Dodge Ram General Shopping Questions
After entering a lovely 4-car pileup with mine being the 3rd in line there, I've been looking around. I don't have any kids and drive mostly on the highways in-town and on a few 180 mile trips throughout the year, so most of my MPG is highway. I'm currently interested in the Dodge Ram 1500 series. I'm capping myself at $10,000, which has been putting me with mostly 00-03 models with around.. 80k-100k miles.
I've also been looking for mostly 2x4 regular cabs. I'm about to go take a gander at a n '01 1500 extended cab 5.2L V8 with 61.5k miles on it ( which I think is quite low, which leads me to believe the previous owners may've taken decent care of it). I'm wondering just a few simple things...
Will the difference between regular and extended cabs play a price in fuel economy? I read that it's about 19mpg cap on the highways, but can't find anything that'll compare regular to extended cabs.
Every young man enjoys knowing they have a V8 under the hood, but what is the difference between the 5.2 and 5.9 as it would matter to me (I don't tow that often, so it's not an issue).
I'm mainly looking at Dodges because I enjoy the body style, image, and they haven't let me down yet over the few that I've owned. What else might you suggest that is out there?
Dealership versus used car lots versus private sellers? Being at this area in Texas, I know that alot of cars are flooding the market from the.. well, flood in New Orleans, and one must be careful.
Thanks in advance!
I've also been looking for mostly 2x4 regular cabs. I'm about to go take a gander at a n '01 1500 extended cab 5.2L V8 with 61.5k miles on it ( which I think is quite low, which leads me to believe the previous owners may've taken decent care of it). I'm wondering just a few simple things...
Will the difference between regular and extended cabs play a price in fuel economy? I read that it's about 19mpg cap on the highways, but can't find anything that'll compare regular to extended cabs.
Every young man enjoys knowing they have a V8 under the hood, but what is the difference between the 5.2 and 5.9 as it would matter to me (I don't tow that often, so it's not an issue).
I'm mainly looking at Dodges because I enjoy the body style, image, and they haven't let me down yet over the few that I've owned. What else might you suggest that is out there?
Dealership versus used car lots versus private sellers? Being at this area in Texas, I know that alot of cars are flooding the market from the.. well, flood in New Orleans, and one must be careful.
Thanks in advance!
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Comments
As with any vehicle, look for all service records and ALWAYS,ALWAYS,ALWAYS get a CARFAX report. This has saved people from buying other people's junk.
These trucks were good vehicle's in terms of reliablity and quality. The early model years(94-96) were plagued with tranny models. Speaking of tranny's, if you're interested in a 4WD model, USE 4X4 BEFORE PURCHASING. The transfer cases on these trucks are known for breaking down if not used correctly. If not 4X4, then look for a low-mile Quad Cab 4X2 with 5.2L(318) or the 5.9L(360). I say Quad Cab because the of the longer-wheelbase over the standard cab models produce a better ride quality. If for towing purposes, definetely try to find a low-mile 5.9L-equipped SLT model. They have the better rear-end and towning capability.
I just gave my son my 2000 1500 Off-Road 5.9L. This was one of the most trouble free vehicles I've ever owned. BUT BE WARNED: Pre '02 Rams love gas. But, you coming from an Expedition, I'm pretty sure you're used to it.
The 5.9 (360 cid) is a the same block as the 5.2 (318 cid) but with a longer stroke and slightly larger bore. In truck applications they both have a reputation for making excellent low-end torque when compared to most Ford and GM engines of the day, with valve timing and cam profile the principal factor.
The 360 has noticeably more power when all other things are considered equal (weight, rear axle ratio, etc.), and those that seem to favor thrust and acceleration are generally prone to bemoan the 318 in the big Dodge.
However, over the years I've seen and known plenty of 318-equipped RAMs that get the job done. In fact, a good friend of mine had a '94 RAM that pulled a 3500 pound trailer and farm tractor for quite a few miles. Now the same truck with a 360 would have pulled better, but the 318 will do it, albeit with less tappable power but also using less fuel.
Of the two, the 318 is going to be more wallet friendly at the gas pump when you're not needing the available power.
Best regards,
Dusty
I've talked to a lot of people, and they said they would've gotten a 2500 with a Cummins, but they didn't like the stiffer ride. Now that 1500's will have diesel's, that's the truck most people will be getting unless they need to pull heavy loads.
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