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Large pickup truck; Built in USA, Mexico
  • ext. cab long bed
  • ext. cab short bed
  • reg. cab long bed
  • reg. cab short bed
  • longitudinal front-engine/rear- or 4-wheel drive
Good condition price range: $1,000 – $2,200*


1990 Dodge Ram D150 Club Cab extended cab


1991 Dodge D350 LE regular cab w/dual rear wheels


1991 Dodge Ram D350 LE regular cab w/dual rear wheels


1991 Dodge W250 LE 4WD regular cab


1993 Dodge Ram D150 regular cab

Pros:
  • Acceleration (V8)
  • Passenger and cargo room
  • Trailer-towing capability
Cons:
  • Acceleration (V6)
  • Fuel economy

If you need a truck for hard work, look for a Ram. But if leisure activities are your prime consideration, or you prefer a dual-usage vehicle, consider Ford and GM pickups first.

Overview

Full-size, regular-cab Dodge pickups came in two sizes: 115-inch wheelbase with a 6.5-foot cargo bed, and 131-inch with an 8-foot bed. Club Cab models, that were added for 1990 to match Ford and GM rivals, rode a 133-inch wheelbase with the short bed, or 149-inch with the long cargo bed. Two-wheel-drive Rams got a “D” prefix, while 4WD Rams wore a “W” badge. Ram trucks came in three series, which designate payload: 150-series (1/2-ton), 250-series (3/4-ton), and 350-series (1-ton). Regular-cab 150 and 250 models could have the 115- or 131-inch wheelbase, whereas all 350 series regular-cab pickups rode a 131-inch wheelbase. Base engine was a 3.9-liter V6, but most models could get 5.2- or 5.9-liter V8s instead. An optional turbodiesel inline 6-cylinder engine and standard rear antilock brakes had arrived for 1989. Regular-cab trucks came only with a 3-place bench seat. Club Cabs had a standard split-back front bench and side-facing folding rear jump seats.

Yearly Updates

1991 Ram Pickup
A new rear step bumper boosted towing capacity from 3000 to 5000 pounds. Rams wore a new grille with thicker bars and a boldly stamped “Dodge” badge, but the ram’s head hood ornament was gone. At mid-year, the Cummins Turbodiesel engine added an intercooler.
1992 Ram Pickup
Gasoline V6 and V8 engines gained power, adopting a “Magnum” designation. The V6 leaped from 125 to 180 horsepower, while the 5.2-liter V8 went from 170 to 230 horsepower.
1993 Ram Pickup
The 5.9-liter gasoline V8 got multi-point fuel injection, jumping from 190 to 230 horsepower and from 292 to 325 pound-feet of torque.

Engines

longitudinal front-engine/rear- or 4-wheel drive

Regular-cab 150/250 trucks got a standard 3.9-liter V6 engine that produced 125 horsepower. A 170-horsepower, 5.2-liter V8 was standard on Club Cab models and the W250, and optional on most others. A 190-horsepower, 5.9-liter gasoline V8 went into 350-series Rams, and was optional in other models. The V6 and smaller V8 gained considerable horsepower in 1992, while the 5.9-liter V8 got its power hike a year later, each adopting a “Magnum” designation. The Cummins Turbodiesel six was optional in regular-cab 350-series trucks and in 250-series trucks rated above 8500-pound gross vehicle weight. Four-speed manual gearboxes were standard on 2WD regular-cab Rams with gasoline engines, on 4WD models sold outside California, and on Club Cabs. A 5-speed was available on 2WD V6 models, and standard with the Turbodiesel. Three-speed automatic was optional with sixes. A 4-speed automatic was available on 4WD gas models and 2WD models with V8s. After 1991, all manual gearboxes were 5-speed. On-demand, part-time 4WD is not for use on dry pavement, but standard automatic locking front hubs permit shift-on-the-fly between 2WD and 4WD High at up to 55 mph.

ohv V6
Engine Size (liters/cubic inches) 3.9/239
Engine HP 125-180
Engine Torque (lb-ft) 195-220
Avail. Trans. EPA MPG (city/hwy) MPG avg. as tested
5-speed manual
3-speed automatic
4-speed automatic		 15/19
15/17
15/20
Turbodiesel ohv I6
Engine Size (liters/cubic inches) 5.9/360
Engine HP 160
Engine Torque (lb-ft) 400
Avail. Trans. EPA MPG (city/hwy) MPG avg. as tested
5-speed manual

 NA
ohv V8
Engine Size (liters/cubic inches) 5.2/318
Engine HP 170-230
Engine Torque (lb-ft) 260-280
Avail. Trans. EPA MPG (city/hwy) MPG avg. as tested
5-speed manual
3-speed automatic
4-speed automatic		 13/17
13/16
13/17

14.7
ohv V8
Engine Size (liters/cubic inches) 5.9/360
Engine HP 190-230
Engine Torque (lb-ft) 292-325
Avail. Trans. EPA MPG (city/hwy) MPG avg. as tested
4-speed manual
5-speed manual
4-speed automatic		 10/14
11/15
12/16

13.2

Road Test

Long on function if short on frills, Dodge full-size pickups are basic and durable trucks, best suited for serious work. You get plenty of passenger and cargo space, strong towing and payload capacities, but unimpressive fuel mileage. When new, these dated Dodge pickups were outsold handily by newer designs from Ford and General Motors.

