Dodge Ram Pick-up 5.9 Liter (360) Need Advice!!!!!

[JOE W]

I have A chance to buy a 1998 Dodge Ram Pick-Up 4x4 SLT for $16,200. It only has 15,258 miles on it. It has a towing package, 5.9 Liter engine, Off Road Package, power mirrors, automatic transmission, power windows and cruise. Is this a good deal? Body is in perfect shape. How will this tow my 17 foot Crestliner? Any pros and cons would be greatly welcomed. Thanks!!!

[Mike]

Nice truck,it will pull that boat easy.One problem that motor drinks like a fish.Expect to get about 10-11mpg all the time.I sold mine for that reason.Replaced it with a Chevy Silverado 5.3,I get 20mpg empty and about15- 16mpg towing.

[J.T.]

That is a really good tow vehicle. Lots of room in the cab. According to "Consumer Reports" magazine with it's last car issue the Ram 4x4 pickups have the best resale value of full sized pickups. They feel the design is outdated but if you want a powerful tow vehicle-This is it.

[John F]

Sounds like a good deal to me.I've been towing my 18 ft Fisher for 2 yrs with my 98 with no problems.Just picked up my 2001 but still need to break it in before I start towing with it.Good luck.

[Badger]

I have a 2001 Durango with the 5.9, and it'll tow just about anything. However, you'd be wise to purchase some stocks in the large oil companies since the thing is an absolute fuel pig. I'm lucky to get 11 MPG, which IMHO is totally unacceptable. I'd check out a Chevy (350) or Ford (351) before I made any final decisions.

Just my .02

[Ripstik]

I have the very same pick-up.I bought it new in "98".If I had to go out today and buy another pick-up it would be the same truck.I get good gas mileage with it.I pull a "28" foot 5th.wheel and a 1850 grandsport in tandem with it.No problems.Of course the heaver the load the more your mileage suffers.Sounds like a good deal to me...Good Luck.

[TLY]

I have a '98 1500 5.9 sport 6' bed and tow a 17' Tracker. Go lots of places, pushing 100k. This has been a great truck but it is indeed thirsty. I don't know that I ever got as low as 11 or 12 but even dry 17 is an exception. Have replaced U joint & 1 wheel bearing, as well as front disc brakes. The ride, comfort, amenities are pretty well worth it. Going on extended trips 3 people work fine. Next driver napping in back, navigator in passenger seat and driver napping at wheel. Rotate every x time, works well.
I have a 99 Durango also but no trailer package. (ya, it belongs to 'she who must be obeyed' so she picked it out & I don't drive it much). That puppy is thirsty also, but holds lotsa golf clubs, grandkids and crap so we are pleased. Somehow a sunroof became more important than towing package.

Go to NADA.com and check out blue book. You will find wholesale much more than what you have mentioned.

I seem to be in an exclusive group, Mopar and tracker.

Go ahead & buy. You will not regret it (barring $3.00 gas).
TLY

[Will]

I liked my 95 Ram 1500 5.9ltr 4X4 but it didn't like me! Transmission went out at 268 miles and it was on a flatbed back to the dealer. After 5 years and 90,000 miles I had 6 recall notices, replaced warped brake rotors at 37,000 miles, windsheild wiper motor broke ($120), fuel pump quit working ($300 to replace the whole unit in tank!!), front u-joints went, leaking exhaust manifold, leaking valve cover gaskets, replaced the starter, and the transmission was beginning to slip again. Even the horn stopped working! And the motors are gas hogs, but they do have decent pulling power. I really like the room and the layout, but I finally had it with it breaking down and I bought a new Chevy Silverado with the 5.3 ltr and 3:73 gears and it pulls even better than the dodge did with better fuel mileage. The tow/haul mode in the Chevy is nice! Good luck with the Dodge if you decide to buy it...

[mckoz]

Although I am a Ford man my son had to go out and buy a Dodge similar to the one you are talking about. He just left with my boat about 20 minutes ago. He's taking my 17' north about 3 hours for a tourny this weekend.

He says he can not even tell the boat is behind him - the truck does look nice but he does complain about the mileage - until he sees what my V10 gets!

Godd luck Mike

[ET]

I have a 95 Ram 2500 Heavy Duty 4x4 SLT 5.9, 8ft bed, standard cab with towing and snowplow packages and 5 speed transmission. I've got 112,000 miles on it. When it was newer I got at least 14mpg with it and now I consistently get 13.5 mpg. I've had fewer problems with it than my 97 Suburban with only 54,000 miles. It only once left me totally dead on the road, when the ignition coil went (about 85K miles). Luckilly I was within walking distance to my house.A trip over to the local NAPA store and about a half-hour labor on my part fixed it up. Also replaced an intermittant fuel pump at 108K miles.

I beat on this truck pretty bad and never change the oil when I should. I regularly haul 3000-3300 pound loads of hay in the bed. I load it so high and wide I'm afraid to make a sharp turn for fear I'll tip over! I pull stumps and plow rocky dirt roads with it and drive it on roads I wouldn't take my horses on. I work it hard and do little to care for it.

I'm currently thinking of replacing it with a RAM 2500 extended cab diesel.

[Ernie]

I have a 96 HD1500 SLT 4x4 extended cab with the 5.9, short bed, and towing package. When not towing, I consistently get 15mpg (+/-1mpg). Towing the new rig (Crestline TS182), I have measured 11mpg, but this has been into some strong head-winds and turning off OD. With my 16foot boat, I didn't even know it was behind me. This is the vehicle the family takes on trips. The extended cab has plenty of room for the kids (they are still pretty small) and the bed with a fiberglass topper carries everything the wife can think of. I have 126,000 on this and have had to change the brakes and one new battery. I don't plan on replacing it any time soon. I am a big fan of the Mopar motors. The wife has a 95 Grand Cherokee with the 318 V8, and we have had no problems with this motor either.

Look at the NADA site for price ranges.

[Rabble Rouser]

I have a '96 Dodge Club Cab 360, 4x4 with 170,000 miles on it. I get 15.5 mpg highway, it gets about 11 mpg towing my 17' Lund but I don't use overdrive when I tow. I have good luck with it. One set of brakes, one set of tires and one set of plugs thats all. I change the oil every 6,000 miles and in that time its down 1 quart of oil.

[saugeye]

I just bought a 99 1500 ram slt with the 360.That is kind of scary that you had that many problems with youre pickup.I talked to an alignment shop when I went in there to get my truck alligned and ended up going back to the dealership to have the front differential tracking bar replaced.The people at the allignment shop told me to expect to have the tracking bar replaced every two years,thank god for extended warranties,or I will chew up tires pretty quick.Other than the track bar design for the front end and the milage I really like the pickup.Of course after my last one,a 96 F-150 that I put 2,500$ into in 2 1/2 years,I purchased a 100,000 mile warranty.Cheap insurance compared to the cost of a blown engine or tranny failure. Saugeye

[Lund_Dude]

I run a 1996 Dodge Ram Sport with the 5.9L, a standard cab and short box. I get about 16-17MPG on the highway. I went to lake Erie two weeks ago pulling my 17' Lund and averaged 15MPG door to door. The boat pulls really well behind this truck.

I have a little over 110,000 miles and the maintenance has been really good. Oil changes and tune ups as recommended and tires and brake job at 75K. I recently replaced the fuel pump assembly, the idle air pump, and a crankcase sensor for about $1,000. That is all that I have had to stick in it and I am more than pleased.