Ram Promasters, are they problem vehicles?

[overlander]

I'm looking into getting Ram Promaster as a camper van (would do no build, not worth it with my camping style, I like basic).
Seems like there're some reports of engines failing very early (in the 60-70K mileage range?)
Also, I looked around for insurance and Progressive, for example, refuses to insure Ram Promasters as non-commercial, while it has no problem with Fort Transits and other vans as non-commercial. Are they extra difficult to insure as non-commercial? (commercial is very expensive)

 

[Utclmjmpr]

Why would you question an RV board for this answer?? The commercial operators usually sort these things out very early under heavy use and mileage...>>>Dan

 

[CharlesinGA]

Why would you question an RV board for this answer??

Because the Promaster is a fairly common van or cab/chassis for building RV's thats why.

The Promaster van has the largest, squarest, interior space, which is important to building out a camper van. Slab sided, makes for easier interior construction, flat floor with no drive train underneath makes it possible to put generators, and other equipment underneath. Lots going for it. This is much of why it is so popular with van builders.

Personally, I have a "thing" against a front drive truck or van with the side ways mounted engine, and a transmission of the type it uses. The transmission is not an automatic in the sense of automatic transmissions of the 20th century from the GM Hydromatic on up, but is built like a manual transmission, synchronizers, gears on a shaft, no planetary gears or internal clutches, but rather an external hydraulic system that operates and is controlled by a computer, the shifting of the gears, as if the driver were pressing the clutch and moving a lever. This is in common use in KIA and Hyundai, some Fords, the Sprinter's Sprint shift (not used in North America) and a host of others.

As far as I know, the engine is the Pentastar V6 which runs great until problems crop up. Research it yourself, there is lots of information out there on the engine, good and bad.

Charles

 

[Martian]

There is a good chance that when one of those vans is converted and certified by RVIA it will be able to be insured as non commercial. An unconverted work van is just that.

 

[Utclmjmpr]

RVIA is a total joke,, a system devised to protect the RV builders and nothing else,, they "certify" nothing..>>>Dan ( The OP stated he would NOT convert the van, he wanted "basics"..)

 

[Martian]

May be a joke but insurers and DMV departments recognize it. Even jokes have some basis in fact.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

We could have a lively conversation about what the RVIA does and doesn't do, but it's hardly relevant to an unmodified Promaster van and its reliability. Let's save the RVIA bashing for another day...

While Promasters are used for some B & C motorhomes, a better source of van experience & reliability would be Promaster-specific groups., e.g. https://www.promasterforum.com/
And maybe this discussion would be of value: 2019 Ram ProMaster Review, Problems, Reliability, Value, Life Expectancy, MPG

Further, your choice is primarily Promaster vs Transit, though (depending on your needs) you might also consider the Sprinter and Nissan vans. Here's an article on Promaster vs Ford Transit.

 

[Martian]

I wasn't trying to bash RVIA. Just trying to state that no matter what you think of them, campgrounds and DMV's recognize that it is at least a way to recognize that something has been changed from a van into an RV which changes the registration possibilities. I doubt that a DMV clerk would take someones word that a work van is now an RV without having it examined.

 

[Lou Schneider]

Because the Promaster is a fairly common van or cab/chassis for building RV's thats why.

Personally, I have a "thing" against a front drive truck or van with the side ways mounted engine, and a transmission of the type it uses. The transmission is not an automatic in the sense of automatic transmissions of the 20th century from the GM Hydromatic on up, but is built like a manual transmission, synchronizers, gears on a shaft, no planetary gears or internal clutches, but rather an external hydraulic system that operates and is controlled by a computer, the shifting of the gears, as if the driver were pressing the clutch and moving a lever. This is in common use in KIA and Hyundai, some Fords, the Sprinter's Sprint shift (not used in North America) and a host of others.

This type of transmission has been commonplace in big rigs weighing up to 80,000 lbs. for at least a couple of decades. It's inherently more rugged than a "traditional" automatic transmission using planetary gears and eliminates operator error while shifting. The shifts are all positive engagement, there are no friction bands to wear on every shift. The downside is feeling each shift as the computer goes through the same motions as shifting a tradional non-synchronized manual gearbox (release throttle, slip out of gear into neutral, match RPMs to new gear, slip into new gear, reapply power).

 

[Klintz]

I have a 2018 that I converted into a DIY campervan, meaning that it always drives with a load, though not at full capacity (it sits level now, whereas before had a fairly pronounced butt-up stance). I've not yet had it weighed to see how much load it is, but a full set of cabinets, fridge, microwave, 4 large AGM batteries, electrical components, water tanks, mattress, etc, etc. I drive it in mostly mountainous terrain.

The transaxle is weird. It shifts at weird times and takes some getting used to. In stop and go traffic it can slam if you accelerate and immediately decelerate just after the TQ locks. Keeping it in tow-haul mode in stop-and-go traffic and hilly roads helps a LOT because it delays the TQ lock and upshifts a bit later. Once I drove it a bit it seems to have settled down, and I've learned what to expect and to adapt my driving to reduce the most extreme behaviors.

I've got ~35k miles on it now without any issues. The 3.6 Pentastar engine is the smoothest engine that I've ever driven and gives a lot of power with a nice broad torque curve, way more than you'd expect from such a small engine. That said, it's not a race car and I do take it easy on the big hills. I think that the lifter tick issue has been mostly resolved on newer models and was an issue in 2014 for sure and maybe 2015. The 3.6L V6 and 62TE transaxle are both extremely common and easy to find replacement parts for and mechanics with experience working on them -- making them cheaper and easier to maintain even in the middle of nowhere.

If I were to do another van conversion, I'd definitely stick with the Promaster. It has the dimensions I wanted (lower cargo floor, wider interior, just enough interior height for me to barely stand up straight), and is FWD for snow and uses galvanized steel for the salted roads, if that is an issue where you're at.