The 1997 Ram 3500 is an important vehicle to Dodge for the standard cab pickup market segment. The Base is a member of a series of one trim levels for the Ram 3500 which include Base. The two-door truck with its rear-wheel drive is positioned to aggressively fill this niche for Dodge. There is strong competition from vehicles from Honda.

1997 Dodge Ram 3500 Base Specs

The restyled Ram 3500 Base is equipped with a 5.9-liter eight-cylinder engine that utilizes 16 valves. The Magnum HD engine is mated to a New Venture five-speed transmission. This has resulted in an increase in horsepower and torque over the 1996 version.

The front brakes are disc while the rear brakes are drum. Steering is handled through a power-steering gear-style configuration. The Ram 3500 uses power-assisted brakes, with 4-Wheel ABS support. Load balancing is provided by coil front springs and leaf in the rear.

The 1997 Ram 3500's standard fuel system runs on gas. The fuel is regulated electronically, with a fuel-injected MFI style of design. The fuel capacity of the truck is 35.00 gallons.

Statistics

The dimensions of the Ram 3500 Base are 93.80 inches wide by 224.10 inches long. It sits 73.00 inches off the ground. It seats a standard three passengers, with 2 doors. The wheelbase of 134.70 allows for extra leg room for the rear passengers.

The standard warranty period for the Ram 3500 is 60* months, or 50,000* miles, whichever comes first. This is standard in the standard cab pickup market.

The original manufacturer suggested retail price (MSRP) was $20,255 when new, with a dealer invoice cost of $17,702. This price was in line with the industry average price for a 2-door Standard Cab Pickup.

MPG Ratings

The 1997 Ram 3500 gets 23 miles/gallon on the highway and only 17 in the city. This is below average for a standard cab pickup truck.

The vehicle is available in several colors.

Parting Shots

The 1997 model year was very successful for the Dodge Ram 3500. The introduction of several trim levels (along with the Base version) meant that buyers could find the version that best suited their needs.

Tags: 2-Door, Base, Canada market, Dodge Ram 3500, Standard Cab Pickup

This entry was posted on Tuesday, December 2nd, 2008 at 3:00 pm and is filed under 1997, Dodge, Ram 3500. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.