Ram man thinking about a f250 gasser .....
#1
10-21-2018, 07:55 AM
Ram man thinking about a f250 gasser .....
As the title and username suggests I’m a pretty gung ho ram guy , not dodge in particular but their trucks specifically.
I come in peace, no flame wars here
and I’m really thinking about a f250 gasser because I’m getting sick of my older ram ( yes 2nd gen). I replaced the transmission with a rebuilt one then all of a sudden had a big rear end leak plus the idiot who worked on my truck broke the crankshaft sensor and got the wrong one so after a few days the engine wouldn’t even crank. I could’ve replaced it but one of the bolts that held it in was stripped and it’s on the back of the bell housing so I decided with the body work it needed to just get another ram that needed a tranny.
i got a good deal on that tranny and felt stuck with it so whatever. Found a clean Florida truck that needed one and the engine runs great, no problems with the rear end but there’s is a small coolant leak.
thing is guys I don’t trust these trucks as much as I love them and I’m thinking of trying my luck with something else. Most third gens have issues until about ‘07+ and a clean one will run you 12k +. I’d much rather fix my coolant leak, sell the truck and save a little and buy a f250 outright. I’m a cheap ******* and see no point in not driving a good running truck regardless of age.
So I did some reading and ofc the v10 is a little hard to find but just as dependable as the 5.4. Split plug issues but not very common.
only gripe is will a v8 be a little sluggish compared to a v10 ?
I’m not considering a diesel because I don’t haul anything I just want something dependable that I can have fun with at the same time( occasional off trailing for the outdoors, ect) but I don’t want it to feel too underpowered.
i don’t want a 150 because well honestly I hate the styling. The 250 really grew on me with it’s more aggressive styling. Why ford gave the 150 a ugly styling I’ll never know.
fuel economy doesn’t bother me because dodge trucks have bad mpg. The one I had before needed an o2 sensor that I never got too and probably a tune up so I was getting like maybe 8mpg in 2h lol.
Also what are some common maintience items on older SDs ? Surely don’t wear out front end parts las fast as dodges do ?
I have a big move to make soon because I have a good connection in CA and even if my ram runs good for the few months im still here on the EC I’m still paranoid af and don’t trust it to drive that far without something going.
sorry for the long post guys. Thanks for the responses.
I come in peace, no flame wars here
and I’m really thinking about a f250 gasser because I’m getting sick of my older ram ( yes 2nd gen). I replaced the transmission with a rebuilt one then all of a sudden had a big rear end leak plus the idiot who worked on my truck broke the crankshaft sensor and got the wrong one so after a few days the engine wouldn’t even crank. I could’ve replaced it but one of the bolts that held it in was stripped and it’s on the back of the bell housing so I decided with the body work it needed to just get another ram that needed a tranny.i got a good deal on that tranny and felt stuck with it so whatever. Found a clean Florida truck that needed one and the engine runs great, no problems with the rear end but there’s is a small coolant leak.
thing is guys I don’t trust these trucks as much as I love them and I’m thinking of trying my luck with something else. Most third gens have issues until about ‘07+ and a clean one will run you 12k +. I’d much rather fix my coolant leak, sell the truck and save a little and buy a f250 outright. I’m a cheap ******* and see no point in not driving a good running truck regardless of age.
So I did some reading and ofc the v10 is a little hard to find but just as dependable as the 5.4. Split plug issues but not very common.
only gripe is will a v8 be a little sluggish compared to a v10 ?
I’m not considering a diesel because I don’t haul anything I just want something dependable that I can have fun with at the same time( occasional off trailing for the outdoors, ect) but I don’t want it to feel too underpowered.
i don’t want a 150 because well honestly I hate the styling. The 250 really grew on me with it’s more aggressive styling. Why ford gave the 150 a ugly styling I’ll never know.
fuel economy doesn’t bother me because dodge trucks have bad mpg. The one I had before needed an o2 sensor that I never got too and probably a tune up so I was getting like maybe 8mpg in 2h lol.
Also what are some common maintience items on older SDs ? Surely don’t wear out front end parts las fast as dodges do ?
I have a big move to make soon because I have a good connection in CA and even if my ram runs good for the few months im still here on the EC I’m still paranoid af and don’t trust it to drive that far without something going.
sorry for the long post guys. Thanks for the responses.
#3
10-21-2018, 09:46 AM
Not sure how the small maintience stuff is with ford but Chrysler also has a lot of stupid electronic **** that can make the truck undriveable.
like the crankshaft sensor I mentioned or when that shift solenoid and governor sensor burn up and go out in my transmission. That’s another 200$ for those two and you have to dig into the transmission.
If I keep the truck I’m gonna get a separate tranny cooler and temp gauge but still why should I have to do all that just because it snowed once or I took a short drive on the beach ?
You also have have to do a check valve delet e to keep it from overheating but that’s already been done. And you have to adjust the bands every so often too or it won’t hold gears.
even with aftermarket stuff these things still go out.
like I said , not sure if ford is any different but I know they’re less of a headache.
