Ownership Cost for 1999 Dodge Ram Van (2500 Maxi)
Estimated: $27901 over the next 5 years
| Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Depreciation | $984 | $472 | $413 | $374 | $335 | $2578 |
| Insurance | $1451 | $1502 | $1554 | $1609 | $1665 | $7781 |
| Fuel | $2600 | $2678 | $2772 | $2883 | $3012 | $13945 |
| Maintenance | $40 | $253 | $137 | $225 | $1038 | $1693 |
| Repairs | $91 | $323 | $353 | $487 | $612 | $1866 |
| Taxes & Fees | $24 | $24 | $24 | $24 | $24 | $36 |
| Total Ownership Costs | $5190 | $5231 | $5233 | $5580 | $6666 | $27901 |
| Model year | COMPONENT | Complaint |
| 1998 | SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | THE VEHICLE IS A MOTOR HOME, BUILT INTO A 19-FOOT DODGE VAN 3500 BY THE HOME AND PARK COMPANY IN ONTARIO, CANADA (WWW.ROADTREK.COM). THEY CALL THEIR MOTOR HOME їROADTREKї. WE LIVE IN MICHIGAN AND HAD DRIVEN TO OKLAHOMA WHEN THE INCIDENT HAPPENED. WE WERE ON I-44 AT MILE 262 GOING WEST WHEN WE STOPPED TO SWITCH DRIVERS. THE NEW DRIVER, BEFORE SETTING OUT, FOUND THAT THE BRAKES WERE GONE: PEDAL ON THE FLOOR. INSPECTION REVEALED THAT ALL THE BRAKE FLUID WAS ON THE GROUND. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO CLAREMORE OK FOR REPAIRS, WHERE THE RIGHT FRONT BRAKE LINE WAS FOUND TO BE RUPTURED DUE TO ABRASION. INSPECTION REVEALED THE FRONT BRAKE LINE ON THE LEFT SIDE WAS SIMILARLY ABRADED BUT NOT YET WORN THROUGH. BOTH LINES WERE REPLACED AND WE RESUMED TRAVEL. THE EXACT SAME THING HAPPENED TO US IN 2004, WHERE THE BRAKES FAILED AFTER WE HAD PARKED THE VEHICLE IN OUR ASSIGNED SITE IN A CAMPGROUND. IN THAT CASE ONLY THE RIGHT SIDE LINE WAS REPLACED. HAD THESE INCIDENTS OCCURRED IN FAST, HEAVY TRAFFIC OR ON A STEEP HILL WE WOULD NOT HAVE SURVIVED AND POSSIBLY CAUSED INJURY TO OTHERS. THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENS YOU FIGURE IT'S A FLUKE. BUT AFTER A SECOND TIME, IT'S A DESIGN FLAW. I HAVE PHOTOS OF THE ABRADED BRAKE LINE ON THE LEFT FRONT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE AS WELL AS THE INVOICES OF THE WORK DONE. I CAN SEND THOSE IF DESIRED. |
| 1999 | ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | APRIL 2004 A LOSS OF OIL PRECLUDED PREMATURE ENGINE FAILURE AT 46,000 MILES IN MY 1999 DODGE RAM 2500 VAN. MAY 1, 2010 THE REPLACEMENT ENGINE WITH 36,000 MILES EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN LOSS OF OIL THAT REGISTERED ON MY OIL PRESSURE GAUGE. THREE QUARTS OF OIL WERE REQUIRED TO BRING THE OIL TO NORMAL VOLUME. I HAVE CONTINUED REGULAR OIL CHANGES AND ENGINE MAINTENANCE. THE REBUILT ENGINE I WAS SOLD REPLACED THE FAILED ENGINE. UPON INSPECTION OF THE FAILED ENGINE I WAS TOLD THAT I FOLLOWED ALL MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES AND THEY COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. I FEAR THIS IS A RE-OCCURRENCE OF THE ORIGINAL PROBLEM THAT WILL LEAD AND MAY BE INHERENT IN THE ENGINES USED IN THIS VEHICLE. IMPROPER LUBRICATION IN AN ENGINE CAN LEAD TO PREMATURE ENGINE FAILURE. NHTSA ITEM 610005 AND 606035 SHOWS THAT CHRYSLER/DODGE KNOWS OF A DEFECT IN THE ENGINE THAT LEADS TO OIL LOSS. *TR |
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