I'm new, hope this is the appropriate place for this post.

I've narrowed down my choice between a 2004 SLT with 85,000 miles, vs a 2008 Laramie with 149,000 miles. Both have the Hemi.

Price would be roughly the same. Even though the mileage difference is substantial, all the valuations I've ran online consistently show the Laramie worth $3,000 more or so.

Assuming identical mechanical and cosmetic condition, which is the smarter buy? I don't NEED a Laramie, but it would be nice and seems like it would carry a higher resale value. This will not be a daily driver. I expect to put less than 7k miles per year on it. I also know that the 2008 Hemi has mds and the 2004 doesn't. Not sure what other major differences there would be?

I doubt I would keep it more than 5 years. Would I still be able to get more out of the Laramie by then, assuming the anticipated annual mileage I mentioned?

Thanks.

Oh, and the other thing is I will have to drive 2 hours away to get the 2004 SLT with 85k. The 2008 Laramie is local.

 

Drive the '08 and see if you fall in love with it. It's high mileage, but if the maintenance has been kept on it, you should get good life out of it... in comfort. 150K is a lot, but there are many on here with much more. As you said, the resale would be much better. MDS is pretty much a wash in these trucks, so that's just a bullet point when selling it for the new buyer -- I wouldn't put too much stock into it as something worth more money. Lots of people disable it, actually. Check and see if any suspension work has been done with that many miles. If it's had a relatively easy life, that's probably the direction I would lean, honestly.

*EDIT* Dodge completely changed the front suspension on the Ram for the '06 model, as well, which is why I ask about the suspension work. At that mileage, it's probably due for the regular replacements up front, like ball joints and bearings/hubs. Same with the '04, too, just by virtue of age. The earlier models had torsion bar front suspension, whereas the Gen 3.5s had coilovers.

 

So suspension work is probably on the horizon for either choice. Are we talking like several hundred dollars or what?

 

Very true about MDS in something this heavy.
Only if 4wd, 02-05 2wd's are coil sprung.


Depends on whether you can do the work yourself or not. Parts aren't exactly super cheap (I just rebuilt my front end and cost me about $400ish for the Mevotech kit off Rockauto) but not too bad but it's the labor that will kill you.

 

I should have mentioned they're both 4x4.

Thanks for the info. No I wouldn't be able to do the work myself.

 

HLS, thanks for the clarification on 4WD/2WD -- I know more about the 4WD, obviously.

I wouldn't necessarily say both DEFINITELY would need imminent work, but I'd try and wobble the wheels while up on a jack first to be sure. Check the boots on the ball joints, and CV axles, too, while you are down there. They may not need to be done, and you may get many more miles out of them, especially if it is lightly driven. However, this is about the mileage that these things can start to pop up. As HemiLS said, it's not terribly hard to do -- I did the entire front end of my truck about a year or so ago (with help, admittedly), and you can find everything you need to know off of YouTube and a Haynes/Chilton manual. IF you take it to a shop, it's the labor that's going to get you.

 

You can actually get the factory service manuals off this site, if the links are down they can be provided.

 

Good point. Look up Weedahoe on here; he has (had, anyway) links to all the service manuals.

 

It would help if you stated (or put in your profile) where you're located. The vehicles and their respective locations are "apples and oranges" comparisons.

FWIW: Never buy a vehicle based on possible resale because the market and the vehicle in question will be different down the road. For all you know, gas prices could crest $3/gal (I'm just painting a picture) in three years whereby the resale value of either truck will plummet.

Bear in mind that during ownership of the truck in question, any number of possible adverse actions may or may not happen (e.g. body damage).

I would research both vehicles on MSN.Com, True Delta, and also NADA.com. Review actually ownership feedback and also reliability. The Laramie, while the more "dressed up" might actually cost more in ownership than the other.

Just some suggestions you might want to consider.

 

I would personally go with the 08 myself.