The Ram’s standard V6 lacks vigor for other than light-duty chores, though later versions are a bit stronger. Each V8 delivers plenty of torque for moving heavy loads, without using too much more gas than a V6 engine. For serious heavy-duty hauling, the brawny Cummins Turbodiesel is your best bet, delivering monumental torque output below 2000 rpm. That translates to a towing capacity as high as 11,900 pounds.

Long-wheelbase 250- and 350-series Ram pickups are the best choices for handling challenging loads, with payloads comparable to Ford and GM full-size trucks. All cargo beds are 70 inches wide between walls, and 51 inches between rear wheels, giving room for cargo that’s 4 feet wide, flat on the floor.

Ratings

Model Tested: 1993 Dodge Ram D150 5.9-liter ext. cab

Ratings values are on a 1-10 scale, with 10 being the best. With the exception of Value, these numbers reflect how the vehicle compares against the universe of vehicles, not just against rivals in its class.

Performance

Acceleration - 5
50%
Fuel Economy - 1
10%
Ride Quality - 3
30%
Steering/Handling - 3
30%
Quietness - 3
30%

Accommodations

Controls/Materials - 3
30%
Room/Comfort Front - 6
60%
Room/Comfort Rear - 2
20%
Cargo Room - 2
20%

Other

Value - 4
40%

Total: 32

Specifications

ext. cab long bed
Wheelbase (in.) Length (in.) Width (in.) Height (in.) Weight (lbs)
149.0 237.9 79.5 69.8
Cargo Volume (cu/ft) Payload Capacity (cu/ft) Fuel Capacity (gal.) Seating Capacity
– 4563 30.0 5
Headroom Legroom
Front Rear Front Rear
40.5 40.4 39.4 NA
ext. cab short bed
Wheelbase (in.) Length (in.) Width (in.) Height (in.) Weight (lbs)
133.0 211.8 79.5 68.9
Cargo Volume (cu/ft) Payload Capacity (cu/ft) Fuel Capacity (gal.) Seating Capacity
– 1935 30.0 5
Headroom Legroom
Front Rear Front Rear
40.5 40.4 39.4 NA
reg. cab long bed
Wheelbase (in.) Length (in.) Width (in.) Height (in.) Weight (lbs)
131.0 219.9 79.5 69.0
Cargo Volume (cu/ft) Payload Capacity (cu/ft) Fuel Capacity (gal.) Seating Capacity
– 5400 22.0 3
Headroom Legroom
Front Rear Front Rear
40.5 NA 39.4 NA
reg. cab short bed
Wheelbase (in.) Length (in.) Width (in.) Height (in.) Weight (lbs)
115.0 199.9 79.5 70.1
Cargo Volume (cu/ft) Payload Capacity (cu/ft) Fuel Capacity (gal.) Seating Capacity
– 2251 22.0 3
Headroom Legroom
Front Rear Front Rear
40.5 NA 39.4 NA
Safety Ratings

Model Tested: 1993 Ram 1500 reg. cab short bed

NHTSA

(5 is the highest rating)

Front Impact Test

Driver Injury - 5
100%
Front Passenger Injury - 5
100%

Side Impact Test

Driver Injury - N/A
N/A0%
Rear Passenger Injury - N/A
N/A0%

HLDI

(A score of 100 is average. Lower is better)

Collision 78
Injury 79
Theft 59

Trouble Spots

Air conditioner
Description: The A/C evaporator freezes up because the compressor does not cycle off causing a lack of cooling. (1991-93)
Engine misfire
Description: Intermittent power loss, delayed start, no-start, and stalling when starting from a stop may be due to inadequate fuel pressure requiring a pump module with larger filter. (1991-93)
Engine misfire
Description: A faulty idle air control motor causes erratic idle, stalling after hot soak or during low speed deceleration. (1992-93)
Engine noise
Description: A lifter noise on 3.9-liter engines, is corrected by replacing the timing chain and sprockets with a double-roller chain. (1992-93)
Fuel gauge
Description: The fuel gauge reads lower than actual fuel level. The in-tank module must be replaced. (1991-93)
Transmission leak
Description: Transmission fluid leaks from the O-ring on the speed sensor. (1993)

Recall History

1990 with 6-foot box, EFI, and no rear bumper
Description: In rear-end collision, crossmember could contact fuel line.
1991
Description: Premium steering wheel can crack and separate from hub.
1992
Description: On some vehicles, parking brake might not fully engage.
1993
Description: Antilock braking might be inoperative when hard pedal effort is applied.

Equipment Lists

Equipment lists are only viewable on larger screen sizes.

Pricing

Used-car pricing varies widely depending on local market conditions. Therefore, we recommend visiting websites that list used cars for sale to get a better idea of what a specific model is selling for in your area.

More about Tom Appel
Written by: Tom Appel on July 2, 2014.
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