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 Why Dodge?
"Grab life by
the horns" is one of Daimler Chrysler's advertising
slogans
- it conjures up excitement. And then there's
"Ram Tough", which isn't just another
jingle... it's an explanation. Those two phrases and the
mind pictures they create are in part why Dodge
maintains such a loyal following. The Dodge Ram truck
just happens to look as tough as it performs. It is the
reason why most people buy a truck! Don't miss
Dodge
Truck Videos
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Why I chose a Dodge truck
(four times
in a row)
When you find something that
works, you stay with it. Over the course of more than
ten years and four Dodge trucks, gas and diesel powered, log
and short beds, I'm a good one to ask about the reliability
and value of these trucks. I don't work for Dodge, I
don't own stock in the company and I have nothing to gain
whether you decide to buy a Dodge truck or not. At one
time, I had a lot of questions about how Dodge stacked up to
the competition.
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{Background}
The first truck I ever owned was in 1979 (ancient
history according to my kids). I had a 15 year
old battered Ford quarter-ton. About the time it
gave up the ghost, kids started appearing and I went the
route of 4-door cars and SUVs for the next twenty years.
When I was next in the market to buy a truck, it was
1998 and we were moving to a 25 acre "ranchette" due
north of Dallas, Texas.
I was excited at the prospect of owning another truck.
Hey, I'm a guy, we like trucks and I finally had a
real reason to be buying one. I researched and
looked at all available models, Ford, Chevy and GMC, but
from a purely ascetic viewpoint, I liked the looks of
the newly-designed Dodge Ram. It just looked like
it meant business. However, I wanted to remain
objective and make sure I was getting the best truck and
the most bang for my buck, so I drove 'em all and
investigated everything I could find on the Internet and
through local dealers.
This site is about Dodge Trucks, actually
it's an account of my Dodge Trucks as
I have owned four since 1998. The purpose of this site is to share
experiences with other Dodge owners so that we can exchange information,
tips and more fully appreciate the finest truck on the
road today, the Dodge Ram. |
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When it was all said and done, I
had to admit that all truck manufacturers were building an
acceptable product. One had an edge in the ride and
handling area, one beat the competition in towing and on and on.
What it netted out to be was "which model do you like and which one
can you afford" - because all of them will get the job done.
When I was satisfied that the playing field was relatively
level, it was time to shop price. I dinged Ford and GMC at
this point because the sticker price was thousands more than
Dodge or Chevy. Of the two remaining, I canned the "bow
tie" and went with my original choice, DODGE!
Did I mention I'm also a (closet) geek? Yep, the
word's out and to prove it, I bought my first 1998 Dodge Ram
4x4 online. I did my research and shopped dealers and
finally agreed to a price from a small dealer about an hour
away from our home. We concluded everything online,
all I had to do was go pick up my truck, write a check and
sign a few papers.
Man, that redesigned body they introduced a couple years
prior just took my breath away. Heck, it still does -
four trucks later! To me, the Dodge Ram looks like it
means business and for most applications it does. This
is a quality piece of automotive design. I can still
remember the feeling of driving "MY" Dodge off the
lot. Yeah, I had arrived... in a new red Dodge truck!
Okay, I admit it - I'm a victim of Dodge's
advertising, I had to get a red one. Apparently they
were successful in selling that color to the world because
my dealer had about 20 red trucks and only a handful of
other colors. My Dodge was a quarter-ton, 4-door quad
cab, 4x4 with a 360ci power plant with a short box. It
could get the job done! |
Peeves
After four vehicles, I can honestly say that I never had any
serious mechanical issues with any of my trucks. I am
religious about getting my oil changed and performing the
scheduled maintenance. One truck developed an minor A/C problem,
but the dealer took care of that under warranty. Mechanically
speaking, I've had no issues with Dodge.
One of my only (ongoing) complaints with Dodge
was (and is) the 'Spartan' interior. You could argue that
Dodge builds a working vehicle with few embellishments, but the
fact remains that most of the current truck buyers are not
typical construction-types... many are Yuppie types looking for a
thrill. IMHO, the owner of the best interior design award
is Ford, but that wasn't enough to get me to buy one - then or
now. What's odd about this is that the interior hasn't
changed dramatically in the seven years I've been buying trucks.
