Wake

Well its come time to get a new vehicle, Due to many factors such as living in vermont, living in the mountains and on a dirt road that gets horrible in winter/mudseason, likeing off-roading and camping/fishing, and wanting this fuctionality with decent MPG's and a good crash test rating, and having the ability to be converted to biodiesel has brought me here, finding that a dodge cummins diesel is probally my best choice. Ok now here's the dilema, I love the old ones styling but hear there cramped? and have bad brakes(down side for me) and rough ride, but im used to driving a 90' dak around so im used to that. Now the ultimate for me would be a diesel ramcharger and thats what would suit me the best of all(ive seen a few of peoples swaps for sale), but what are my chances of getting one? and for a reasonable price? Is indeed a diesel the right choice for me? im not gonna really be towing much, but i do need all the other benifits, a car will NOT cut it around here and this isnt a testosterone thing(well a little but what truck isn't?) Any small truck gets the *beep* knocked out of it around here my dak shows it, but takes it better than most, i have to retire it because its just to small, too rusted, and to bad on gas, and cant handle these hills to well.
I do lots of outdoorsy crap and need an ultimate vehicle, i'd love a diesel ramcharger like i already said, mostly due to seating capacity and i really am not fond of how long these things are(specially extended cabs), i am not mechanicly inclined, so swaping scares me. I'm willing to wait to find one, or if someone could build one that be fantastic but thats being overly optimistic on my part. i will probally resort to a truck eaither 1st or 2nd gen but whitch one? What do i do?

oh by the way i love the ones with removable tops(80-er older) but thats probally not feasable or practacle? If none of these choices are plausible, do you have another avenue for me? what about a 2nd gen ive heard there headaches, same with 1st gen just different ones, 3rd gen i can't aford. I also want an auto, yeh. I WAS leaning towards a 2nd gen but i hear bad and good what problems need to be ironed out? with aftermarket accessories?

badme

I would assume that the ramcharger is just that, a blazer looking vehicle. They did not make one of them in diesel. Diesels only come in 3/4 ton or larger. If you really want the room and the diesel you will have to go up to a 3rd gen mega-cab. If you get a 12valve truck the brakes and suspension will be a bit of an issue. If you get a 24v 2nd gen truck the brakes and suspension will be the least of your worries. Lift pumps and injection pumps will be your biggest worry. If you get an automatic truck that will be another can of worms. I get 16 mpg around town with my 2nd gen 24v truck. I pull a trailer once in a while but nowhere near enough to justify the diesel truck. I bought mine because I wanted it. Do you need a truck or would a jeep liberty diesel work? I drove one of them and loved it. Search around this site and ask questions. The people here are great and you will learn a ton about diesel dodges.

catmandoo

if you want a diesel and removable top look for an 80's chevy blazer with a 6.2.they are pretty reliable,decent milage and not enough power to tear up the 4wd system.

96_12V

The 2001.5 - 2002 (last years of the second generation models) had four-wheel disc brakes, the option of extended cab-short-bed configuration, and a five or six-speed manual or four-speed automatic. In the hills and snow conditions you speak of, I could seriously encourage you to look at and drive a few manual trucks as they will last better and be easier handling in sloppy, hilly conditions. The automatics are known to have problems, like the 24 Valve lift pumps do, but they can be recitfied at a price.

Having driven my 2wd 5-speed 1996 Ram for six years (with drum rear brakes) I can readily say that this is one of the weakest points of this truck in my experance. If you're concerned about braking capability then spend the money and get a newer 01.5 or 02, and be sure you actually crawl under there and check that it has the disc brakes on it! It's difficult to tell visual differances between the '99 - 02 models. One other weakness that may affect you given your location and driving conditions are the rather inadequate headlights on these trucks. I would look for and install a good set of driving lights to suppliment the rather weak stock headlights. If anyone knows of a good repalcement for the stock lights, please let me know...thanks.

Finally, consider traveling to get the right ruck for your needs. Several on this page have flown to Texas, where rust isn't prevelant but high mileage truck are, to get one the suits thier needs. We also have several nice rigs for sale right in the classifieds here. Good luck - keep asking questions...and welcome!

