1986 Dodge D150 Custom 5.9L 360

Summary:

Best truck I ever bought

Faults:

Pinion yoke broke in half after a tune up.

Freeze plug (original) blew out after a drive from TX to AZ at 187,050 miles.

General Comments:

Excellent truck, great for first drivers and those looking to get mechanical experience.

Super easy to work on.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 17th July, 2012

1986 Dodge D150 Custom Limited Edition 5.2 Liter V8

Summary:

Excellence in truck manufacturing, a true tank!

Faults:

Right door is faded and has etches in it.

Left door has etches, but less fading.

Roof and hood clear coat has faded.

Dash lights did not work when I bought the truck.

Replaced dome light within the first month.

A little bit of rust near the wheel wells.

General Comments:

This truck can accelerate quite quickly.

Shifts like a dream.

Gets decent gas mileage when using Lucas Fuel Additive.

This thing is a tank, and all metal, like cars should be made.

This truck is an excellent machine. I bought this from my grandpa in October 2010, and drove it to Norfolk VA from northern PA. I loved having a V8, going from two smaller engines beforehand in previous cars. 4 on the floor with a granny low, and this thing can really haul if you want it to... figuratively, I haven't tried literally hauling anything yet, but I'm sure it can handle it.

I had terrible gas mileage, but this was due to the fact later on that I found out I had 1-1/2" vertical cracks on the connections to the fuel filter. Replaced the fuel filter after I used fuel additive (made the truck jerk and hesitate, must've clogged the fuel filter). It looked like it was the first time that the fuel filter was replaced on the truck.

After that, and cutting off the cracked parts of the lines and reclamping the new fuel filter (a whole 3 dollar fix), this truck has had no issues what-so-ever since.

I had driven a Mazda B2000 before I had gotten this (before I had gone to boot camp), and before this a Dodge Neon. I was used to having incredible gas mileage, and when I first drove this, I thought I had made a terrible mistake. Turns out with a few tweaks (the filter, and Lucas Fuel Additive) I was getting a lot better gas mileage.

The transmission shifts without a hitch, and has not ground once.

I bought a cheap set of lights at Wal-Mart ($7) to use as dash lights, and they work just fine to illuminate my speedometer and my gas gauge. Looking for a 3 light set, so I can keep an eye on my temp too.

Replaced the factory radio with an aftermarket stereo, and have speakers behind the seat.

The truck is in incredible condition for being 25 years old; I've seen cars made in 2000 that look 10 times worse than this truck. I love this tank! LOL.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 7th January, 2011

1986 Dodge D150 Ram Custom 5.2 V8

Summary:

Dependable cheap ugly truck

Faults:

I figure the truck has 300k or more miles on it. I've put around 10k, but the odometer doesn't work.

The lifters are going bad, resulting in low power in 2nd gear.

Trannsmission leaks.

Rear main seal leaks.

Everything leaks.

Carberator needs to be rebuilt.

General Comments:

I love my old truck.

She's left me on the side of the road twice, both times the same problem and both times an easy fix (bad ignition coil).

She drinks oil and transmission fluid, but she runs smooth and strong (except when the lifters knock) and shifts right all the time.

Everything is where it should be on the dash.

Very easy to drive.

Obnoxiously loud, would never pass emmissions, and ugly as hell. Just the way I want it.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 15th March, 2005

27th Nov 2005, 19:01

I disagree about these trucks being ugly (unless for whatever the reason you are referring to your "own" truck...i.e. its deterioration). Fact is, I love the way the old Dodge's look, and am so glad they kept that body style around into the 1990's. Too bad the old ones are starting to rust now.