Is This The Best Muscle Car Deal That Nobody Knows About?

Derek Kreindler
by Derek Kreindler

Two doors. 390 horsepower. 8 cylinders. Two seats. Just a hair under $25k. Sound too good to be true? It might be one of the best muscle car deals going, as long as you’re willing to drive a pickup.

While perusing the Ram website for someone looking to buy a pickup, I came across the Ram Express; with a regular 6’4″ bed and rear-drive, it can be had with a 5.7L Hemi engine and a 6-speed automatic transmission for just $24,825. Next year, the 8-speed automatic will be the sole option. For those of us in the snowbelt, four-wheel drive will bump the cost up closer to $28,000, which makes it less of a value proposition. Note that in Canada, the Express starts at a mere $22,395 for a 4×2 single cab – the sole option is four-wheel drive, and a bigger cab is not available.

The V6 Mustang is rightly touted as the muscle car bargain of the century, but the Ram Express offers its own proposition. No, it won’t handle like a V6 ‘Stang, nor will it return the same fuel economy. But it can haul more, carry people in greater comfort (if you opt for the Quad or Crew Cab versions) and can be had with four-wheel drive. Like the Mustang V6, the base price merely serves to get buyers in the door – the real desirable versions need more options and dollars thrown at them – but the intent remains the same. And while a truck may not put up the same on paper acceleration numbers as a conventional car, they can still haul ass just fine. The Express is also extremely basic. If nothing else, it’s an intriguing, all-American alternative to the traditional muscle car – one that can tow 9200 lbs, should the need ever arise.

Derek Kreindler
Derek Kreindler

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  • Tp33 Tp33 on Dec 18, 2012

    I have a 2012 RC Express that I paid about 21.5K for out the door. It is quickly becoming the best vehicle I have ever purchased. For gearheads, it'll hit 60 in the mid 6 second range, do smoky burnouts all day long, and lean like a tower of Pisa when "tossed" into a corner. It also tops out at around 14 mpg. I can name about 2 dozen 60's era muscle cars that fit that profile perfectly, so Derek's not too far off at all. For girlfriends, the ride is probably more comfortable than that of their cars. True I have a tonneau cover and tools that settle the rear suspension a bit, but my g/f and I have logged thousands of miles in this plain jane, two door pick-up, and she prefers the ride over that of her mid 2000s Accord every time. Don't believe it? Take one for a spin. Betcha don't make it five minutes before pre-opel Buick calls asking for its highway ride back. Finally, for guys (and gals) who turn a wrench from time to time, this sucker has handled every truck duty thrown at it. I've pulled a 7500 lbs boat without even blinking. For my yearlong home renovation project, I've saddled the bed with just about every building supply in the book (including full sheets of plywood and drywall), most recently a whopping 1750 pounds of bamboo flooring (which I'm pretty sure exceeds the payload specs). Truck handled it all like a champ. I even canceled my yardwaste disposal contract with the city. Did all my pruning and trimming in one day, loaded the bed, and hauled it off. Also made about half a dozen Craigslist purchases (furniture, fridge, etc.) that simply would not have been feasible otherwise. So let's recap. 390hp/400tq, faster than many vintage muscle cars, old school Buick comfortable, ridiculously useful, and cheaper than a top trim Focus. Why would you *not* jump all over one of these?!

  • Danio3834 Danio3834 on Dec 18, 2012

    A friend of mine ordered his '06 Ram just like and he loves it. Short box, reg cab, Hemi, RWD, 3.92 axle with limited slip. It moves nicely and actually returns pretty decent mileage due to being so light in comparison to the crew/4wd.

  • John Rosevear John Rosevear on Dec 18, 2012

    I have known a few young guys who bought entry-level Hemi Rams as cheap-but-manly performance rides. Put a loud exhaust on it and you're good to go. It's probably the closest thing on the current market to an old-school Road Runner... it ain't fancy, but it's fast, and it kinda has its own cool.

  • Moparman426W Moparman426W on Dec 20, 2012

    Gearheads knew about this truck before it was even introduced, and were talking about buying them and adding performance upgrades.

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