If you own a Ram truck, you probably bought it for a reason. Perhaps you needed something big for your family or safety purposes, or maybe you need to tow or carry heavy things frequently. Or maybe you just like big trucks. No matter the reason, you probably didn’t count on having to spend thousands of dollars on maintenance costs in the first ten years of owning your Ram truck, but there’s a very good chance that you will. Here’s what Ram truck maintenance costs are, and why they’re so high.

Ram 1500 maintenance costs are worse than the average pickup

The Ram 1500 will cost you $17,677 for the first ten years of ownership. Sound like a lot? That’s because it is. That number is $7,612 worse than the average cost for other popular pickup trucks. In addition, there’s a 54.8% chance that you’ll need to do a major repair to your Ram 1500. In this context a major repair is considered anything that costs more than $500. This is 33% worse than other pickup trucks in the Ram 1500’s class.

Ram 2500 maintenance costs are incredibly high

If you own a Ram 2500, chances are pretty good that you’re paying a high sum to keep it running smoothly. The average Ram 2500 spends $25,464 on maintenance and repair costs in the first ten years of ownership. This is $11,384 worse than other trucks in this segment. Additionally, there’s a 79.19% chance of needing to make a major repair on your Ram 2500 during that time. That’s 57.69% worse than other pickups in the class.

Ram 3500 maintenance costs are astronomical

According to CarEdge, the average Ram 3500 truck owner spends approximately $25,844 on maintenance and service costs for their pickup during the first ten years that they own it. Considering the fact that you could buy a brand new 2021 Ram 3500 for $36,880, spending nearly $26,000 on repairs and maintenance is quite a bit.

These costs are much higher than the average heavy-duty pickup truck. In fact, it’s about $11,764 higher; not a small chunk of change. Like in the Ram 2500, there is a 79.19% chance that your Ram pickup truck will need a major repair during that time. The Ram 3500’s rate of needing a major repair is 57.69% worse than the average heavy-duty truck.

You’ll spend more on Ram maintenance costs every year

It’s probably not a surprise that maintenance and repair costs for Ram trucks will increase every year. They start out relatively small, at about $567, $811, and $849 respectively for year one. There’s a 5.65% chance you’ll need to make a repair on the Ram 1500 during the first year, and a n8.17% chance in the Ram 2500 and Ram 3500. This may not feel small though, considering you’d have just bought your new truck.

However, by year five there’s a 26.1% chance that you’ll need to make a major repair to the Ram 1500, as well as a 38.46% for the Ram 2500 and Ram 3500. The average maintenance costs in year five are about $1,340, $1,928, and $1,996. And by year ten you’ll have the aforementioned 79.19% risk of a major repair in the Ram 2500 and 3500, as well as 54.7% in the Ram 2500.

The Ram 3500 maintenance costs might scare you off, but they don’t have to. If you really need the Ram 3500 despite these costs, or you just love it anyway, make sure you set aside a little money each month for maintenance and unexpected repairs. Then if you’re hit with a surprise bill or expense, you won’t be as upset or in a tough position.