Is this a good price?

[KIKER]

My son is looking to buy a 3/4 ton pickup and found a 2004 Ram with Cummins engine for 13,200. It's auto, 4x4, long bed, with 205,000 miles. This sounds too good to be true, so what are things to look for?

 

[Simplysmn]

What's it book for ? Sound's high for the miles on it

 

[Mark31]

Kiker, with that many miles and 8 years, it should show what kind of care it has had. Has the transmission been redone/serviced, GOOD ball joints, steering box dry, stock air filter box with decently clean filter, paint ok or baked out from Texas sun (sheltered?), interior presentable, radiator clean inside and out, oil changed on schedule and good filter. ? How is the A/C and heater doors? Rear end quiet? Oversized or mismatched tires? Has it had any injector work and by who and with what parts? Shocks? How does it drive? Does it just feel like it sits in the road good? The Cummins start good hot and cold? Any programmers or mods except MAYBE a Smarty Jr would turn me off. My buddy Chris has an 03 with 280k and he wouldn't take $13,200 for a down payment for his. There is an 05-06 here with around 140k not worth $2500. Is your son old enough to realize it isn't a new truck and that he would need to operate it with "an ear to the ground"? If the truck can sell itself and not hurt itself, I would think that it is worth the price. Mark

 

[Bob4x4]

All the high mile trucks from Texas that have made their way to So Cal that I have seen have been money pits. If the plans are to use it for a ranch truck... maybe but I don't see it making it as an economical daily driver

 

[KIKER]

I think my son has decided to hold off for a while. He recently moved to Colorado and the truck was north of him about 4 hrs, so not too easy to go take a look. His family car is a '99 Chevy Surburban with 205,000 miles and his second car is a '93 Toyota Land Cruiser with 275,000 miles, so the mileage on the Dodge he was contemplating was about par for him.