If you're shopping used Rams from 2019-2024, listen for the Hemi tick, that cold-start ticking noise signals lifter failure brewing, a repair that costs thousands and craters resale the moment it starts. Owners report oil pans corroding through at 55k miles, transmissions shuddering, and catastrophic engine failures on brand-new 2024s that didn't survive to their first oil change. One buyer found the parking brake held together with Vise-Grips. The 2025 redesign ditches the Hemi entirely for a Hurricane inline-six, and early expert reviews praise the smooth ride, strong power, and luxury-grade cabin in top trims. But it's too new to prove Stellantis fixed the underlying quality control issues or just swapped problems. Used Hemi-era trucks are a gamble unless you verify low idle hours and no tick. New buyers are beta-testing a clean-sheet powertrain from a company whose recent track record offers little reassurance. If you need a full-size truck now, the F-150 and Silverado have more predictable long-term costs.
The Tundra is a tale of two engines: the 2007-2021 models with the 5.7L V8 are legitimately bulletproof workhorses that justify every ounce of Toyota's reputation, while the 2022+ twin-turbo V6 has suffered catastrophic bearing failures requiring full engine replacements on over 130,000 trucks, some grenading at highway speed. Toyota is replacing engines under warranty and extending coverage, but you're paying F-150 Platinum money for a truck currently in the shop longer than competitors and delivering worse real-world fuel economy than promised. Buy a late second-gen V8 if you want the Tundra everyone actually recommends, or wait a model year to see if the third-gen sorts itself out.