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J. C. Brandon
Dodge Dakota
9/06/2001
18:41:56
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 Subject: Dodge/Toyota, pros and cons?
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Just out of curiosity, I took a look at Toyota's website and configured a Tundra and a Tacoma as close as I could to my 2000 Club Cab Sport 4x4.
The Tundra lists at $29,965.
The Tacoma lists at $24,782.
Then I went to the Dodge website and configured a truck. Unfortunately, Dodge doesn't yet include 2002 Dakotas, so I couldn't get a direct comparison to the 2002 Toyotas.
The Dakota lists at $27,565.
My 2000 Dakota listed at $26,720.
I know the Tundra is slightly bigger and can fit a 48" sheet between the wheelwells. The Tacoma is smaller and doesn't offer a V8.
What are the other significant differences? Anybody done a comparo?
No, I'm not thinking of buying a Toyota. Just curious.
-J.
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durtydog
GenI
9/06/2001
19:16:56
| RE: Dodge/Toyota, pros and cons?
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curious killed the cat!lol
its a joke!
thanks for the info.its good to know how other trucks stack up and price differances.
durtydog is done dirt cheap
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sandman
Dodge Dakota
9/06/2001
20:16:49
| RE: Dodge/Toyota, pros and cons?
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Toyota has the best build quality of any vechile that I have ever owned. I just bought my 2001 Quad Cab about 6 mounths ago. I realy like it alot but it is no were near a good as a toyota. They (TOYOTA) overbuild everything. They do make a few lemons like everyone does but not many. The thing that sold me on the Dakota was that I was able to talk the dealer down on price and they gave me great financeing!!! My two local Toyota dealers would not negociate on price and would not give me very good financeing. The basicly said that they were selling like hot cakes and did not have to deal. I had two sales people tell me this. The Dodge guys were hungry for a sale. They were tripping over themselfs to help me and my wife. The paint has way to many flaws in it. The exhaust system just uses mufler clamps. The vechile has horrable brakes and very bad steering system. The 4x4 system is not the greatest with that little knob. I like the engine and transmission so far.
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Mar
Dodge Dakota
9/06/2001
22:17:49
| RE: Dodge/Toyota, pros and cons?
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Toyota in my opinion is crap. I owned a 1996 4 runner and blew a head gasket in 1 year. And before that it stalled a few times at lights and heater broke. The stereo sucked and the back light lights came on only somtimes.
The dakota is a better truck with stronger chassie and parts. Sure it has a few flaws and some things we would all liked to be changed but over all its a really good vehical. I have owned 2 dodges and they have been flawless to me. So i hope the same for you.
Fact is that you are cooler in a DODGE.
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Hersbird
Dodge Dakota
9/06/2001
22:23:31
| RE: Dodge/Toyota, pros and cons?
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Does the Toyota have a $2000 rebate like the Dakota? Can you walk into any Toyota dealer in the country, have a good selection and drive off with a invoice + $500 deal like on the Dakota? There is more to the price then meets the eye, and it's something the magazine review teams always leave out. Now Jeep is changing their policies and just dropped the MSRP of the 2002 models $2000 over an equal 2001 model. Now they are not playing the rebate game. Dodge came out with a special model of minivan last year as well, the "EX", that put the rebates into the MSRP so it compared better to the companies who limit production to artifically increase demand and keep dealers profits high. Hopefully Dodge drop rebates and lower MSRP as well, but the advantage of a rebate is the bank will finance the whole MSRP and you can use the rebate for mods. I have never seen any Dakota (even a fully loaded Quad Cab 4x4 with leather) go for $27,500, I have seen a bunch of Tacoma's go that high, and pretty much every Tundra. I don't understand what people mean by high build quality. Do you mean it doesn't break? Well I've had a bunch of supposedly unreliable Dodges in the past go 150,000 miles with hardly a problem, and my Dodges are hardly pampered or maintained. Maybe by build quality you mean the seams line up nice or the gaps are even, well my Dakota looks pretty good there as well, and it a lot harder to line up the graceful lines of a Dakota compared to the straight boring sheetmetal on a Toyota. The only reason Honda and Toyota built up a good reputation for being trouble free is they made lightweight, underpowered, manual transmission cars for so long. Just look at the Honda Odyssey minivan, now that they make a regular size minvan with power it's crapping transmissions right and left with only hundreds of thousands on the road and minimal miles compared to millions of Chrysler vans with many well over 100,000 miles. Finally when you compare when a Toyota does break it costs twice as much to fix then if it's not twice as reliable (which no way it is or it whould show up on scientific tests like JD power does) then it is costing you more in maintenance in the long run.
