Ok, This is my first post on this website. I have used it before for help picking a truck to buy. I graduated college about a year ago and now have a "decent" paying job. I still have my Mercury Mountaineer from when I was in high school. I am looking at buying a truck, my dad just got the 2013 3500 diesel and loves it.

I am looking at a 2004 Dodge Ram 3500. They are asking 11,000 for it. To me that seems reasonable however there are 270K on it. I would be the third owner, the carfax report shows no accidents or total loss of anything. My question is this; Is the truck both A.) worth that amount of money with that amount of miles on it? and B.) is there enough "life" or "longevity" left in this vehicle to make it worth my money?

I won't be hauling much, just stuff when moving, camping stuff (possibly a tow camper), a smaller boat, and occasionally some rock for my job, and 4 wheeling in the mountains. (Live in Colorado)

• 48RE 4-SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION W/OD
• 5.9L (360) HO I6 CUMMINS TURBO DIESEL ENGINE (STD)

That is the motor and transmission it has. I'm not worried about the motor, from what I have read the Cummins can go upwards of 500k if maintained properly, which is another part I'm concerned about, there are no maintenance records for the vehicle. What are some parts that should have been replaced by now, and or need to be replaced? I drove the pickup and it handled very well, the front end was tight, the transmission didn't slip when shifting in fact there was no lag at all like there is in my current POS.

I know I don't need this much truck, but Edit, I want it!!

 

That many miles on it you just don't know.

Stuff could be ready to go out.

Stuff could have already been replaced and good to go.

Stuff could have already been replaced and is about to go out again.


47

 

Thats what I was thinking as well. I think I am going to take it to a certified Dodge dealer and have them look it over, give it a 4 point inspection. It might cost me 200 bucks and save me 11k in the long run. Do you know how much a dealership or certified Dodge dealer could tell me?

 

I have 240K on mine as of just last week. All I've ever had to do is, reclutched the trans at 130K (just clutches and steels nothing else), 1 belt in Jan '13, 1 A/C compressor in Feb '13, 1 battery in fall of 2012 and 2 sets of brake pads and tires since I got it at 31,000 miles.
I'm getting the best mileage I've ever got with the truck now and it uses virtually NO oil in 5000 miles! Not bad for a '03 dually that gets used as a truck but not abused.
Would I buy it for $11K... probably. After running an oil & trans fluid sample thru the analysis program at my local cat dealership lab.

 

Run it through nada.com, kbb.com or Edmonds.com to get a "ballpark" price.
John