Photo of 2017 Ram 1500 Laramie Limited courtesy of FCA.
5 min to read
Photo of 2017 Ram 1500 Laramie Limited courtesy of FCA.
Fleet ordering guides provide commercial, government and rental fleets, as well as fleet management companies, with detailed information about the vehicles and option packages available to them. A closer look at these guides can unearth treasures hidden to the retail buyer.
We poured through the 2017-model-year guides of the three Detroit automakers and identified options and vehicles available exclusively to fleets. A detailed list of option equipment for Fiat Chrysler's trucks and vans follows, as well as an overview of police vehicles not available to retail buyers. Future articles will highlight fleet equipment offered by Ford and General Motors for its Chevrolet brand.
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Fiat Chrysler offers the fleet-only equipment packages to help each fleet buyer configure the vehicle to meet the various needs of that fleet, said Frank Dankovich, director of fleet sales.
"It's important for us to understand and remember that every fleet is different," Dankovich said. "Each fleet manager has a different set of requirements driven by an ever-changing combination of practical considerations such as TCO, safety, reliability, and serviceability — along with the more subjective preferences and needs of their drivers, which could include ease of entry/exit, cargo accessibility, maneuverability, and adjustability of driver controls."
Fleet-options and packages abound with the Ram Truck brand, especially with the truck lineup. The ProMaster full-size van and ProMaster City compact van don't offer equipment exclusive to fleets.
Buyers of the Ram 1500 pickup can add exterior options such as a Class IV trailer hitch receiver as part of the Trailer-Tow Mirrors & Brake Group on SLT; under-rail bedliner on seven trims (excluding Laramie Longhorn and Limited); and fog lamps on SLT.
Ram 1500 commercial buyers can also add power trailer tow black manual-folding side-view mirrors (7-by-11 inches) with courtesy lamps and supplemental turn signals. The option isn't available on the Regular Cab Tradesman model.
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Other exterior options include tubular, chrome side steps on SLT that are cab length or wheel to wheel – the latter option is standard on the V-8 Limited model and the RamBox cargo management system that includes a box that can be locked and drained, bed rails with four adjustable cleats, bed divider/extender, and LED bed lighting system for 5-foot-7-inch and 6-foot-four-inch bed models.
Ram 1500 SLT buyers can also order LT265/70R17E OWL all-season tires and two fleet-only wheel options, including 17-by-7-inch chrome-clad aluminum or 20-by-9-inch polished aluminum wheels.
Interior fleet options for the Ram 1500 SLT premium instrument panel with 7-inch digital instrument display and rubber floor mats.
Fleets can order bench or bucket seats. The cloth-trimmed 40/20/40 split-bench front seat package includes power lumbar, front armrest with cup holder, 10-way driver's seat, front-seat center cushion storage, and 115-volt auxiliary power outlet. The low-back bucket seat package includes a power 10-way driver's seat, power lumbar, floor console, and 115-volt-auxiliary power.
Other Ram 1500 SLT options include a power sunroof, rear defroster (also available on Tradesman and Express trims), Uconnect 8.4-inch navigation with an AM/FM radio and Bluetooth. and Sirius XM satellite radio with the Popular Equipment Group (also available on Tradesman). The Ram 1500 Tradesman offers Remote Keyless Entry with AllSecure that includes two transmitters that also control the RamBox system.
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The Luxury Group package includes an LED bed-lighting system, switchable dome light, ashtray lamp, glove box lamp, under-hood lamp, illuminated vanity mirrors, auto day/night mirror, exterior mirrors with signal and puddle lamps, overhead console with universal garage door opener, leather-wrapped steering wheel, and color 7-inch driver information display. The final fleet-only options for the Ram 1500 SLT include the Protection Group package with tow hooks, front suspension and transfer case skid plates for 4x4 models.
The Ram 2500 and 3500 large pickups also offer fleet options, including a skid-plate package for 4x4 models with a transfer case and options for protection, snowplow, snow operation, off-road, and Power Wagon uses on six trims (excluding Power Wagon and Laramie).
Other 2500/3500 fleet options include an under-rail drop-in bedliner on six trims (Laramie and Limited not included); fog lamps on Tradesman; side mirrors that are powered and heated with puddle lighting and turn signals; Ram Work-Grade vinyl seats with an armrest and cup holder, floor-mounted storage tray on crew cabs (SLT trim); a rear defroster for Tradesman; SiriusXM satellite radio paired with the 5- or 8.4-inch radios (Tradesman); ParkSense rear park assist (Tradesman); Remote Keyless Entry with AllSecure (Tradesman); and the Power Accessory Group that includes vinyl door trim, a powered and heated mirror, power windows, and power locks for Regular Tradesman models.
FCA offers several fleet-only options with its Ram 2500 CNG pickup, including fog lamps with Tradesman; a rear window defroster; and ParkSense rear park assist system.
Lastly, fleets who purchase the Dodge Grand Caravan minivan can add 13 options not available to retail buyers, including load-leveling suspension with height control on three trim grades (excluding SE Plus); dual-zone front temperature control (on SE); an eight-way power driver's seat; the Radio 430 package that includes CD, DVD, MP3, and HDD radio with a 6.5-inch touchscreen, 28GB hard drive, and audio jack (on SE); the Radio 430N package that adds Garmin navigation to the Radio 430 package (on SE); ParkSense rear park assist (on SE and SXT); a security alarm (on SE); the Mobility Prep Group that deletes the second-row seat on three trims (excluding SE Plus); Mobility Prep Group with load leveling on three trims (excluding SE Plus); Rear Park Assist with an electronic vehicle information center, leather-wrapped steering wheel, and ParkSense rear park assist system (on SXT); and the Smoker's Group that includes a cigar lighter and front and rear ashtrays.
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Fiat Chrysler offers law enforcement versions of several of its most popular vehicles, including the Dodge Charger Pursuit, Dodge Durango Special Service, and Ram 1500 Special Service. These vehicles have been modified for police use and differ from the retail versions. FCA also offers a prisoner transport version of its Ram ProMaster van under a partnership with Havis.
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