Making some sacrifices...Advice needed...

[JCleary]

I'm selling my dream truck, the Ram in my sig. to help get ready for buying a house.



Can you 3rd gen guys help me decide whether to get a '98 12v or newer 24v?



Anyone traded up and wished they had stuck with the older one?



I'm thinking about a '98 12v auto 4x4, or early 24v auto 4x4. I'd rather spend the $$$ on an ATS or SunCoast trans than shift for a few years.



I need the price to be in the $16k to $18k range, to leave some $$$ for Bombs

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

JCleary you might do a search, there was a long thread about this not too terribly long ago about guys going back to older trucks or wishing to do that after getting a 3G.



I sold my '03 and got this '96 and while it lacks in a lot of ways compared to the '03 I sure don't miss the payment (sold it so I could buy a house too). The '96 does well and while the 12-valve has its own set of tempermental issues I am pretty happy with it.



I mostly like the 12v because it's quieter and I don't have a ECM telling my engine what to do, and it's easy to get some decent power out of. Other than that I do find myself wishing I had a 24 valve sometimes since you can increase power and still have good smoke manners which is more difficult on a 12v.



Vaughn

 

[Bertram65]

How much are you asking for your truck?

 

[JCleary]

$35k. KBB pegs a good condition stock truck around here at 32k. I figure with 8k in mods I'm not asking too much.

 

[jackcaptjr]

JC good luck on your sale. In many ways I wish I had the 99 back. Never owned the 12er but sure liked the Gen-2 I had

 

[coobie]

I'm selling my dream truck, the Ram in my sig. to help get ready for buying a house.



Can you 3rd gen guys help me decide whether to get a '98 12v or newer 24v?



Anyone traded up and wished they had stuck with the older one?



I'm thinking about a '98 12v auto 4x4, or early 24v auto 4x4. I'd rather spend the $$$ on an ATS or SunCoast trans than shift for a few years.



I need the price to be in the $16k to $18k range, to leave some $$$ for Bombs

Sorry you live in CA. I have a good buddy who is going to sell his 98 12 v 4X4 reg cab (slt)5 speed with 94,000 miles for $13,000. I wished you lived closer to Michigan,its a nice truck. coobie

 

[Snoxracer]

I now have owned them all, a 97 12v, 00 24v, and now a new 05 (for three weeks). And I would have to say that I really liked the 12v for the motor. I did just a few minor things to the pump and it ran awesome and the best thing was it didn't cost an arm and a leg to get power out of it like the electronic motors. But I wouldn't want to go back to the older trucks because of the creature features! Moon roof, gps, satelite radio, better mirrors... ... So if I was in your shoes I would go with the 12valver!



Snoxracer

 

[JCleary]

Thanks a lot for the replies.



Snoxracer--I'm leaning towards a '98 regular cab 4x4, I just have to find one.



coobie--That truck sounds just about perfect!



And I *am* going to miss the heated seats, leather, dual zone a/c, etc.



Oh well, I'll just take out a 2nd in a year or two and get a new

'07 Mega Cab Dually with the 6. 4 Cummins!!! (I hope)



Oh, and of course keep the '98 for drag racing my buddies in their Fords and D-max trucks

 

[CMBOld]

Hey Snoxracer, you must have the "SON" in your eyes!! ... . thanks,glad your there,Mike

 

[Snoxracer]

I try to keep the SON in my eyes!



Snoxracer

 

[DMcMahon]

My first reply ... couldn't think of a better way to start: I have to keep the "SON" in my eyes! Can't make it over here w/o Him! I'm in Kuwait right now but soon back on the good USA soil!! I pick up my new '05 3500 on the July 1st. I can hardly wait.



Don N7BD

 

[tschwab]

$35k. KBB pegs a good condition stock truck around here at 32k. I figure with 8k in mods I'm not asking too much.

JCleary - I don't want to burst your bubble, but KBB is usually a little on the high side, try NADA. Also, a truck with a lot of mods USUALLY does not bring in any extra cash. Personally, I stay away from buying any vehicle that has been modded. And with most guys being able to buy at or below invoice AND get the rebates/Farm Bureau/Financing incentives, most will opt for a new truck if they are going to spend 35k. I paid just slightly more for my '05 3500 Laramie. NADA pegs your truck at $31,650 with 45K miles, I hope the market bears more for you, but vehicles are a lousy investment.



