leisurlee

I SOLD MY 1999 CTD 4X4 auto and am looking to get into another and would like to know what are the + and - of the 2005 year model I am looking at one with 141,000 miles DRW auto 4X4. any info would be appreicated.
Any issues with the trans in this year I think is my biggest concern.


I already miss my 1999 for a couple of reasons,
1. no payments
2. it was just a beast


thanks in advance.

admin, I appoligize if this is the wrong place for this post

AH64ID

If it's an early 05 then it may have a plastic end capped intercooler, which will pop eventually.

The 05 auto wasn't OEM approved for an exhaust brake, but there are aftermarket ones. I gather the difference in 06+ was a thrust washer, but many run an EB on a 05- without issue.

The tow/haul vs OD off is also a point of contention with 05 auto owners.. but I don't have any info on that.

Otherwise the 05 is a solid truck. Mine has been great to me and I prefer the 05 interior and seats to the 06+ trucks.

leisurlee

AH64,

thanks for the info, for what I need to do I do not think the issues you mention will come into play, I have a couple of cows and will need to pick up hay and those things but have no need to tow anything over 5K. It just the peace of mind to know I can do what I need to do.

Guard or Reserve or retired?

AH64ID

Active Guard.

Enjoy the truck.

no_6_oh_no

I think the 05's are the best of the CR's from a mechanical perspective. It has the final most powerful version of the 5.9 with a lot of the bugs in the electronics worked out. Given it is driven within its parameters and clean fuel is used its about as reliable as you can get.

The auto trans is as good as the 48RE can get. The stock form leaves something to be desired with NVH inhibitions but thats eays to fix. No problem adding an EB with a good controller. The thrust washer issues was fix in 04 and was only a remote possibilty of problems anyway.

The lack of OD off is a nuisance more than anything. There are ways to drive around the lack of control but the TH feature far outweighs the lack. A simple control box from BD adds the OD lockout capability with the benefit of being able to use TH in drive. It is really only an issue if you tow in speeds under 60 mph frequently, otherwise it just doesn't apply.

Any issues with the trans, given it is good now, can be addressed with some fairly easy and relatively cheap upgrades. Don't worry about it being a weak point. The OE ujoints are non-greasable and are probably due for checking if they have not been replaced yet. Vibrations at road speed are a sign of issues but that again can easily be fixed.

Do you need a DRW? The weights you list do not warrant it. An SRW is more than adequate and cheaper with the lack of training wheels. If you get a good buy and plan a possible larger trailer then its a good deal.

Check your build date for reference to the plastic tank CAC. If it was built Jan 05 and later it likely has the good CAC.

Mine has been good to me and cost me way less in maintenance over 185k than any truck other than the 1st gen diesels I have owned. Thats is even running 40-100 HP more power and being used to its potential over 50% of the time. If you can make a good deal and the truck feels solid I think you will be quite happy with the upgrade.

leisurlee

NO 6,

good advise and info, I do not ahve the truck yet I am just looking at one. DRW is just the model i was looking at, yea for my application a single may be the way to go as DRW just adds to the over all replacement costs down the road.

thanks

thenrie

Bought my truck with 208K miles on it and it was in great shape. I have the NV5600 standard trans, which was a requirement for me. While I was shopping for a truck I talked to my nephew who is an experienced Dodge mechanic. He said that if he was looking, he'd buy a 2005 Dodge over anything out there. Better engine, less trouble than all the other brands. That's what I did and I'm still happy at 230K miles.

Interestingly, I was looking for a 2500 with a standard shift, but was disappointed in the prices I was seeing for a high-mileage truck. The only decent trucks I was finding were either in AZ or TX. Out east here they don't like manual trans because of the traffic. I ended up finding the asking prices for a DRW were generally lower than the SRWs I was finding with comparable mileage. Higher demand, I guess. Anyway, came across a 3500 DRW in NC, just down the road, with a manual trans and high mileage. Apparently the dealer was having a tough time selling it because of the manual trans. Research told me I'd only lose about 2mpg with the DRW, and since I hope to eventually pull a fairly large 5th wheel camper and a 5th wheel horse trailer, I decided to go with the DRW. Glad I did. I get 17mpg around town, which is comparable to my 2000 Toyota Tacoma with 4-banger.

You'll see some upgrades on my truck. As I have to replace stuff, I generally go the extra expense to upgrade while I'm at it. Love my truck.

maxwellp

Got a 05 new now has 29,000 miles. can't have it Ha Ha

thenrie

HAHAhhahahaha!!!