What do you guys think of this truck?

[CandCLandscaping]

I found this truck the other day driving to the dealer for string/oil and it really caught my eye. It used to belong to a local company who has a reputation of taking good care of thier stuff. I plan on taking it to the local shop just so they can look over it before i would buy anything, but i would like to hear your opinions on this truck, mainly on the dodge V10's (what gas mileage would i expect, power, any parts that it is notorious for going through, etc....)

Here are the specs:
1996 Dodge 3500
V10
Extended cam laramine (*sp?)
8ft stake bed (will put a hoist under it eventually if purchased)
comes w/ 9ft western plow (the spreader in the back is $2000 extra)
White
no more than 130,000 miles
4x4
automatic transmission
seats in good condition
a little rust on fenders

[CandCLandscaping]

i have many many pictures.......:)

[CandCLandscaping]

and 5 more....can you tell they are from a camera phone?

[CandCLandscaping]

and once again......the more the merrier!

[CandCLandscaping]

here are a few more....

[DBL]

whats the price

[FearThisDeere]

The V10s are a great engine, but do like to drink gas like any other gas work truck. The rust on the fenders will only get worse if nothing is done to them. They look like they are pretty bad to begin with. Other than that it looks to be in good shape. Are you sure it's a laramie? That package usually has heated leather seats and everything else you could think of. It usually isn't found in a work truck. How much are the looking to get for it?

[CandCLandscaping]

the yellow in the bed is a spreader that i dont plan on buying. ($2000 if anyone's interested). Also, they are asking $3200 which i think is very reasonable. the tranny is the #1 thing i am concerned with as of right now and will definatley have a mechanic take a long hard look at it. As far as gas mileage goes, it will only be driven no more than 2-3 days a week, and even then it wont be that much. (i dont plan on running around town with a v10). i already have a honda accord manual that gets great mpg thats my everyday driver.

,Colin

[CandCLandscaping]

Are you sure it's a laramie? That package usually has heated leather seats and everything else you could think of. It usually isn't found in a work truck. How much are the looking to get for it?[/QUOTE]

honestly, not in the least bit, lol. not familiar with the interior packages that dodge offers.

[SOUTHERNGREENSCAPES]

mmmmmmmmmmmm, tons of rust and a missing airbag. yep i would say that is a great truck.

[CandCLandscaping]

where do you get the missing airbag from?

*edit-
now i see where you get it from, it is just storage-i worked on a farm all this summer and spent a good part of each day hauling hay wagons around in thier dodge 3500 dash was set up the same way. Also the only place there is rust on the body is the front fenders.

[supercuts]

i was waiting for you to say "only $10,000" and i was going to laugh. $3200 isnt bad at all. like you said, check the tranny. those fenders are welded in, so if you think your just going to throw some new ones in loook out. thumbs up from me. when you can afford to, you can upgrade.

[CandCLandscaping]

i was waiting for you to say "only $10,000" and i was going to laugh. $3200 isnt bad at all. like you said, check the tranny. those fenders are welded in, so if you think your just going to throw some new ones in loook out. thumbs up from me. when you can afford to, you can upgrade.

lol, thats what I was thinking when I was walking up to it the first time. but it was kind of a pleasnt surprise. I am sure I would be able to find something to cover up those fenders. I figure I could just run this truck until it quits and then at that time I would be able to afford something more.

[KS_Grasscutter]

The way gas prices are going you couldn't give my a V10. Well, at 3200 I'd be tempted to say the least, but...still...no. My Chevy C20 with the 350 V8 gets 13 or so pulling the trailer. No way would I get something that gets just over 1/3rd of that.

[CandCLandscaping]

this truck will be driven no more than 3 days a week and even then one or two of those days would only be after school. I would rather not have a v10 but if the tranny checks out. I think that at this price (especially if i could talk them down a little), it would be worth it.

[KS_Grasscutter]

this truck will be driven no more than 3 days a week and even then one or two of those days would only be after school. I would rather not have a v10 but if the tranny checks out. I think that at this price (especially if i could talk them down a little), it would be worth it.

I dunno, you CAN'T beat the price, esp. since it comes with a plow.

[CandCLandscaping]

exactly. almost two for the price of one.

[Guzman Properties]

Well look at it this way, separate all the accessories. Plow $1100, plow mount $400, spreader/salter $1500, plus a V10 truck.

If it dies on you sell everything for parts and you will get more than you paid.

