25 years since 2 gen debut

[Wayne M.]

I guess it’s been 25 years since the game changing overhaul of the Dodge Ram. I found this on Twitter today.

I recall fondly the anticipation of this truck, and going down to the dealer to see one on the sales floor. It was a red top, white bottom V10 dually. I was blown away.

 

[jgillott]

My local dealer had a dark grey 2500 regular cab 2x4 on the lot as the 1st 2nd Gen on the ground. Loved it the 1st time I saw it.

I didn't pull the trigger on one until July of 2000 however.

 

[EDankievitch]

Same here, Loved the "New" truck the first time I saw it. But the finances were not right until Feb 2002. That was a nice truck the 02. To this day I miss the seats and the cab. I wish Ram would bring back that Super cab. I don't need a Crew cab but a Standard cab is just not quite enough. The Cab and a half was just right for me.
That said My Ex's Father in law had bought the very first Club cab to hit Long Island. it was a 1500. Dodge hadn't quite got it right as the cab would flex and pop the rear window out. He first noticed water in the cab after washing it the dealer tried a glass shop tried to reinstall the window. all would be good until he'd pull into a parking lot or driveway with a slight hill at an angle. The cab would flex and out would go the glass. Lemon lawed it and truck number 2 was awesome never had any issues with it. Things happen..... Dodge learned and ended up making a great cab/ truck. I never had an issue with the cab or the truck on my 02. Just had issues with a really incompetent dealer. Ruined the truck. They out of business now. And I still drive a RAM....

 

[Wayne M.]

ED, what dealer was that out on LI?

 

[EDankievitch]

The dealer that screwed my truck was Thomas Dodge of Port Jefferson. Their service Tec was way over his head. and Clueless. I brought the truck in for a simple oil leak under warranty. The leak ended up being related to the Killer Dowel pin that people say the 24 valve engine did not have. The pin came out and the gear box bolts loosened up allowing the gasket to work it's way out. I started dumping oil on the highway on a trip returning from Fla. I was going to do the repair my self until I remembered I was still under warranty. I should have done it my self, I'd probably still own the truck had I.... Somewhere along the way The dealer's shop Tec when re assembling the engine/ truck he forgot the basics. On the engine he screwed up the cam timing which threw off what information the computer saw. The engine would run but very poorly Lots of smoke on start up and it would surge at idle like a Detroit 71 series with a very sticky rack. After about 300-1000 miles it would just lay down and die. Run but No power no throttle. The dealer installed 4 injection pumps and replaced the turbo. Each time things got worse. I was told that they were doing what Star had authorized to do and how to go about fixing it. When you provide Star the wrong information you get the wrong repair information. When the New turbo fell off not even 5 miles from the dealer's shop after picking up the truck I had had enough. And things got ugly.
I had checked as best as I could through the crankcase breather/ Injection pump gear retaining nut hole and as near as I could tell the cam was off by one or more teeth. Throwing off everything. Cam position sensor, Crank position sensor and the internal Injection pump position sensor were all out of sync. It would throw all kinds of strange codes that did not make much sense. Most of the time the truck would try to run in a limp mode until the computer would give up. Back in 2012 at the Cummins factory tour I had asked one of the engineers there and he had said that the dealer was very luck that the engine even ran at all with the timing being out of sync. Basic diesel engine 101.
The day I got the truck back after it took them a month to fix the oil leak the first thing I noticed was the front bumper was not even close to being aligned with the truck. I later found more than half the bolts were missing when I went to straighten the bumper. Right from the start I was not happy with what I saw with the quality of their work. Then when I started the engine I knew that things were very wrong. I brought it to the service writer's attention before I left of the issues and got told I was being too fussy. And that all those engines run like that. I had driven the truck for 65,000 miles I knew how it ran and the way it started was very wrong. Things went down hill very quickly after that. It took better part of 6 months but I finally got them to take the truck. After the new turbo fell off the engine. NO JOKE. One min all was good next the world got very loud and it lost power. The turbo was hanging on the down pipe and the oil lines completely off the exhaust manifold. I brought he truck back parked it on the side walk in front of their sales office and took off the plates and removed all my stuff. One very long ugly meeting with the owner and two days later I had a new 05 truck and never looked back though I really really liked the look and the Cab of that 2002 truck the 05 just was not as good cab and seat wise.
The dealer did me the favor as a good faith effort of undercoating the 05. It was a huge mess of under coat all over the truck's paint and windows. They gave me back every dime I had spent on that 02 and put it down on the 05. My monthly payments ended up being a bit less. That was in Sept 2005 the nightmare started in Feb of 05 it was a long road until it all got resolved. I know of roughly a dozen other people that had their trucks and cars screwed up by them. In 2008 Dodge/ Ram pulled their dealer ship. They tried to sell used cars and water sports and ATV's but in the end they closed for good. Today Port Jeff Jeep is now the only Ram truck dealer and service shop in town. They have taken the steps to make sure their shop Tec's go to school and are up on their training. Their shop is new and very clean. They seem to give a dam about the job they do. at least that is how they have treated me. They even went the extra mile when the 2012 truck ended up being a lemon. They were the ones that went ahead and started the paperwork that got me out of the truck and into the 13 I now own. Even though I was willing to give one more "fix" a try they said No more lets get you out of that truck. The 13 now 101k miles later is still going. there have been a few bumps along the way (software and recalls) but all in all it's a good truck.

