1998 Dodge Ram Pickup 1500 review from North America
"A reliable, clean truck, but underpowered and bad gas mileage."
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Exhaust manifold bolts were brittle.
Passenger side failed while under warranty <36,000 miles.
Driver side failed at 40,000 miles.
It took four attempts to correct (twice by Dodge themselves. It eventually took a full-service garage and a machine shop to remedy the problem.
Engine has knocked since day one.
General comments?
The v6 is no gas mileage savings. I average 15 - 18 mpg on long trips.
The manual transmission is the only thing that makes the extremely low-powered engine seem useful.
I am replacing the plugs, plug wires and air filter today to attempt to gain a little of the power it may have had when it was new and to try to get rid of the fifth gear misfires when under a load.
The paint has held up remarkably well.
The Line-x spray in bed-liner was well worth the money.
Next time I am getting a v8 automatic.
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| First year of ownership | 1997 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2003 |
| Engine and transmission | Magnum V6 3.8 Manual |
| Performance marks | 4/10 |
| Reliability marks | 7/10 |
| Comfort marks | 5/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 3/10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 6/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 16 miles |
| Most recent distance | 65500 miles |
| Previous car | Ford Thunderbird |
| Date of Entry | 13th February, 2003 |