Every year these older Dodge 3500 4x4 diesels appreciate in value.
The real nice low mileage clean trucks are getting harder to find.
You can"t pay too much, you can only pay it too soon!
The good ones aren't cheap & the cheap ones aren't good!!

I must say the only good thing about the second gen trucks is their motor. I'm currently elbows deep in swapping my 08 f250 over to a P Pump 12 valve cummins. Its a metric sh*t ton of work but hopefully will be done soon. I just can't stand the dodge truck, but no denying it is a good motor.

Cant go wrong with a cummins. IMO, Single best thing you can do is trans fluid and filter change regularly. I do it annually. I have an 06 QC short bed, and i keep toying with the idea of selling and getting something newer, but then i think to myself "What for?" this truck is paid for and only has 90k miles. Good luck with your search.

Don't Forget to adjust the bands in the trans if you have an auto. We love our 06 3500 dually.

So what's the price tag on your Dually?

I had a 03 3500 QC diesel which I traded in this past january on my 17 Mega Cab. The expansion of our family brought about the expansion in the cab. In regards to the old one, I loved it despite the issues I had with it. It had a lot of power for the year with the 5.9 HO motor. Only issue I had with the motor was replacing the fuel injectors. That was around 110k miles. Only tranny problem was it failed to go into Park. That was a simple fix. Some of the other fixes included a full Carli suspension system to make it ride a little nicer. That included Fox shocks, springs, add a leafs in the back and a floating anti sway bar. I also had the lovely death wobble. The fix for that was a 08.5 steering upgrade kit through Mopar, Thuren heavy duty steering track bar with a Carli steering dampener and Redhead steering box. I had a box brace but needed to remove it for the floating sway bar once the carli system was put in. That allowed me to run 35x12 tires. The stereo was upgraded with a back up camera and also added Rigid Industries back up led lights. It also had a Banks Monster exhaust. Rust was definitely an issue as the truck originally came from Michigan and I live in Pa. Traded in with about 128k miles and got 13,500k from the dealer.

All appreciating until it is time for me to trade one in.......then it becomes, nobody wants these old ones, they want the newer ones! :D

Fact is people want stuff that is easy to work on with long life expectancy. Problem is most of the trucks got driven into the ground with their first/second/third owners.

Ebay had a 2005 or 2006 2500 crew cab duramax with like 26K miles asking 39,900......I bought that same truck brand new in 2003 for less than that! The ebay truck looked like an old man camper special, long bed, mud flaps, CB antenna etc. Nice truck but 40K, no fvckin way!

I enjoyed my duramax for 8 years/170K+ miles but I drove a newer one (pulled like a freight train!) and would not want a 15 yr old truck no matter how nice it was. New one was shockingly fast compared to my old one.

Boy, that is soo true about "appreciation until its time for you to trade one in!".....In my case, i'm limited to the used truck market cause I can't buy new & refuse to lease. Finding that (truck) diamond in the rough is far fetched especially
when you have time restraints (summer will be hear before long) right now I can buy this truck https://www.ebay.com/itm/2002-Dodge-...401336?vxp=mtr am I being too impatient?

Finding that (truck) diamond in the rough is far fetched especially
when you have time restraints (summer will be hear before long) right now I can buy this truck https://www.ebay.com/itm/2002-Dodge-...401336?vxp=mtr am I being too impatient?

A diesel dually with 115k miles ( which is just broken in), with no rust, can do everything you need it to, for 15k, all in all, id say what else could you ask for.... JMO.

Check out the one on EBay uk 12 k miles 4 door , full leather . Looks like it just came out the showroom I Kidd you not .
its a 2004 I think . I have shipped cars boats from the USA to the uk no reason you can't do the same in reverse .

curious, do you have a link?.....can't seem to find it.

Anybody have thoughts on a good chip or tune for a 5.9L gas engine?........

I have 2 duramax's 05, 08 kept both 5 years ea, recently sold my 08 super clean w/60k miles for 32k, could have held out for more but ?? any my son just bought a 04.5 crew cab dually for us to use and tow with, nice clean truck 100k, w/leather, anyway seems to be decent truck but does not have near the power as the duramax's. It is stock with a exhaust upgrade at this point, he has a tuner on order(supposed to have been here yesterday) so interesting to see how much it helps...just my .02 from ones I have driven..

