Thinking of selling my truck for something more expedition capable

rparker762

Observer
First a bit about my truck.

03 Ram QC, Hemi, 4x4, 3.92 gears. Odo says 149k but in reality it only has 102k. Torsion cranked up 2" and has 285x70x17 MT/Rs. Interior is in really good shape and the body is relatively straight. A small dent in the front fender and a small ripple above a rear wheelwell. A small spot of rust over the other rear wheel well. Some scratches but something a buff wont handle. Surprises me how capable it is for the stuff I do but I'm actually thinking of selling it. I am finding that the stuff there is for it from the aftermarket is spendy. Now don't get me wrong, I don't have a problem buying once and crying once. Just not sure if it's worth it for this truck. I am thinking of going back to a XJ. I know you cant compare apples to oranges but I don't want to keep scratching up or putting money into a vehicle that I will always be worrying about.









I guess I'm looking for someone to help me with reasons I should keep it. If I knew it could handle more it would be a non issue. It is paid off. Searching 03 1500 Rams don't lend much to the cause...
 

Bayou Boy

Adventurer
What will the xj do that your ram won't? Your ram will carry a camper, wheel as good as most, and I'd assume is dependable.
 

daddyusmaximus

Explorer
I hate the limits a large truck has when you want to go down a tight trail. My truck does have some tree branch pinstriping, but even with scratched up 15 year old paint... I do worry about body damage. However, I think the added cargo capacity more than makes up for it. There's usually another way there for a longer, wider truck. Usually... I love the interior room of a big truck too. It's way more comfy for longer rides.
 

Jomax

Observer
Well, buy a ford and that will solve all your issues......


Joking aside. You will miss the space of a full size. I went from a crew cab to a extended cab. Sold it within the month and went back to a crew cab.... if anything keep it and buy a jeep lol

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk
 

ExpoMike

Well-known member
Funny, I went the opposite way. I moved from an XJ to our '97 Dodge Ram. For us, there has only be a couple times I wish I was a little smaller but since I don't mind a little pinstriping, it hasn't been an issue. :)
 

rparker762

Observer
I don't really care about the pinstriping so to speak. I mean part of me does cringe a little when it gets bad but I push on through. The Ram has been reliable and hasn't let me down yet but I hear the front ends on the 1500 are weak. Honestly, if I could find some built 1500s to give me ideas things might come a little clearer. Searching turns up mostly 2500/3500s and for good reason. But the 3rd gen 1500s get no love or people seem to know they aren't worth building into a serious rig.
 

moodywizard

Adventurer
Well based on your location, not sure what type of offroading you do. But my buddy has same year and body style truck with carli suspension and KING triple bypasses, etc. His truck goes over the fast stuff like butter compared to my FJ cruiser with bilstein 5100's..lol

FWIW, in my neck of the woods most used trucks with that mileage and year not being diesel puts a big hurt on them when trying to sell.

Also the 2500 axles/suspension could work on a 1500 with some fab work. Again don't know how built up of a truck you are looking to go.
 

Mr Nice Guy

New member
I went from a 2000 wj which was bullet proof to my new truck, an 06 ram 2500 with a 5.7 auto which is just leveled with 35s, I haven't really found anything my truck can't do, the crew cab is fantastic for me the girlfriend and dog and will eventually be plenty of room for a car seat or two,

Sure dodge have the problems such as transmission issues, rust and depending on who you ask the heads and gaskets going easier then most but I wouldn't trade my truck for anything, love this ttuck, eventually when it's paid off I plan on doing a complete expo/dd/me overhaul on it when I can get a vehicle to get me around when I tear into it, (don't wanna try to cram projects like cams, suspension and other misc stuff into weekend adventures lol) overall tho these trucks (yours included) are tanks and I think your over thinkin it just a bit. Only real thing I wished I'd held out for was finding maybe an older power Wagon for the 6 speed manual but that's it really, I got the short bed which is plenty to me.

I will admit to understanding your desire to go back to a jeep however, as when I pick up another vehicle it will be either a wrangler or another 4.slow grand cherokee, the after market support is huge in the Jeep community and the support is endless as well. Once afflicted by the Jeep bug I fear there is no cure, and the longing for another will always be there.

my vote is keep whatcha got, pinstripes are character, and the aftermarket support is there you just have to look a little harder. Google dodge forums and you'll find a plethora of ideas from other builders/owners
 

redthies

Renaissance Redneck
Keep the truck and just beef up the axles (solid front conversion maybe?) if you're looking for more durability. Parts for that are cheap, as are motors if you kill it.
 

