Too Good To Be True?

[Purkster]

First of all, thank you for providing a site for previous/future Ram owners. My 2024 1500 Ram Limited was totaled in October - thank goodness for the build quality of the Ram truck. My wife and I made it out unscathed other than sore neck and back. So, we are on the lookout for another Ram truck. Long story short, we purchased a 10,000 lb gross weight boat/trailer so we need a larger truck. I've spotted a 2024 Ram 2500 diesel that should do the trick. It has <15K miles. The carfax shows a purchase in March '24, the battery having been replaced in May, then listed for sale in August. Dealership has certified the vehicle and the price is $65K. The MSRP was $94K. Looking for guidance/thoughts on this one. Seems too good to be true. I would test drive before purchasing, but is there anything I can do re: due diligence to ensure the truck is everything it should be?

 

[Papa Red]

Welcome to the forum.

Red

 

[Purkster]

Not t having received a ton of replies, let’s try this.

We are wondering if we should consider an extended warranty beyond the current manufacture warranty.

In addition, is there documentation of items that required attention prior to reselling the vehicle (e.g. touch up paint, repairing dings/dents, etc.) that should be available to us?

Should they also be in a position to share engine diagnostics, or at least the results of the 125 point inspection?

Appreciate all responses.

 

[Atcer2018]

Not t having received a ton of replies, let’s try this.

We are wondering if we should consider an extended warranty beyond the current manufacture warranty.

In addition, is there documentation of items that required attention prior to reselling the vehicle (e.g. touch up paint, repairing dings/dents, etc.) that should be available to us?

Should they also be in a position to share engine diagnostics, or at least the results of the 125 point inspection?

Appreciate all responses.

Hello, as far as warranties go I personally believe it’s a decision only you can make. I’ve only ever purchased one and didn’t use it. I consider myself lucky that I’ve never owned a true lemon of a vehicle. That said everyone has different skill levels and if you are not so inclined to do the work yourself then an extended warranty may be a good choice. I’m pretty mechanically inclined but reading through some of these posts I pale in comparison to the experience of many others and yet other owners have even less experience. If you do go the extended warranty route there are dealers that offer MOPAR warranties at deep discounts and other posters can fill you in on who to use.

As for what the selling dealer may or may not disclose it depends on that dealer. My present 1500 was purchased as a certified pre-owned vehicle. The selling dealer provided a comprehensive checklist of “items” that were checked to meet the certification requirement by Ram. Even though said items and systems were checked I found out the cruise control didn’t work about an hour after purchase. It wound up being the switch on the steering wheel and was replaced under warranty but supposedly it was one of the items checked prior to sale. As for paint and cosmetic blemishes I’d note them at the time of presale inspection as it’s too easy for any dealer to say you did the damage. I’ve purchased used vehicles from dealers that were accommodating with blemishes after the sale and a few that flat out refused repair after you drive off the lot. Best to note in writing any issues you find and get an agreement from the dealer that they will correct them. Also be advised that if you purchase the vehicle from one dealer you may not have the ability to get the cosmetic repair done at a different dealer. One dealer isn’t going to accept what a different dealer promises to make right.

 

[Dean2]

Deal sounds okay. I am not a fan of extended warranties, have never owned a vehicle where one would have paid off, and now with the financial problems Stallantis has, I would not be buying extended warranty for them. Also, if you read the thread on here about current problems getting anything fixed under the extended warranty you will see what financial stress does to customer service.

MaxCare Lifetime Warranty Issues

My 8-speed tranny is failing on me. The local dealer confirmed various issues and submitted a request to Chrysler for it to be replaced two weeks ago. I have the Lifetime Chrysler MaxCare warranty. It’s showed as “Pending” in Chrysler’s system ever since and my dealer says there’s nothing they...

www.ramforum.com

To be honest, if I was buying a new pickup today, it would not be a RAM. I have owned almost all makes of pickups, and if Toyota made a pickup with the capacity I needed I would own that but the North American ones are about the only ones made for hauling large weight. Chev or Ford would be what I would be shopping for today and if I wanted a diesel I would lean towards the Chev.

