Looks like I'm going to get my first diesel. I need some advice on what to look for. This truck is a 2004.5 Dodge Laramie. Miles are 295,000. All miles are highway. Truck has been well taken care of and all works has been documented. Here is what I know: 4 inch exhaust. New tires, rims, and adjustable shocks, tranny replaced at 240,000 with a new one (don't know model) with a very large pan. Cold air intake and k&L air filter. Also has a bully dog installed but I don't know the model either. Guy who owns it drives a lot back and forth between job sites. All work is done by his fleet mechanics. Oil filter is cut in half at even oil change and sent in for analysis. Analysis shows normal wear. Price is $8K. $8K is what a dealer offered him as a trade in and he'll cut me the same deal. He's taken real good care of this truck and wants it to go to a good home. Is there anything I need to be aware of? I'm going to get a diesel shop to check it out but I'm a little worried about the high miles and I don't know enough about diesels yet.

 

That is a good price if the truck has not been wreck!! Check the front end for wear. This is where you will have a lot of wear. == GOOD LUCK ==

 

i was in the same boat with an 03 with 200k on it. Guy bought it new and was one of his mopar maintained fleet trucks. I have found it all comes down to servicing them. If they are serviced well then there shouldn't be a problem. i looked mine over for a couple hours before flopping over the cash. i saw many many things that had been replaced within the last year or so...i don't have a problem with high mileage dodge cummins but i am also an auto mechanic and work on my own vehicles which makes it a lot cheaper with the little things that mileage will wear. things like: u joints, brakes, wheel barrens, power window motors, axle seals, tie rods, belts, pulleys, a/c, brake lines, calipers, etc. Alot of times you find these cheap trucks that were driven into the ground and put up for sale because owner didnt want to put any more $$ into it because was forecasting a new truck. just look the thing over really good

 

I got a good report on the truck. It has been serviced its whole life and its like you said. Its part of a fleet and his own truck. I had a diesel mech look it over with me and its in great shape. He also told me not to worry about the high miles. Its got a BT tranny and torque conv replaced on short ago. Mech said it needs brake shoes and a tie rod. I'm going to get him to fix it and complete the Maryland inspection. Hopefully I'll get it Friday or Saturday at the latest.

 

miiiint

 

As long as its mostly highway miles, its probably hardly broken in. I have 255k, and have had little problems...lost injectors at 150k, but that was from a bad tank of fuel.

I would only be concerned about the injectors with those miles...they do have a finite lifespan, and are probably under the most extreme conditions of any part of the truck. If you decide on it, might be worth pulling them and sending them off to be checked.

Other than injectors, if the rest of the truck appears good; its probably a good start.