So I've been doing some searching and found a very clean 97 4x4 SLT Laramie. Has tow package, and all the power options. If it wasn't for the odometer, no way would you guess it has 114k miles. It looks like it was never abused, or even off-roaded. I crawled undernieth and there are no leaks. Like I said, well cared for, and not 'used car lot clean', but clean-clean.

Anyways, is there anything I should look out for before i go back with my checkbook? I took it for a drive, and it rides great. Motor has no weird sounds, and trans shifts fine.

This is going to be a jack of all trades vehicle for me: daily driver (4 days a week or so, can't completly give up the sports car ); tow race car (car and trailer about 4000# until I get enclosed trailer..); and some light off-roading to get to locations for the perfect shot (I'm also a photographer by hobby)

Thanks in advance for help/opinions.

 

Just the steering. If it's tight, then you have nothing to worry about.

 

Mmm, I just realized something.. I think it might be too tall for the garage at work. I found specs online for the heigth, and it said ~6'5"? is that right? seems taller..

Also, i keep hearing about the tranny's on them going bad. Aside from looking for excessive metal flakes in the tranny fluid, is there anything to look out for? Before I even think of towing, I plan to put on a (bigger) tranny fluid cooler.

 

The height on a 3/4 ton is more like 7'. I have an 8' door in my garage, and my V10 (which sits even higher) fits through.

The trannys do have some problems, but it's all in how they were taken care of...how they were driven. It sounds like the truck was taken care of very well. Aside from actually changing the fluid to look at the old stuff, just take it for a drive. If it shifts nice, then you shouldn't have much to worry about.

Adding a bigger cooler would help. Also add a deep transmission pan and a real temperature gauge. And NEVER tow in OD. Always turn it off with the button on the dash.

 

Well, I passed on the 2500. One reason was it was in fact too big to fit in the garage at home (I live in a condo..) or the garage at work making it unusable for any daily driving tasks for me, and it would be too much to spend on strictly a work horse..

But I found a 99 1500 Sport with quad cab Clears the garages, and less miles than the 2500. also looks like it was taken care of. did I mention quad cab? that was a selling point for me.. those extra doors are gonna be handy

 

Do the quadcab's door swing out like the club cab? Or is it 4 full-size doors that swing out like the 02 and up bodystyle?

 

He said it was a 99 model which means it is a quad cab and not the 4 door model like the 02's and up. An actaul "club cab" does not have rear doors. The "quad cab" has the rear doors that open.