There's this 2001 dodge ram 1500 available in a dealership not to far from where I'm at. Very clean interior and exterior. It has the auto trans and the 5.9 magnum. The truck looks brand new and priced at 4000 dollars. The only downside is that it has 341,xxx miles and im not sure if its worth it or am I gonna paying more money repairing it. I haven't driven yet but I wanna know your opinions first before I go out and drive it and possibly purchase it.

 

My opinion, don't even look at it. That's way too high (at least for around here) around here you could get a 3rd gen that has never been driven for that price. Unless that's the "normal" price where you are at.

 

i agree whit the comment above i have a 1996 5.2 that run 254xxx when i bought it but they are expecife around here i paid 7500 euros for it so about $8516 but it runs great so i would check what the prices are colse to you

 

Around here second gens are expensive rust free. 120k miles single cab runs about 10k. For that price I could buy me a 2nd gen cummins.

 

Depending on past usage and maintenance, it varies. I've seen trucks with 400K running strong and trucks with 90K in the bone yard due to delayed maintenance and it was too expensive to fix everything. Add in rust, and you have a pile of parts.

 

If its 4x4 that will obviously add to the value. As said above, seeing mainanance records for it would be big as far as transmission work and whatnot. For that many miles I would be tempted to do a compression check on it...don't know how dealerships are about letting you crack into the engine. Also anything from a dealership is going to cost more because of their fees. I would take that $4000 as a starting point for the haggling and just a matter of how far you could talk them down. Another thing is how handy you are with fixing things yourself being that is probably gonna want some love down the road. Might not be adding anything nobody already knows but just my 2cents.

 

Think I would run a compression test on it, see what the numbers look like. Take it for a test drive, see if it runs good, has decent power, and the trans shifts properly. If it is 4x4, make sure the t-case doesn't make rude noises in four wheel drive.

Still and all, 4K is a LOT of money for a truck with that high of mileage.

 

i’ve got a red 2000 sport ext can with the 5.9. absolutely zero rust holes, 180k, almost perfect body, other than a couple small dents and a small crease in the front of the roof from a tree falling on it. when i was putting the new radiator mount in, it was way off center. the frame in the front left that connects the radiator mount is just the tiniest little bit buckled. pricing in your area seems to be about the same as here so what do you think it would go for if i ever decided to sell it? would the frame’s structural integrity be considered compromised?

 

I have a 1991 Chebby Silverado with 432K miles on it, I know it is not the original engine but it runs great, the NV3500 may be original but works perfect. The rear end has been rebuilt.
The truck runs great and I would jump in it and drive it anywhere in the USA as it is.
It has had 1 repaint, it is ready for another .... it is a Texas truck and rust free. I installed a new clutch last year and also front wheel bearings, I had to replace the starter and battery once.
I bought the truck in 2018 and take care of all the maintenance on it.

So the high mileage does not matter to me as long as the truck is clean and taken care of. $4000 for a clean good running truck around here is a low price.
Although the high miles will scare off the weak at heart ..... there is a good chance the engine and or transmission have already been replaced over the years.

IMHO, if the truck is clean, everything mechanically is taken care of and is in good condition ... A major repair like replacing the engine is well worth it. Get a new long block and a mechanic to swap it over, $3K-$5K .... and your good for another 200K miles .... just take care of it.

I also have a 1993 Dodge Caravan that I just swapped in a used engine, the car has new tires, shocks, struts, brakes, axles, fuel pump, rebuilt transmission, good paint and body.
Sure it is old but runs and drives like new .... I would have been a fool not to fix it. ..... The older cars are cheaper to buy parts for then a newer vehicle, insurance is cheaper, there are no car payments.

 

A dealership you will pay a premium, You have to pay for the sales guy and the manager sitting on his behind. It doesn't cost anything to look. I used to look around on Sunday when nobody was there. As mentioned it may have a rebuilt motor in it. Check it out, If it's decent you can try to beat them up on the price.