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Regret buying a Power Wagon

13K views 20 replies 14 participants last post by  steveschaedel 
#1 ·
I bought a 2013 Power Wagon (5.8 hemi) about 5 weeks ago and am really regretting the purchase now. Anyone else hate there Power Wagon?

I love the look and driving the vehicle but the lack or power and crappy mpg is giving me a heart attack. I live in Colorado and this thing is just struggling getting up any kind of incline. Even the slightest incline just drains the power from the vehicle. Sure I can mash the peddle to the floor and get it going but then I am getting 2 mpg. I can literally watch my gas gauge go down as I am driving.

Seriously considering going back to the dealer this week and trade for a diesel. Just don't know how much of a loss I can stomach trading a 5 week old vehicle. I'm so frustrated with it it makes me mad every time I drive it now. :4-dontknow:

Just venting and wondering if anyone else has regrets about the Power Wagon?
 
#6 ·
Maybe there is something wrong with mine then? I'm getting really frustrated with it. I'm barely getting 10 mpg towing nothing and it just bogs down on the slightest incline. Towing a 25ft trailer is completely out of the question with my truck. Not unless I want to get 2 mpg.
 
#10 ·
Now I don't have one of those puppies (but I'll have a Wagon someday). I've pulled through the same run of West Virginia mountains that pjs1660 has, and the diesel mpg was about 8 to the tolls in Charleston with tow/haul on uphill grades. I wouldn't jump on the diesel band wagon so quickly.

Isn't that Ford that's got that TURBO thing going? R...
 
#11 ·
I have had no issues with my 2012. I don't usually pull anything either and I'm in Ohio. I get about 12-13 daily.
Mtnrider- how fast are you going? If you want to keep your RPMS up a little so you have a little better response, keep it in 5th gear if you are just around town.
I do admit, I have to hit the gas a little harder on big hills but you will learn to work with it. Play around with the gear selector and see about that.
Alot of times I run around in 5th around town up to about 50 mph. Just my 2 cents.
 
#12 ·
Not sure if the the 2014's have a Power Wagon but they do have an available 2500 6.4 liter as an option with much more needed torque. Unless you're dead set on a diesel for your trade I would test drive one of these first. Make sure you pick an available 3.73 or 4.10 gear with an LSD
 
#13 ·
I regularly drive over 8-10k passes, though I have noticed a slight loss of power, nothing like you have described. I would suggest you get your truck checked out.

Before you spend money try resetting your computer. Disconnect both battery terminals and leave them off for about half an hour. Touch the positive and negative leads together briefly to ground out any residual charge in the computer then recconect the battery. Fire it up and drive it for about an hour HARD and let the computer re learn.
 
#14 ·
You didn't mention how many miles you have on it (unless I missed it) But you'll need to allow for some breakin time. There tight for a awhile. I just got rid of a 12 Ram 2500 CTD. It pulled nice but would bog down on slight hills. With all the emissions on it. It wasn't what it was cracked up to be and MPG SUCKED!
 
#18 ·
ok ummmm am i the only one who can clearly see there has to be a problem with his pw? there are more than one member here out in british columbia canada with pw's and they don't mention anything about problems climbing hills. i have an 07 pw with less power than his and mine did fine going over rogers pass in bc only a slight loss of power at the summits but nothing to worry about. i'd be going back to the dealer and demanding to see a dyno report on that truck to prove the power output. i have a hard time believing that a pw is only a flat lander truck. it's the most off road capable truck that can be bought in stock form. it's pretty much built to climb anywhere, even if you have a die hard ford buddy that brags sooooo much about his raptor and you have to drag him and his "amazing" raptor out of every hole it sees and up every trail that a regular pw walks up easily but the raptor can't. sorry bout the rant, had a bad trip with my buddy and his so called "killer raptor that can go more places than my power wagon ever will" or so he thought. lmao
 
#19 ·
Seems like something is wrong with the truck. I bought a 2013 PW two months ago and I live at over 5000 feet and drive up to 8000 all the time and don't have any power issues. My last truck was a 05 3500 diesel, this truck does not have the effortless pull of a diesel, but there is no lack of power. Turn the traction control off and I can spin my 35's (kept the tires off my cummins, swapped before I took delivery of the pw) on dry pavement no prob, and can gain speed on the 12-15% grades. Switching from the cummins I was not used to seeing 4000rpm to gain speed on a hill, but there is no lack of power.

I have driven most of the competition at work, including the ecoboost, and I don't see a significant difference between them when equipped with similar hp numbers. All the gassers rev up, but from the description somethings not right with the truck.
 
#20 ·
6th gear in these 4th gen PW trucks sucks!
My 2012 with 35's will fall on it's face on the slightest incline in 6th gear. I just kick it down to 5th gear whenever I'm driving anywhere there are hilly areas,and it does just fine.

I'd suggest as others have to just try driving it around out of overdrive in hilly areas,and then use OD whenever you are traveling on flatter ground.
 
#21 ·
No problems with mine but I am at a much lower altitude - however we go camping at 8700 feet and my truck is loaded down - I leave my son behind in his Chevy 1500 with no load in it - it has a vortec 350. There is a very steep hill the last couple miles and no problems - sure, probably getting 5 MPG but im running at 60 MPH
 
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