Hi guys im new here.. In good ol Camp Lejeune, NC... I have a couple of questions... I met some guy here thats going to sell me a 98 Ram 1500... 109k miles, brand new brakes and tires.. he showed me a reciept.. he said that the truck is in perfect working order, he bought it from a SGT and hes a CPL, he is a mechanic in the corps... hes been real cool about being patient and such and doesnt seem like a sh*tbag... How long do these trucks last?? the main reason I want this truck is so when I go back home... 2k miles.. i can take my bike with me... its not going to be a daily driver, only when it rains... the asking price is 3200.00.. I called the dodge dealership here and he said i could swing in monday for a diagnostic. but other than that what else should i be looking for, I got to drive it and i guess it went well.. I dont know much about trucks, so any advice would be appreciated.. Thank you guys in advance...

John

email back at john.stilwell@usmc.mil

 

oh and mpg would be nice also.. thanks

 

Well my 2001 5.9 gets about 12 on the highway and anywhere from 8 to 11 in the city.

 

My 01 with the 5.9L gets 8-10mpg average when I figure it out but
I usually drive mostly city. I do have 33x12.5 tires and a lift though.

 

My 98 Ram 1500 4x4 is a great truck!! Its had its moments (130K miles will do that), but has never left me stranded and thumbing for a ride. You didn't say if its a 4x4 or not. If it is, have the front suspension checked, specifically the track bar and tie rods. Check the U-joints as well. The only other major area of concern seems to be the transmissions. Mine hasn't had any problems, but I bought it used and I THINK the tranny was replaced/rebuilt before I got it. Every other thing to check are the normal items to check when buying ANY used vehicle: Whatever concerns you!

As for mileage, I'm getting 15.6 at last check (July 21, 2005). Put a Cold Air Intake in there and that alone should increase your mileage, and performance. I did and raised mine from the high 11's and low 12's.

Good luck!

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as ray121681 said, about 12 mph for a 4wd, i get less with my '98, but i do run around J-actionville with a very heavy foot. Yeah, I'm from there too.

My dad has a '99 2wd with the 5.2 and auto tranny, he gets about 18 mpg on the highway, 16 in town.

I think it's a really good price, and it's probably that cheap because of the mileage. But it should be a solid truck. If it's 4x4, ask him if he's ever had it out on Onslow Beach, and if so, how often, and find out if he at least rinsed it off soon after spending time out there.

Speaking of mileage, I had a '97 that I bought in 2000 with 100k on it. I owned it for less than a week and drove it from Michigan to California without a single problem. Then a few months later i drove it from Cali back to MI, then from there to NC. And when I was there it made quite a few trips back and forth to MI, until I did something stupid and killed it.

I've had the '98 for two years, and I've had no problems with it either, and it's been to MI and back a few times too.

I hope my input helps. Although I'll be the first to say that I'm partial to Ram's and if I can help convert someone, I feel that I can rest easy. Honestly though, I don't think you'll regret it if you get it.

If you don't do too much heavy hauling and keep good oil in the tranny that shouldn't be an issue. Also, mileage is about the weakest point with these trucks. They can really take a chunk out of your paycheck at the gas pump. But, if you don't plan on driving it every day, that might not be a problem. They are real trucks. They ride like a truck, they sound like a truck, they look like a truck, and they handle like a truck.

 

Find out what condition the tranny is in. I bought my 98 with 87k on it and the tranny went out at 124k. It cost $1400 to get it rebuilt. Other than than the truck is great. I get 10mpg in town and 13 on the hwy with 35's on it.