Gatordoc

Adventurer
A lot of it really depends on what you are planning to do with it, what your budget is, etc...

Is it a DD, or a toy?

Are you going to be doing any technical off-roading, or just vanilla boondocking/overlanding?

What mods do you want that you are finding to be "spendy"?

I am in a similar position, myself, with a similar truck and have decided, for the time being, to wait it out so I don't end up making a decision I regret later on.
.

Here is my rationale, maybe some of it will help you with your decision:

My truck is an 03 2500 Quad Cab, 4x4, with the Cummins engine. It's got about 150k on it right now, so as far as diesels go it's still pretty young. I bought it with 50k miles while I was in the Marines and have been very happy with it over the years.
.

Why I am tempted to sell:

1. I have since left the Marines and gone back to school. I still work full time, but currently my take home is about 1/4 of what it was while on active duty. feeding and caring for a HD diesel truck is not cheap, and my budget would have a lot more black in it with a lower cost of ownership vehicle.
2. It's getting to the mileage where the expensive stuff starts to need fixing, based on anecdotal internet wisdom. Primarily fuel system related stuff and the notoriously weak automatic transmission. At this time, I really don't have (potentially) several thousand dollars lying around to throw at vehicle repairs.
3. Moving from the southwest, where off-road mostly means desert, back to Michigan I have concluded that my truck is HUGE. Tight two-tracks around here result in TONS of pinstriping, and some trails that just aren't accessible. Soft sand is also a literal drag. I'm not moving around the country any longer, so much of the capability that made it attractive while in the military no longer applies.
4. Being a 2500 diesel with relatively low miles, it's holding its value pretty well. If I sell it the proceeds could pay for a smaller, lighter vehicle that would suit my perceived needs better, with some cash left over.
.

Why I decided not to:
1. It's paid off and not having a car payment is pretty awesome. This limits me somewhat with respect to potential replacement vehicles. I do not want to be without a 4x4, which provides further limitations.
* I commute via motorcycle whenever the roads aren't frozen, which insulates me somewhat against the ridiculous price of fuel these days.
* On 35s, the truck averages 19-21 MPG. Pure highway, I average 24-25 MPG. A smaller 4x4 on smaller tires with less overall capability (load capacity, spaciousness, cargo volume, towing capacity, etc...) would be lucky to come close to matching those figures.
2. I am a professionally trained mechanic (turned wrenches in the Marines) and have done my own maintenance since I got it, so I have it's history and know what to expect. Doing my own work means that I'll only be paying for parts; my training includes working on engines, transmissions, etc... so the maintenance issue is less scary than for someone who has to pay a shop.
* A new vehicle with an unknown maintenance history is potentially a ticking time-bomb and would potentially need work sooner than later, too.
3. Much as I like to fantasize about traveling to exotic destinations and spending all of my time off road, the fact is that 95% (or more) of the miles on my truck are on-road. If I get a wrangler/4runner/similar for the smaller off-road footprint that will be useful 5% or less of the time, I sacrifice the spaciousness, comfort, and cargo capacity of the full-size that would be useful for 95% of the time. At some point down the road I'll probably get a Wrangler to run tight trails and more technical terrain, but for right now I'll stick to the trails I fit down.
4. Hidden costs add up quick with a new-to-me vehicle. I figure I can find a different 4x4 in acceptable condition for 6k or so for a 4x4 10+ years old. Figure another 1-2k in expenses doing the baseline maintenance, then add in the cost of new shocks and maybe springs or a suspension kit (depending on the vehicle and condition), new, aggressive tires, etc... and I'd easily be in the ball-park of 8-10 grand by the time I had it ready and that's before any modifications. The kicker? My truck is from the south and has spent only 1.5 winters in Michigan exposed to the salt, so it's pretty rust free for its age. Finding a replacement that's in similar condition without having to travel (not an option at this time) would either highly unlikely, or expensive. Makes the potential monetary gains in the downgrade shrink dramatically.
.

