The reason I would rather have a push rod V8, like bigbluebronco said, is its simplicity. It is easier to work on, has more after market parts, and can be built up easier (and cheaper!). I had a '97 F150 with a 5.4 liter - ever do something as simple as change the sparks plugs on that motor? Or how about change the oil filter without the remote oil-filter kit?

well just because it is pushrod does not mean it is simple at all. you can't just go out and change plugs like on a 460 with open plugs. the hemi has sparkplug tubes about 5" long going into the head. the 5.4 has the same setup. there is no aftermarket cams for the hemi.

 

Basically, don't get a dodge with and automatic transmission.

 

I've heard Dodges have problems, I was considering a Dodge PU but then some guy said they have electrical problems as well, maby the reason your looking at Dodge is because they're a great looking truck, what Ford isn't anymore, or at least haven't been for a long time, to me the newer Fords look so GMish it makes me want to puke ! all rounded and BORING. like that retro T Bird, what a waste. sometimes if you want something really nice, you have to build it yourself, like a newer Dodge with a nice Big Block Ford 610cid 460 !

 

Over the years, I have had 17 trucks but 16 were used. 4 were Chevrolets, 4 were Dodges, 4 were Fords, 2 were Nissan/Datsun, and one each of Mitsubishi, Toyota and Mazda. Most of the problems with them were due to the treatment or mistreatment by the prior owners. I have always bought based on price and condition and am not brand loyal. If you find a truck you like and it feels right with a fair price, I suggest you go ahead and buy it. When I decided to buy my first and only new truck last year, I went out to buy a Toyota Tundra but decided to price shop on the way. After looking at Chevrolet, Dodge, Toyota and Ford, I somehow drove home in a Ford.

 

I'd have to agree about the tranny issue as it plagued a lot of the older trucks. But Ford has also been having plenty of issues with their tranny's also, I know the SuperDuties have a faulty planetary gear (I think thats its name) and the tranny needs to be rebuilt or replaced. Some of you may have friends with 10 trannys go in 4 months, others may have 10 friends with 300k on the original tranny. If the truck was taken care of, and shows no signs of tranny issues, than I wouldn't worry about it.

 

I don't have any experience with Dodge trucks, but I do have a 96 Grand Cherokee with the 318 and 44RE auto transmission which is basically the same set-up that the Dodge trucks you're looking at use. I have 165K+ miles on my Jeep which has a 3 inch lift and has been driven off-road its' fair share. I've worked it hard, through lots of water, mud, tow a 3500lb boat with it, etc... and the transmission still shifts fine. For the most part, if you regularly flush the transmissions when specified and maintain them, they will treat you well, I know mine has. Also, from my experience and from what I've heard the 318/360 are some of the most reliable small block V8's ever built. Good luck with your decision.

 

well 2 guys i work whith have had Chrysler buy back thier trucks. First one was a 98 Cummins, the rear exle was put in 12* off so it drove down the road sideways by 12*. This is unexepatble. Then he had tranny problems, replace one at 30,000miles. Then he had a whole host of electrical problems. The dealership told him never to bring his truck back (Tacoma Dodge if your wondering). He made Chrysler buy it back after owning it for 1 year, he told me he only had a 2month span in that time hwere it was not in the shop for something. Then my imediate supervisor just bought an 05 ram, 4x4 quad cab whith a hemi. After owning it for 2 weeks he had to have the battery and car alarm replaced due to a short. He also had to have the ABS worked on for some reason or another. His problems were all electrically related and he is in the process of making Chrysler buy it back. He now drives an 89 Honda. Also another co-worker in another shop has a quad cab hemi and his battery goes dead ALOT (in the 8months i have known him i have jumped his truck 6 times). Dealer says they cant find anything. I will never buy anything Chrysler, i have had 2 Fords that have treated me well and One Chev that was a decent truck. Also around here you only need to look at whats driving around to see whats reliable, there are few to none of the pre 90s dodges around here, all you see is 60s 70s and 80s Fords and GMs.

 

I would tend to agree...
That is amazing it even made it out of the factory like that - let alone the dealership.

 

I was just over at the Dodge forum. They had a thread over there titled Watch that rear end. Seems like something comes loose in the rear end an the rear disintegrates. Nuff said Ill stick with Ford. Also about Dodge trucks stopping for no reason an then start right up again. Yah Ford has problems too but I have more trust in there trucks. I have never had problems with any off my Ford trucks. Maybe Im just lucky.

 

My F150 developed a rear end whine. My son-in-law drove it and when he returned I asked him about the rear end noise. He worked for a Chrysler parts supplier and was familiar with Dodge trucks. He said he didn't hear anything that bothered him because it sounded just like a typical Dodge truck to him.

 

To the original poster-You'll find these types of responses on any brand biased forum. They can go on all day telling you about problems with other brands and how Ford has never let them down, etc. and when you go to a Chevy site they'll do the same, and so on. Fact is, Ford has the highest amount of vehicles recalled this past year of the big three. One is an engine fire for the 5.4, there are also tranny issues, the powerstroke issue, the spark plug/head issues, etc. If you go to the Dodge site they had issues with a tick in the HEMI, rear end pin's that apparently come loose and can destroy the rear end-dealers are fixing these with no issues from what I've read but there isn't a recall or TSB yet, and probably more, Chevy has piston slap and electrical issues, injector problems, etc. Take the posts with a grain of salt and make your decision on how well the vehicle was maintained. My last Ford was a 94 F150 that needed a torque converter after 60k miles, the tranny was starting to die at 100k, it had an electrical issue where the dash light fuse would always blow and then blow the fuse for the driving lights. So I'd be driving at night and my dash would go black and the only lights that would stay on would be the headlights-no brake lights, no signals, etc. I never found out what went wrong with it. Also the brake line burst and broke on the front drivers side, it went through 3 exhaust manifolds, it never idled right, and the front end bushings were a pain to replace. I still loved the truck as it never left me stranded, but did need a good amount of work.

 

The rear end whine on 8.8 and 9.75 rear ends at around 50MPH has been quite a big problem.
They fixed it ages ago - but the fix was a complete rear axle assembly, and getting parts was more than a little troublesome.
Have you got it fixed yet?

 

ya for the most part, dodges autos are rotten. ford's have some trouble also. i really don't know why people want an SRA when they can get IFS and have a much better ride. Fords IFS has problems with the / \ when the springs get weak i know from a friend that has one. the dodges have great motors in general the rest lacks horribly in my opinion. there resale value is always low also a generalization. i think you will regret getting a dodge 60k miles from the day you buy it. providing it is not a stick. they have good stick shifts. oh and the new 5.7 (which is not what you are looking at) but my neighbor only gets 10 empty.

 

Well i know the biggest problem Ford had whith thier rear axles was in the 80s and early 90s when they first introduced the Visteon axles (9.25 and 10.50) the splines on the pinion didnt allow for enough contact patch so over time it would start to wear loose an d wobble a bit. After enough time it will blow the ring and pinion. But Ford got on Visteon corp to fix it realy quick so by the 90s it was fixed.
And about chrysler rear end whines, another guy i work whith has a 98 Dakota and it whines like i have never heard before. I thought for shure it was carrier bearing going out. His truck has 90,000miles on it. For comparison my 80 Isuzu pickup i use for daily driving has 400,000miles on it whith original axles and tranny and only makes 1/4 as much noise as that dodge...

 

They got mine fixed after they changed everything except the housing twice. After the first complete changeout, they ordered a new and improved "kit" that was backordered two or three times because it was also bad. They finally changed suppliers and sent the mechanic back to school for more training and now it is fine. My problems started with the famous clutch pack problem.