# 2005 Dodge Ram 3500 Diesel... What To Look For?



## DeereFarmer (Dec 12, 2005)

I've been looking for about 6 months and I finally found my dream truck. 2005 Dodge Ram 3500 SRW Laramie quad cab Cummins automatic (I know ). Truck seems to be in mint shape. EVERY option. Looks like it's never been worked. 50K miles. Brand new tires etc... Dealer wants $24995. I'm taking Friday off to drive 2 hours one way with my girlfriend to go see it. What should I look for? Hows the price? I might be trading in my Dakota, or just selling it outright cheap to get rid of it. All opinions are welcomed...


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## DeereFarmer (Dec 12, 2005)

Could someone please move this to the Dodge section where I meant to put it before the Ford guys get ahold of it? hahaha sorry guys.


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## JDiepstra (Sep 15, 2008)

Hahaha! Don't worry, there are no real weak ponits on that truck, no matter what anyone says. The weakest link however is probably the front end, although it is also much improved over the 2nd gens. People who tell you they have bad injectors, weak trannies, of bad fuel pumps are plain wrong. Those are old Dodge problems. Even you yourself put the "help" guy after the transmission, but you also are wrong. They are not as bad as everyone says and leads others to believe.


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## exmark1 (Nov 30, 2005)

Bulletproof trucks...I have 3 Dodges 2 are Diesels, my 2001 has 130,000 never touched the tranny or anything other than the trac bar in the front end and ball joints been plowing since new!
My 2003 has never had a problem 2 seasons plowing 90,000 miles works prefect!

You would not be disappointed and the price seems good to me!


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## BigDave12768 (Nov 17, 2006)

DeereFarmer;775938 said:


> I've been looking for about 6 months and I finally found my dream truck. 2005 Dodge Ram 3500 SRW Laramie quad cab Cummins automatic (I know ). Truck seems to be in mint shape. EVERY option. Looks like it's never been worked. 50K miles. Brand new tires etc... Dealer wants $24995. I'm taking Friday off to drive 2 hours one way with my girlfriend to go see it. What should I look for? Hows the price? I might be trading in my Dakota, or just selling it outright cheap to get rid of it. All opinions are welcomed...


FYI that truck has the 48RE tranny not the old one of the mid 90's. The problem with most trannys is the fact that the Diesels are so easy to turn up you can blow the tranny real easy. Ford has just as many tranny issues if not more than the Dodge. Yet no one ever brings that up. Search E4OD and look at how happy the owners are. They also cranked up those PSD from the dealer that they also blow that Torque shift tranny real easy. Even the Allison cant stand up to turned up Dmax with out Mods. The first thing you will notice about the Dodge is the low end power protect on the tranny. If you get a controller you can turn it off but the CTD will blow the tranny up fast. But the 48RE is solid tranny that doesnt have nearly as many issues as the TS in the Fords do.

24995 seems a bit high. I would think 22k would be a good price. *one major issue find out how many owners it has had !!!!* that truck will have a 7/70 warrranty on it and 5/100 on motor. But it can only be transfered once. So if you are third owner do not buy the truck. I would go to your local Dodge dealer and ask him to vin check it for you. if you are second it will cost you 150 to transfer warranty to you. So if its a Chevy Dealer or something dont get sucked into there extended warranty for a cost. *check the ball joints * The Ball joints can be very costly to replace and seem to be going around 50k. So make them jack it up and put a bar under tire and look for movement in ball joints


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## DeereFarmer (Dec 12, 2005)

It is at a Dodge dealer and I'll get someone to run the VIN for me. I did think the price was a little steep. I was looking to get it out the door for about $21500, so we'll see how that goes. Thanks for putting my mind at ease about the tranny.


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## BigDave12768 (Nov 17, 2006)

If you can get the extended warranty from Dodge. The service contract one that covers everthing at a good price buy it. It gves you a rental if it breaks down and covers the front end. They are about 1400 or so. But well worth it since you will have to pay over a 1000 just have ball joints done down the road.


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## DeereFarmer (Dec 12, 2005)

I love extended warranties. I spent $1000 for one on my old '01 F250 and I had over $1800 worth of work done in the first year with it before I sold the truck.


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## dirt digger (Feb 27, 2005)

dont get the extended warrenty...just make sure your dealer gives you a car fax report. The price seems decent, they wanted 28K for my 2006 2500, cummins, SLT, quad cab, long bed, 4x4, power everything...with 15,000 miles on it...i talked them down to 25,500

the truck is solid...check to see if it has the H.O. engine or standard engine, everything after 2005 has the H.O Cummins

also asked the dealer if they can tell whether a chip or programmer has ever been hooked to it, might tell you whether or not you will need a new tranny soon


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## JDiepstra (Sep 15, 2008)

dirt digger;776390 said:


> dont get the extended warrenty...just make sure your dealer gives you a car fax report. The price seems decent, they wanted 28K for my 2006 2500, cummins, SLT, quad cab, long bed, 4x4, power everything...with 15,000 miles on it...i talked them down to 25,500
> 
> the truck is solid...check to see if it has the H.O. engine or standard engine, everything after 2005 has the H.O Cummins
> 
> also asked the dealer if they can tell whether a chip or programmer has ever been hooked to it, might tell you whether or not you will need a new tranny soon


2004.5 and newer all all HO.


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## BigDave12768 (Nov 17, 2006)

dirt digger;776390 said:


> dont get the extended warrenty...just make sure your dealer gives you a car fax report. The price seems decent, they wanted 28K for my 2006 2500, cummins, SLT, quad cab, long bed, 4x4, power everything...with 15,000 miles on it...i talked them down to 25,500
> 
> the truck is solid...check to see if it has the H.O. engine or standard engine, everything after 2005 has the H.O Cummins
> 
> also asked the dealer if they can tell whether a chip or programmer has ever been hooked to it, might tell you whether or not you will need a new tranny soon


Ball joints cost 250 each at Dealer and will cost you about 1300 to do them. A regular Shop a lil bit cheaper but easily about a grand So if your going to hang a plow off front get the warranty I linked. What Dirt digger hasnt found out yet that once his u joints in the Hub blow they are covered by the 7/70. But you know what is not covered. that hub assembly. So if they ruin it pounding it out. You own it at 450 per side on a warranty job. And since Chysler didnt put anti sieze on them.....:crying: Get the extended warraty. You will be happy you did,

If you dont believe me go in and talk to service manager about it. You live in MA and if truck is 2 hours away it has seen salt and will have issues I listed above

http://www.chrysler.com/en/service_contracts/added_care_plus/pre-owned_vehicles/index.html


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