The bottom line for me came with the realization that I had put selling the truck on the table as an option as a knee-jerk reaction to my changing financial circumstances. Given more careful consideration, selling the Dodge compromises a lot of what I like to have in a vehicle, without much in return. Looking purely at the market value of the truck and monthly operating expenses gets nowhere near the big-picture in my case. The only point where it would make sense to sell the truck to save/make money would be if I replaced it with a beater economy car, and that's not something I am prepared to do.
.

Your circumstances are different, of course, and in spite of the outside similarities our trucks are sort of apples to oranges since mine is a HD diesel, but hopefully somewhere in that mess will be something that gives you a little perspective and help with your decision.
.
O/T - Is anyone else having issues with adding blank lines to space between paragraphs? This is the first "long" post I've written in a while, and it's driving me nuts!
 

rparker762

Observer
A lot of it really depends on what you are planning to do with it, what your budget is, etc...

Is it a DD, or a toy?

Are you going to be doing any technical off-roading, or just vanilla boondocking/overlanding?

What mods do you want that you are finding to be "spendy"?

I am in a similar position, myself, with a similar truck and have decided, for the time being, to wait it out so I don't end up making a decision I regret later on.
.

Here is my rationale, maybe some of it will help you with your decision:

My truck is an 03 2500 Quad Cab, 4x4, with the Cummins engine. It's got about 150k on it right now, so as far as diesels go it's still pretty young. I bought it with 50k miles while I was in the Marines and have been very happy with it over the years.
.

Why I am tempted to sell:

1. I have since left the Marines and gone back to school. I still work full time, but currently my take home is about 1/4 of what it was while on active duty. feeding and caring for a HD diesel truck is not cheap, and my budget would have a lot more black in it with a lower cost of ownership vehicle.
2. It's getting to the mileage where the expensive stuff starts to need fixing, based on anecdotal internet wisdom. Primarily fuel system related stuff and the notoriously weak automatic transmission. At this time, I really don't have (potentially) several thousand dollars lying around to throw at vehicle repairs.
3. Moving from the southwest, where off-road mostly means desert, back to Michigan I have concluded that my truck is HUGE. Tight two-tracks around here result in TONS of pinstriping, and some trails that just aren't accessible. Soft sand is also a literal drag. I'm not moving around the country any longer, so much of the capability that made it attractive while in the military no longer applies.
4. Being a 2500 diesel with relatively low miles, it's holding its value pretty well. If I sell it the proceeds could pay for a smaller, lighter vehicle that would suit my perceived needs better, with some cash left over.
.

Why I decided not to:
1. It's paid off and not having a car payment is pretty awesome. This limits me somewhat with respect to potential replacement vehicles. I do not want to be without a 4x4, which provides further limitations.
* I commute via motorcycle whenever the roads aren't frozen, which insulates me somewhat against the ridiculous price of fuel these days.
* On 35s, the truck averages 19-21 MPG. Pure highway, I average 24-25 MPG. A smaller 4x4 on smaller tires with less overall capability (load capacity, spaciousness, cargo volume, towing capacity, etc...) would be lucky to come close to matching those figures.
2. I am a professionally trained mechanic (turned wrenches in the Marines) and have done my own maintenance since I got it, so I have it's history and know what to expect. Doing my own work means that I'll only be paying for parts; my training includes working on engines, transmissions, etc... so the maintenance issue is less scary than for someone who has to pay a shop.
* A new vehicle with an unknown maintenance history is potentially a ticking time-bomb and would potentially need work sooner than later, too.
3. Much as I like to fantasize about traveling to exotic destinations and spending all of my time off road, the fact is that 95% (or more) of the miles on my truck are on-road. If I get a wrangler/4runner/similar for the smaller off-road footprint that will be useful 5% or less of the time, I sacrifice the spaciousness, comfort, and cargo capacity of the full-size that would be useful for 95% of the time. At some point down the road I'll probably get a Wrangler to run tight trails and more technical terrain, but for right now I'll stick to the trails I fit down.
4. Hidden costs add up quick with a new-to-me vehicle. I figure I can find a different 4x4 in acceptable condition for 6k or so for a 4x4 10+ years old. Figure another 1-2k in expenses doing the baseline maintenance, then add in the cost of new shocks and maybe springs or a suspension kit (depending on the vehicle and condition), new, aggressive tires, etc... and I'd easily be in the ball-park of 8-10 grand by the time I had it ready and that's before any modifications. The kicker? My truck is from the south and has spent only 1.5 winters in Michigan exposed to the salt, so it's pretty rust free for its age. Finding a replacement that's in similar condition without having to travel (not an option at this time) would either highly unlikely, or expensive. Makes the potential monetary gains in the downgrade shrink dramatically.
.