Edge products will be your best bet. Tuners/pucks only work on 98.5 s and up

The newer the diesel the more power 08 is when the big three started pushing power

The newer the diesel. The more power they have to make to keep them even while choking them off with emissions. My newer 14s+ don't nearly tow as good as the older trucks. More gadgets more problems more maintenance. Even something as simple as there new active airboxes have issues.

You have point with the gadgets. Mine is an 08 lots of aftermarket delete kits and tuners

Edge and Superchips are the only tuners I know of for 5.9L gas motor. Supposedly good for just under 50hp and just over 50tq, however I have no first hand experience. Typically have to run premium fuel when tuning gas motors.

Does the RaceMe or H&S cover your engine

Hi Scippy not sure how to do links , I just typed in EBay UK once in to eBay uk typed Dodge Ram scrolled down there it was . Re Paul

I don't mind showing my ignorance, but how involved is it to install? ..........do you just plug & play?

Thanks Paul still couldn't find it, but not shipping from over the pond anyway........Scippy

Totaly understand that Scippy good luck with your search there are some nice clean ones out there , even in this small part of the world. Paul

Should just be as simple as plugging tuner into OBDII port.

Great, no wrenching! anybody know offhand a good brand that manufactures a tuner (chip) that's for the 5.9L gas engine?.....I would imagine I'm limited.

From I have been told the lack of emissions and other electronics are helping driving the price of these trucks up along with the fact new ones are stupid $$$$. There are other tuners available as well, local diesel shop here like the smarty, which is the one my son just got for his truck, will install soon and post how it does, have 3 HP settings 40, 70 100 I think is what he said..

Im using an SCT on my 6.0 diesel and I can use it on my 5.4 gas truck also, you need to back the tune out of the loaded truck before you can upload the second vehicle, they make one for your gasser also, Im very impressed with how it performs, three separate tunes from 50hp to 100 and they do not recommend towing with the highest hp tune.

I checked out SCT Tuning (96-03) seems they have a SCT tune for my 2002 dodge ram 2500 5.9L gas engine
The tune alone is $199.99 and (in my case) if you need the tune "with device" it's another $449.99.........things can build up quick!
Just wondering, If I found someone with the same device, can I re-program off that device and tune my engine?........or is it a one shot deal?
I sort an answer from FRP, but no return call......I just curious about a technical answer, but I already know ...not good for business!

Ok, my son reprogrammed his with the smarty tuner with the 70hp + tune, said made a world of difference(much needed to me) throttle response as well as power greatly improved..

That's great to hear!..........Scippy

Could also try searching on the Dodge forums and research what seems to work best for the gas motors.

already on 2nd gen ram forum and have some options on headers, throttle body's and SCT X3 tune for performance upgrade on my 5.9L gas engine
But I'm still holding out for the right 2nd gen Dodge ram 3500 diesel dually...........found one close by with 140k miles for $9,000 except of course it has
rust!

Id hold out for the diesel. Better in the long run. JMO.

Got Cigs, I have to totally agree with you!.........All the trouble, time & money to beef up my 5.9L gas engine with the thought it may reach somewhat of the towing capacity of the 5.9L Cummins is
not going to happen. Remember, I have a combined 13K lbs of boat & trailer to tow.....I narrowed down 2 Dodge Diesel Dualy 3500 rams.......One is a southern truck '2001 "no rust at all" 190K miles
(no 4wd and Manual shift) for $13,000.................next Conn. truck '2000 rust both doors, both front fenders & rust hole thru bumper 140K miles for $9,000..but it has 4wd & automatic shift!

Well, I just sold my 2002 dodge ram 2500 yesterday........she had 86k miles on the odometer ........hurriedly looking now for it's replacement!

can't fix rust.... a clean truck is so much better , no rusty shocks exhaust bolts, brakes and lines etc. always chasing the rust

"a clean truck is so much better"..I agree totally!...but the price of $13k for that truck (manual 2wd & plain interior) is over priced.....maybe $10k tops

got this navigator for a ramp truck.. it's rusty underneath from wisconsin.. been acid washing, osphoing and undercoating it for a couple of days, shocks trailing arms and next are the brake lines.... just inspect the undercarrige good and it could be a deal .

Been looking for a while 2nd gen ram 3500 diesel dually but sold my truck yesterday now I have to find "that" truck.
prices are crazy for a clean rust free diesel truck and ones under 100k miles are stupid crazy!

Fitzgerald ford has a 06 3500 reg cab dually for 11500. Looks good in the pics except the seats
fitzgerald ,Ga