This 1989 Dodge Ram D250 is equipped with a desirable Cummins turbo diesel powerplant, and the seller claims it runs well despite some lingering mechanical issues. The truck is located in Florida and in very solid condition, although the paint has seen better days (but it may come back to life with a buffing.) The numeral stickers on the fender indicate to me that this Ram was part of a corporate fleet at some point, and may have been subjected to limited use – which could explain the low mileage of just over 55,000. Find it here on eBay for $5,500 or best offer.
These first-generation Cummins turbo diesel Rams don’t show up for sale that often, and when they do, they tend to sell quickly. The body of this truck is largely straight, with no obvious rust issues to sort out. Obviously, it’s not pretty, but some time with an orbital or your local paint shop will change that. If my suspicions are correct that this Ram spent time as part of a fleet operation, it likely just ran back and forth across campus, or made short-distance runs around a limited geography. Or, it could have been part of a municipal fleet, like the highway department – obviously, not used for plowing in Florida.
The 5.9L Cummins was added to the Ram engine lineup in 1989, and immediately found favor with buyers. It generated impressive amounts of torque, to the tune of 400 lb.-ft. Horsepower was significantly lower at 160 b.h.p., but when buying a truck like this, it’s all about the torque figure. A manual transmission was available, but this one is equipped with the reliable A727 automatic (probably a better match for an engine like this.) Though the truck runs well, the seller notes there’s a leaking injector O-ring and a binding throttle cable for the next owner to sort out.
The interior looks average at best, and the loose-fitting seat cover isn’t a promising sign for the health of the bench seat underneath. That said, you’ll want to focus on some of the other improvements the seller has made, including a rebuilt automatic transmission, along with a new converter and fresh battery. The seller notes the Dodge can sit for months at a time and still fire right up when called upon. It isn’t pretty, but the stout drivetrain more than makes up for any cosmetic faults. The seller does point out though, that the child seat is not included with the sale (is it even legal for kids to ride like that?)
Great find, when they still called them Dodges. This is the truck that started the whole diesel pickup craze. Cummins almost overnight became a household word. Old crabby truck drivers like me, knew of their merits years before. Oh sure, there were diesel powered pickups, those worthless Ford and GM V8’s were nothing to write home about, but this motor changed everything. Very popular up north, but like all these trucks, they were used hard, and they literally disappeared, and the motors ended up in ’53 Fords. Nice find.
Jeff, In most states, I believe it is illegal for a child less than 1 year old and under 20 lbs to be in a forward facing car seat.
These were the got-to work trucks for many ranchers that I knew around here too, Howard-for the same reason you “old crabby truck drivers” valued them, that they were essentially the equivalent in dependability and hardiness of a farriers anvil-they always kept running. (Most of the ranchers and truck drivers I knew with a reputation for being “crabby” were the ones that were the first to help out their communities in tough times-part of the genetic makeup of folks like yourself, Howard.)
Jeff, in Nevada and for that matter most states that I’ve driven through any child between 0-3 years and under a certain weight (in accordance to the child seat manufacturers recommendations) are required to be in a seat facing to the rear; 4-6 years its allowable to be facing the front, then a booster seat from 7-11 or upon reaching 4’9” is permitted. It’s good that people react for the protection of those who can’t or don’t know how to protect themselves, but too we need to make sure we have all the facts before rendering a judgment of others..
Yes the child seat was first thing I saw. Terrible careless people. Great engine though, but safety first.
Times have changed for sure. I remember as a little kid standing next to my dad on the seat of his 53 GMC. I held on around his neck and his arm was the automatic seat belt if we stopped quick. When the whole family had to go I would stand next to him while my sister sat on my mother’s knee and she held my baby brother. Thank goodness we all survived that. When 1973 came he bought a brand new GMC 4X4. We were up to 5 kids by then. At that point we road in lawn chairs in the bed of the truck with a topper on it listening to the custom dual exhaust belt out a glorious tune. Thankfully we survived that as well. Good times and good memories.
Could it be possible the owner took it out of another vehicle and put it in the truck he is obviously not using? Most people do that today when one parent plans to haul something in the SUV!
I mean the baby seat is just sitting in there not strapped down. What does this have to do overall with the truck? Amazing !!!!!!
My younger Brother(recently retired diesel wrench with UPS) told me years ago, get a Cummins you’ll never go back…
All the while I was playing with the Generals offerings, finally went with a very used ’06 2500 Ram 5.9 6 speed stick(220,000k) put another 150k on it.
Only changed out the injectors(once) and routine maintenance, before I got tired of shifting gears and picked up a ’16 3500 a couple years ago.
Absolutely love it!
BTW My foreman a die hard GM guy just bought a ’19 2500 RAM 6.7 Cummins…
I have a 2005 Ram with a Cummins and 260,000+ miles. I have had to do NOTHING to that engine other than scheduled maintenance. Out of dozens of vehicles I have owned this is by far the most reliable, trouble free one of the bunch.
I’m right there with you, Raymond, although I had a 2001 3500 Cummins SLT long bed quad cab with a 6 speed in Patriot Blue and 185,000 miles. It was a perfect truck, I thought, but I came home from a “business trip” to find an Inferno Red 2006 3500 Laramie long bed with an automatic in the driveway in its place that had previously belonged to a fireman (lol-no really, he’d ordered it in that color!).
According to my 5’4” wife, the ‘01 had three problems:
1) The seats were cloth and hence stained.
2) The pedals/seat wouldn’t scoot close enough to allow her to shift and still see where she was going.
3) My ex-wife’s name was still on the registration due to my difficulties with changing it at DMV…
So she sold it and bought the slightly used 2 year old ‘06 with all the fancies the Laramie had with it. It now has 182,000 miles with at least 90,000 of that pulling a 36’ Raptor tow hauler all over God’s western desert creation and it does so with content.
Like you, Raymond, No regrets. If this one ever completely wears out we’ll buy another, bringing the total of Dodge (Ram) trucks to a lucky seven!
I Like taking the First Gen Truck’s that are Wrecked or rough Bodies and use them as Donor’s to make the Truck Dodge SCREWED Up by Not Making .a 1981 to 1985 Dodge Crewcab Long bed Single Wheel or Dually .I have built 5 so far and the Last truck I Built had a 45k Price Tag and Sold No Problem .There is a Big Following for these Truck’s with the Cummin’s Engine and a Built Auto Trans Or a Stick Trans either a Getrag 5 sp or a NV4500 or nv5600 they Are Great truck’s and if Dodge would have Made them they would have Sold like HOT Cakes . But for some reason Dodge Only made the Crewcab’s that were 4×4 Only in short bed single Wheel .