'98 1 ton dodge...

[Avery4jc]

I bought my K3500 a little over a year ago and it's been a decent truck but nothing to write home about... it's a smooth ride has plenty of room and pulls ok on the flats.
Since my k10 is somewhat finished now I've been going on more trips and have quite a few planned and I'm realizing I should have gone diesel (duh!)

So Sunday afternoon I was driving home from lunch and saw it sitting at one of the used truck lots in town... just calling to me.
I wen't and checked it out today since they weren't open on Sunday's and it's a '98 ext. cab long bed dually with the 12v cummins. It's barely broken in with just 73k miles on it and it shows... the interior looks brand new and underneath looks great.

I don't know much about dodge's except everyone who tows says to go with a cummins so I'm just looking for some tips on what to look at on this truck. They're asking $15,900 right now but this is the same lot I got my k3500 at and they'll drop $500-$1k off the top without much work.

So what do you guys think? What should I be looking for besides obvious signs of wear and tear?

 

[dhcomp]

Not sure if thats what those go for...and i haven't looked at the market for those....but that seems a little high. In other words, the price reflects the low mileage.

 

[Avery4jc]

Yeah I wasn't really asking about price as much as the drivetrain/truck... Just wondering if there is specific stuff to check out on this series.

 

[dhcomp]

Yeah I wasn't really asking about price as much as the drivetrain/truck... Just wondering if there is specific stuff to check out on this series.

And i replied with all i could comment about with any knowledge

Not very helpful, but i tried

Curious to see what others say.

 

[Avery4jc]

And i replied with all i could comment about with any knowledge

Not very helpful, but i tried

Curious to see what others say.

I understand... I was just clearing up my original post... sometimes I ask questions that make sense to me but they're clear as mud to everyone else.

They're supposed to call me sometime tomorrow with an offer on my k3500 so that'll determine what I do. If the offer is close to what I owe I'll swap and go with the diesel but if they just can't swing it I'll stick with my k3500 through the summer and work the extra hours while I'm out of school to get it paid down before the Fall semester rolls around.

 

[chevysmithz71]

Are you serious????I thought you liked the crew over the ext cab??

 

[Ben B.]

haha, 16k for a '98 ram? Yeaahhh.....

Also, if it's an automatic, don't even give it a second glance.

 

[Avery4jc]

Are you serious????I thought you liked the crew over the ext cab??

I do but you can't get a crew cab in that year and it's not mandatory for me. I'd rather have a 12v cummins than a crew cab.
This whole thing is dependant upon their offer on my k3500. Like I told the salesman I'm not in any rush to change trucks but if we can make it work I'll do it.

haha, 16k for a '98 ram? Yeaahhh.....

Also, if it's an automatic, don't even give it a second glance.

They're asking that but I won't pay that much. Regardless of the year look at the miles and the condition of the truck. With 73k miles it's hardly broken in. Plus you have to remember you don't live in Cali... everything is more expensive here so put it in perspective.

 

[blazinzuk]

x2 on the auto if it is and it hasn't been rebuilt yet its probably going to need it. Make sure its stock too. If someone hotrodded it 73000 miles is going to be more like a million

 

[blackk5350]

if its automatic walk away. also another BIG BIG BIG thing was on the 98 12valve trucks. they had a issue with the engine block. it would crack and leak oil all over gods creation. im not sure where it is but there is a certein number or letter stamped on the block to tell if its the bad engine. just dont go buy it tommorow.RESEARCH go to a cummins forum it should be on there.

 

[Avery4jc]

Well I'm not going to DD a stick so it's going to be an auto no matter what I get.

Thanks for the heads up on the block... I'll research the number and see what's going on with this one.

 

[colbystephens]

why not? i'll hopefully never drive another automatic.

 

[hoodride]

I'd hold off... Im picking up a cummins this weekend. My suggestion to you would be to find a higher milage cummins (150,000 or less) with a new/rebuilt tranny and NO MODS. There was another user on here that knew a decent amount to help me out, after looking quite a bit and researching a lot, a good condition 2nd gen cummins 4x4 ext. cab long bed, with less than 150k, and a new/rebuilt tranny can be had for $9k

Dually's are going for even cheaper for some reason, and if you want 2wd, you could get a new body style for 15k

EDIT: If i'm not mistaken, it's the 24v that had the block issues. On the 12v there's a dowel pin that can get loose and tear the whole engine apart, simple fix but needs to be taken care of. The auto tranny's (47re) can go bad at 100k, so beware. rebuilds on those can be costly... otherwise the 12 valve's are pretty bulletproof

 

[lectric80]

I hear lot's of people bad mouth that generation Dodge auto, but I can honestly say my Uncle has nearly 200k on his and it has never been rebuilt. However, he does go the extra mile by making sure it is serviced every 25k, and he hasn't modded the engine. It depends on the care taken of the vehicle.