 

[mikeru]

This truck will still be covered under the manufacturer's warranty. I would avoid purchasing an extended warranty from the selling dealership. But if you really want one I'd recommend buying a Mopar warranty from Grainger Motors. They are a forum vendor and have some of the most competitive prices around. But with any contract like this you really need to read the fine print to understand what is and isn't covered by them. They are not the same as the factory warranty no matter what a sales rep tells you, and do not cover everything the factory warranty covers.

GrangerMotors

www.ramforum.com

 

[Purkster]

Deal sounds okay. I am not a fan of extended warranties, have never owned a vehicle where one would have paid off, and now with the financial problems Stallantis has, I would not be buying extended warranty for them. Also, if you read the thread on here about current problems getting anything fixed under the extended warranty you will see what financial stress does to customer service.

MaxCare Lifetime Warranty Issues

My 8-speed tranny is failing on me. The local dealer confirmed various issues and submitted a request to Chrysler for it to be replaced two weeks ago. I have the Lifetime Chrysler MaxCare warranty. It’s showed as “Pending” in Chrysler’s system ever since and my dealer says there’s nothing they...

www.ramforum.com

To be honest, if I was buying a new pickup today, it would not be a RAM. I have owned almost all makes of pickups, and if Toyota made a pickup with the capacity I needed I would own that but the North American ones are about the only ones made for hauling large weight. Chev or Ford would be what I would be shopping for today and if I wanted a diesel I would lean towards the Chev.

Great info. Much appreciated. I am still partial to Ram, especially if this deal pans out. If not, I wouldn't be opposed to taking a look at other brands, but I'd possibly look at GMC as well. Although, there seems to be a plethora of GMC's available, which seems odd. Likely due to the fact that they are less forgiving on price. Crazy expensive no matter the brand.

 

[Purkster]

This truck will still be covered under the manufacturer's warranty. I would avoid purchasing an extended warranty from the selling dealership. But if you really want one I'd recommend buying a Mopar warranty from Grainger Motors. They are a forum vendor and have some of the most competitive prices around. But with any contract like this you really need to read the fine print to understand what is and isn't covered by them. They are not the same as the factory warranty no matter what a sales rep tells you, and do not cover everything the factory warranty covers.

GrangerMotors

www.ramforum.com

Got it. I did see that extended warranties don't really pay off, and I don't normally purchase them if looking at brand new vehicles. I suppose it was the extra security I was considering when purchasing used. I'll have to look at Grainger Motors and compare with Mopar. Appreciate the response.

 

[Jerrybob]

Any possibility of taking the truck to an independent mechanic of your choosing to be checked out?? Price is good but still a lot of money.

 

[Purkster]

Hello, as far as warranties go I personally believe it’s a decision only you can make. I’ve only ever purchased one and didn’t use it. I consider myself lucky that I’ve never owned a true lemon of a vehicle. That said everyone has different skill levels and if you are not so inclined to do the work yourself then an extended warranty may be a good choice. I’m pretty mechanically inclined but reading through some of these posts I pale in comparison to the experience of many others and yet other owners have even less experience. If you do go the extended warranty route there are dealers that offer MOPAR warranties at deep discounts and other posters can fill you in on who to use.

As for what the selling dealer may or may not disclose it depends on that dealer. My present 1500 was purchased as a certified pre-owned vehicle. The selling dealer provided a comprehensive checklist of “items” that were checked to meet the certification requirement by Ram. Even though said items and systems were checked I found out the cruise control didn’t work about an hour after purchase. It wound up being the switch on the steering wheel and was replaced under warranty but supposedly it was one of the items checked prior to sale. As for paint and cosmetic blemishes I’d note them at the time of presale inspection as it’s too easy for any dealer to say you did the damage. I’ve purchased used vehicles from dealers that were accommodating with blemishes after the sale and a few that flat out refused repair after you drive off the lot. Best to note in writing any issues you find and get an agreement from the dealer that they will correct them. Also be advised that if you purchase the vehicle from one dealer you may not have the ability to get the cosmetic repair done at a different dealer. One dealer isn’t going to accept what a different dealer promises to make right.