Joe T

2nd vote on the diesel liberty

Grit Dog

If you're looking for a 1st or 2nd Gen truck, your budget is prolly less than a diesel Liberty, maybe.
Have had 4 2nd Gen Dodge Rams, 1500's, not diesels, and the last one I put 120k mi on and sold it everything worked and looked as new, well built truck, IMO.
Seeing as you live in the rust belt, and hearing that diesel pickups are higher priced in the northeast, I'd look on auto trader.com, in Texas. Auto trans...up to you. SOunds like you drive the wheels off your truck, and a maunual trans may better serve you in the long run.
2nd Gen trucks are not cramped inside, especially comparing to the Dakota you're in now. Adults can sit in back w/ relative comfort if the front seats are not all the way back. Front seats have plenty of room.
Good luck in your search.

Wake

i need to retire the dak because its so edited by admin small and bad on gas, it runs strong still and has only small problems, but noone gets out of your way, and i feel unsafe in its tiny size.(probally gonna put a plow on her)
i definately need 4wd, i was looking at diesels around here and it seems that f250's are cheaper(sorry), and have more reliable auto trans, reason for diesel is if im gonna shell out for a vehicle, i want it future proofed meaning being able to switch it to vegtable oil, or other(you know why). Before my dak i had an jeep cherokee (xj) that had 289,000 miles on it, mostly not my miles though, im not a fan of blazers to to there high fatality rate in accidents, and a liberty is way out of my price range, i like older vehicles from the 70's and 80's but thats not being realistic, so i was thinking of going with eaither a 2nd gen dodge or a 92-96 f250(don't hate me cause i said ford on a dodge forum) . I don't drive them to hard its just the hills and roads around here arn't good to a v6 engine(or v8) and im lucky if i get 13 mpg's due to it working so hard, id be happy getting 17 consistantly, and that i hear is possible out of a diesel. I just wanna make sure i make a good choice, and thats why im asking instead of impulse buying. Thanks for the info

96_12V

You're welcome here no matter which brand of truck you buy...or even which type of fuel it's engine uses. Some may give you a bit of a hard time, but we're not going to harbor ill feelings...

The Ford with the 7.3L Powerstroke is a good truck. It's a bit too stiff riding for my tastes, but you should drive each and compare. Good luck!

johnny5.9

If the roads are real rough on trucks in your area something to consider is the front end. First gen's have the beefiest front ends out there and are easily and cheaply serviced with readily available parts. 2nd gens go through front ends like it's their job and the bearings aren't serviceable. It's remove and replace only, and for alot more money. Aftermarket springs will help the 1st gen ride alot but, yes, the cabs are small. Their mileage is still really good even without a lockup converter.

Joe T

2nd the vote on the first gen ext cab 4x4 find one in the southwest.

Wake

im leaning towards a 1st gen, im not a very big person and am used to driving a dak, think ill be happy with a reg cab 1st gen? how bout brakes are they bad or decent what upgrades with help? the transmission what can i swap to get rid of that weak link? How bout preventing rust on the roof? If i get a better suspension what about shocks? whats the best ride? I don't need a smooth riding beast but not bone jarring eaither. I hear their easier to work on than other diesels and have good axles, the only thing that scares me away are what i mentioned before, brakes are most important i just lost them a few weeks ago on an 84 lasabre NOT FUN. I like the 1st gens best but am i going to old? Id like a smaller cab because then the trucks shorter, remember im used to driving a reg cab dak with no tailgate, and its so easy to back up and manover, i was thinking of a flatbed idea with storage and crap for my gear. At most ill probally have to seat three people. now if you could dock the bed 2ft on the extra cab id be happy camper but thats to involved. so a single cab is what id get most likely.

Wake

docked like this, that be the only way id take one, just ideas.

dieselJon

Did 1st Gens come with a short bed?

if you go off-roading, that trucks looks ideal. Check the cab mounts for major rust as those are tough to fix. If there is hardly any rust underneath, spray it with a quality rubberized coating or something simular.

That truck looks like it had a reg cab, long bed. Then the owner took a Club Cab on and shortened the bed up.

Jon

annabelle

I'll never go back to gas. This is my first diesel, and I love it.

Wake

no no that i editited in paint thats not a real truck, but i was wondering if an extended cab would fit on a short cab frame like it looks in the pic, i know other vehicles could, thats just my redition of what id like, though i think im gonna go with an reg/or ex cab 1st gen(probally a reg cab not sure yet) and yeh im pretty set on getting a diesel thats for sure. And yes i do want to do some off-roading. I still need to know what auto trans are people switching into these (Th400?) to get rid of that flaw, and also the brakes are you getting hydroboost brakes or what? those two things are main conserns.