http://tinyurl.com/3xd42p

Many 4x4 Ram truck owners have suspected
that the Central Axle Disconnect (CAD) system
was causing about a 1 MPG penalty
compared to the older, simpler, disconnect hubs on front axles.

If you scroll down the above page and look at what Chrysler is now calling
'active transfer case' technology,
it confirms that this was indeed happening
despite numerous denials by Dodge officials since 1994
that the CAD system was a fuel hog.

Roughly using
250,000 4x4 Ram average sales per year since 1994
and 13 MPG instead of 14 MPG in fuel economy
on about 15,000 miles per year
and an average price for gasoline of about $2/gallon
that works out to about
$290,000,000
that we Ram owners have been stuck with due to the C.A.D. system
if my quick math estimate is not in error

and that is not mentioning the hassle of the
CAD system vacuum line puncture problems,
freezing, etc

Aren't talking about AWD not 4x4 and yeah it's more efficient when engaged than 4x4 is, probably by more than just 1 MPG because it's all differential and not locked in like 4x4 is.

I figured the money losses without factoring in interest.

With most people paying between
6% on mortgages and
18% on credit cards
if I had used a rough number of 12% for interest
and the higher true Ram sales
the cost would be over $500 million

There is a conversion kit you can buy that allows you to manually lock/unlock your hubs, I have seen it before, but I cant find it. It is around 2 grand though.

http://www.dynatrac.com/products_freespin_dodge.html

for the 2500