19th Aug 2008, 23:58

I am 22. I just bought a 1988 Power Ram a couple days ago off a guy for 450 dollars and I also have a 2004 Hyundai Tiburon GT car. I am paying payments after driving this truck around and four wheeling in it. I am thinking about parking that foreign piece of crap car that will end up costing me 27000 dollars by the time it's paid off and driving this till it blows, which by the way it runs will be a while.

I would have to say this is the best investment I've bought. The way I look at it is if it blows tomorrow, I scrap it and get between 400-500 dollars plus all the fun I have in it. The guy I bought it off said the last couple years his nephews just used it for four wheeling in the field and woods at their house.

I also took it in the woods at my house, and it surprised me; I pinned it between two trees and hit some; it did no damage and that's only the second vehicle to make it out on its own power and without turning around; the other was a k5 with lift kit and mud tires, and I made it with all stock.

Only thing I've had to fix was the yoke seal.

This is a sweet truck.

4th Sep 2008, 09:33

On my second 88 Dodge pickup. First one was half ton four speed 318 engine. It always ran good except for some electrical probs. Now my 88 power ram 250LE with same engine stranded me this last weekend way up in the hills. The same symptom as the first guy with the fuel pump only mine won't restart after a few minutes. I've been driving in the mountains for 30yrs and never been stranded like that before with a simply unfixable problem. Didn't think I needed to carry a spare fuel pump. Soon as I get it running on the market it goes and a Dodge truck will never sit in my driveway again. The two other times I've been stranded were also in a Dodge but at least I wasn't in the middle of nowhere.

5th Sep 2008, 11:25

Let me get this straight: You're outraged and will never buy Dodge again because the fuel pump on your 20-year-old truck quit working? Wow... I just have to be curious --- how many miles on the truck? 150,000? 250,000? 300,000? Do you think that you might have some slightly unrealistic expectations?

25th Dec 2008, 23:36

I have a 1988 Dodge Power Ram 3/4 ton 4x4. I bought it used over 3.5 years ago. It's been pretty beaten up, but it can still haul a good cord of green firewood and 2.5 yards of top soil! I've used it for pulling stumps, and I have driven it almost daily. It has never let me down, God bless it.

I did all the brakes last summer of 2008. My only complaints are the electrical system seems a bit cheap under the dash, as does the plastic on the dashboard. The sheet metal seems a little thin and is easy to dent. But the drive train and the frame are tough.

Right now, I have it in 4 wheel drive most of the time, because we have gotten one of the worst snow storms in history (I live in Canada). It's great in the snow and the mud. I have only gotten stuck a few times, but I managed to get unstuck with ease.

I am keeping the truck and I am looking for body parts and other used parts to keep the truck on the road for a few more years to come. I also need to replace the cloth bench seat (it's ripped) and perhaps put in a couple of bucket seats. I will also replace the dash. I just got 4 good used tires for it. Anyway, for the $1000.00 I paid for the old unit, it's done a lot of work for me and it's made me a lot of money.

By the way, this truck has a 360 CID engine, 4-speed transmission and 2-speed transfer case. I love the look of this truck. The front end with the square grill makes it look tough. It's just got a nice look to it all around, minus all the dents I have put into it!

1st Jul 2009, 08:41

You got screwed big time by the dealer! I am 18 and I have 3 first gen Dodge trucks. An 85 slant 6 4x4 my dad passed this truck down to me, he ordered it new (currently rebuilding a 360 for it). Never ever had a problem with this truck, but it was also well maintained its entire life... Very important! This truck has almost no rust.

I also have an 87 2wd with a 318 that I paid $700 for, (originally to put the 318 in the 85) this 318 was crap! It had low compression on a couple cylinders and the block was cracked right around the head bolts, because the heads were over-tightened and it had a misfire. Tore the engine down, found that it had been changed at one point, it was a rebuilt engine and everything was over-torqued. Let me clarify that this was NOT a problem with Dodge. This truck has some rust over the wheel wells, but that's it.

The third truck I have is an 89 Dodge W250 4x4 with a 318 I paid $300 for this one, This truck has never been maintained I only use it once in a while to beat on, I have had a lot of similar problems with this truck (ball joints, CV joints, U-joints, oil pressure gauge) I just put an aftermarket gauge in it. This truck is also rusted to crap. It was a plow and salt truck at one point in its life as well.

All in all I think you just got one of those trucks that someone didn't care for. I've known people that have gone through GM trucks with the same problems as your Dodge. If you ever decide to get another Dodge, look for one in better shape and take GOOD care of it, and I bet it was last till the end of time! Long live Mopar.

30th Jul 2009, 06:50

I just purchased a 1988 Power Ram, from a Dodge lover, in my home town. I bought it for a reasonable price, considering I know what it is like to have to let go of a loved vehicle.

Anyway, the truck runs fine, shifts fine and feels fine.

Of course, I know that there are things that I must to to keep it in this condition.

For instance, I need to replace the steering box and adjust the tie rod, to re-center the steering wheel, and to remove the little bit of play in it. I also have to replace the oil pan gasket, the front differential gasket, the transfer case rear seal, the radiator, the shocks, the seat and the carpet. These are expected issues from 21 years of farm service.

I bought the truck as a work truck, to keep my new truck from the elements of the refinery atmospheric blow-offs. Plus, I bought it to give me something to do as a project.

I am looking forward to rebuilding the 318, with OEM parts. Just as I am looking forward to changing the bench seat to buckets, with a console. But, other than the mechanical issues, already stated, as well as the seat and carpet, I am going to leave the truck alone.

I guess I just appreciate older vehicles for what the represent, today, considering that new vehicles are created with the mindset of keeping the buyer ignorant of mechanical knowhow, and of governmental tracking capabilities. "Ain't no GPS in my old Dodge."