All great info. Although they have certified the vehicle, I will plan on having it inspected by a private party as well - especially given the information you've provided. I would expect that all blemishes would be addressed by the dealer, but I'm hoping to find this out through a summary of repairs made prior to them offering the vehicle for sale. I am a bit concerned that they had to replace the battery, so I'm also hoping they can provide info on this as well. I've since read horror stories about parasitic draw. I'd want to be quite confident this isn't an issue with the vehicle. I'm not too mechanically inclined, so I'll be depending on others to provide guidance/details on anything mechanical. Thank you for taking the time to respond.

 

[Purkster]

Any possibility of taking the truck to an independent mechanic of your choosing to be checked out?? Price is good but still a lot of money.

I'm thinking this is a must. I don't know any independent mechanics in the area, but I'll begin researching to see who is reputable/qualified. I may just take the truck to another Ram dealer to see if they would duplicate the 125-point inspection - at a cost of course. Appreciate your input.

 

[Dean2]

All great info. Although they have certified the vehicle, I will plan on having it inspected by a private party as well - especially given the information you've provided. I would expect that all blemishes would be addressed by the dealer, but I'm hoping to find this out through a summary of repairs made prior to them offering the vehicle for sale. I am a bit concerned that they had to replace the battery, so I'm also hoping they can provide info on this as well. I've since read horror stories about parasitic draw. I'd want to be quite confident this isn't an issue with the vehicle. I'm not too mechanically inclined, so I'll be depending on others to provide guidance/details on anything mechanical. Thank you for taking the time to respond.

Make sure they replaced both batteries. Doing just one is asking for trouble.

 

[mikeru]

Got it. I did see that extended warranties don't really pay off, and I don't normally purchase them if looking at brand new vehicles. I suppose it was the extra security I was considering when purchasing used. I'll have to look at Grainger Motors and compare with Mopar. Appreciate the response.

Just to clarify, Grainger Motors sells Mopar warranties. There is nothing to compare there. If anything you'll want to compare Mopar extended warranties with 3rd party warranties (which I would not recommend).

 

[Harley Harrold]

 

[Purkster]

Nice! Thank you for your service.

 

[M376X6]

Given today's electronics and sophisticated mechanical components and especially the cost of labor I consider an extended warranty a good investment. But not all warranties are created equal. Some don't cover entertainment systems and the cost of repairing/ replacing the system in one of my vehicles will easily top $5,000. And I suppose mostly for me, with an extended warranty, I don't have the "What if this happens" in the back of my mind. Peace of mind.

 

[turkeybird56]

First of all, thank you for providing a site for previous/future Ram owners. My 2024 1500 Ram Limited was totaled in October - thank goodness for the build quality of the Ram truck. My wife and I made it out unscathed other than sore neck and back. So, we are on the lookout for another Ram truck. Long story short, we purchased a 10,000 lb gross weight boat/trailer so we need a larger truck. I've spotted a 2024 Ram 2500 diesel that should do the trick. It has <15K miles. The carfax shows a purchase in March '24, the battery having been replaced in May, then listed for sale in August. Dealership has certified the vehicle and the price is $65K. The MSRP was $94K. Looking for guidance/thoughts on this one. Seems too good to be true. I would test drive before purchasing, but is there anything I can do re: due diligence to ensure the truck is everything it should be?

Find out which battery was replaced and the 2500 should have 2 batteries. Make them replace the 2nd battery on their dime. U always replace both batteries on dual setups at same time.

 

[Purkster]

Given today's electronics and sophisticated mechanical components and especially the cost of labor I consider an extended warranty a good investment. But not all warranties are created equal. Some don't cover entertainment systems and the cost of repairing/ replacing the system in one of my vehicles will easily top $5,000. And I suppose mostly for me, with an extended warranty, I don't have the "What if this happens" in the back of my mind. Peace of mind.

I’ve decided against purchasing this vehicle. The dealership, after several requests, would not send photos of the rear of the vehicle. I then face timed with the sales person and he would not walk to the rear of the vehicle. Buying used is always a crap shoot. Clearly there was something they didn’t want me to see. He said he had another call he needed to get to so he’d call me back. I haven’t heard back from him. How they were selling as a certified vehicle is beyond me.

 

[NashTT]

Not only would I not buy the truck, I would steer clear of that dealer, although letting the management/owner know why might make you feel better.

 

[turkeybird56]

100% agree. If they cannot be upfront from the get go time to walk. With as many vehicles out there sitting on lots have faith U will find something else.