Things to look for when buying a Ram
Discussion
You dont say which Ram you are going to have a look at.At the moment i run this....02 SLT Laramie Quad Cab
Listen out for any noise in the rear diff.And if its an early one avoid the 5.9.The 5.9 was fitted to this generation Ram for the first 6 months.It really is a horrible engine.Feels gutless.And drinks a lot.
Regarding LPG. I had it fitted to this my previous Ram....
In all the time i had it. It never ran properly on LPG.It would constantly judder under load.Was bad on gas.Just a complete nightmare.I had it looked at by various specialists.And no one could get it to run right.It was enough to turn me off LPG conversions for good.
Listen out for any noise in the rear diff.And if its an early one avoid the 5.9.The 5.9 was fitted to this generation Ram for the first 6 months.It really is a horrible engine.Feels gutless.And drinks a lot.
Regarding LPG. I had it fitted to this my previous Ram....
In all the time i had it. It never ran properly on LPG.It would constantly judder under load.Was bad on gas.Just a complete nightmare.I had it looked at by various specialists.And no one could get it to run right.It was enough to turn me off LPG conversions for good.
I ran a 4.7 powered Dodge Dakota for 5 or 6 years on LPG with absolutely no issues, my current truck (an F150) is also on gas, it has saved me literally thousands in fuel bills with virtually no performance loss. Check whether it has a valvesaver kit fitted (Flashlube) I think it is reccomended for the Hemis. It helps to prevent valve seat recession, which can be a problem with LPG.
shovelheadrob said:
Ricki, I wasn't going to be so cruel!
Its OK. Having been an Impreza owner for nearly 10 years I am used to the opposition (Evo owners) thinking their cars are better.Not buying the Ram for speed anyway its just a fun itch I want to scratch before petrol gets too expensive.
I've used my 03 Ram every day across America.
It's been solid and dependable.
It's a South Carolina vehicle and I used it there alot. Then it moved with me to Southern California where it had to take on the terrible So Cal traffic.
Now it resides with me in Chicago. The body is perfect- no rust because it's lived in places with no snow. I'm paranoid about rust, so I got it ziebarted in 2009 and then, just this year, I formulated my own special cocktail of waxes and seals and have applied it under the truck and near the seams.
Looking around the mid west- the Pre 2002 (non big rig styled) Rams with the 5.9s seem to rust along the doors and arches. The big rig style post 2003 rust along the rear arches and rear quarters but never anything serious.
I've taken my vehicle off road along dirt roads and rough terrain and fitted a camper shell and camped in it. It really comes into its own off road. The damper were way past their best a few years ago so I got a set of Pro Comps and lifted it a couple of inches for better clearance. I use the truck to tow my various project cars also and you barely notice the load (although the fuel economy drops like a stone!)
The engine's been solid. Bought it with 70,000 miles, now has 135,000 on the clock. Uses a smidgen of oil every 3000 miles now. I've gone through 2 water pumps since 2009. That miffed me a bit, but it seems that my wife filled the cooling system with tap water and there was cooling system corrosion as a result.
The alternator failed earlier this year, but this showed up on the dash gauge and I changed it immediately. It was very easy to change compared to a V8 saloon.
The truck itself feels quite brisk. The two door variant Hemis will do the 0-60 sprint in 6.8 seconds, while the quad cab like mine around the mid 7s I imagine.
It's been solid and dependable.
It's a South Carolina vehicle and I used it there alot. Then it moved with me to Southern California where it had to take on the terrible So Cal traffic.
Now it resides with me in Chicago. The body is perfect- no rust because it's lived in places with no snow. I'm paranoid about rust, so I got it ziebarted in 2009 and then, just this year, I formulated my own special cocktail of waxes and seals and have applied it under the truck and near the seams.
Looking around the mid west- the Pre 2002 (non big rig styled) Rams with the 5.9s seem to rust along the doors and arches. The big rig style post 2003 rust along the rear arches and rear quarters but never anything serious.
I've taken my vehicle off road along dirt roads and rough terrain and fitted a camper shell and camped in it. It really comes into its own off road. The damper were way past their best a few years ago so I got a set of Pro Comps and lifted it a couple of inches for better clearance. I use the truck to tow my various project cars also and you barely notice the load (although the fuel economy drops like a stone!)
The engine's been solid. Bought it with 70,000 miles, now has 135,000 on the clock. Uses a smidgen of oil every 3000 miles now. I've gone through 2 water pumps since 2009. That miffed me a bit, but it seems that my wife filled the cooling system with tap water and there was cooling system corrosion as a result.
The alternator failed earlier this year, but this showed up on the dash gauge and I changed it immediately. It was very easy to change compared to a V8 saloon.
The truck itself feels quite brisk. The two door variant Hemis will do the 0-60 sprint in 6.8 seconds, while the quad cab like mine around the mid 7s I imagine.
BLUETHUNDER said:
You dont say which Ram you are going to have a look at.At the moment i run this....02 SLT Laramie Quad Cab
Listen out for any noise in the rear diff.And if its an early one avoid the 5.9.The 5.9 was fitted to this generation Ram for the first 6 months.It really is a horrible engine.Feels gutless.And drinks a lot.
Regarding LPG. I had it fitted to this my previous Ram....
In all the time i had it. It never ran properly on LPG.It would constantly judder under load.Was bad on gas.Just a complete nightmare.I had it looked at by various specialists.And no one could get it to run right.It was enough to turn me off LPG conversions for good.
What headlights are fitted to your Ram there?Listen out for any noise in the rear diff.And if its an early one avoid the 5.9.The 5.9 was fitted to this generation Ram for the first 6 months.It really is a horrible engine.Feels gutless.And drinks a lot.
Regarding LPG. I had it fitted to this my previous Ram....
In all the time i had it. It never ran properly on LPG.It would constantly judder under load.Was bad on gas.Just a complete nightmare.I had it looked at by various specialists.And no one could get it to run right.It was enough to turn me off LPG conversions for good.
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