Faults:

I have changed the shocks, they were original!

I have repaired the door panels.

Fuel tank sending unit had failed, replaced.

Alternator is new.

General Comments:

I purchased this truck I had spent its life traveling to and from paint jobs for a professional painter.

It fires up on the first revolution of the engine, even in 10 degree weather.

The only engine problem is the rear main seal leaks when shut down.

For working a vehicle, it would be hard to beat any dodge with a Cummins diesel engine.

Faults:

To say nothing has gone wrong would be a lie, but the few that have were not that bad.

When I first bought the truck it was well neglected as far as regular maintenance, but otherwise very solid.

All it needed was new belts, hoses, brake kits, complete fluid changes, a few light bulbs, and new tires.

At 150,000 I replaced the universal on the drive shaft.

At about 170,000 the front end / steering components had to be replaced due to normal wear.

Minor rusting on the rocker panels and in the bed, but not bad for a vehicle in New England.

General Comments:

The Cummins turbo in this truck is an unstoppable power house, if only it were a manual with 4WD.

Outside of general maintenance the hardest thing I had to do was adjust the valve clearance and lash. It took me almost six hours to get it right.

The fuel economy of the diesel is worth the price at the pump, $1.51 per gallon, but 600 to 800 miles on a 22 gallon fill up is all right with me. That exceeds factory numbers by a decent margin.