets fairly light use around home and most mileage accumulates on long trips 800 mi one way.
I figure to keep it. I know the truck well and have been doing all the maintenance and repairs.
Thanks again for comments, builds confidence in decision.

PM Dizuster. He can tell you anything you want to know about the new DT Ram pick-ups.
Doug

I struggle with this as well.

I have an '09 4 door 4x4 shortbed CTD.

It runs like a swiss watch and drives perfectly but the body is starting to show signs of age.

Not having a payment is awesome and I've pretty much decided to keep it and started daily driving a beater Buick I bought in the neighborhood.

I use my 01' 24V QCSB (185k kms/115k miles) as a secondary vehicle now. I've done all the mods to it I want, to keep it reliable. Just have to keep up with normal repairs and services. It's still way cheaper than a newer truck payment, and they have repairs and services on top as well. I just had box sides put on and the box painted, and looks like a brand new truck. That may have been 5-6 truck payments worth of body work, but it should last another 22 years!
I know the 01' doesn't have all the fancy bells and whistles, as my Charger does, but whatever. It hauls a trailer, or something in the back - that's it's job. There's less electronics to go wrong too! I just have to keep telling myself that!

I’d keep it. I have over 360k on my 07. Can’t beat the 5.9. Worth it to fix and repair any issues rhat may come up.

there is a lot better about today's new trucks. There is also a lot worse about them.

Backup cameras, especially ones that have a hitch camera, are real nice. That could probably be added to an older truck.

Seat warmers are real nice for your lower back after a long day at work, those can be added if you are willing to do some upholstery work. Although my MIL bought be one that is just a seat cover.

Adaptive cruise control has it's plusses and minuses as does automatic braking, to a point and dependent on implementation. The setup in my BMW is real smooth, the one in my 2022 Silverado is like an off/off switch and randomly brakes for no apparent reason. Probably not able to add these things to an older truck though.

I do like having a large display for google maps when I am traveling for work, though google maps is not 100% and this can be added to an older truck.

Remote start is neat too, can be added.

Of course I am talking about the OP's 2003 truck. I had a 2005 ram and it had none of the above.

If you buy the newer truck certified used, you'll have 7 years/100,00k powertrain warranty. An older vehicle just gets to the point where it is worn-out all over & time to go with a newer vehicle. My current is a 2017 Ram 1500 Big Horn Crew cab Hemi. Hasn't skipped a beat yet - zero issues. The Hemi runs great & has lots of power - comfortable vehicle. I was on a leasing kick with Rams starting with a 2006, 2008 which I bought off lease, then a 2012, 2014, 2016, & then bought the 2017 when the lease deals went south - no more good deals on leases. Where I go from here is unknown - by the time I want to replace this one, I may be looking at nothing but EV's - who knows. I don't plan on buying a rechargeable golf cart Ram.

I have a 12, would rather have a rust free 80s version

Worked on an absolute jewel of a pickup last week. 22 or 23 6.4 Hemi equipped 3500 crew long bed single wheel with the available 50 gal gas tank and 4.10 gear! Honestly in talking with the customer his mpg wasn’t much worse than my 17 Ram 3500 CTD. He weighed 23k gross. The only thing I miss about my 01 is the fact it was paid off. The 17 is so much more relaxing to drive.

Dang, I daily drove my 92 D250 CTD 70 miles round trip when I was working. That truck has made about 12 trips from FL to WV and back 800 miles one way and most were loaded heavy and pulling a heavy loaded trailer. It has 330,000 miles on it now and I still drive it when the roads are clear here. It just went to FL and back in October. I wouldn't trade it for a new truck, I don't drive the wife's 19 unless we are both going somewhere. Most times I drive my 74 crew around here, it's about to get a major brake upgrade so that will make that truck a lot nicer to drive.

I had a 2007 2500 5.7 4 door short bed truck that I bought new. I forget which rear end ratio the truck had, but I know it wasn't 4.10s as my dad has a 05 reg cab long bed with 4.10s and he gets 10 mpg towing or not. I would get 14-15 mpg not towing and then about 7 mpg towing a 24' box trailer that is right around 8K loaded. I do have 3 decent size hills on my way to the race track that kills the mpg. I traded my 070 in on a new 2017 2500 6.4 crew cab, short bed with 4.10s. My truck has the 6 speed, not the newer 8 speed trans. Also, the new trucks no longer have rear leaf springs. Doing the same type of driving the 17 gets the same mpg empty and just a tad better towing. It has WAY more power, stops better, drives nice, ton of room inside. I don't like that it's sits higher from factory as it makes it hard to get stuff in and out of the bed of the truck. Mine also came with a 2 1/2" hitch receiver so you have to use an adapter for your 2" receivers or buy a 2 1/2" receiver. I only have 24K miles on the truck so it doesn't get driven much, but it's nice to drive when I get it out.

I've had nearly this exact truck since 2006 (it's an early 2004). Bought a '21 Ram 1500 Crew Laramie on New Year's Eve 2020 because interest rates + factory incentives + end of month + end of year etc. coupled with my need for a better ride quality. The '04 was relegated to pretty much just towing duty (20' open) long before the new Ram came along. The '04 got over $4,000 worth of maintenance/upgrades to haul a 21' toy-hauler from ID to AZ and back in the fall of '21. It was quickly decided that we needed more room for long trips like that so a '17 Ram CTD Laramie Mega Cab was located in spring 2022.

The '21 and '17 are head and shoulders above the '04 when it comes to amenities, comfort, road manners etc. There is simply NO comparison.
The '04 is rated to tow 13k.
The '21 1500 is rated for 11k (but squatted pretty bad bringing that toy-hauler home when first purchased).
I think the '17 is rated for 18k. The torque of this thing is WAY more than the '04 and the extra 2 gears helps a lot as well.

Having said all that, the '04 sits here with just 150k on it, the 2023 tabs never even made it onto the plates and it only gets driven when I need to move it out of the way of something else. I know it needs to find a new home but I'm finding it hard to get it listed for sale. Like yours, it's just been a fantastic rig and I hate to see it go. If the "old" truck is comfortable enough and you're good with it's options or potential upgrades I'd say start putting the "new truck" payment away every month and have one heck of a down payment for the day you actually do need to buy something else.