The bottom line for me came with the realization that I had put selling the truck on the table as an option as a knee-jerk reaction to my changing financial circumstances. Given more careful consideration, selling the Dodge compromises a lot of what I like to have in a vehicle, without much in return. Looking purely at the market value of the truck and monthly operating expenses gets nowhere near the big-picture in my case. The only point where it would make sense to sell the truck to save/make money would be if I replaced it with a beater economy car, and that's not something I am prepared to do.
.

Your circumstances are different, of course, and in spite of the outside similarities our trucks are sort of apples to oranges since mine is a HD diesel, but hopefully somewhere in that mess will be something that gives you a little perspective and help with your decision.
.
O/T - Is anyone else having issues with adding blank lines to space between paragraphs? This is the first "long" post I've written in a while, and it's driving me nuts!

Is it a DD, or a toy? When I drive it, it is my DD.

Are you going to be doing any technical off-roading, or just vanilla boondocking/overlanding? I like both but because of the vehicle I have changed my driving habits and where I go.

What mods do you want that you are finding to be "spendy"? I guess it's really just a lift thats got me hung up as I come from solid axle chevy and jeeps.

Your reply is pointing out some of the same realizations I'm coming to myself. My old type of "wheeling" included things I wouldn't try in the Dodge. Gnarly rock climbs, tight canyons. I guess in a way I miss it. With most things I own, I get bored with it when I cant constantly do stuff to it and then other things start looking like better options. I've been fighting that all my life. With the Ram, I also don't get out as much as I did with my other vehicles so in the back of my mind, I'm worried about it handling stuff that I may need it to do. My current job supply's a company truck and I'm outside in the heat all day. So I only get to drive mine on the weekends and a lot of the time I'm wiped out. Anyways, lets get this out of the realm of Dr Phil and get back on trucks for a minute. My buddy, who I gave my old 84 K5 Blazer to, just sold his Superduty and is looking for a fullsize half ton. He is wanting to trade my old K5 and cashh for the Ram. I am tempted cause the K5 has been there and done that. I just havent decided if I want to now so I am avoiding the cash amount question. It's a good truck, 350SB, 700R4 tranny built with HD internals, 208 tcase, 10bolts front and rear w 4.56 gears and a locker in the front. 35" MT/Rs w Kevlar. The only thing he's added to it in the 2 years he's had it was a 12k lb winch and true dual exhaust. I would need to spend about $700 and replace all the AC components. I have become spoiled.

Needs paint but the body is straight:




Thanks for the replies guys and Gatordoc, most of your points are points I'm coming to realize myself....
 
Last edited:

superbuickguy

Explorer
I've had about every kind of camping rig and truck you can imagine. Honestly, I'd hold onto your truck - get a significant other, a dog, and another couple and you will absolutely love the capability that you have right now. While it is fun driving through pucker brush, that detractor isn't enough (scratches), IMO, to even consider changing. What I would consider is find a $1000 4x4 and hoon the snoot out of it. Today I'm picking up a FJ40 for that very reason. I have an H3 that is my daily driver, search and rescue vehicle. A pickup, because, you can't live without a pickup... but neither of those vehicles I am willing to blaze a new trail... eventually I'll have a overland trailer to hook up behind the FJ that will haul my RTT and then it's off to explore even more....

The other best part about having a dedicated trail rig is what you alluded to before - if you break it, you're not walking to work next week. With a truck and a tow bar - you're not even walking back from the day of wheeling. YJs are so dirt cheap right now, that I'd spend my dollars there (or a Samurai) and upgrade as your budget can afford - but even stone stock, they're as capable as your pickup.
 

JHa6av8r

Adventurer
Looks like a pretty capable expedition vehicle to me. If I want to go down really tight trails I'd flat tow a jeep behind my 3500. My truck will get to most of the place I need or want to see.
 

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