There isn't a whole lot of difference in my 2004 than my 1998
interior design and layout.
I have a friend who decided not to buy a Dodge just because of
the interior. I think that's a message for Dodge... change it
up, dress up the interior in some way. And speaking of interiors, if you often take
your dog along with you, be sure to see the custom
"pet pad" I made for our pooch.
Long box vs. short box debate
I've owned them both, mostly I've has short
beds. The first long box Dodge I've owned is my current
vehicle, a 3500 diesel. I will probably never go back to a
short box truck. It is ironic that many dealers sell the
long beds for less than the short beds. I believe that is
a result of market demands as opposed to economics; seems most
buyers prefer the short beds. I always did until I got a
long bed, and now I wouldn't go back.
After owning a long box and using it to haul
many loads of lumber, firewood, ATVs, etc. there's nothing like
the added capacity. I mean... isn't that why we bought a
truck? Maybe not. Possibly the only negative issue
with a long bed is parking. They just don't design parking
lots to accommodate a modern truck with an 8' bed. Darn
near impossible to pull into a parking space without having to
back up and straighten out the rig.
Instant gratification
Check out what's
Dodge
HOT on eBay right this very second.
We just installed a feed that pulls eBay bids of the auctions,
which are about to end. Now you can get those new rims, or
bid on that classic Dodge you've been dying to talk yourself
into buying. See what's HOT
on eBay right now!
My first time...
The first vehicle I ever owned wasn't a truck,
it was a car... and it wasn't a Dodge, it was a Chevy. A
'63 Chevy Impala SS. I took the
Rolling Stones' advice and had it "painted black". It had
white & black interior, and probably had 40 pounds of wax on the
sheet metal. It was a classic automobile.
It appeared in my life with a 283 ci. engine,
which my brother and I rebuilt from the short block. I
tried every carb combination one could think of, from dual quad
carbs, tri-power and even engineered a ram air-induction from
coffee cans and dryer vent hose. I was during my high school era
and that was a good time! I learned how to repair engines
and sheet metal through the experiments I performed with "my
Chevy obsession". I know I spent more time under it than in
it, but that encounter laid the groundwork for my future
you-fix-it jobs.
I had a part-time job in a gas station earning a
whopping $1.60 an hour, which was the minimum wage at that time.
When I needed parts for my Chevy, I had two options... that I
could afford. Visit a local junk yard and search for a part that
'might' work, remove it and haul it off. The second choice was
to grab the latest
J. C. Whitney Catalog and call them or
place an order by mail.
Over the years, my choice in vehicles has
changed and my budget has increased, but I continue to receive
the J.C. Whitney catalog and have done so for
almost 4 decades. I think it would be a hoot to see their data on
all the parts I've ordered since 1968. After I returned from Viet Nam, I bought my
first "new" car, a 1973 Volkswagen Super Beetle. Since then I've
had several cars, SUVs, trucks and motorcycles, and probably all
had something that was bought from J.C. Whitney.
Do yourself a favor and rediscover J.C. Whitney. Browse
the
J. C. Whitney Catalog online and see if
they don't have that special something you've been planning to buy...
or haven't been able to find.
PS
If you drive a truck, the best thing you can carry in
your bed is an All-Terrain Vehicle. If I'm not 4x4ing
in my Dodge Ram, I'm out in the woods getting muddy on my
ATV-4x4. Don't
miss a trip to
ATV-4x4.com is the ultimate ATV aftermarket ATV store
featuring parts and accessories. And, they have a huge
ATV
video library you'll not want to overlook.
PPS
I recently discovered a really interesting product that
permits you to
convert your car or truck to a water-burning car.
Not part of the Washington hydrogen hype, this is a real
deal called "Hydrogen-On-Demand"
- that permits you to produce Hydrogen when you need it.
There are no storage tanks and it is perfectly safe for you
and your passengers. It's one of the most PRACTICAL
free-energy devices, I've yet to see. Yeah I know,
you're thinking this is some kind of con... that's what I
thought too. Before you make a decision, read what the
inventor has to say. This makes a lot of sense and is
quite fascinating; read this
FAQ page about using a water-to-energy converter.
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