1999 Dodge Ram Pickup V8 Magnum from North America - Comments

The U joint went at 116 000.

The U joint going again at 185,000

The track bar loosens so truck jumps over road

A new headlight assembly costs $222.00 (C)

A new windshield costs $800.00 (C)

I like the wide cab.

It has very comfortable seats.

The acceleration is good.

Parts cost a lot for this truck, especially from a dealership.

Fuel mileage is very low, about 12 miles to a gallon in winter.

I agree the parts do cost a lot for this truck. But as far as gas mileage goes you can do a few thing that will increase your mileage. Try a after market muffler i. e flow master, Vortex is what I have at the moment (about 4 to 5 miles per gallon increase not to mention sounds much better.) I was was thinking of switching to a gibson with gibson headers this would increase horsepower by about 20% or more which will also improve my mileage. You can also change the stock air filter to a K&N kit or AIRRAID. I am personally going to switch to an AIRRAID system with a throttle body spacer which will increase the air flow and improve my horsepower and mileage (when I don't have a led foot) by 17% or more. I was reading that you can also switch the transfer case and axles oils to a full synthetic oil as well as the engine. The snythetic oils are slipper and keep things cooler which will reduce friction and improve mileage. Probably not by much, but every little bit helps.

I own a 1999 dodge ext cab, 360 engine. I just have to STRONGLY disagree with Mr. 2nd Commenter. I have a hard tonneau cover a K N filter, and a hi flow cat and an aftermarket Muffler, I am lucky to see 15 miles per gallon. Still a nice truck though.

Remember, these are big trucks that take a lot of engine energy to get moving. The key to improving gas mileage is freeing up restrictive factory systems, like the intake and mufflers. Adding a K&N FIPK system in place of the factory airbox is a great modification that will improve mileage by allowing the engine to breath more freely. Adding an aftermarket muffler will do the same thing, but a mandrel-bent complete exhaust system will be even more beneficial by reducing not only flow restriciton from the stock mufflers, but smoothing the path that the exhaust gas has to follow. Gibson makes wonderful products, I use them exclusively on my trucks after trying out several other brands. I'd stay away from aftermarket headers if I were you. Exhaust companies kind of have a little advertising snafu going... you can free up horsepower AND mileage in most cases, but only to a certain extent; after that, its one or the other. Making horsepower requires two things, air and fuel. At a certain point you need to have more fuel to take advantage of increased airflow... not exactly good for gas mileage, is it? Adding aftermarket headers is a very time consuming process (even with Gibson headers, which are engineered wonderfully), but I wouldn't bother unless you are running forced induction of some sort; the factory manifolds are more than adequate for bolt-on mods. By the way, the vortex-style throttle body spacers are crap, don't waste your money. You can't "swirl" the intake charge - any "spinning" of the air created by those things is completely lost as soon as you get to the first runner in the intake manifold. Just my $.02.