[stroker51]

I'm not a huge dodge fan, but that doesnt look like a bad deal. The only thing I'd say to beware of would be salt damage underneath the truck, not the body, but the frame, spring mounts, brakes/drums, fuel tank etc. I bought a 93 ford last summer with 28K original miles, comlete with a 7.5ft western blade, somebody else bought the salter before I got the truck. I had to replace a spring mount before i sold it, my uncle bought it to feed cows with and has had to replace the cross member that hold up the transmission, the rear brakes were toast from salt damage, so were the brake lines. It had two new fuel tanks on it when i got it. The thing is the body didnt' look bad, just sayin, if it hasn't been cleaned up really well after each use that may be an area for concern. Just curious, why don't you want the salt spreader? I make a lot more money runnin my spreader than I do plowing, by the hour anyway.

[Cooter]

At that price that is a pretty good deal. The V-10 wont get great mileage, but neither will any other 3/4 or 1 ton truck. At least you will have plenty o power.

[TXNSLighting]

The V10s are a great engine, but do like to drink gas like any other gas work truck. The rust on the fenders will only get worse if nothing is done to them. They look like they are pretty bad to begin with. Other than that it looks to be in good shape. Are you sure it's a laramie? That package usually has heated leather seats and everything else you could think of. It usually isn't found in a work truck. How much are the looking to get for it?

all the trucks in that body style are slt laramies.

[FearThisDeere]

If everything checks out and it doesn't need too much work, $3200 is a great price. I'd jump on it.

[FearThisDeere]

all the trucks in that body style are slt laramies.

Really? I never knew that. Thanks for the info.:weightlifter:

[TXNSLighting]

The truck ist going to last you very long, but with all the extras its worth it. dont expect that trans to go very far either. And that rust needs to be taken care of quick. You could probly get a little life out of it, but i dont think it will be long.

[TXNSLighting]

Really? I never knew that. Thanks for the info.:weightlifter:

yep, very weird of them. they all look the same. just some have leather and some dont. very weird. dont know what they were thinkin.

[CandCLandscaping]

salter is $2000 extra. figure i can get one later on if i need to. I will only be plowing residential for the first year or two and I can always use a spreader for salt on driveways. I just dont think it would be justified right now. also storage in the summer would be an issue at this time.

[CandCLandscaping]

The truck ist going to last you very long, but with all the extras its worth it. dont expect that trans to go very far either. And that rust needs to be taken care of quick. You could probly get a little life out of it, but i dont think it will be long.

i just want it to last me a couple of years, then i will be able to afford to upgrade. maybe it will go longer, maybe not.... who knows?

[TXNSLighting]

who knows. judging by the look of it, it wasnt taken care of that good. just be leary. it may last a month it may last a year. you never know. i dont think it will last a couple of years tho.

[CandCLandscaping]

if i were to be out mowing all week, then i would have to agree with you that it would porbally not last 2 years. however, i will only be running it for the 2-3 days a week that i mow. and dont plan on getting alot of plow accounts, just enough to keep my busy, and with the sporatic snow that we have had the last few years, it might end up that it will only be run enough in the winter to keep it fresh and not frozen up.

[John Gamba]

if i were to be out mowing all week, then i would have to agree with you that it would porbally not last 2 years. however, i will only be running it for the 2-3 days a week that i mow. and dont plan on getting alot of plow accounts, just enough to keep my busy, and with the sporatic snow that we have had the last few years, it might end up that it will only be run enough in the winter to keep it fresh and not frozen up.


Did you have the trans looked at??

[TXNSLighting]

well thats good. well good luck with it.

[Lawnworks]

who knows. judging by the look of it, it wasnt taken care of that good. just be leary. it may last a month it may last a year. you never know. i dont think it will last a couple of years tho.

Well... you are the resident dodge expert! You own a 2005 and now you can tell us how all dodges just fall apart.

You really can't go wrong at $3200 if the trans isn't slipping and it isn't burning or leaking oil. I would offer them $2500 cash... you never know what people will take.

[TXNSLighting]

ha! im not an expert. just callin it as i see. dont get me wrong here, not all dodges are bad, but the older you go...except for the way old. they were pretty good.

[CandCLandscaping]

Did you have the trans looked at??

taking it to a mechanic within the next 2 weeks. planning on test driving it before then. IF everything checks out i will hopefully have some pics of it in my driveway for you guys!

thats a big IF

[John Gamba]

taking it to a mechanic within the next 2 weeks. planning on test driving it before then. IF everything checks out i will hopefully have some pics of it in my driveway for you guys!

thats a big IF


I hope the truck is straight and you get it.I know you have been dreaming about using it and making money.


How long has it been for sale?

[CandCLandscaping]

cant have been more than a week or so, given the fact that i drive down that same road to go to the dealer, and im at the dealer at least once a week if not mroe.

