new to me truck

[skyking]

A friend on a dodge truck forum found this for sale and did not have the coin. He checked it out for me and I ran down with the cash ASAP and drove it home.

It's a 2007 3500 short bed quad cab 4x4 with the 6 speed manual transmission.
One owner, a logging company who beat the heck out of it for 229,000 miles but did good maintenance. It is dirty, needs new seats and carpets, a detail job and possibly a set of rings. When I drove it home it was a bit of a handful due to a couple of worn parts but I was given replacements by some friends and now it drives nicely.

 

[jlee]

I want to own a diesel truck someday...but I have nothing heavy to tow.

 

[NutBucket]

So given all that, how much?

 

[WT]

So given all that, how much?

How could he have possibly posted all that info but yet left off the agreed upon price ?? I am at a total loss. I would LOVE an HD quad cab to tow with, but diesel is a totally different ballgame, and something I am completely unfamiliar with.

I'll take a wild guess and say 15k. They are selling for 30k with 100k mileage around where I live.

 

[skyking]

So given all that, how much?

<removed my smart ass comment>

7K

 

[WT]

Man, that thing must be HOT !! Head over to the post office and I'll bet you find a picture of it up on the wall. That is not just cheap, that is hella cheap.

 

[skyking]

still pinching myself. It has many many warts on it, but it does run smoothly. Good brakes, steering, great tires.
The bed was an EPA superfund site. It had a fuel tank in it, and a plywood floor with dividers for hauling lube oil. They took the tank and left the 50 pounds of greasedirt and the soaked plywood. I got all that out and so far I've washed it out 3 times.
There are big dents underneath from serious work offroading.
One of the drivers used the body panel behind the open door to knock the dirt off his boots. It is evenly caved in enough that the gasket does not seal up down there.
First tank through it was 18.7 MPG. That's a big change downward from my two wheel diesel. Hoping fresh injectors and a free spin hub kit will move it up over 20.

 

[WT]

This could get interesting !! Please don't stress the mileage when those of us still stuck with a gas V6 are averaging 16mpg in city I'd trade you for that diesel in a heartbeat.

Manual too !!! That's hasta be quite rare. All I know about diesels is they get very expensive in a hurry if you need to work on the motor.

 

[skyking]

The injectors are well worn on this engine. I can get an overhauled set for 2000 so yes indeed parts are high.
An overhaul set with rings, pistons bearings and gaskets is ~1200. Shop time is another 1500.
It is odd that the hard parts in the engine are not as expensive as turbos and injectors.

 

[halik]

Is that a good deal for 200K mile one? I gotta think the manual + diesel torque is a fun to drive though. What's the towing capacity on those?

 

[WT]

Looks like 17,000 lbs ... I like this thing more and more !!

 

[skyking]

Is that a good deal for 200K mile one? I gotta think the manual + diesel torque is a fun to drive though. What's the towing capacity on those?

Prices are crazy high on these trucks. hard to fine one with this beat condition or miles to compare it with too.
This is the best deal I found in a couple of minutes, a nice 6.7 liter version with the long bed, 19k
http://denver.craigslist.org/ctd/4934376615.html

It is fun to drive. You need to be mindful of wheel spin in the wet in any gear below 5th. It turns much sharper than my old 2wd long bed. Shorter wheelbase and a much sharper angle too. Easy to park. Quiet too.
Here is the big deal: My wife drove it and likes it!
We got those two diesel beetles a year or so ago, and she has been driving a stick again after a 15 year run of auto transmissions. If not for that I think it would have been less comfortable for her but she can't wait to take it to work and "show the girls"

As posted above it is 16K for towing.

 

[NutBucket]

LOL, that one in CO looks like a concours car compared with the condition of yours!

 

[skyking]

it is! you can't find one as beat as this to compare to.

 

[skyking]

I installed nerf bars on it the other day, installed a 5th wheel hitch and brake controller, replaced a parking brake cable, did the first oil change.
Today I got to tow with it the first time. My friend's '99 truck has a worn out transmission and I brought it up to the neighbor's to use the lift.
It was about 60 miles over a pass with some decent climbs. Towed fine, behaving possibly better with a load in it. Trailer is ~3000 and truck is ~7000. I had about 2000 on the hitch and it just got onto the overloads.

 

[skyking]

Towed the 5th wheel for the first time this weekend. Took a trip over Chinook Pass and back. Averaged 12.7 MPG for the trip. This was two climbs to 5400' elevation, so I expect the flat ground to yield closer to 15 MPG.

 

[Subyman]

Nice looking truck. I had a friend that bought a farm-used diesel ram. He ended up dumping a ton of money into the fuel pump, injectors, turbos, and transmission. It had right about 250k on it. Seems like that's about the time when everything lets go on them.