2004 dodge ram 2500 should i buy or not????

[shelby5041]

hi i would like some opinions

i saw a 2004 dodge ram 2500 4x4 for sale in ohio i have gotten them down to $2800.00 cash they had it listed originally at $5800 then dropped it to $4000....

it was used as a plow truck for 4 years for a couple small parking lots...the rear wheel wells are real bad rusted and also the right rear of exterior is damage from hitting a dumpster about 4 large dents that have now rusted

the interior is actually pretty good .....the rest of body is ok....no check engine light on starts and sounds ok....havent taken for test drive yet...

it has 129,000 miles on it.....and the owner has over 5k in receipts from prior work done on it repairs.....

is 2800.00 worth the risk?

or should i run away from the deal?

 

[shelby5041]

here are some pics of it

i would appreciate good honest opinions if its a good deal or not

kbb blue book in fair condition is $9500.00

 

[shelby5041]

fyi tires will need replacing soon

 

[Rampitt]

I really don't like all the rust ,Have you looked under the truck and rotors to see how much rust damage there is?

Sent from my LG-H901 using Tapatalk

 

[JPT]

I wouldn't touch it... There are too many used trucks out there...

That will need a new bed (minimum), I think new beds need paint matching so factor that into the price (unless you can find a used paint matching bed).

 

[shelby5041]

yes i understand but price is part of my decision just wondering if its a goode deal at $2800


not asking if its a good truck ....i know it doesnt look great....just need it for winter use....

havent done any in depth looking at it yet will do later in week....owner has receipts for over 5000.00 in repairs over the years....this is not about finding a a better truck this is about is this a good deal or not

out here i cant find any 2500 4x4 in 2004-2005 range with only 129k miles within even $4000.00 of the $2800 price

 

[shelby5041]

and fyi for those people who live in the south.....trucks up here all have rust.....its just how it is...salt=rust....every dodge ram 2500 i have looked at that is 10 yrs old has rust in the rear wheel well and that is a fact

so please understand that before you talk about the choice....this is not florida this is ohio

 

[shelby5041]

looking for someone who knows true market value for this vehicle in its condition and their opinion if i should consider buying it

kbb like i said has it "valued" at 9500 in fair condition

 

[justin13703]

It sounds like you want it, so get it. Personally I wouldn't touch it with that much rust. The reason it's rusted isn't because it's from the north. It's because it was used as a plow truck. I'm in md and have had many vehicles well over 200k miles without rust issues like that. And that truck isn't in fair condition, so don't compare it to a 9500 dollar value. Take it for what it is, it may cost you tons of money but you may get a couple years out of it before you have full blown holes in the bed.

 

[shelby5041]

i agree used as plow speeds up rust however a
all northern dodge rams wheel wells rust regardless of use .....AT ABOUT 8 YRS

and yes i would say is fair to a notch below fair body wise but interior is very good and front half of body is good... engine looks good....so grading it is hard

engine runs good........to me body is purely cosmetic.for the most part....more important is engine trans brakes and differential suspensiob etc,,,,,,right?

and im just wanting for a winter truck/hauler beater

but if its not a good deal just let me know

i havent seen one within 4k of this price in my area

 

[shelby5041]

the rust on left side is typical for thie age but the rust on right side isnt,,,right side was caused by damage hitting dumpster and was never repared so it rusted way faster and more

 

[shelby5041]

the vehicle was used as snow plow part time from 2007 to 2011 retired in 2011

the following repairs were done from 2013 to 2015..via auto repair shop..seller provided me receipts

belt tensioner
serp belt
front pads
front rotors
rear pads
rear rotors
rt outer tie rod
drag link
both sway links
both upper ball joints
both lower ball joints
battery
alternator
water pump
serp belt again
fuel pump
right side exhaust manifold
left side exhaust manifold
ujoint 2
ps gear box
ps low pressure line
ps high pressure line
ps cooler

total cost of repairs $4900.00

 

[shelby5041]

and fyi..........its not about mileage its about age

mileage does not put on rust age and exposure to elements does and how vehicle was stored

 

[CanadianHemi]

Hey, if you want to know what is involved in the box check out my build. I redone my box but it wasn't as damaged as that truck. These trucks are noted for bad rot in the rear wheel wells.
If you are not super fancy with paint it shouldn't be too bad to do a "quick" job. However you still need to do it right if you want to solve the rust issue or it will be a waste of time/money! In Canada, a plow truck is used pretty hard and is usually beat. The $2,800 IMO is actually fair to me especially for a 4x4, but I'm going by where I live and trucks are expensive especially a Ram. What I would do is definitely check the box out and see how far the rot has moved, IE: Box ribs, mounts outer wheel well inside the box, especially if there is a liner. Make sure your frame in the back is solid because they usually always carry salt and spread it around when plowing. Also plows are heavy, give the front end a check and see if the ball joins and bushings are not beat out of it or anything is leaking or any broken springs. If the motor sounds good and the tranny works good, the frame is in good shape and ALL body/box mounts along with springs, bushings and ball joints I'd probably buy it! Also you could consider a southern box for it, but obviously drive it for a while to make sure it's not breaking everyday. But seriously check the transmission because there is a lot of drive/reverse/drive with a lot of weight and repetitions, that isn't the best for it either.

 

[usaf2006]

Pssh buy it and throw a flatbed on it. Just get the frame and any other structural rust repaired in the summer and coat the underside with wd40 throughout the winter to prevent winter garbage from sticking. I'd buy it for 2800. I'm from the UP of Michigan so I know what rust is. I don't think there's a toyota tacoma up there where I'm from that still has a box on it, most have flatbeds made out of wood lol... I say do it if the motor and trans run fine.