Faults:

(1) My Ramcharger had two-tone paint with silver on the top and bottom and dark red in between the paint dividers. The silver paint on the horizontal surfaces (roof, hood, and fenders) did not hold up. It started to peel several years after I purchased it. This was a known factory defect and the local Dodge dealership repainted the affected surfaces.

(2) The tailgate was another problem. It gradually "slipped" out of alignment making it difficult to close without several attempts to "slam" it shut. The tailgate was made of fiberglass and the top of the tailgate (above the glass next to the hinges) cracked.

(3) The rear axle also required periodic additions of a Posi Trac Limited Slip Gear Oil Additive as we would begin to hear/feel a "rub" while turning corners. This additive solved the "rub" problem immediately.

(4) Had to replace one starter and one alternator -- considered normal wear and tear.

(5) Pickup coil in the distributor went bad without warning causing the truck's engine to stop abruptly at random intervals. New pickup coil fixed this problem.

(6) Experienced intermittent problems with the cruise control. Specifically, it would not always allow you to set a cruise speed. But, once it did allow us to set the speed, it would maintain the set speed. Learned to live with this problem.

General Comments:

My wife and I bought this brand new truck from a Dodge dealership in Anchorage, Alaska after looking at competitor's trucks (i.e., Ford Bronco & Chevy Blazer). Our truck was sparsely optioned and less expensive than the Fords/Chevys. While our truck did not have the comfort/aesthetic options/ammenities that the competitors had, it was a "utility" truck that was built for the Alaskan climate. For example, only the front half of the interior was carpeted (the back half had a rubber mat). This served us well since we had three boys and a number of dogs.

Our truck came equipped with the bigger 5.9L fuel-injected engine, Loadflite TF-727A automatic transmission, P/S, P/B, auto-locking hubs, cruise control, AM/FM radio, roll bar, and skid plates covering the transfer case and gas tank. It had no A/C and the windows and door locks were manual.

We kept this truck for over 20 years and drove it all over the North American continent, including the Alaskan-Canadian Highway (I was in the USAF and was subsequently stationed at various locations). This truck was a reliable daily driver regardless of where we lived (Alaska, Texas, Colorado, Wisconsin, etc.).

This truck's fuel economy was dismal -- the only complaint we had about it. We knew this when we purchased it, however. The window sticker showed 9/10 MPG in the city/highway. When gas was about a $1.00 per gallon, it didn't hurt too bad. But when gas reached $4.00 per gallon ... Ouch! I believe the truck had a 36-gallon capacity fuel tank, and we experienced a cruising range of about 360 miles regardless of how we drove the truck (e.g., city, highway, towing, etc.).

The truck was not "fast" even with the larger 5.9L engine, but it towed nicely and we NEVER got stuck -- a testament to the truck's transfer case/axles/gear ratio -- and this vehicle has seen quite a few blizzards and frozen lakes over its life span. We maintained this truck very well over the course of two decades and never "beat" on it. When looking at the THINGS THAT HAVE GONE WRONG WITH THE CAR section, keep in mind that this includes every problem we encountered over 20+ years and over 130K miles.

Faults:

The A/C compressor went out, but it was the original compressor, and the truck wasn't driven for 12 years

General Comments:

Very tough and reliable. Is one of the best vehicles ever made; only bad thing about this vehicle is the fuel economy.