I may be trading my first gen and some cash for a 98 3500 12 valve Ext Cab Longbed Dually with auto tranny, the truck is in great shape and I was wondering how you guys like them, I am looking to upgrade to a newer truck

 

I like my 1997... but I have a built auto too.

 

2WD or 4WD? I really like the second gen, at least in 4WD it rides ( to me ) much better than a leaf sprung truck.

About the only negative I could say is with a 98 you are in the first year of the ( more) electronic dash, and Infidel has mentioned that 98's being a transitional year from 12 to 24 valve, some of the wiring isn't very well documented.

 

The Truck is 4WD, Forgot to mention it.

 

I have a 98' have done loads of my own work on it. Have factory manual and have never had a problem tracing down a wire using the factory manual. I love my 98, yah you could have an issue with the dash (I never have) and they are unique to 98, but that would not stop me from buying another.

 

Only problem I have with mine is the rockers/door bottoms and one cab mount rotting out. It was a New Hampshire truck for 5 years before I got it, so it's lived in salt it's whole life too. Dash is not cracked. The auto doesn't last long in stock form with added power, no news there. And I happen to like the "newer" style interior, I guess its a personal preference...been a great truck all in all to me though, it's worked its but off for many years and still gets our family down the road for vacation. Good luck!

 

I love my 98 12v. Wouldn't trade up or down in years.
These auto's are fine in stock form, they just need the line pressure turned up some and a tighter converter.
I don't mean anything bad against 1st Gens (because I love them too) but you will definitely find a 2nd Gen to be a step up.

 

I see so many people post that the auto trans are no good and don`t last. my auto 47rh has had new filter and fluid every 50th klm since new. The truck has almost 30000 klm on it and it shifts great with no problems. i tow a fiver with a gvw of 10,500 and I have added a 10 torque plate and 3000 rpm governor spring. I don`t baby it . The last time we change the trans fluid we check the torque on the bands and found they needed no adjustment. I will install a set of 50 hp injectors soon ..I did destroy the torque converter and replace that with a single disk billet for 500 hp.Pulling I have allways let the trans shift and then drop the go petal . except for the one time I was passing another truck pulling a fiver up a hill ; I hit the petal before the TC could lock and that cost me the original TC. We did add a shift kit when the truck was near new. I think the tranny will go another 30000