Took a leap of faith.... and FACE PLANTED Used 2012 Longhorn 3500

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Mopardon Me

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Mar 20, 2020
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Location
Olympic Peninsula Washington
Ram Year
2012, 2008, 2004, 2002
Engine
6.7, 5.7, 5.7, 4.7
Took a leap of faith and went to Idaho to get a 2012 Longhorn 3500. Was told it was not a hopped up kid's truck (not judging!). 185K miles. Also a 250K mile 1500 Bighorn for cheap. Claim was "SOLID TRUCK". Found a gooseneck tandem dually just 8 miles from dealer for a great price, arranged to have it delivered to dealer last Thursday Rented a car, drove to Idaho, dropped off rental. Got to dealer, truck was hovering over a puddle of coolant and another of oil. Uh-oh....
Do you ever get that voice that says "RUN!"???? Ok, so I didn't listen. Said my goodbyes, wondered how I was going to get my new/used trailer back to the Washington coast without a truck....
Sales dude starts making promises. Talks me into test driving. It was ok, not great. Lots of noise and power, more power than I expected. They took into service, said code showed thermostat stuck?... (did not overheat), airbag lite was a door sensor, lack of 4x4 low range was a pin, they fixed it. Leak gone. I was ready to sign becaused they promised that even tho the used truck was sold as-is, they would cover the pre-existing issues, which seemed fair, considering what an engine can cost..
Went to sign and stated I wanted to buy a warranty. Ok... then the nice finance fellow returns and says "NO" to the warranty. Truck has been DELETED, so no warranty. Here's the "New Guy" to modern diesels part: I said "how is it deleted? It's sitting outside, I can see it?" Honest to God, I didn't know. My last diesel was an old Ford (can you use that 4 letter word here?)
Crap, the truck has what looks like 5 inch exhaust, Fox 2.0 Resivour shocks all around, chipped, bla bla. I needed a buddy there to hit me with a pipe wrench and drag me away.
Ok, so no warranty, I'm ready to bail, manager says he will knock off another $2000 because of no warranty... I agreed so long as pre-existing issues dealt with. "OH YEAH!" No problem".
So I paid for the 2008 Bighorn 1500, did a loan on the 3500, hooked up and headed west.
Did I mention I did NOT get that in writing?...
Ellensberg, Wa. Check the fuel and fill with coolant. ...
Then Cle Elum, then North Bend, more coolant every 20-30 miles.

Text sales guy "I'm off now, Call manager. We got yer back dude!"
Ended up towing it the last 10 miles.
Next day, get ladder, mirror, light, climb inside searched for source of the orange Nile. It is now idling and POURING out coolant. Climb under got douched. Back on top, mirror under thermostat housing, heres coolant poouring out of head gasket. Right under the Thermo housing.

Call dealer,........... Do I need to go on? I was essentially told "As-is, please go breed yourself."
I know, ya'll are probably wondering why I didn't walk...? I don't know. The whole deal stank. Warning buzzers everywhere. I guess I was stoned by the dually with heated leather and all that....
Dealer made me sign an arbitration agreement. Shoulda walked! But...I had their promise to fix pre-existing. Damn! Arbitration to be held in Idaho. Hell, the dealer owns the whole town. Yeah, that will be fair....
Is it legal or liable to make a You Tube Video if I only state my OPINION?
More importantly, what does an old helo mech do with a dodge head gasket issue. Is the 6.7 a beast to fix? Am I likely to find a cracked head? I see something about head studs but thought that was Ford's 6 leaker.
Anyone know what the dealer will charge for a head gasket job? Get lawyer? Get hosed? Get a job? This old vet may need a job to pay for head fix I bet. Afraid to ask cost. Local Ram place is $129 per hour.
Ok, All ears for suggestions if any of yall have had issues with the 6.7 head. I know there's lots of issues with the dealer. Found out after this issue started. NOT the place it used to be. Friends used to buy there clear back in the 90's and the owner man himself would come out to meet every buyer.
Hope this is posted in the right place. Tempted to start wrenching. Tempted to have local dealer fix and then call lawyer. Tempted to take up booze ....
Cheers!
OH! Almost forgot... The 1500 Bighorn with 250K needed a full brake job, rotors were gouged, so all new parts, 4 hours, no biggie. Truck is a dandy! Drives like my 2004 in Alaska. Was a good deal. Engine makes no smoke, noise, or blowby. The cheap truck was the far better deal. Eats fuel like all 5.7 engines. Don't care, we'll drill the other planets later.
 

OC455

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Military
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Location
Central NY
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2018, 2019
Engine
5.7 Hemi Big Horn, 6.4L Hemi 3500 Longhorn Mega cab
Making an assumption here, but I don't think there is any real difference changing out a head gasket on a diesel or gasoline engine if it is a bad gasket. Only way to know pull the head off.
 

15 Handicap

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Central Florida
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2018
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Blue Streak Pearl Coat 3.6
They probably put the old gasket on when they changed the thermostat. Or didn't get all the old one off and slapped a new one on over it.
 

mtnrider

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Georgia
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2016
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6.7 Cummins
Man that sucks. Every time I see someone looking for truck buying advise I always say Never, ever, ever buy a deleted/tuned diesel. It doesn't take much to destroy one when you start adding power..
If you pull the head I would go ahead and add aftermarket head studs while you are in there given the truck is tuned.

Good luck, hope you can get it fixed and back on the road without too much pain to the wallet.

.
 

azcoyote

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Location
Phoenix
Ram Year
2019
Engine
5.7
I cannot speak to your mechanical issues but I can tell you to consider documenting all that you can. Get them to admit to all that you can. Screenshot text messages. Assuming your state allows, mine does, record the phone calls and get them to admit they promised to fix those issues. This will give your lawyer as much ammo as you can get. The phone call recording only takes a $15 earpiece and a micro recorder. Well worth the effort if you decide you have to go a legal route. Even would help if you have arbitration. You may be able to attend that telephonically so don’t rule it out.
 

KiloHotel

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Dec 25, 2015
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Ram Year
2014
Engine
5.7
I cannot speak to your mechanical issues but I can tell you to consider documenting all that you can. Get them to admit to all that you can. Screenshot text messages. Assuming your state allows, mine does, record the phone calls and get them to admit they promised to fix those issues. This will give your lawyer as much ammo as you can get. The phone call recording only takes a $15 earpiece and a micro recorder. Well worth the effort if you decide you have to go a legal route. Even would help if you have arbitration. You may be able to attend that telephonically so don’t rule it out.

They make free apps for recording your calls.
 

Denny Scales

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Winchester CA
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2005
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5.9 Diesel
Would that have been a dealer in Kellogg ???
Dave Smith ?.......I've had a couple friends that the dealer flew up to Kellog to buy a truck and a Jeep.....they both said they'd go back for their next car / truck purchase, then again, this was 20 / 25 years ago
 
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