3rd gen regret

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Redtruck-VA

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 29, 2010
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Location
Virginia
Ram Year
2003 & 1989 D250 RWD
Engine
Hemi-5.7, 5.9 12v & 24v diesel
Ole Red is staying in her stall. But I'd like a 2g diesel to mess with a little.
 

Rokmonanoff

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 28, 2013
Posts
181
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71
Location
Tundra, Alaska
Ram Year
2008 Mega Cab
Engine
5.7 HEMI
No Regrets

I have an 08 Mega Cab. Last of the 3rd gen. I bought last year, so it was because of the amount of truck I could get for the money (screamin deal).

Would I like a 4th gen? Absolutely, but financial stability is nice, and I can customize this one slowly as I go...

Plus, as the last of a gen model, they had most (not all) the the kinks worked out by the time they got to mine :Big Laugh:

Hope you get what you are looking for and it meets your needs.

Rok
 

TheMaddog

Senior Member
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Sep 29, 2011
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Location
DFW
Ram Year
2008
Engine
5.7 hemi
i loved both of my 3rd gens. wish they got better mpgs. can't live on a college budget going everywhere.
 

Coldwater

Member
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Apr 18, 2014
Posts
84
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Location
CT.
Ram Year
2003
Engine
CTD
Whelp. I sold my 1987 W150 that I had bought new, and bought a new 2003 first year 2500 HD quad cab CTD. I was crazy about the new body style, and that Cummins was the icing on the cake. $36,000 later, and it came home with me. It's as tight as a drum and not one rattle or squeak. Just this year it has developed some minor issues, that being one window switch, and one power door lock switch. Other than that, not one problem. I love it as much today as the day I took it home 11 years ago.
 

rocket

Licensed Dynacologist
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Location
connecticut
Ram Year
was 2006
Engine
was a HEMI 5.7
Whelp. I sold my 1987 W150 that I had bought new, and bought a new 2003 first year 2500 HD quad cab CTD. I was crazy about the new body style, and that Cummins was the icing on the cake. $36,000 later, and it came home with me. It's as tight as a drum and not one rattle or squeak. Just this year it has developed some minor issues, that being one window switch, and one power door lock switch. Other than that, not one problem. I love it as much today as the day I took it home 11 years ago.

cool...........drove it right off the lot and into your heart?.
 

hotkarl

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 10, 2014
Posts
678
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Ram Year
2002
Engine
4.7 Semi-Hemi
I changed my mind. No regrets. Love this old gal.
After addressing some issues this truck is a beast. Glad I bought it.
 

rocket

Licensed Dynacologist
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Location
connecticut
Ram Year
was 2006
Engine
was a HEMI 5.7
put my gf's ass back in her passenger side seat where it belongs....shut her up too!!!
 

Coldwater

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Apr 18, 2014
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Location
CT.
Ram Year
2003
Engine
CTD
I am a member on three different forums and from what I have read, the owners who have a lot of problems do so because of how they were modified. Some used a tuner and force a particular tune, which caused a loss in communication within the PCM, or other electronics going out. Many can not get the truck to start or stay running because of the changes they made.

I thought about buying a 2010 - 2012, but I didn't want to deal with the payments that come with a $35K to $55K price tag

Couldnt agree with you more. Everyone I speak to that has issues was the gremlin of some back yard ill thought out modification done by them. I have left mine bone stock, and it's rewarded me with good service.
 

rocket

Licensed Dynacologist
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Location
connecticut
Ram Year
was 2006
Engine
was a HEMI 5.7
Outside of the trinity=cai,cat back exhaust and a reasonable tune....which I have all 3.....I must be blessed cuz the truck has done me righteous. Granted I don't hammer it on any given day , just normal driving . Seems to be the hidden factor when things go wrong. I also changed every fluid there was in the truck and I also do the plugs every 15 k, oil gets done at 5 k...air filter gets cleaned every spring....and I only use premium fuel........no regrets.
 

jei3us

Member
Joined
May 10, 2014
Posts
47
Reaction score
7
Ram Year
2005
Engine
5.7l hemi
I have an 05 Hemi single cab I've had it a little over a year. At first I really wanted a 4th gen but financially I don't think I could have handled the payments and for the amount of years I would have.been stuck with them. Mileage is bad but you should already know that's coming when looking at a hemi in the first place. The very first day I bought the truck I took my cousin for a ride and so we hauled ass down the highway to see what a hemi was all about and in doing so the waterpump went out. After that I had to replace it 3 more times in one year. There was an unbalance to the system that would cause the seals on the pump to break. This was an issue that the previous owner tried to hide from me I guess he thought he was getting rid of a problematic truck but its an easy fix once you figure out what the problem is. Anyway the only real regret I have is not holding out for a 4x4. I would have much rather done a lifted beast build than a dropped 2wd street look. But as many of you know to find a 4x4 hemi single cab is not so easy. The only 4x4's I came across were 4.7 and I wanted a hemi for sure.
 

rocket

Licensed Dynacologist
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Location
connecticut
Ram Year
was 2006
Engine
was a HEMI 5.7
how'd it get unbalanced in the first place?
 

jei3us

Member
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May 10, 2014
Posts
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Ram Year
2005
Engine
5.7l hemi
how'd it get unbalanced in the first place?

