1994 Dodge Ram Pickup SLT Laramie review from North America
"Holds up to a lot of punishment, but not necessarily cheap to run"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Nut came off the differential input shaft at 144K. Rear driveshaft dropped, differential internals exploded, rear end locked solid. $1250 including a Megatron battery and new rear brake shoes, professionally serviced.
Lost water pump center bearing at 180K. $80, self installed.
Replaced clutch at 183K, $200, self installed.
Driveshaft service at 183K, one new universal joint, some truing and rebalancing. $125 at an auto machine shop. I pulled it and reinstalled it.
Replaced faulty wiper linkage at 183K, wipers were going off the windshield. $50 used part, self installed.
Replaced catalytic converter, oxygen sensor, and muffler at 184K, $200, self installed.
Replaced wiring harnesses to license plate lights at 184K. $30, self installed.
Lost NV3500 transmission at 185K due to fluid leak. Remanufactured 5-speed was $1500 installed with 12/12000 warranty.
Replaced very squeaky left upper control arm bushings and balljoint at 185.5K. About $125 including having a machine shop press the balljoint on. I did the rest.
Replaced NV3500 shifter handle that was hitting the dash in 3rd and 5th. $50, self installed.
318 engine evaluated at 186K and diagnosed with a blown head gasket and two cracked heads. Motor completely remanufactured with 3 year/unlimited mileage warranty. Plugged radiator replaced also. $3100.
Plastic parts starting to give way, paint peeling from primer underneath, driver's seat deteriorating.
New engine still runs rough, probable crossfire.
Fuel pump randomly cavitates (whines) sometimes for months at a time, quiet at the moment.
General comments?
Luckily it was almost free to begin with, but I'm getting tired of spending money and playing mechanic. Very reliable from 118K up until around 180K, a nightmare since. More than two weeks of downtime total in the last ninety days.
Local dealer charges more than list price for parts. I won't take it there for repairs.
230HP, 300ft/lbs and it can't chirp the 265/70-16 tires.
Tows reasonably well under 4000 pounds, hauls 2000 pounds without too much complaint.
No real torque for towing or hauling until 2300 RPM. Forget about pulling hills on the highway in 5th.
Two-piece driveshaft is an atrocity.
Three or four inches of center dead spot in the steering wheel. It's in the rack, not the linkage.
Cheesy plastic clutch hydraulic system looks like a toy, can't be bled by conventional means.
Brakes are marginal at best. Spend the $800 on aftermarket dual piston calipers and slotted rotors if you tow, haul, or want to stop quickly.
I saw the distributor cap for the first time from underneath the truck when I pulled the transmission back to replace the clutch. Play twister and use a mirror to adjust the timing.
15-20MPG is typical.
Handling not bad for a truck, but has a wide three-lane turning radius with a regular cab and 8-foot bed.
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| First year of ownership | 2001 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2004 |
| Engine and transmission | 5.2L Manual |
| Performance marks | 7/10 |
| Reliability marks | 7/10 |
| Comfort marks | 6/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 7/10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 5/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 118000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 187000 miles |
| Previous car | Ford Ranger |
| Date of Entry | 24th February, 2004 |