Hi everyone, I know next to nothing about Rams. I found a 98 with 170K miles on it that a hog farmer had used to transport hogs all over. The engine seems to run good and no major noises except for a slight squeel of a belt at high rpms. The transmission seemed to shift a little hard, but the mechanics at the dealership said the tranny fluid was discolored. Maybe a service could help the shifting? I mainly want this truck to get me to work (2 miles) and to haul some stuff here and there. The dealer wants $4300 for it, but I would probably offer them $3500 and go from there.

SO....what does everyone think? Can I except a 98 to last much longer with that many miles? Should I expect some major repairs soon? Whats the normal problems with that many miles? Thanks in advance!

 

Now this is one guys opinion - nothing more.

I have a 98 Ram 1500 4x4 with 65,000 miles and I love it. But I have been through one transmission already. In my opinion, the stock transmissons are not the best, I have heard of other people with this same problem. These may fail for a varity of reasons, but the front pump failng seems to be a common thing.

If the tranny fluid is discolored, then you know at the very least that tranny was not maintained well. Those miles are also high on any type of vehicle, especially something that was used for hauling.

Now - you may get away with a tranny fluid change and a tranny band adjustment. The dealer should be able to do that for you AND tell you the overall the shape of the vehicle. If you are buying this from a dealer, then have them toss in at least a 90 day warranty on the engine and drivetrain, then for $3,500 you really can go to wrong.