Selling an old Dodge D/W pickup that's done

The total is probably short. NHTSA often files these trucks as plain "Ram", and those complaints aren't counted here.

If your D150 or W250 has soft brakes, a rotted bed or an engine that won't turn over, it can still go as one piece. We buy whole non-running and junk cars, and you can sell the whole car as it sits, with free pickup anywhere in the US.

D, W and the numbers after them

The letter tells you the drive. D trucks are two-wheel drive and W trucks are four-wheel drive. The number is the weight rating: 100/150, 250 or 350. EPA's fuel economy data lists D100/D150 and D250 pickups and cab chassis, plus W100/W150 and W250 pickups, from 1984 through 1993. All of them run on gasoline. The 1994 Ram redesign replaced them, which is why the next truck in line is the Ram 1500.

Three stretches of model years, and what owners reported

Without a generation history to lean on, this page groups the EPA years around the recalls.

1984-1986: quiet, with one wheel recall

Only 9 complaints cover these three years. The one recall is the oddest of the four. Campaign 83V097000, reported September 26, 1983, says some 1984 trucks got road wheels with oversized mounting holes. A wheel like that may not tighten to the hub and could come off. Dealers replaced the wheels, spare included. The campaign counted 124 vehicles.

1987-1990: the recall years

These four years hold 53 complaints and three recalls. The 1990 alone has 23, the most of any year, with 2 crashes reported. Suspension is named most on the 1990 (4), with brakes next (3).

• Fuel line, 1987-1990 (90V124000). In a rear-end crash, the pickup box crossmember could hit the fuel pump module's fuel line and cause a leak. The fix adds two blocker brackets under the truck. It counted 26,600 vehicles; that total is for the whole campaign, and other models may be in it.
• Clutch, 1987 (87V040000). Long, cold idling at high speed could let exhaust heat damage plastic hydraulic clutch parts. Dealers added heat shields. 4,500 vehicles.
• Park, 1988 (87V194000). On automatics, the park sprag rod could stick in a position where it doesn't engage. Dealers replaced it. 3,500 vehicles.

The 1988 has 16 complaints, split evenly at 3 each among tires, suspension and structure, plus one injury. The 1989 has one fire report.

1991-1993: brakes at the top every year

These years hold 34 complaints and no recalls. Brakes are named most on all three: 2 on the 1991, 5 on the 1992, 4 on the 1993. NHTSA also holds 9 complaints filed under a 1994 model year, led by suspension (3).

Every year on file

Every number here is owner complaints made to NHTSA, added up through October 10, 2026. Newer trucks are not part of this story; all of these are more than 30 years old. Recall counts are campaigns that list that model year.

Should you repair the D/W pickup or sell it?

Check the D/W pickup's VIN with NHTSA's recall lookup. On a 1987-1990 truck, look hard at it, since the fuel-line brackets matter in a rear-end crash.

Then look at what's actually wrong:

• Brakes gone soft or seized after years of sitting? The bad brakes guide walks through repair against selling.
• Structure is the fourth most-named part. If the frame or bed has rotted through, read rotted frame before you spend on anything else.
• Parked for years with flat tires and old fuel? See sitting for years.
• A project you won't finish? The old project car guide covers that case.

If a repair quote is close to what the truck would bring running, selling it unrepaired is the simpler path.

Selling the truck in one piece

1. Find the VIN and the badge. Say whether it's a D or a W, and the 150, 250 or 350.
2. Say what works. Does it start? Does it roll? On a W, does the four-wheel drive engage?
3. Get an offer online, or call (877) 421-6008.
4. Tell us where it's parked: barn, field, driveway or street. Our driver needs to know whether it will take a winch.
5. Leave it in one piece. The engine, wheels and tailgate should stay on. If something's already gone, say so.
6. Have the title ready. Old trucks often lost theirs years ago; the no-title guide explains what to do. For plates and insurance afterward, see after you sell.

More on trucks in general is in junk truck or SUV.