Unique Situation. What’s My Best Truck Option?
Hey everyone.
I’m staring down the barrel of another new clutch on my 2002 Dodge ram 2500. Also, from other posts I have made here, you all know that my bed is pretty much falling off. I have rigged it together well enough to work, but, I still need new frame mounts. I did not get new frame mounts last time. I put together a solution myself that worked. But it was not 100% it was like 80%. It needed new forward frame mounts to be 100%.
So, I am looking at about two years that I have left to even use a truck camper. Basically, I am building out a new boat, and once that is done, I won’t need a truck or a truck camper. They would be redundant. I have to sell all vehicles and recreational vehicles once we go aboard the boat.
So given that my very tired 2002 ram 2500 Is needing a new clutch for $2500 or $3000 or something, should I be looking at getting a different truck?
I guess my basic concern is how do I spend the least amount of money on a truck to use for my truck camper over the next 24 months?
Some of me is looking at leasing a brand new 3500. It’s not a cheap way to go. But the dual wheels would be nice for carrying all this weight around.
Then there is the option of trading this truck in and buying another truck. A 3500. But in my experience, trading one used item for another is just opening a new can of worms. I already have the cap Mostly on this can of worms. The other can of worms might have the cap Falling completely off. Who knows. The truck does have some sort of oil leak up by the turbo. It has the bed problems. It needs a new clutch. Other than that, it’s perfect. Oh wait, the heat and air-conditioning is really annoying to use. But other than those, it is working.
If you needed to haul around a heavy arctic fox camper for the next two years, and you already had a 2002 Dodge ram 2500, but it needed a clutch, new forward frame mounts, the Heating and air-conditioning was annoying to use, and there was an oil leak up by the turbo, what would you do? What would be your best approach to spending the least money over the next 24 months to have another truck that would handle this arctic fox?
I have to say, I am a big fan of the exhaust brake on the current truck I have. I don’t know how I would go back to just using regular old brake pads to slow the truck down on big hills. I also don’t know how I would go back to an automatic transmission. Those things are always failing in my experience. I guess the new Allison one is good, but, I never have good luck with automatic transmissions.
Anyway, what would you do in the situation?
I’m staring down the barrel of another new clutch on my 2002 Dodge ram 2500. Also, from other posts I have made here, you all know that my bed is pretty much falling off. I have rigged it together well enough to work, but, I still need new frame mounts. I did not get new frame mounts last time. I put together a solution myself that worked. But it was not 100% it was like 80%. It needed new forward frame mounts to be 100%.
So, I am looking at about two years that I have left to even use a truck camper. Basically, I am building out a new boat, and once that is done, I won’t need a truck or a truck camper. They would be redundant. I have to sell all vehicles and recreational vehicles once we go aboard the boat.
So given that my very tired 2002 ram 2500 Is needing a new clutch for $2500 or $3000 or something, should I be looking at getting a different truck?
I guess my basic concern is how do I spend the least amount of money on a truck to use for my truck camper over the next 24 months?
Some of me is looking at leasing a brand new 3500. It’s not a cheap way to go. But the dual wheels would be nice for carrying all this weight around.
Then there is the option of trading this truck in and buying another truck. A 3500. But in my experience, trading one used item for another is just opening a new can of worms. I already have the cap Mostly on this can of worms. The other can of worms might have the cap Falling completely off. Who knows. The truck does have some sort of oil leak up by the turbo. It has the bed problems. It needs a new clutch. Other than that, it’s perfect. Oh wait, the heat and air-conditioning is really annoying to use. But other than those, it is working.
If you needed to haul around a heavy arctic fox camper for the next two years, and you already had a 2002 Dodge ram 2500, but it needed a clutch, new forward frame mounts, the Heating and air-conditioning was annoying to use, and there was an oil leak up by the turbo, what would you do? What would be your best approach to spending the least money over the next 24 months to have another truck that would handle this arctic fox?
I have to say, I am a big fan of the exhaust brake on the current truck I have. I don’t know how I would go back to just using regular old brake pads to slow the truck down on big hills. I also don’t know how I would go back to an automatic transmission. Those things are always failing in my experience. I guess the new Allison one is good, but, I never have good luck with automatic transmissions.
Anyway, what would you do in the situation?
