Get what you can afford that will serve your purposes. Yeah a QC Hemi 4x4 is very desirable, but if it puts you in a financial bind and you don't need it, then it's not worth it.

'08 4.7 isn't quite as prone to to the sludging issues the pre-'08s were as the dual plugs makes for a little bit more complete burn. Yeah, the heads are still aluminum and would be prone to cracking in an over-heat, but you can take precautions from a maintenance standpoint to minimize the chances of overheating.

I'm glad you didn't go back to the place that wanted $24k for the '04, because they'd be up around $40k or more for an '08, 4.7 4x2, LMAO!!!