Ok guys, I've been riding around looking at small trucks with this girl I've kinda been seeing off & on for the three years since I got divorced.
Came across a '98 1500 RCSB 5.9 4x4 at one of the dealers, thinking about it for me, not for her.
I need it like I need a hole in the head as I've got my '04 Hemi 4x4 and my daily driver is a '02 Grand Cherokee Overland 4x4. But I had a '98 RC and LOVED IT, only mods were a 3" body lift, wheels and tires, shorty headers, no cats, custom dual I did myself with two Flowmaster and an "H" pipe, oh yea and a K&N drop in.
Traded it in at just shy of five years old in '02 with 67,000 miles on it and never had a single issue.
I'm not working due to the fact I've moved in with my parents and am caring for both of them as they have serious health issue, but they are asking only $4995 for it! I could buy it and sit on it until I start working and can sink some money into it with serious mods - may go as far as a stroker!
It's in very good condition (I've not driven it yet), paint is good, very minor dings and a couple of scratches.
My question is, because my '98 had under 70k miles, I had not seen any of the issues that may be common as the truck gets to be 10 years old and get relatively high miles (this one has 112k on it).
#1 - Does it seem like a good idea for a project truck, I do all my only labor (everything but the gears & lsd on my Hemi so far) and working on them is my mental release.
#2 - What are the issues I should look for in this truck with that kinda mileage before I seriously consider buying it? What can I look for on the lot or with a test drive?

Because my ex took all our photo albums and I didn't get a digital camera until after I got rid of it, here's the only pic I've got of my old '98 (posted only for sentimental reasons) :

 

The most obvious one that comes to mind is, of course, the tranny. Make sure she shifts perfectly.

Also take it to a trusted mechanic for a once-over. Have him check the plenum gasket, the u-joints, ball joints, etc. And you can check them yourself, of course, if you prefer. But if you can get the mechanic to give you an estimate for any repairs it may or will need, you can show that to the dealer, and probably get the price down even more or have them fixed before they sell it to you.

 

The only thing that concerns me, besides tranny of course, because that would be the one area I cannot fix myself, is the plenum gasket as this seems to be as automatic as an LSD "c-clip" issue.
I'd hate to buy it and learn that it has the issue and have to tear it down right away. I'd rather install the permanent fix for it when I start to tear into the engine to do performance mods (cam, etc.) down the road.
What's the tell tale sign that it has the issue? Something I can look for on the dealers lot?

 

Hammer, I can't stress this more: have a full compression test done before you buy, especially if it comes with no warranty. Wished I had!

 

I've not really even talked to the salesman about it, was with this chickee friend of mine looking at new Daks and Grand Cherokees when I spied it. But I'm sure there's not even a hint of warranty on it. I thought if I could get them down from the $4995 at all it would be a great weekend warrior/beater/project truck. Since I've put so much $ and time in the Hemi, I've been a bit **** about beating it too bad off road. I catch hell from the guys when we hog hunt because I want to stop and unload the ATV's well before getting back into the sh*t, when in the old days, I'd be the one to take my vehicle back until it got stuck.
Even though I intend to put a little $ and a lot of sweat into this truck (if I get it) I'd still want something I could use reliably starting on day one...
I'd honestly love to find a ten year old or so Wrangler, I've had two before, but damn, everybody's too proud of them, unless they are already beat to crap, I can't afford one with my present income cut by like 75% taking care of the folks right now...