What to look out for on 3rd gen- used truck shopping

[DpSyChO]

I've found a 2003 2500, 5.9 I6, manual, with 109K miles that I'm going to try to go look at once my work schedule allows, looking like early next week at earliest.
It's over four hours drive each way but by the pictures it looks fairly clean all stock (no visible mods, stock wheels, stock suspension, and stock exhaust).
I've mainly owned Ford trucks so is there anything that I should specifically look out for on this gen Dodge truck?
I'm asking the seller for some up close pictures of the fender wells and rockers before I make the trip down to look at it. Are there any other areas of body or frame prone to rust in this gen truck?
We use heavy brine during snows so rust is highly possible if driven in or after snow then not rinsed off. Since this truck is so low mileage for its age I'm thinking, or at least hoping it was not driven in inclimate weather much.
The drive to look at it does not bother me if the pictures I'm requesting show no rust through or blistering. I've been looking a couple years for a Ford or Dodge 3/4ton manual that I consider all stock and rust free. I drove almost as far for a low mileage no rust TJ I bought a few years back, I just dont know a lot about what to look for on this gen truck beyond obvious rust issues.

 

[Snake15eyes1998]

I've found a 2003 2500, 5.9 I6, manual, with 109K miles that I'm going to try to go look at once my work schedule allows, looking like early next week at earliest.
It's over four hours drive each way but by the pictures it looks fairly clean all stock (no visible mods, stock wheels, stock suspension, and stock exhaust).
I've mainly owned Ford trucks so is there anything that I should specifically look out for on this gen Dodge truck?
I'm asking the seller for some up close pictures of the fender wells and rockers before I make the trip down to look at it. Are there any other areas of body or frame prone to rust in this gen truck?
We use heavy brine during snows so rust is highly possible if driven in or after snow then not rinsed off. Since this truck is so low mileage for its age I'm thinking, or at least hoping it was not driven in inclimate weather much.
The drive to look at it does not bother me if the pictures I'm requesting show no rust through or blistering. I've been looking a couple years for a Ford or Dodge 3/4ton manual that I consider all stock and rust free. I drove almost as far for a low mileage no rust TJ I bought a few years back, I just dont know a lot about what to look for on this gen truck beyond obvious rust issues.[/QUOTE

5.9 Cummins or 5.9 magnum? For that kind of mileage. Id be very excited to get my hands on it( if it's a Cummins) . how much are they asking. That would be the first place to start.

 

[HemiLonestar]

5.9 Cummins or 5.9 magnum? For that kind of mileage. Id be very excited to get my hands on it( if it's a Cummins) . how much are they asking. That would be the first place to start.

1. Gotta learn how to quote and not type inside of it lol
2. He said "5.9 I6", that beyond anything else tells you it's a Cummins.

I've found a 2003 2500, 5.9 I6, manual, with 109K miles that I'm going to try to go look at once my work schedule allows, looking like early next week at earliest.
It's over four hours drive each way but by the pictures it looks fairly clean all stock (no visible mods, stock wheels, stock suspension, and stock exhaust).
I've mainly owned Ford trucks so is there anything that I should specifically look out for on this gen Dodge truck?
I'm asking the seller for some up close pictures of the fender wells and rockers before I make the trip down to look at it. Are there any other areas of body or frame prone to rust in this gen truck?
We use heavy brine during snows so rust is highly possible if driven in or after snow then not rinsed off. Since this truck is so low mileage for its age I'm thinking, or at least hoping it was not driven in inclimate weather much.
The drive to look at it does not bother me if the pictures I'm requesting show no rust through or blistering. I've been looking a couple years for a Ford or Dodge 3/4ton manual that I consider all stock and rust free. I drove almost as far for a low mileage no rust TJ I bought a few years back, I just dont know a lot about what to look for on this gen truck beyond obvious rust issues.

