2000 Dodge Ram Pickup 2500 5.9L 360 V8

Summary:

Poorly made truck that will make you poor very fast.

Faults:

Both heads cracked at 110000; $4600 rebuilt.

Transmission cooked at 60000; $3200 rebuilt.

Read end pinion and crown at 110000; $1200 rebuilt.

Replaced radiator, heater core, power steering pump and water pump 3 times in 6 years.

Replaced both calipers twice (front).

Rear seal broke and leaked, so new rear brakes.

At 146k have to replace all ball joints and rotors (one is warped badly). $700 repair.

Seats ripped apart.

Cracked dashboard.

Unbelievable rust from door panels to undercarriage.

Replaced brake lines - the famous one behind the gas tank; $400.

Doors leak water when it's raining.

The truck rides bad on cold weather.

Slow motor on passenger side window.

Cracked the driver's side mirror when I used the heater.

General Comments:

This truck has a lot of quality control issues.

The only weight on the back is a tool box.

Terrible gas mileage (9 miles per gallon city, maybe 11 miles per gallon highway).

It is supposed to be heavy duty.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 20th October, 2012

26th Nov 2012, 20:06

You paid WAY too much for your repairs; my transmission overhaul was done at a reputable local transmission shop. Total cost: under $1,100! My ball joint replacement: $270! (Etc.) My truck has just under 200,000 miles on it, and these were done after 180,000 miles (not unexpected).

In reply to 26th Nov 2012, 20:06

12th Dec 2016, 12:01

Maybe it is cheaper where you live, but here in the NJ-NY area, all repairs are expensive and overpriced. It is also hard to find quality and honest repairs.

2000 Dodge Ram Pickup SLT 5.9L

Summary:

It may look cool, but the cheap material overshadows any good features the truck has

Faults:

DASH - The cracking started at year 3, and now I have a huge hole.

COOLING SYSTEM - Complete seal replacement at year 8.

TRANSFER CASE - Complete seal replacement at year 10.

VARIOUS U-JOINTS - Years 6-10.

General Comments:

While I am happy with the mechanical aspect of the truck, Dodge's lack of acknowledgment of the dash failure will prevent me from ever buying a Dodge again. Due to higher driving mileage, the "warranty" expired quick, and they refused to replace the dash.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 22nd June, 2010

2000 Dodge Ram Pickup SLT 5.2L Magnum

Summary:

First off, it's a truck not a car, and it's awesome

Faults:

Dashboard cracked.

Rear main seal leaked.

Transmission went out.

Timing cover gasket leaked.

Plenum gasket leaked.

Front axle seals leaked.

Front u-joints went bad.

Axle u-joints went bad.

Third brake light leaked.

Transfer case input shaft and transmission output.

Shaft seals leaked.

Shocks went bad.

Wheel cylinder leaked.

Springs in on drum brake popped off.

TPS went bad.

IAC went bad.

CMP sensor went bad.

Radiator leaked.

Radiator cap went bad.

Grille has a bubble in it where the chrome is separating from the plastic.

General Comments:

This truck is awesome despite its problems.

It is a little underpowered due to the over-sized tires, but new differential gears will remedy that.

I gave it a 7 on running cost because it is a full size truck and the gas mileage reflects that.

Anything that breaks can be fixed, and ALL vehicles have their own unique issues, so I would have a long list of problems associated with any other vehicle if I had bought something else and put 56,000 miles on it unless I were to treat it like a city boy and just drive it until it won't go anymore. I fix problems when they rear their ugly heads, not when they immobilize the truck.

These trucks are tough and can take quite a beating; with a little maintenance they will last for 300,000+ miles.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 3rd June, 2010

3rd Jun 2010, 11:27

I completely agree, all vehicles will have problems; Chevy, Ford, Dodge, Honda, Toyota, etc. As long as you love what you drive, that's the main thing...

Some people expect cars and trucks to be maintenance free forever; they are usually the ones who abuse and neglect their vehicles, and blame the manufacturer. I don't own a Ram 1500, but have driven one as the company vehicle from time to time, and it takes a lot of abuse, but still goes strong with lots of power from under the hood, even with a full load...

16th Mar 2013, 03:27

Wow, if that thing makes it to 300,000 miles, you should be at the $1,000,000 mark and have a new truck 6X over. I agree that with maintenance, any vehicle should be able to last a long time, but at what cost? I am not brand loyal, I have owned Chevys, Fords, and Mopars. So far my current vehicle (Ram 2500 diesel) has been the most expensive vehicle to maintain so far. I, like you, do all my own repairs, and do them before a failure if possible. I spent more in 10,000 km and the first 4 months on repairs than I did in three years and 120,000 km on my previous vehicle, a 2000 Z28 Camaro that I kicked the living p**s out of. And Camaros are also called "Crapmaros", as they are not known for reliability. This will be my last Mopar EVER!