#4
10-21-2018, 10:31 AM
Everything you describe is not unique to RAM. The entire industry has been taking a turn for the worse since the late 90’s.
the only peace of mind strategy is to buy new and throw it over the fence after 5 years.
but due to the continually inflated costs of trucks as OEM’s try to recover their prior year warranty costs, cost of owning new becomes challenging.
the only peace of mind strategy is to buy new and throw it over the fence after 5 years.
but due to the continually inflated costs of trucks as OEM’s try to recover their prior year warranty costs, cost of owning new becomes challenging.
#5
10-21-2018, 11:13 AM
Mountain Pass
other than some neglected maintenance from the PO, my 99 v10 has been flawless. runs good, rides good, have had zero issues with steering, tranny, etc. pulls great too, you just have to get used to the sound of that v10 revving. i now have 166k on mine. they say the newer v10s are just better, with better transmissions too.
#6
10-22-2018, 12:57 PM
You may want to think about buying an F350 instead of the F250, just because most people think it's a 1 ton and they are harder to sell. My 03 F350 needed to have the bed fixed up on it when I bought it and new wheels and tires, ball joints and front hub assemblies, and U-joints, I know this going into it and I paid $2400 for the truck. Doing the work myself saved me tons of money, but other than the initial layout of cash, Over 4 years I have had to replace the starter, belt tensioner,1 COP and the headlight switch. all minor. All in all over 4 years I'm into it for about $4k total for truck and repairs. I've pulled my little 6x12 Dbl axle trailer from Chicago area to Memphis area a half dozen times all with no problems the truck has 136K on the engine, so don't be afraid of the 5.4L they're good motors if you don't beat on them.
#7
10-22-2018, 01:15 PM
I want to say starting off, that I'm not really brand loyal when it comes to vehicles. I buy what fits my need best for the cost I can manage.
That being said, I don't buy anything from FCA (Dodge, Jeep, Chrysler). They just don't hold up, the powertrain *might* but the bodies on those rams crumble like graham crackers after 5 years. I see both Chevy and Ford trucks from the early 2000s that look better than any comparable Ram.
As for reliability... I think they can all be similar when it comes to powertrain. Good maintenance is key. More than a few guys over on the V10 forum with 200,000+ miles who haven't put more than a few hundred bucks into engine repairs.
That being said, I don't buy anything from FCA (Dodge, Jeep, Chrysler). They just don't hold up, the powertrain *might* but the bodies on those rams crumble like graham crackers after 5 years. I see both Chevy and Ford trucks from the early 2000s that look better than any comparable Ram.
As for reliability... I think they can all be similar when it comes to powertrain. Good maintenance is key. More than a few guys over on the V10 forum with 200,000+ miles who haven't put more than a few hundred bucks into engine repairs.
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#8
10-25-2018, 04:23 PM
V10's are very reliable, I have a 03 with 172,000 bought it with 130,000 four years ago and it's never gave me a issue. The breaks wear out pretty quickly, the front end is really heavy and will out of round the front tires every 3-5k so rotating is really important. I kinda wish I got a single cab short bed V10, I hardly ever see them but they weigh the least. There's a reason you still see a ton of these on the streets, probably the best truck u can buy in the 4-5k range.
#9
10-25-2018, 07:54 PM
Cargo Master
I have a 2002 V8 4x4 auto crew cab long bed. It won't win any races, but its a great reliable truck. Check underneath for rust. Bed sides above the wheel arch, door bottoms, cab corners, and inner rockers are all culprits. I spray bar and chain oil underneath the whole thing every year before winter for protection. My truck has a 3.73 open rear end... I wouldn't recommend that. I'd want 4.10s or a V10 could be spec'd with 4.30s. These will pull much better. I also think limited slip is a must... these are heavy vehicles and an open rear end can be a real pain.
#10
11-15-2018, 07:59 PM
#11
11-19-2018, 07:58 AM
On these trucks, maintenance is everything. They will take a lot of abuse and hard use, but with Triton engines, sludge is the killer. The oil gallery to the heads is small and l-o-n-g (especially to the front of the passenger side.) Buy the maintenance record and you'll likely get a good truck. I bought my 01 new; it runs fine at 241,800 (+) miles. I wouldn't hesitate to drive it across the country if I needed to.
#12
11-19-2018, 10:31 AM
Fleet Mechanic
I know it might be out of your price range, but the 2011+ Superduty with a 6.2L is a solid piece. The 6 speed transmission is far superior to the older transmissions. The 6.2L is one of the most reliable engines Ford has produced to date.It has good power for it size and no spark plug issues other than their are two per cylinder, but you should already be used to that after having dodges.The only bad thing about this engine is the same weakness that all gas engines have moving a lot of weight and that is gas mileage.
The cab and chassis is also very good, and tows very well.
I have a 2011 CCB SB 4X4 with a 6.2L and it is the best truck that I have owned to date.
I was the lead fleet mechanic for a large public utility for 30 years and have had dealing with Ford, Chevy, and Doges. All have had good years and bad, .
The cab and chassis is also very good, and tows very well.
I have a 2011 CCB SB 4X4 with a 6.2L and it is the best truck that I have owned to date.
I was the lead fleet mechanic for a large public utility for 30 years and have had dealing with Ford, Chevy, and Doges. All have had good years and bad, .
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