Borla Exhaust RAM 1500 V6: The 140288 Order Mistakes That Cost Our Shop Money

Looking for a Borla exhaust RAM 1500 V6 solution? Here's the short answer: for most 2019+ Ram 1500s with the 3.6L V6, the Borla S-Type cat-back exhaust system 140288 is the one I recommend. But after seven years of ordering these systems, I can tell you the part number is the easy part. The expensive mistakes happen before you click “buy” and after the box lands on your dock. In September 2022, one fitment error cost us $1,240 in returns, delays, and a customer who stopped answering the phone. This article is about that mistake, plus the non-exhaust costs that followed.

I'm not an engineer or an RF specialist. I'm the guy who handles parts orders for an independent automotive shop. I've personally made—and documented—enough mistakes to fill a training binder. Roughly $15,000 in wasted budget over seven years. I maintain our team's ordering checklist now. Trust me on this one.

The 140288 fitment trap

The 140288 is the S-Type cat-back for the RAM 1500 V6 (3.6L Pentastar). It's a solid system: stainless steel, good tone, no annoying drone. But “fits a RAM 1500 V6” is not the same as “fits every RAM 1500 V6.” Cab configuration, bed length, and the factory eTorque system all change the exhaust path. I found that out in September 2022 when I ordered four 140288 systems at once to save freight.

Two fit perfectly. The third went on a 2020 Ram 1500 with the 3.6L without issues. The fourth didn't. The truck had the factory eTorque setup, and the clearance near the spare tire was different. I hadn't checked the VIN or build sheet. That mistake turned into an $890 return, a 10-day delay, and a lot of uncomfortable phone calls. The fix wasn't the exhaust; it was my process. We didn't have a formal fitment-verification step at the time. Now we do.

Sound levels: Atak, S-Type, or Pro XS?

The S-Type sits in the middle of Borla's lineup. Louder than stock, quieter than Atak, more refined than Pro XS. For dealers, fleets, and daily-driver customers, it's the safe pick. But I don't tell customers it's the “best” until I ask what they actually want. An Atak on a work truck? Not ideal. Not terrible, but definitely not everyone's cup of tea. What I can tell you from experience is the S-Type makes a RAM 1500 V6 sound like a truck, not a weed whacker. That's the point.

Also, don't ask me for a guaranteed horsepower number because I don't have hard data. The truck feels punchier at highway speed, and the sound is worth a surprising amount to buyers. That's anecdotal, not a dyno claim.

The lift decision is an exhaust decision

Exhaust work on a full-size pickup is miserable on the ground. You need a lift. So in 2023, I bought a 9,000-lb two-post lift because the price was right. I didn't think through the delivery. The freight company dropped it at the warehouse, and we had no forklift high enough to unload the pallet. A crane service charged us $500 to move it. Then the lift's arms wouldn't open wide enough for a RAM 1500 with running boards. We sold it and bought a 12,000-lb unit. This time, we asked about liftgate delivery, inside placement, and arm reach.

If you're searching for the best heavy duty car lift warehouse pickup, don't just compare load ratings. Ask how it arrives, how it's moved, and whether the arms will actually reach a pickup's frame rails. Those hidden costs add up fast (like the $500 crane service).

RFI: When the GPS goes weird after installation

Now for the curveball. A customer came back three days after a 140288 install saying the truck's navigation kept losing satellites. He also mentioned his ham radio was acting up. My first instinct was a ground strap or an O2 sensor issue. But the exhaust wasn't the problem. His handheld radio was sitting next to a cheap USB charger in the center console, and that charger was radiating noise. Moving the radio six inches fixed the GPS issue.

This gets into RF territory, which isn't my expertise. But here's what I can tell you from a parts-ordering perspective: if you work on trucks with navigation or radio gear, keep a faraday cloth ham radio pouch in the shop. It's a cheap way to isolate a receiver and test whether interference is coming through the antenna or the cab. And before you blame an aftermarket exhaust, remember that RF interference can come from anywhere. You might have seen the alerts about military GPS jamming interfering navigation ships in certain waterways. That's a completely different scale, but the lesson is the same: GPS signals are fragile.

The “what's NOT included” question

Here's something vendors won't tell you: the first quote is almost never the final cost. On that 140288 order, the “cheap” shipping quote meant dock pickup only. Inside delivery was extra. Then there were tariff surcharges and a restocking fee when we returned the wrong unit. I've learned to ask “what's NOT included?” before asking “what's the price?”

People think expensive vendors deliver better quality. Actually, vendors who deliver quality can charge more. The vendor who lists all fees upfront—even if the total looks higher—usually costs less in the end. As of January 2025, the 140288 kit is street-priced around $1,500 to $1,800. Get a written quote with every fee, and verify current pricing before you quote a customer.

Checklist before you order (print this if useful)

• Confirm the exact truck: engine (3.6L V6 vs 5.7L Hemi), cab, bed, eTorque.
• Ask the vendor for full landed cost: shipping, inside delivery, core, tariff, restocking.
• Check your lift capacity, arm reach, and ceiling height before booking the install.
• If the customer uses GPS or ham radio equipment, have a Faraday cloth pouch on hand for RF testing.

Bottom line? The Borla S-Type cat-back 140288 is a great pick for a RAM 1500 V6—if you order it for the right truck.

Where to be careful

This checklist is for shops and dealers doing Ram 1500 V6 exhaust work. If you're a DIY owner doing one install in your driveway, ignore the lift and RF parts. If you're working on a 5.7L Hemi or the 3.0L EcoDiesel, 140288 is not your part. And if you're dealing with military GPS jamming as a safety issue, that's outside my lane. Talk to someone who does spectrum analysis or RF compliance.