Attention: TDR Forum Junkies 
You know you're a 1st Genner when........
You know you're a 1st Genner when... ... ...
1) You can't use a drive through at a fast food place because your exhaust is too noisy from lack of muffler not because of a fabulous new 4". And the help would appreciate you not smoking them out when you depart.
2) In the TDR forums, you can tell by the subject line what forum its in w/o looking because you had the same problem 300k-400k miles ago.
3) While your driving when you hear a noise or smell-> clutch, anti-freeze, brakes from other vehicles and you automatically panic, check your gauges, brakes etc. Except when your "significant other" is with you. In which case so you silently sweat it out because she wants you to get something a bit more practical that "she" can drive. .
4) You may have been a Mopar gasser fan before and thought those parts where hard to find and then you bought that truck of yours... ... .
5) "You're not going to pay a lot for that muffler" as the commercial says simply because you are choosing not to run one in the first place.
6) You get tired of hearing people say, "Dodge had a diesel truck back then??"
7) You get a catalog and see a really cool part and you think, "Great they have it!" until you read the dreaded "94-... ... "
8) You know your a First Genner when it's the engine noise ALONE that makes the drive-thru gal cringe and ticks off the guy ahead of you!!!
9) When you need a "known part", its never advertised and you have to ask for it quietly like a girlie magazine behind the counter so nobody hears you.
10) When you have to make three trips to the parts store to get the correct rear drums.
11) When you realize you DO have a muffler and it's all engine noise BABY!!!
12) You have postulated at great lengths that there is "parts conspiracy" or somehow a misprint in the catalog since whatever they make for 94's and above is also made for your same year Dakota.
13) Your truck is almost as old as some of the drivers in the 3rd Gen Forum and as young as the grandkids in the 1st Gen Forum.
14) When you roll away in neutral before starting up so the full-throttle start doesn't smoke out everyone in the parking lot! COUGH! COUGH!
15) The parts counter jockey has completely convinced himself he has the part since he "recently sold one to someone else".
16) Conceptually you understand and have heard of powertrain warranties.
17) When NAPA is the only parts store that has the 1080 AH battery. You know, the one with a Big Bulldozer, Big Farm Tractor and the Big 18 Wheeler on the top.
18) When you think scratches and small dents are "character lines" and not something to have a hissy fit over.
19) When you hear about "computer problems" at Dyno Day you immediately think of the Dyno's computer or some problematic Dell running XPsp1. Not the "thingee under the hood" that makes magic when you click your ruby coated Red Wings three times.
20) When having two batteries seems like a cool idea, perhaps even excessive, its certainly not a necessity.
21) Clicking on Banner Ads on TDR generally shows you what other guys can purchase.
22) You remember the original TDR magazine was about the three types of dodge diesels (intercooled and non-intercooled) and some new fangled body style. And all the ads were targeted at you
23)…when every dollar you spend on your rig makes it better…'cause it can't get no worse!
24) You're wife won't drive your truck because "It's too loud and it smokes too much!"
25) When you see "R. I. P. " in a TDR topic you immediately think "Rook" and your heart skips a beat thinking about your 4" downpipe.
26) You always WIN at a 4 way stop.
27) when you have to shut your door twice when the windows are up because of the sag.
28) When you know more about the trucks than the guy at NAPA.
29) When you go to a big rig shop to buy (fill in the blank), and tell them it is for a 92 Dodge with a Cummins. Then spend 10 min explaining to them why you want this, and how it is an upgrade from stock.
30) When the DC parts are NLA- No Longer Available.
31) You carry your "good" toolbox behind the seat for those midnite repairs along I-70 on the way to a TDR meet.
32) When in a fit of courtesy, you warn the person in the car next to you roll up their window because its close to the tailpipe. And other times due to a personal judgement call you don't.
33) You know you are a 1st genner when your neck is stiff after a long trip. (And this is after changing the front springs and with adjustable shocks!)
