1997 Dodge Ram Pickup Sport review from North America
"A high maintenance vehicle"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Constant belt squeak since new.
Engine blew at 71,000 miles.
Left front brake caliper seized up.
Steering wheel has heavy wear damage.
Shocks went bad at 50,000 miles.
Paint peeled on the front bumper.
Warranty not the greatest when you read the fine print.
General comments?
The engine had something wrong with it from day one. The belt was changed 5 times by the dealer with no explanation. Upon having the dealer put in a new engine I learned that the warranty company reserves the right to use used parts when making repairs. They wanted to put a used motor in the truck.
The paint on the front bumper peeled for unknown reason. When taken back to the dealer, they took pictures of the front bumper and said they would submit it to Dodge. Never heard anymore about that. I recently had a new bumper painted and installed after a minor accident. Repair bill was rather modest, not worth it to turn it in to my insurance company.
Brake caliper seized up and was replaced as per warranty.
The leather around the steering wheel has deteriorated over the last four years.
Shocks did not last very long compared to other trucks I've owned.
All things said, since the new engine was replaced, mechanically I cannot complain.
Plenty of room in the cab.
No problems at all with the transmission.
Recommended reviews
| I don't think i'd buy another one |
|
| 1997 - Ram Pickup Laramie SLT 5.9 A great performance vehicle and I will never buy a different vehicle/model |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Year of manufacture | 1997 |
| First year of ownership | 1997 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2001 |
| Engine and transmission | 5.2 Automatic |
| Performance marks | 8 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 8 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 7 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 5 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 6 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 10 miles |
| Most recent distance | 106650 miles |
| Previous car | Dodge Dakota |
| Date of Entry | 29th July, 2001 |