Ram Rebel or Cybertruck?
A week in a rented Ram in Colorado versus a day in a Cybertruck. One felt classic and comfortable. The other felt like a different kind of vehicle.
The Cybertruck journey · December 2025 to now
From “Do we even need a truck?” to “It’s boring now.”
The whole story so far, in the order it actually happened. A minivan family, a paid-off Model Y, a lot of spreadsheets, a fourteen-week wait, and a wife who ended up driving it more than I do.
Here for something specific?
Deciding whetherto buy one Insurance, used vs. new,
and which trim Waiting on
an order What owning one
is really like
Chapter 1 · December 2025 · 3 videos
Do we even need a truck?
We already had a paid-off Model Y and a minivan. The case for a truck was bikes, camping gear, and weekends we kept not taking. So we started asking the obvious questions out loud.
Do we need a truck? My wife weighs in.
She makes the case for the minivan (it swallowed an 83-inch TV). I make the case for fitting five bikes. We almost talked ourselves into a new minivan.
The real numbers made it harder.
A dealer got the Ram to about $63K out the door. The Cybertruck was about $82K. Then I ran three-, five-, and seven-year costs with home solar charging, and the answer flipped.
Chapter 2 · January – March 2026 · 7 videos
Ordering, then second-guessing
We placed the order with a four-to-six-week estimate. What followed was a lot of homework: insurance, used prices, a cheaper trim, and whether we had even picked the right electric truck.
Why we ordered it anyway.
The Ram was about $15K cheaper up front. Gas versus charging at home closed that gap over time, and only one of the two trucks had the whole family excited.
Why I passed on early delivery.
Tesla offered to get us in sooner, with two demo Cyberbeasts at more than $111K. I kept waiting for the truck we actually ordered.
The Model Y that kept us with Tesla.
The easiest car I have owned, including a battery replaced under warranty in about 48 hours. That trust in the service and software is a big reason we stayed.
I expected insurance to be brutal.
The internet warned me about $500 a month. My quotes were all over the map, and the best one covered both cars for less than we were already paying. (Week 2 has the final number.)
Used or new? The gap was small.
The best realistic used truck near us was about $75K with 23,000 miles and an accident report. New was about $80K. With a gap that small, a full warranty and a clean start won.
A $20K cheaper Cybertruck showed up.
The new $59,990 trim is the right pick for most people. I explain what you give up, and why I kept the premium all-wheel drive anyway.
The three trucks I walked away from.
The F-150 Lightning, Rivian R1T, and Silverado EV. The Silverado came closest (my wife called it the ugliest). Software trust sent me back to Tesla.
Chapter 3 · March – April 2026 · 3 videos
The wait, and delivery day
Four to six weeks turned into fourteen. The kids made plans. I refreshed the app. A lot.
Eleven weeks later, a VIN.
No email, no warning. Just a refresh and a VIN. The delivery-day checklist I planned to use, and a call for owners’ tips.
Still waiting. The kids have plans.
Week twelve on a four-to-six-week estimate. The kids share their first plans for the truck: camping in the bed, and ice cream in the back.
Delivery day was a mess. A good one.
Rescheduled all day, then dropped in our driveway at 9:30 p.m. in the rain. Surprising the kids made up for all of it.
Chapter 4 · April – May 2026 · 6 videos
The first month
The honeymoon, the rattles, the first service visit, and the first real truck jobs.
Week 1: the good, the bad, the unexpected.
Four-wheel steering makes a full-size truck park like a compact. Also: a dash rattle, a windshield quirk, and a rear screen that competed with one-on-one time with my son.
Week 1.5: what I missed.
The sound system and the AC beat our Model Y by a mile. FSD earned its keep after a brutal jiu-jitsu practice. The auto wipers did not.
Week 2: first service, final insurance.
Service fixed the rattle in a day, with a loaner. The insurance picture changed at the last minute; we landed at about $175 a month. Then, finally, ice cream in the bed.
The first four accessories.
L-track hooks, an under-screen tray, a cargo net, and a rear screen protector, tested on a very unglamorous dump run.
One month in. I didn’t expect this.
Liking it wasn’t the surprise. My wife, who did not want a truck this big, now drives it more than I do.
What changed our charging bill?
Solar, timing, and the rate plan: the variables behind our first month of charging at home.
Chapter 5 · May 2026 – now · 7 videos
Living with it
Once it stopped being new, it had to earn its place: camping, school runs, Costco, FSD, a flat tire, and a family with opinions.
We tried sleeping in the Cybertruck.
The camping experience, the surprises, and whether we would do it again.
The family conversation before you buy.
My wife’s take on the attention, the practicality, the kids, and living with the decision.
Could it replace the family SUV?
Four bikes, a kid trailer, Costco cargo. One very ordinary weekend test.
Why FSD finally clicked for me.
Where supervised driving assistance helps, where I take over, and a flat-tire reality check.
A fast tire fix. One frustrating catch.
A mobile repair, our $25 replacement, and a scratched wheel that complicated the win.
5 months in. It’s just our truck now.
The novelty faded. School runs, family cargo, and everyday annoyances stayed.
What my wife and kids really think now.
A family drive brings out honest takes on space, FSD, daily life, and what still feels strange.
The story isn’t over
Chapter six is still being filmed.
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