My 1983 Dodge Ram just died, and I'm looking at a 1999 1500 2WD 5.2 L V8 with a tow package. I really need reliability, and have read very mixed reviews of this Gen 2 1500. Any suggestions? Consumer reports says go with a Ford F150. I'm out to look at a truck shortly, so any suggestions would be VERY helpful. Thanks!

 

the 2gens are great trucks... but with any truck car or anything you buy... they come with cetain problems... fords are known for there brakes being horible..suspension being crappy and minor electrical problems

dodges known for their trannys and the intkae gaskets going bad (pinging)

the best thing to do is take one for a spin and find out which one you like the best... obviously we are gonna tell you to get a dodge... but to be fair take them all for a spin and see what you like (if you buy a ford you will be SHUNED for ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!! lol j/k)

 

I have 5 2gens in the famliy and close friend all ranging from 98 to 01. My 98 is the oldest with 140,000 and the 2001 is the newest with 210,000 on it. The rest fall in between. Not one of us has any major problems. All with the original trannys. My wife has a 2001 Chevy ( I know I married her that way ) we pulled a re-call report on both trucks the other day. Her truck had 2 pages of re-calls, my Dodge had not one re-call. Like shott said, find what you like. Every vehicle will be different. Find one that has been properly maintained.

 

Anything you get will have some sort of problems. I have had trouble with my truck - but I have friends who have 150+k miles on theirs and have had limited problems. Best thing to do is drive the one you want to buy - a lot - and have a reliable mechanic check it out for any sign of problems. Main things to look for on 2 gens are erratic tranny shifting, dark colored tranny fluid, plenum gasket leaks, warped front brake rotors, rearend noise. I have had tranny problems and warped rotors on mine, but not the other issues.

DON'T BELIEVE THE BS THAT CONSUMER REPORTS PUTS OUT! ON ANYTHING! We have subscribed to that rag for years and have figured out in the last year or so that they are F.O.S. on a lot of things. They rated a Ford 500 crackerbox way ahead of our Chrysler 300C - which is complete bs - we drove them both - the 500 doesn't BEGIN to compare. They also rated a Hoover vacuum way ahead of a Dyson....sorry thats bs too - we have both. A few years back they rated the Maytag Neptune washer #1....since then there have been recalls and huge class action lawsuit against Maytag for that washer. Yep - we have one of them too. Real p.o.s. We still subscribe, but we use the Reports for comedy now, and don't buy what they say is best. I think they get paid to jack up companies ratings....

Sorry to jack the thread - but heres what I think of CONSUMER REPORTS ----[sm=shootshoot.gif][sm=boosign.gif][sm=rant.gif]

 

I've got a 2001 I bought with 2500 miles on it in July 2001. I think the original buyer didn't like standard shift. I started lookin at forums like this and thought "holy crap, GenII" got some real problems. But if you pick most any vehicle and look up TSB's for it your going to get the real picture. Since your jumpin from a carborated less emission control vehicle to a newer one with FI and emission junk that may be a shocker if you do your own maintainance. Other than that I see a lot more Dodge trucks around here than any other make.

 

Thats because they look so damn good. Can't buy no ugly truck.... I was a ford man until they changed body styles in late 90's. They stink. We want a truck not a car with a bed...

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thats true.. i was actually about to buy a 1993 ford f-150 with a 6 inch sus. lift.. 3 inch body on 38's swamper for 5,000 but then i saw my dodge and fell in love