I know a Cummins would be just getting broke in at 243000 miles, but i found a nice 2003 3500 Hemi with 243000 miles on it and it seems like too many miles to me but not sure with these new engines. Its a really clean engine and has new cams and rocker arms on it as well as a new oil pump. Would it have too many underlying problems for $8500?

 

Welcome to the site. I would be scared of a 3500 HEMI with 243k on it. The reason is because one it is high mileage for a gas engine and two it is quite the heavy truck.

8500 still sounds high to me for a 3500 5.7. Im assuming it is 4wd?

Check out this thread for maybe some more help

https://dodgeforum.com/forum/3rd-gen...e-posting.html

 

I would keep looking if I were you.

 

i have to agree, thats a big truck for a HEMI and you have to wonder what that motor has been through. I would keep looking and if your looking to haul alot with the truck a CTD would be the best route in the end in my opnion.

 

yeah its 4x4. just looking for an opinion on it, i did find an 03 crew cab 1500 hemi with 140000 on it thats in pretty good shape for $9500. i will eventually have a CTD, my buddy has one and and as much as i love driving it i get tired of having to borrow it from him for pulling my stock trailer. the trailer puts a little too much strain on my 02 dakota even though my dakota has airbags on the rear. its got the 4.7 in it but does terrible on gas even without pulling anything

 

If a CTD is what you really want/need, then why not look at some late 2nd Gen CTDs? I just had a friend of mine ask me on behalf of a friend of his to look at a 1999 CTD extended cab 4x4 with 166,000 miles on it at a local dealership. Dealer had a price of $15,995 on the window. Truck checked out pretty good, I didn't like the shape of one of the ball joints.
Guy ended up negotiating it down to $12,400 and dealership is replacing both ball joints and doing an alignment as part of the deal...

 

i do like the look of the 2nd gen's, its what my dakota is. is there a thread on here of for sale trucks?

 

If you think that the Dakota is bad on gas then you are probably going to want to stay away from a Heavy Duty with a Hemi in it. They are really heavy and that makes the hemi work hard and there fore it is using lots of gas.
It sounds to me like you should keep on looking for a diesel powered truck.

 

Here you go

https://dodgeforum.com/forum/dodge-classifieds-39/

 

http://ankromauto.com/vehicledetails.aspx?VID=131461729
Tell me what ya think about this CTD i found last night. The price seems a little low my buddy says but sounds like a pretty good deal to me. Only thing that scares me is the stainless rockers could be hiding rust