The Power Wagon is perfect … but pricey

At the risk of sounding like a hypocrite, I have an admission to make. I’ve talked many times on this show about what I consider the perfect hunting and fishing rig, but that’s not what I just bought. Today, I’ll tell you why.

I mentioned a couple weeks ago that I bought a new truck. And a few weeks before that, I told you the next truck I buy will be a Ram Power Wagon.

First, the reasons I want a Power Wagon. This is one of the many trucks that are targeting off-road drivers. Others trying to be the ultimate backroader are the Toyota Tundra TRD Pro, the Ford Raptor, the Chevy Z-71, the Nissan Titan Pro4X, and the Power Wagon’s little brother, the Ram Rebel. But the Power Wagon has something none of the others have. It’s a three-quarter-ton platform, which means it has more towing and cargo capability than any of the others.

Ram Power Wagon
That Power Wagon sure looks good dirty.

It also comes standard with a sway bar disconnect, locking front and rear axles, and a built-in winch. It only comes in one body style – a crew cab with a six-and-a-half-foot bed, but you can get the RamBox toolboxes on it, leaving your entire bed open for cargo, instead of having to fill a third of it up with a toolbox. I realize not everyone needs a three-quarter-ton, and most people don’t need disconnecting sway bars and locking axles. But for me, the Power Wagon is hands-down the perfect hunting and fishing rig.

So why didn’t I buy one? Well, to be perfectly honest, it came down to price. I checked on prices of brand-new ones, but they were a bit out of my price range. Then I searched the entire Internet for a 2015 or newer I could afford. I wanted the 2015, because that’s the year they started putting the 6.4-liter Hemi in them, instead of the 5.7.

Then I found a really nice regular 2015 Ram 2500 crew cab, but with a long bed. This one was $15,000 cheaper than a 2015 Power Wagon. Yes, the Wagon had more features, but it was half again as much as the one I ended up with.

Oh, well. Maybe someday. The Power Wagon is worth the higher price; I just can’t afford it yet.