esteem

I'm looking at buying a second generation dodge ram 4x4, maybe 97-01 (not diesel). I trust a lot of the opinions on this forum so just wanted to hear what year you guys think is the best year to buy of the second gens, and anything else you think I should be expecting. I know my gas mileage will be horrible but i only drive a few miles a day so I'm not worried about it.

black2000xj

dont know if you bought a truck or not
i have a 98 1500 4x4, with alot of time and money into it

if you have any questions just shoot me a email

iheartmyxj

I have owned a 2001 and a 96 I prefer the pre 98' cab but the biggest thing I would look for is a manual trans both of mine were great trucks but the auto trans is s*** they are kind of rare but worth it.

miethead

I haave a 96 extended cab 4x4 with the 5.9L. Love it, lots of room inside, get a 98 or newer though they have the third door, wish I had it. My biggest issue I have had with it is I have got really good at replaceing the front u joints. You can fit 35's with a bit of plastic trimming.

XJx3

I have a 97 2500HD 4x4 great truck! It's auto, never an issue with the trans even after being in flood waters. Drained trans and replaced fluid immediately after flood. Pulls anything, pushes anything (plow package). 160,000 and it hasn't even had a tune up! Still has original, cap, rotor and wires. Changed plugs in it one time. Still gets the same gas ileage it got the day I bought it new. Highway it's 19MPG drops to 11 hauling a 40' 5th wheel camper or 15MPG hauling my car trailer with an XJ on it The car trailer weighs 2900 lbs.the camper was 4,000 loaded.

Only trouble I had with it was 3 rearends! 2 replaced under warranty. They finally got rid of the limited slip and stuck a locked unit in it, never any trouble with that one, it has 145,000 on it. The limited slips kept locking up when I drove to my dads in TN. Been a reliable and great truck, and it's survived the flood the year I bought it (96) and a tornado in 2008.

2Evil4U

I bought a 1997 D3500 4x4 V10 5spd in November 2006. Great truck. No issues for the 65,000 miles before I sold it. I also had a 2001 D2500 2wd 360 5spd that my dad bought new. Also no real issues except for the lower internal intake manifold plenum gasket went bad. That is very common on the 5.9L V-8's. If it is running a little lean and using oil that you don't know where it's going, that is the problem. Pull the air cleaner and open the TB butterflies and see if there is oil in the bottom of the manifold. Simple fix. Pull the intake, remove the lower panel, clean and RTV it. No problems after that until it was totalled when an F450 ran a stoplight and broadsided me in the driver's door at 60mph. (Plus I walked away from that with only a slight cauliflower ear. So I'm partial to the safety of the trucks.)