First and Last Dodge truck
#12
#13
You must have got a bad one, or your driving style or use for that truck are tough on parts. I have nearly 60k on my truck and have changed nothing but the oil, diff fluid, plugs, and tranny service... All regular routine maintenance.
I can't say that I didn't have good luck with my last Ford. It ran great with the 5.4L for 189k miles until I sold it in favor of the new Ram Hemi. The new owner told me however that the tranny blew up about 4 months after they purchased the truck from me. I can't bash on Ford for that, 190+k miles of reliable service is satisfactory in my book. I hope my Ram will be just as reliable when it gets up there in mileage.
I can't say that I didn't have good luck with my last Ford. It ran great with the 5.4L for 189k miles until I sold it in favor of the new Ram Hemi. The new owner told me however that the tranny blew up about 4 months after they purchased the truck from me. I can't bash on Ford for that, 190+k miles of reliable service is satisfactory in my book. I hope my Ram will be just as reliable when it gets up there in mileage.
#15
#16
In the last ~30,000 km's I have
- rebuilt my motor (Somewhat self inflicted, intake is a @#$% design for water) $800 parts
- swapped out the rear diff $350 diff
- ujoints $50
- about to do balljoints $75ish in parts
- fusebox is on it's way out $600 dollars!
Not horrible, but for the mileage I've put on it I've had a LOT of downtime. Now that I've worked out all the kinks I need to upgrade to a 3/4 ton
The joys of trucks
I'll buy Dodge again, been the best trucks as far as my knowledge base goes.
- rebuilt my motor (Somewhat self inflicted, intake is a @#$% design for water) $800 parts
- swapped out the rear diff $350 diff
- ujoints $50
- about to do balljoints $75ish in parts
- fusebox is on it's way out $600 dollars!
Not horrible, but for the mileage I've put on it I've had a LOT of downtime. Now that I've worked out all the kinks I need to upgrade to a 3/4 ton
The joys of trucks
I'll buy Dodge again, been the best trucks as far as my knowledge base goes.
#20
nine years at a dodge dealer as a machanic, last seven months at a ford dealership so i kinda know both well.
first of all, what year dodge are we talking? i know they did some major corner cutting in the 2007 and 2008 chrysler and dodge vehicles. for some reason they left jeep alone i think because at one point cerberus was looking to make a quick buck and sell off jeep.
the late 3rd gens are more prone to front end problems like tie rods and ball joints and i know for a fact they changed vendors for price starting on the 2007 trucks. they also went with a smaller diameter cv shaft in 2006 which is causing a few problems.
but it was rare i saw a truck in with your laundry list of problems especially with so few miles and when i did it was obvious pure neglect. if not a beaten truck then one that had no maintenance done on it.
the new fords aren't much better, seeing front end issues there as well and i'm seeing more major issues, like being flat bedded in issues with recent fords than i ever saw with rams except when the 6.7 cummins first started hitting the street. i saw more lemon buy backs in a year after the 6.7 engine came out then all trucks combined over the past five years i was there.
if you saw more reliability with your fords, get rid of the ram and buy one. but i think youre in for a surprise because its not just dodge who is cutting corners and taking lower bids from asia on parts in the last four or five years.
first of all, what year dodge are we talking? i know they did some major corner cutting in the 2007 and 2008 chrysler and dodge vehicles. for some reason they left jeep alone i think because at one point cerberus was looking to make a quick buck and sell off jeep.
the late 3rd gens are more prone to front end problems like tie rods and ball joints and i know for a fact they changed vendors for price starting on the 2007 trucks. they also went with a smaller diameter cv shaft in 2006 which is causing a few problems.
but it was rare i saw a truck in with your laundry list of problems especially with so few miles and when i did it was obvious pure neglect. if not a beaten truck then one that had no maintenance done on it.
the new fords aren't much better, seeing front end issues there as well and i'm seeing more major issues, like being flat bedded in issues with recent fords than i ever saw with rams except when the 6.7 cummins first started hitting the street. i saw more lemon buy backs in a year after the 6.7 engine came out then all trucks combined over the past five years i was there.
if you saw more reliability with your fords, get rid of the ram and buy one. but i think youre in for a surprise because its not just dodge who is cutting corners and taking lower bids from asia on parts in the last four or five years.
Last edited by Boo Radley; 10-05-2011 at 02:21 PM.