Max miles on 1 Ton Dodge(2000 to 2002) , too keep looking ?

[fordy]

.............I visit car trader several times a week to try and keep up with current asking prices for 1 ton trucks . More miles means reduced asking price so I'm always seeing numerous trucks with 250,000 to 350,000 miles so I'd be very wary before spending money on a truck with this many miles . Comments , fordy:shrug

[Sawmill Jim]

I think you are right . Got to be some barging coming. I don't worry about miles if it is cheep enough .

[Shrek]

My neighbors 1999 Dodge pick up has 200,000 miles on it and the body and suspension is still good and the 1988 Cummings power plant is still good after 450,000 and being in its third body.

[Darren]

I routinely buy vehicles with over 100,000 miles depending on the make and model. Some folks get nervous when they own a vehicle with that kind of mileage on the odometer. For anyone that knows about cars, those can be a bargain. Depending on the engine and care 150,000+ is no problem. You just need to look the vehicle over closely and figure there's a bunch of stuff outside of the drive train that's going to need work. There's some gasoline 6 cyl. engines that will easily blow past 100 and 200k. A friend had a GM 4.3 that turned 250,000 and never used oil between changes.

A Dodge with a Cummins is in a class by itself. As mentioned two or three hundred thousand on one of those and it still has lots of good miles. One of the 6.9 or 7.3 engines will do over 200,000 easily. I wouldn't touch a 6.0 diesel. I'm not as fond or comfortable with GM diesels.

I'd be leery of any high mileage electronic diesel. Although there's nothing I've heard, I'd still chose a 12V Cummins over the 24V Cummins. Personally, I'd be careful of a newer high mileage vehicle with all of the electronic controls and sensors. Those aren't backyard mechanic friendly. A friend of mine bought a 2006 with 85,000 at a real good price. With all of the crap on that truck I wouldn't have bought it at any price.

[Pony]

I don't think 200K miles on a decent diesel is high mileage at all. Heck, at that point, it's just getting broken in!

We're driving a '95 F250 Power Stroke, and it only had 200K on it. Nick had to replace a couple of hoses, and the brakes needed work, but the engine is doing great.

Like Darren, I'm not crazy about newer engines with all the electronic sensors and such: just more parts to break, and they're not home-mechanic friendly. Even with a Haines manual, it's a struggle.

As for gasoline engines (though I don't know if they make those in the 1 ton class, do they?), my '89 Cherokee has 263K on her, and she's still running. Had the tranny rebuilt a couple of months back (we still don't have a concrete floor in the garage here, and just can't work on the heavy stuff without one), and the engine will probably need a rebuild in the next couple of years, but so far <knock wood> so good.

[ErinP]

Our '97 PowerStroke has 215K on it and is humming along beautifully.

[prometheus]

I have near 300,000 on my 12valve Cummins, it is still strong and doesn't burn any oil. Now the rest of the truck is all but shot. If you change the oil regular they last a looooooong time.

[Common Tator]

We have a 1995 Dodge Ram 2500 with the Cummins Turbo Diesel. Nearly 200,000 miles and not showing any signs of slowing down. We get 20-22 mpg. It is a real work horse.

[fordy]

Originally Posted by Common Tator

We have a 1995 Dodge Ram 2500 with the Cummins Turbo Diesel. Nearly 200,000 miles and not showing any signs of slowing down. We get 20-22 mpg. It is a real work horse.

........................I purchased a new , 4 valve 1998 model . Loved the truck , but hated the auto ; I was pulling a 15,000 trailer\tractor which the engine had no problem with , the tranny would get hot and puke fluid and start slipping . This was a $35,000 truck and Dodge wouldn't\couldn't fix the tranny . I traded again for a 99 PSD with a 6 speed . Good engine but not enough power , but I kept it for 10 years .
.......................The more I think about this situation , I may start looking for a 98 , 12 valve model made during the early in the year . They steadily increased performance and added disc brakes too the rear axle in 99 or so like Ford . I've still got a year of saving towards a truck so I'm in no hurry . , fordy

[Truckinguy]

We buy high mileage vehicles all the time. Both my brothers are GM mechanics and we figure anything that will go wrong with a vehicle regarding defective parts will happen in the first 100,000km. If it is past that it will last forever.

My Dad's 86(?) Astro van with a 4.3, which one of my brothers bought off him, was finally scrapped with over 450,000km on it and the body finally rusted out. The spark plugs had only been changed four times over that period due to being a huge pain in the behind to get at. The engine was original but had gone through three transmissions. Later in it's life my Parents took some of my younger brothers and sisters, jumped in the van and took a trip to Tennesee. My Dad said he never thought twice about it, that little van was as reliable as could be and there were more than a few tears shed when it finally had to go.

I had a 91 Cutlass supreme which I bought for a song with 205,000km on it, drove it for two years and scrapped it when the body went on it and it had 295,000km on it. Ran like a dream for those two years and cost me about $500 in parts.