Where to buy 2nd gen's?

[BlueSkiesRiding]

Greetings Ram owners.

Many (many) moons ago I bought a 1998 1500 Quad Cab Sport 4x2 with the 302 and the 5 speed manual. It was the first vehicle I'd ever purchased. 2 years later, gas prices had doubled (lol... to just over $2/gal), but it was enough to make it financially impossible to keep my truck. In retrospect, I should have sawed bits off of myself before selling my truck... but there we are.

I've never stopped regretting the decision and now that I'm in a position (I own a house, with a garage, etc.) 20 years later to have one as a second vehicle (or third if you count my bike)... I can't find any in decent shape.

They pop up on Carmax, autotrader and the like from time to time but they're either insanely expensive or rusting out.

Any idea where I might be able find more listings for sale? My only requirements are: black, quad cab, gas and manual transmission. I'll take the 5.2 or the 5.9 and it can be a 4x2 but a 4x4 would be preferred. I'd prefer the 1997-2000 range. Not looking for fast, modified, lifted (or dropped)... just a truck in decent shape for a decent price I do realize I'm asking for a lot lol.

Thanks fellas. Drive safe.

P.S. in case it's suggested... I am considering an SRT/10 (which are plentiful) as an alternative to "my" truck... but let's call that plan B

 

[Joe w.]

Try cargurus and craigslist

 

[Matt Bell]

I was looking on offer up, Craigslist, Facebook marketplace when I was looking for a truck. Found a lot of really nice half ton 4x4’s for under $4k. Tricky part for me was finding a 2500.

 

[BlueSkiesRiding]

Thanks fellas. That's what I'm looking for. I'd never heard of Offer Up before and as a rule of thumb I stayaway from all things FB... but FB market place does have some stuff And the price is perfect

I can imagine finding a 2500 would be tough, I didn't see many of them back in the day

Keep truckin!

 

[Spike95]

Insisting on a 5-speed will probably make the search a bit more difficult.

 

[BlueSkiesRiding]

Insisting on a 5-speed will probably make the search a bit more difficult.

Not just a bit Even when I bough the truck January 1998, the dealer put immense pressure on me to take one of the trucks they had on their lot (they were all automatics), but I wanted what I wanted.

These days, manuals transmissions are a dying (mostly dead) breed but it was one of the things I really enjoyed about my truck experience. I'm prepared to wait

 

[Matt Bell]

I would have preferred a manual as well. I wasn’t as patient, the longer I looked I was willing to bend.

 

[BlueSkiesRiding]

I would have preferred a manual as well. I wasn’t as patient, the longer I looked I was willing to bend.

Yeah, I hear that. I've bent before due to impatience (or other factors) but in this case my "plan B" will be to go after a different kind of Ram (one a little easier to get in a manual). At any rate, we'll see

 

[John Grieve]

It ain't black but I got your truck in the 4x4.