I just sold my '96 5th wheel which had a book value of 13K+, cleanest, well kept unit you would ever hope to find, 4 weeks of heavy advertising in the RV trader and the local newspaper and not 1 phone call, had a picture ad posted at Camping World, guy came out to look at it and I finally sold it, but it sold for less than book as I was tired of trying to sell it for 4 weeks and needed to move it.



GOOD LUCK, keep us posted.

 

[CMBOld]

Hey Don, I'm 51 years old , over the years I've seen a bunch of changes in our way of life in the U. S. A. Been a drywall mech. for 30 years, too broken down so had to stop. Now work in our defence industry building shipfitted long range (erasers) , we make sure they" function first time". Don't think for a second that you are taken for granted and forgotten,being American is reason enough to be proud but our freedom is bought by guys like you, I'm proud to call you friend, blessed to call you brother,Mike

 

[CATCRACKER]

sold my 03 now i have a 12v could not be happier. 3rd gen was nice but 12v's rock after having a 99 03 my 97 is the best no doubts.

 

[MMeier]

I mostly like the 12v because it's quieter



Vaughn

Vaughn, you hard of hearing or something, I've never heard a "quiet" 12 V.

 

[EBottema]

MM-

Vaughn means they are quieter than a 24v engine.



I am a little bias but I did all the research about a year ago when I bought my truck. WOW, its been that long already, I'm still in love, thats a good sign LOL.

Good things about 24V- easy box can change settings on the fly, quad cab doors cab be helpful, nv5600 option...

I love the 97 down 12v because- minimal electronic parts on engine, good sized back seat compared to quad cab, single air bag, less complication, very good engine, less valves to wear, no vp44... I choose a 12v based on those reasons and I do feel it will last longer than any other cummins made to date b/c of its simpicity. No matter what year you get, you cannot go wrong!



Good luck... . 96-97 12v's can be had for under 10k... and if you put about 5k into it, you will have a great great truck for a long time. Start looking on ebay, thats what I did, got my federal truck into california from oregon!

 

[Tim]

I paid less than $35k for my brand new Laramie QC. Good luck.



I'd keep your truck if i were you. You're going to lose big time. I'd be shocked to even see you get $30k for an 03, and if it's got over 50k miles or so, I'd be shocked to see over $28.

 

[JCleary]

I dunno. I was talking to the girlfriend today, and she doesn't want me to sell it. I'm trying to do the responsible thing, and she's telling me to keep it!



This auto broker guy down the street offered me $30k cash on the spot, but I held out. I'm not going to take that big of a hit. My truck has 25k miles on it, and it was built in August of '03. So it's not an "old" '03.



Looking at a lot of the ads around here, the '03 and '04 Laramies are few and far between, and almost all of them are CA SO's with a 47RE. Those are listed anywhere from $30k-$35k, depending on mileage. Those are all stock, as well.



I pulled the box out of my truck so I could ebay it, but man, do I miss it. Did 200+ miles today, and I thought: "Glad I don't have a CA SO!"



I might just take my g/f's advice and keep the truck. Heck, since I have the box pulled, it might be a good time to upgrade to a TST (love the quad, just need a reason for a new clutch)



On Edit: I wish there were dealers around here that give deals like Tomeygun at Lou Fusz (sp?). All the dealers around here, *if* they have diesel trucks, they think they're "rare" and "special" and are marked up $2-$5k. Then they try to tell you you're getting a deal at MSRP.



I'm going to STL when I'm buying my Mega Cab. I know I'll get a good deal.

 

[Tim]

Dave Smith motors out in your end of the country is giving even better deals than Tomeygun sometimes. The reason your dealer thinks a truck on the lot is "Rare" and "special" is that he's stuck with it. I loved the fact that I ordered mine... . I don't care what they've got on the lot, I want MY truck that I ordered .

 

[TX Gooseneck]

You should have jumped at the 30k. For the life of me, I can't figure out why the prices on the 03's are so lofty. I paid right at 30k for mine new.



I just bought a 96 12v 4x4 club cab with NV4500. Slt with all options. Truck looks phenominal and runs great, just needs to have a new crank seal and clutch put in. I enjoy driving it because it throws me back to when I looked at one in 96 and fell in love with dodges. But the 04. 5 is a much better truck. Although the 05 is a different story...