34) When your wife throws in the towel and allows you to install performance parts cuz she knows it be much cheaper than sending both of you to a professional shrink.
35) When a new TDR buddy comes over to do some tinkering on his 02 and you end up talking (bragging) about the 92 instead.
36) You have no idea why other people think that your truck is unreliable.
37) When your son buys an 05, asks you how to "juice it up so I can tow" and you have to start doing research to figure out which "box" to buy.
38) When the dogs know you are home and you are still 1/2 a mile away!
39) When you dream about what it must be like to have a 4 spd trans!
40) When family or friends refuse to take your vehicle because they might be seen in that "thing"!
41) When you have people pull up along side you and tell your truck is burning oil and you should get that checked!
42) When you have people pull up along side you and tell you that your truck is on fire!
43) When you read the April 2006 issue of "Diesel Power", and the article on "Driveway Evaluation Of An Older Oil-Burner" has a pic of a 2nd Gen.
44) When you don't know what generation to call the Dodge Diesels of the 70's
45) When $350. 00 for a washing machine is out of the question but $350. 00 for a set of pod's is a great buy.
46) When the wife comes out to the shop at 1:00 am and tells you to knock it off so she can sleep. (and also reminds you that you have to be to work at 7:00 too)
47) When you are talking to another first gen owner with no increases in power and telling him about the improvements your's has. You take them for a ride and when you hear "OMG!, these things aren't supposed to run like this!", you just smile cause thats what you hear everytime you take someone out for a little "show ride".
48) When before a long drive you purposely put several hundred pounds of stuff in the bed so it rides nicer
49 ) When replacing any part not made by Cummins involves a multi-state scavenger hunt or adapting pieces from other trucks to fit.
50) When they take your "First Gen. " thread and toss you into the "Other" Forum.
51)
52)
53)
99) Because of the "Todays Featured Rig" algorithm, people from other walks of life think that because you have a blue 1st gen you must be Jleonard.
100) When you honestly think "That first genners aren't Perfect, they just seem that way"
You know you're a 1st Genner when... ... ...
1) You can't use a drive through at a fast food place because your exhaust is too noisy from lack of muffler not because of a fabulous new 4". And the help would appreciate you not smoking them out when you depart.
2) In the TDR forums, you can tell by the subject line what forum its in w/o looking because you had the same problem 300k-400k miles ago.
3) While your driving when you hear a noise or smell-> clutch, anti-freeze, brakes from other vehicles and you automatically panic, check your gauges, brakes etc. Except when your "significant other" is with you. In which case so you silently sweat it out because she wants you to get something a bit more practical that "she" can drive. .
4) You may have been a Mopar gasser fan before and thought those parts where hard to find and then you bought that truck of yours... ... .
5) "You're not going to pay a lot for that muffler" as the commercial says simply because you are choosing not to run one in the first place.
6) You get tired of hearing people say, "Dodge had a diesel truck back then??"
7) You get a catalog and see a really cool part and you think, "Great they have it!" until you read the dreaded "94-... ... "
8) You know your a First Genner when it's the engine noise ALONE that makes the drive-thru gal cringe and ticks off the guy ahead of you!!!
9) When you need a "known part", its never advertised and you have to ask for it quietly like a girlie magazine behind the counter so nobody hears you.
10) When you have to make three trips to the parts store to get the correct rear drums.
11) When you realize you DO have a muffler and it's all engine noise BABY!!!
12) You have postulated at great lengths that there is "parts conspiracy" or somehow a misprint in the catalog since whatever they make for 94's and above is also made for your same year Dakota.
13) Your truck is almost as old as some of the drivers in the 3rd Gen Forum and as young as the grandkids in the 1st Gen Forum.
14) When you roll away in neutral before starting up so the full-throttle start doesn't smoke out everyone in the parking lot! COUGH! COUGH!
15) The parts counter jockey has completely convinced himself he has the part since he "recently sold one to someone else".