1. Get ready for that Cummins tax lol.
2. With early 3rd gen HD's it'll be cracked dash (either panel) and see if it has death wobble on the test drive (google "3rd gen ram death wobble").
3. Look for rot/rust under the bed, especially around the rear wheelhouses and the frame rail ends. Biggest body rust areas tend to be bottom door panels, rear wheelhouses/bed and rockers.
4. See #1 again, especially with that mileage lol.
Keep us posted (pics are always good)

 

[Snake15eyes1998]

1. Gotta learn how to quote and not type inside of it lol
2. He said "5.9 I6", that beyond anything else tells you it's a Cummins.



1. Get ready for that Cummins tax lol.
2. With early 3rd gen HD's it'll be cracked dash (either panel) and see if it has death wobble on the test drive (google "3rd gen ram death wobble").
3. Look for rot/rust under the bed, especially around the rear wheelhouses and the frame rail ends. Biggest body rust areas tend to be bottom door panels, rear wheelhouses/bed and rockers.
4. See #1 again, especially with that mileage lol.
Keep us posted (pics are always good)

Well maybe, they made a rare I6 Magnum hahaha my bad. My eye didn't catch the I6.

 

[HemiLonestar]

Well maybe, they made a rare I6 Magnum hahaha my bad. My eye didn't catch the I6.

**** happens lol

 

[DpSyChO]

1. Gotta learn how to quote and not type inside of it lol
2. He said "5.9 I6", that beyond anything else tells you it's a Cummins.



1. Get ready for that Cummins tax lol.
2. With early 3rd gen HD's it'll be cracked dash (either panel) and see if it has death wobble on the test drive (google "3rd gen ram death wobble").
3. Look for rot/rust under the bed, especially around the rear wheelhouses and the frame rail ends. Biggest body rust areas tend to be bottom door panels, rear wheelhouses/bed and rockers.
4. See #1 again, especially with that mileage lol.
Keep us posted (pics are always good)

I just looked into the dash, looks like at the very least overlays are available reasonable cost.
I've done some offroading over the years and experienced death wobble in a couple of the rigs I had. These trucks may be exception but complete front end replacement of tre's and ball joints and one case also wheel bearings fixed the death wobbles I encountered.
#3 is exactly what I was looking for, thank you. I'll ask seller to get me some pics of those areas if possible since it's rather far drive down.
I'm one of those people that would buy a vehicle with dents in every panel before one with a couple of quarter size blisters of rust but straight body otherwise. I tend to keep vehicles for a while and 20 years from now the dents will still just be dents, the blistering paint with rust underneath may be gaping holes by then.

 

[Bill Knight]

I would agree that it's a Cummins, here heard tell of an inline 6 this day and age. Famous in the early years up to 96 in the F series. Haven't heard tell of in a Ram for awhile.

 

[392DevilDog]

So. Looking at my 03 Hemi 2500...

Headlights. See if they are glazed over.

Heater/ air conditioner. The blend doors on these are notorious for not working. Ours only has the dash vents working. This is expensive time consuming or a hack to fix.

Also look at the air conditioning under the hood. Back on the firewall ours rusted out.

Ours has the aforementioned rust. Open the rear door. Ours rusted clean through from under the truck. Our bed is soft when you walk on it. They set the truck up so the body hangs back down to hide the frame. All along the underside of the rockers. They won't who signs looking from out side the truck. You have to get under and look back.

Windows. A good many people have issue with only the drivers switch controlling the windows.

The rear brake line runs right between the fuel tank and the frame. They rust and blow out right there.

Other than that mechanically ours is sound and works well.

 

[Smokeybear01]

With all that's been mentioned, I would add since it's a Cummins that when you go to look at it, while it's idling unscrew the oil fill cap and just calmly set it over the threads (assuming there isn't anything milky with the oil or deposits on the cap itself) and see if there is any blowby out the oil filler hole. If the caps jumps up at all (not from vibration) WALK AWAY. That's a sure sign you'll be looking at major money real soon. Good luck,