I would appreciate any advice or input anyone may have.

I have been looking for a truck, but found most small trucks to be too small. I found a 97 RAM, 4x4, 318, ext cab, long bed, 193,000 miles, 5 speed on a used car lot.

The guy wants $2000 and I don't think he will budge since he could get more at auction.

I have looked the truck over and found a bad carrier bearing that is causing the driveshaft to dent the muffler. I also found an exhaust leak, leaky brake lines near the master cylinder, and missing sway bar link bushings.

The truck fired right up and I didn't hear any knocking noises from the bottom end and no noises from the transmission.

I haven't driven the truck yet, but plan on doing so on Monday or Tuesday.

I have heard of people getting close to 300,000 miles out of this year with very few problems. I consider all the items that I found to be routine maintenance and can fix everything for less than $100 or so.

Comments, suggestions, anything to look out for while driving the truck?

I need the truck to start and run every single day, and get me to work.

I understand that gas mileage is going to be awful, somewhere around 15 miles to the gallon.

Thanks for your comments.

 

I wouldnt even consider it to be honest with you. With that many miles and those obvious problems you never know what other problems it has that you havent found yet and what problems will soon come. Yes its cheap but remember you get what you pay for. Thats alot of miles and some unwanted problems to start out with right away.

 

That's a hell of a lot of miles for a 9 year old truck. Especially for that motor. Assuming this is a 2wd Regular cab, what does the body look like? Are you comfortable doing these repairs? These trucks have enough inherent problems without all this extra stuff your mentioning. It's a tough call w/o seeing it.
I just looked at your post again and see it is a 4wd. If you have the room and the time, you could get it, park it and break it up for parts. Make all your money back plus some and get something better.

 

Like the previous posts stated, thats just too many miles for a truck of that age. Not to mention you have to consider when was the tranny replaced, if at all. What about the transfer case?

Like cableguy stated, you could probably part it out and make more off it then you spent on it, but honestly I'd walk away from it. You can find better deals then that.

 

soulds like its had a rough life so far,i wouldnt test drive it but thats me, truefully it will be more than 100 bucks to fix....take 2000k an make a down payment on a newer dodge an be happy,alot less worried too

 

Thanks for all the input. I have not decided what I want to do yet.

The mileage is about 21,000 per year. There were some business cards in the visor and I think the guy did some kind of sales and service. I think the truck was used for business.

I did not see any drips of oil from the engine but some very mild seepage. My 91 Cavalier has more 50,000 less miles and many more problems. LOL.

The body has some rusty spots, and the worst spot is the passenger side door. In about 15 places the paint has chipped and rust has caused it to peel, but there are no holes except for the passenger door. The bottom seam rotted.

I don't have a problem doing the repairs, and would only have to pay for parts. I have a welder and can fix the exhaust easy enough.

I really appreciate the honest opinions. I don't think I am going to buy it, not because of the miles and problems, but because I may have found a way to accomplish what I need to do without a truck.

I do think I am going to take it for a test ride if I can get off work early enough one day this week. The guy mainly buys vehicles, stores them on his lot until he can take them to auction. If he can sell a car or two while they are sitting around he does.

thanks again for the info and advice!

 

Honestly not judging milege but just all that is wrong i dont know that id trust it for a daily driver. sounds kinda risky

 

OK about the mileage......my dad, he used to have a Chestnut Brown (actually a very pretty color) 4x4 97' Dodge Ram 1500 4x4 Ext. Cab auto trans....i know the set up is different from yours but hear me out. He put 142,000 miles on his truck without any trouble besides general maintance, and maybe the water pump around 120k.....but at that 142k the transmission went out. first major thing that went wrong. He had it replaced. Then at around 180,000 his four-wheel drive quit working. Had that fixed. He ended up tradeing it off with 250,000 ish miles for an 02' silverado. For him it was a very reliable truck, he treated it well and had general maintaince. I also read in a magazine somewhere about an elderly couple who had a 94 i think dodge dakota that had 250,000 on it and had not done A THING to it....idk if i believe that or not but if its true that is IMPRESSIVE.....anyways, its pretty much your call, if you think it runs good and u can get a deal, perhaps conisder it. Its just money haha[8D]

 

im sure you can buy it and get it working nice again for acouple hundred bucks.. but just remember that this is just minor things.. the tranny, rear end, transfercare, electrical things dont last forever.. they are bound to go soon and will cost you 2 times what you payed for the truck

 

id be a little sketchy about it b/c of the miles... when you get up there that far you have to star tlooking at bearings and seals .. drivetrain issues... the good thing though is that its a 5speed... wouldnt have to worry too much about a 46RE busting out on you driving it off the lot... it wouldnt be bad for a work truck or something of the matter.... something good to beat on... but ya never know... my grandpa bought an 87 nissan pickup for 500 bux that had 130,000 miles on it in 1997 kept it and DD'd it to work and back for almost 8 years... after getting rid of it... he did only maintenece to it and left it with 300,000 and some change... but then again its a nissan... but you get the idea... a well maintaned vehicle could last for a very very long time!