16) Conceptually you understand and have heard of powertrain warranties.
17) When NAPA is the only parts store that has the 1080 AH battery. You know, the one with a Big Bulldozer, Big Farm Tractor and the Big 18 Wheeler on the top.
18) When you think scratches and small dents are "character lines" and not something to have a hissy fit over.
19) When you hear about "computer problems" at Dyno Day you immediately think of the Dyno's computer or some problematic Dell running XPsp1. Not the "thingee under the hood" that makes magic when you click your ruby coated Red Wings three times.
20) When having two batteries seems like a cool idea, perhaps even excessive, its certainly not a necessity.
21) Clicking on Banner Ads on TDR generally shows you what other guys can purchase.
22) You remember the original TDR magazine was about the three types of dodge diesels (intercooled and non-intercooled) and some new fangled body style. And all the ads were targeted at you
23)…when every dollar you spend on your rig makes it better…'cause it can't get no worse!
24) You're wife won't drive your truck because "It's too loud and it smokes too much!"
25) When you see "R. I. P. " in a TDR topic you immediately think "Rook" and your heart skips a beat thinking about your 4" downpipe.
26) You always WIN at a 4 way stop.
27) when you have to shut your door twice when the windows are up because of the sag.
28) When you know more about the trucks than the guy at NAPA.
29) When you go to a big rig shop to buy (fill in the blank), and tell them it is for a 92 Dodge with a Cummins. Then spend 10 min explaining to them why you want this, and how it is an upgrade from stock.
30) When the DC parts are NLA- No Longer Available.
31) You carry your "good" toolbox behind the seat for those midnite repairs along I-70 on the way to a TDR meet.
32) When in a fit of courtesy, you warn the person in the car next to you roll up their window because its close to the tailpipe. And other times due to a personal judgement call you don't.
33) You know you are a 1st genner when your neck is stiff after a long trip. (And this is after changing the front springs and with adjustable shocks!)
34) When your wife throws in the towel and allows you to install performance parts cuz she knows it be much cheaper than sending both of you to a professional shrink.
35) When a new TDR buddy comes over to do some tinkering on his 02 and you end up talking (bragging) about the 92 instead.
36) You have no idea why other people think that your truck is unreliable.
37) When your son buys an 05, asks you how to "juice it up so I can tow" and you have to start doing research to figure out which "box" to buy.
38) When the dogs know you are home and you are still 1/2 a mile away!
39) When you dream about what it must be like to have a 4 spd trans!
40) When family or friends refuse to take your vehicle because they might be seen in that "thing"!
41) When you have people pull up along side you and tell your truck is burning oil and you should get that checked!
42) When you have people pull up along side you and tell you that your truck is on fire!
43) When you read the April 2006 issue of "Diesel Power", and the article on "Driveway Evaluation Of An Older Oil-Burner" has a pic of a 2nd Gen.
44) When you don't know what generation to call the Dodge Diesels of the 70's
45) When $350. 00 for a washing machine is out of the question but $350. 00 for a set of pod's is a great buy.
46) When the wife comes out to the shop at 1:00 am and tells you to knock it off so she can sleep. (and also reminds you that you have to be to work at 7:00 too)
47) When you are talking to another first gen owner with no increases in power and telling him about the improvements your's has. You take them for a ride and when you hear "OMG!, these things aren't supposed to run like this!", you just smile cause thats what you hear everytime you take someone out for a little "show ride".
48) When before a long drive you purposely put several hundred pounds of stuff in the bed so it rides nicer
49 ) When replacing any part not made by Cummins involves a multi-state scavenger hunt or adapting pieces from other trucks to fit.
50) When they take your "First Gen. " thread and toss you into the "Other" Forum.
51)
52)
53)
99) Because of the "Todays Featured Rig" algorithm, people from other walks of life think that because you have a blue 1st gen you must be Jleonard.
100) When you honestly think "That first genners aren't Perfect, they just seem that way"
Last edited:
:-laf 
