Dodge Rampage Reviews from North America

Carburetor, The vacuum system and that little Weber carburetor are junk. I keep an extra freshly overhauled carburetor on hand. I wish they could have used fuel injection.

I love they way it handles and the excellent fuel mileage. This is my second one. I put over 150,000 on the first one. Both get over 30 mpg on the highway and handle very well in the snow during our winter months. It will actually haul 1/2 ton. I know because I've done it.

It seems that the automatic choke system is defective in the 2.2 carburated engine. It idles high, and leaks some oil. Hard starting after it sits for a few days, but pumping the gas about 20-30 times it will start.

Around 105,000 miles, it developed piston slap. It sounds more like a diesel engine than a gas one.

Replaced the seats at 110,000 miles.

Replaced rear shocks, front struts, brakes tires etc.

This truck does not owe me anything.

I have not had to replace anything major on this truck.

The clutch was replaced at 49,000 according to records I found.

It is my second vehicle, but this truck over the last 5, almost 6 years, has started when the primary vehicle has let me down. Even with the high idle, the truck gets almost 30 MPG.

I like the manual steering on my truck. It's almost like driving a sports car.

I have another truck that is for parts, and even it still runs. I will replace the drive train in this truck when it finally goes. It's a little rusted; nothing bondo could not handle.

I may be willing to sell it to the right person who would restore or use it as a back up vehicle, and the parts truck would go with it, plus the extra parts I have

This has been my backup vehicle since 1998, and it will start and run when the others won't. I call this truck "Penny" because she doesn't owe me a penny.

mgsites@juno.com

Fuel pump cracked in half in extreme winter cold.

Suspension could use some help, but other than that, this truck is reliable, quick,& simple to fix.

Engine had rod knock in it when I bought it, a junkyard engine fixed it right up. Be sure to replace the timing belt and clutch if you ever do this, ask me how I know.

I have put 5 clutches in it, one from age 3 from defective parts and 1 from pure abuse.

I have also replaced the alternator and voltage regulator.

I bought this little truck for $50 from a guy who couldn't keep it running, it had a bad hall effect pickup coil in it. Five years later I still have less than $500 in it and this includes replacing the engine once, the transmission 3 times (I had to have a 5 speed rather than a 4, it took 3 trannys to get a good one), the clutch 5 times, the alternator once and the voltage regulator once. I have replaced the stock bucket seats with a 50/50 bench from an Acclaim and installed a center console from a Charger. I put 70 miles a day on this truck, average 29 MPG (it has a Shelby transmission with the tall gears), and have hauled everything from furniture to firewood in it.

Future plans after the bodywork is done include a turbocharged motor and some brake and suspension improvements. I would like to see if I can get the ABS from a Caravan to work in it.

It is slow to warm up on cold days and has a hesitation under partial throttle. Fuel injection would fix this, but to install it would take a tank change. I can't seem to get rid of all the oil leaks, seems that I get one fixed and another crops up. The heater core is partially plugged and will need to be replaced.

All in all this little truck owes me not a thing, it starts when I turn the key and takes me everywhere I want to go. If I could find another one I would buy it, but it seems like anyone who has one wants to hold on to it just a little while longer.