 

[KATOOM]

Are we reminiscing about the 2nd gen...or listing mechanical history?

 

[Wayne M.]

Are we reminiscing about the 2nd gen...or listing mechanical history?

Me? Just reminiscing- and feeling old.
I always wanted a 2 gen CTD, but it never happened. I did look at a ‘01 sport QCSB 5 speed but the salesman bugged when I took out my creeper for a ride below. I found a rusty diff cover with RTV squished out and a butchered engine harness. They wanted beyond top dollar too. Shame.

 

[KATOOM]

I can remember taking my first test drive in a 2nd gen... It was a 12 valve 5 speed. At that moment I wanted one but had to wait a few more years before I could afford anything. Then I found my truck and its been with me ever since.

 

[DHayden]

Thank you for making me feel old. Still have my 2001.5 4X4 6 speed manual, ext cab....It has less rust underneath than my 2015.

 

[RVTRKN]

Bought a red 94 2500 360 2X2 in 94, I couldn’t afford the 5.9 5spd manual. I recall people thumbs upping me for the first 6 months. Loved the truck until my 04.5, (see sig) soooooo much better

 

[EDankievitch]

Sorry I got carried away. My experience with my 02 truck brings up bad thoughts..... It was a really great truck.

 

[TFucili]

I didn't get on board until my 3rd Gen '05, but I had come within a whisker of getting a 1st Gen in '92. In the end I decided to milk my pos '87 Ford/Cornbinder along a while longer. Whew, my wallet would have been devastated had I started modding a 12 valve

 

[jgillott]

I didn't get on board until my 3rd Gen '05, but I had come within a whisker of getting a 1st Gen in '92. In the end I decided to milk my pos '87 Ford/Cornbinder along a while longer. Whew, my wallet would have been devastated had I started modding a 12 valve

My progression was an '85 Chevy K20 with a 6.2 to my former '92 W250. It was a red over white LE extended cab. Loved that truck. I ran over a wheel and tire assembly that was bouncing down the highway one afternoon coming home from work. I'm very lucky not to have wrecked the truck. Anyway, it absolutely destroyed the bottom of the truck. Trans crossmember bent, driveshaft, etc. I had it fixed, but it was never right again. Traded it on my '01 Regular Cab then in July of 2000.

 

[NIsaacs]

I am always talking about mine, so, just a picture

 

[DHayden]

I keep finding images of my truck on Diesel Performance websites and youtube...ofcourse they dont ask my permission, a compliment I suppose.

 

[Bob4x4]

I ordered my 94 2500 4x4 5speed in June of 93.It showed up in December,just in time to avoid the cat.
After a long run I finally let it go to a new home where it got a beautiful restoration and has just become available again.Cjc (a so cal Carli dealer)is accepting offers