Not sure, my guess would be that somebody did work to the truck and didn't put the belt back on with the right tension or the fan was slightly bent when they took it off the first time. The crazy part is that there is no play to the fan so my clutch fan is not bad either.haven't truly fixed the problem this last waterpump has lasted longer than the others so im hoping it doesn't happen again. If it goes out again im just gonna cancel out the fan and go electric. This is one of those hidden ghost problems unfortunately. You
 

rocket

Licensed Dynacologist
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Location
connecticut
Ram Year
was 2006
Engine
was a HEMI 5.7
huh. never heard of it before....usually it's the bearings that go bad with the pumps and thats due from age..........interesting.
 

Crescent1101

Senior Member
Military
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Jun 12, 2014
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774
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Location
Tampa, FL
Ram Year
2015
Engine
3.0L ECODIESEL
I have had three rams 02 4X4 4.7 RC, 05 4X4 5.7 QC, and my current 07 4X4 5.7 QC. My 2005 was actually my favorite truck.
 

Chris_2914

Member
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May 20, 2014
Posts
67
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4
Ram Year
2006
Engine
Hemi 5.7
I have a 3rd gen an I love it I was same boat at u wanted a 4th gen but I had the money for the 3rd I haven't regretted it since only thing for me is the 4th gen has the variable cam which it's fast but it's nothing a few performance mods to the 3rd gen won't fix so all in all I love my truck


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

dwrbronco71

Junior Member
Joined
Jun 1, 2014
Posts
5
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Ram Year
2005
Engine
5.7
Bought the 3rd gen a couple months back, did a couple of things to it and I just drive it and wheel it. I don't like the looks of the 4th gens, my friend has one. I like his interior with the center console and shifter though.

The reason I like this 05 is because it's the first year for the PW and it was what I could afford without breaking my bank.

05on35s.jpg

I'll probably like the 4th gens in about 10 years. :)
 

Rokmonanoff

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 28, 2013
Posts
181
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Location
Tundra, Alaska
Ram Year
2008 Mega Cab
Engine
5.7 HEMI
Bought the 3rd gen a couple months back, did a couple of things to it and I just drive it and wheel it. I don't like the looks of the 4th gens, my friend has one. I like his interior with the center console and shifter though.

The reason I like this 05 is because it's the first year for the PW and it was what I could afford without breaking my bank.

05on35s.jpg

I'll probably like the 4th gens in about 10 years. :)
Sweet power wagon dwrbronc
 

Hemimania

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Jan 28, 2014
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Location
Central NJ
Ram Year
2015
Engine
5.7 Hemi
Zero regrets. Looking at a 4th Gen now but my '04 has 126000 miles and rides like the day I got it.

T
 

xb1230

Hobby Mechanic
Joined
Aug 22, 2014
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Location
South Shore of Montreal, QC, Canada
Ram Year
2020
Engine
5.7 HEMI
No regrets even though I turned to a 3rd gen for Budget reasons.

My original wish was for a Diesel truck but in my neck of the woods, they are falling apart and still go for way over what I was able to afford. So I was able to find an old clunker with a fairly decent body (meaning not too much rot), and fair mechanical condition.

Ends up I actually like the 4.7L even though it feels a little underpowered for the size of the truck since I have a QuadCab Long Bed 4x4 (probably the biggest and heaviest option on that year's 1500 series).

On this one I'm just doing what I have to do to maintain the truck in a safe and reliable condition as it is a family vehicle, but might be looking into a newer/nicer truck to build a project on in a couple years from now, when finances permit.

Parts are readily available, for cheap might I add, and the truck is easy to repair. I'm a hobby mechanic, and by no means a pro, but I find this truck very easy to get around and work on.

As my first Pick up truck I just love it!
 

Redtruck-VA

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Location
Virginia
Ram Year
2003 & 1989 D250 RWD
Engine
Hemi-5.7, 5.9 12v & 24v diesel
It's easy to bond to a truck..
 
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