[John Gamba]

cant have been more than a week or so, given the fact that i drive down that same road to go to the dealer, and im at the dealer at least once a week if not mroe.


Let us know what happens.

[CandCLandscaping]

definatley will.

[CandCLandscaping]

It's going to the mechanic tomorrow evening. Should know by thursday afternoon.

[John Gamba]

It's going to the mechanic tomorrow evening. Should know by thursday afternoon.



Cool:waving:

[outlaw1960]

Been tagging along, what did the mechanic have to say?

[CandCLandscaping]

heres the deal with this truck. Yesterday i drove it to the mechanic to have it looked at. I was told that they would be done with the truck around noon today. so i figured that i would take the truck back to the guy who owns it (also owns a landscaping company) this afternoon. So i get a call from the mechanic today saying that they looked it over, then drove it around once to see if there was any issues that they had not picked up that would be discovered while driving it. however as they were pulling back into thier shop, one of the brake lines broke. this is one of many other things that is wrong with it, but this is what the story fixates on. luckily they werent going very fast or they would have driven through thier shop. so i call the owner of the truck, saying that there is no way i will be able to drive it back to him and that the mechanic has a key to it and that he needs to talk to the mechanic. He then goes on to say that i was liable for this truck because i took it from him to bring to the mechanic, so i have to pay for the brake line to be fixed. I then tell him that in no way am i liable for this truck, it is under your covereage, therefore your responsibility. He proceeds to say that when i drove off with the truck there was nothing wrong with it, so the brake line going is my responsibility once again, even though the reason it broke was becuase of neglect and poor maintenance.. After that i told him that hes lucky that nobody got hurt, if the brake line went out while i was driving it he would be responsible....right? the brake line is one of many other things that would have to be fixed with this truck. I just want to know if i am in the right here? I dont believe that I should have to pay for the brake line to be fixed, and that in no way am i legally responsible for this.

I appreciate any input..
,Colin

[John Gamba]

even though the reason it broke was becuase of neglect and poor maintenance..
I appreciate any input..
,Colin


It broke because its been a plow truck and they rust. If you dont want it, have it towed back to him.

[FearThisDeere]

I think it would be cheaper to replace the broken brake line before towing it back, right? Maybe I'm wrong. I think you are in the right CandC. These things always get a little dicey when you bring someone else's truck to a mechanic. What is the price of a new brake line on it? It might just be worth your while to tell the owner that you will split the cost with him just to get him off your back and then run.

[John Gamba]

I think it would be cheaper to replace the broken brake line before towing it back, right? Maybe I'm wrong. I think you are in the right CandC. These things always get a little dicey when you bring someone else's truck to a mechanic. What is the price of a new brake line on it? It might just be worth your while to tell the owner that you will split the cost with him just to get him off your back and then run.


When ever you work on a truck that plowed, your going to need to replace everything.

Find out what it will cost to tow it,find out what it will cost to repair it and go from there. Me i would tow it back take pics of it being towed back and parked and be done with it.


You might want to make him an offer he cant refuse now before anything else falls off it.

[CandCLandscaping]

the thing is there is a bunch of other things wrong with this truck now and things that are about to go. my mechanic told me that someone could not pay him to take that truck, he has never come out and said something like that after the 2 other trucks i brought to him. Now I guess im back on the hunt.
and the guy who owns the truck is having it fixed, he is paying for it, i will have nothing to do with this truck ever again.

[John Gamba]

the thing is there is a bunch of other things wrong with this truck now and things that are about to go. my mechanic told me that someone could not pay him to take that truck, he has never come out and said something like that after the 2 other trucks i brought to him. Now I guess im back on the hunt.
and the guy who owns the truck is having it fixed, he is paying for it, i will have nothing to do with this truck ever again.


Cool:) better to find out now then later. you did good on this one.

[stroker51]

I was kind of afraid that is the kind of thing you would run into with that truck. My 93 F250 had a salter on it before I bought it, and it was ROUGH underneath, wound up getting all new brake lines, had 2 new fuel tanks when i bought it, needed a new spring mount, among other things. You'll be best off to keep looking. You can find used plow trucks in decent shape, but they are few and far between, it is really hard to keep a plow truck, especially one with a salter, very nice, it can be done...kinda, but it takes a lot of effort and cleaning, painting, stopping problems before they start. Good luck in your search.

[J&R Landscaping]

Good thing it happened then and not later on. You should be able to find something more of what you are looking for in better overall condition.

[Idealtim]

I'm pretty sure I saw that truck on ebay a week ago, might still be there.