I am looking at buying a 1996 Dodge 2500 with the cummins i currenly drive a GMC Yukon and i am looking at buying the dodge because the better gas mileage i will get with it. The truck itself was used as a plow truck for two driveways and a church parking lot and gone through one transmission and it only has 90,000 miles. I am a college student and when i drive to college or home for christmas and what not its just over 300 miles one way. I drove it and a very very nice ride four wheel works and everything else checks out. when i turned the engine off there is a slight squeek is that normal also should i be worried about it already goin through one transmission. My last concern is i will not have access to a plug to plug it in over the winter and it can get cold up in Northern Michigan should i just stick to gas engines.

 

the squeek is absolutely normal. . .the engine actualy stops quicker than what the acesories(altenantor, water pump) can and the squeek you hear is the belt.

since it was a plow truck I would give the front end a VERY good look over for stress fractures and cracks. also plowing is hard on transmissions since your running low RPM's most of the time, hence the reason the first one let loose.

the grid heater will help crank then engine to temps as low as -20F. what you have to worry about is the fuel gelling.

personaly, I would probably look someplace else since you are in college, money is tight, and constantly fixing a truck is the last thing you need to worry about.

 

I can afford it but i am just afraid of buying into a trouble some truck because it was used for plowing my truck is on the verge of dieing and i dont think it can make the trip up to school

 

and I have the same concern. . .if anything the tranny is probably a bit loose and the frame at the mounting point for the plow may be weak from the years of use. . .engine and axel wise, probably still good to go. just see if you can get a service record.

 

I think you've answred your own question right there. If it were me, I'd bail on this one and keep looking. They're out there.

 

If you did not buy this truck, where was it and how much$$$