That being said, it is rare to find someone that has taken care of their vehicles like that. Those years required more maintenance to keep that auto intact, and if the paperwork isn't there to prove what has been done, I would pass on it. A buddy of mine had replaced his auto three times in 225k, and said he wished he had chosen the manual instead.

 

[blackk5350]

if you have to have auto then make sure you join a cummins forum and check out what NEEDS to be done to that auto. because you gotta turn the power up on those 12v's they roll coasl like no other with some free mods. oh yeah and those old cummins have mechanical fuel pumps so i dont think you even need a battery haha. but yeah those 12 valves kick a$$ i dont know if im getting an cummins or duramax out of college yet.

 

[Avery4jc]

why not? i'll hopefully never drive another automatic.

It's a PITA around town... I know guys that do it and don't think anything of it but I'm not one of those guys... start and stop traffic through the super busy parts of town where I live aren't fun with a stick IMO.

I'd hold off... Im picking up a cummins this weekend. My suggestion to you would be to find a higher milage cummins (150,000 or less) with a new/rebuilt tranny and NO MODS. There was another user on here that knew a decent amount to help me out, after looking quite a bit and researching a lot, a good condition 2nd gen cummins 4x4 ext. cab long bed, with less than 150k, and a new/rebuilt tranny can be had for $9k

Dually's are going for even cheaper for some reason, and if you want 2wd, you could get a new body style for 15k

EDIT: If i'm not mistaken, it's the 24v that had the block issues. On the 12v there's a dowel pin that can get loose and tear the whole engine apart, simple fix but needs to be taken care of. The auto tranny's (47re) can go bad at 100k, so beware. rebuilds on those can be costly... otherwise the 12 valve's are pretty bulletproof

I'm doing some research and it looks like the block issue is not solely on the '98 12v's.... I think the block number to look out for is "53".
Yeah I know the auto's are the only weak point on these trucks but every truck has a weak point. Chevy's have front ends that fall apart, dodge's have auto tranny's that toast and fords... well I'm not sure but I'm not driving a ford

if you have to have auto then make sure you join a cummins forum and check out what NEEDS to be done to that auto. because you gotta turn the power up on those 12v's they roll coasl like no other with some free mods. oh yeah and those old cummins have mechanical fuel pumps so i dont think you even need a battery haha. but yeah those 12 valves kick a$$ i dont know if im getting an cummins or duramax out of college yet.

I just joined CumminsForum to do some research. Yeah the 12v's are light on the electronics...

 

[colbystephens]

It's a PITA around town... I know guys that do it and don't think anything of it but I'm not one of those guys... start and stop traffic through the super busy parts of town where I live aren't fun with a stick IMO.

i can definitely understand that line of reasoning. i find that when i get into the in-laws cars to drive around, tho, that i hate how much i have to use the brake. my right foot gets sick of switching between the pedals! i guess part of that might be due to driving a gas engine in their cars instead of a high compression diesel in mine tho....

 

[blackk5350]

do you have a picture of this beast.? what car lot is it at.

 

[fourwheelerjeff]

avery, i don't know about the prices in cali, but i picked up a 2001 dodge quad cab 4x4 diesel back in september for 8000. it had 118000 miles on it, one owner, and just about every option there was. it is an automatic; it really didn't matter what tranny it had in it to me. it is not modded out; except for the BHAF filter with a outwears cover and a homemade heat shield. EGT, Fuel Pressure, Trans Temp, and Boost gauges, Vulcan Big Line fuel kit, Stock lift pump (fuel pump) replaced with in-tank fuel pusher pump.
i have an edge EZ to put on it; it is my tow rig, not a hot rod for me.

 

[Avery4jc]

That's a good looking truck Jeff... I don't have pics of it but it looks like this but black...