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Mar
Dodge Dakota
9/06/2001
22:41:32
| RE: Dodge/Toyota, pros and cons?
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All good points especialy the one about builting there reputation using underpowered manuals. Thats how they did it. Dodge is the better vehical.
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Kenny
Dodge Dakota
9/06/2001
23:41:19
|  RE: Dodge/Toyota, pros and cons?
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Well I have a 2001 Dakota. My Son last month bought a 2001 Toyota Tacoma 4x4.I paid $19,700.00. Sticker was over $21,000.00 He paid over $20,000.00. He has a four
banger. I have a six. He has a regular cab, I have the Club Cab. He has a five speed. I have a automatic.He has no power locks or windows. I have both. I have cruse control, he doesn't. He has a bench seat. I have bucket seats with a full console between them. I have a bed liner and he doesn't.Do I feel I got a lot better deal? You bet. Sure he has a 4x4 and I don't.He'll probably use those other two wheels out in the desert about 4 or 5 times a year.He hasn't gone yet.Mean while I'll enjoy my Dakota and all the niceties it has, 365 days a year. Including the keyless entry and burglar alarm he didn't get on his Toy.
Will he get better service out of his Toy? Probably, Toyota does make a darn good truck. But he is paying for it. And even if I do have to put a little more in for repairs than he does. I am getting much more for my money. And you can't beat it for looks. Inside or out.
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Kenny
Dodge Dakota
9/06/2001
23:50:28
| RE: Dodge/Toyota, pros and cons?
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Almost forgot. I have powered Mirrors. His doesn't. And these kids think they still know better than their old man.
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sandman
Dodge Dakota
9/08/2001
12:16:24
| RE: Dodge/Toyota, pros and cons?
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If look at consumer reports for the last 20 years you will see that the Japanesse and German built vechiles have a much lower rate of mechanical failure. They have fewer recalls. Build quality means that the vechiles has been assembled to the quality standards and tolerance set forth by the enginiers. Build quality means that I can just do routine maintence and have my OEM brakes, clutch last 150,000-200,000 miles and my engine last 300,000. It means that my 1986 Toyota 4Runner just got new rotors because it was only 10 Dollars more then turning them for the first time. It means that my u-joints have lasted 15 years and that my engine has been trouble free for 15 years. I changed my clutch 4 years ago because I got a highperformance one at a great price. The origanal one was fine. It means that my axel is properly aligned from the factory. My drums are still origanal and have never been turned. It means that 16 years ago Toyota had the sense to put a differential that is a half in smaller and an exact copy of a ford 9 inch in a compact truck with a 4 cylinder. It means that they had the sense to give me 4 piston non-slideing calipers that are larger then the junk on my Dakota. It means that they had the sense to build it much stronger then it needed to be the first time around. If you think it is cheaper to repair American Makes then import Makes then you are out of touch with the new vechiles. The new american vechiles are quickly aproaching the import Makes for the price of parts. I realy like my Dakota Quad cab and it does have some great features. The price and size were real plus's. I am not brainwashed and I am being objective. You are obviously ignoreing the 20 plus years of records that have been kept by the industry and or government. All companys make lemons but some make more then others. Chyrsler has a history of inavation but they also have had the most recalls of any car company in the world. A midsize truck should not have smaller weaker, calipers, pads, rotors, drums, front drive shaft, front diff, and frame then an 86 compact! P.S. DC is going to be removed from the list as one of the BIG THREE auto makers. It is going to be General Motors, Ford and Toyota I just heard it on this mornings News.
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kj
Dodge Dakota
9/08/2001
12:47:20
| RE: Dodge/Toyota, pros and cons?
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Interesting info from you folks. I've come to the conclusion that in a batch of identical vehicles you are going to have good ones and bad ones no matter what make. I've seen all makes of vehicles go 200,000 miles with nothing more than regular upkeep. I've also seen many that have been garbage from day one. I have a friend who had a Toyota pickup and was very happy with it. I remember him boasting that he got 75,000 out of his factory brakes. I also remember him spending nearly $100 to replace those same brakes. I know for the purchase price and parts costs that Toyota should be a premium vehicle. Then again parts for an American car aren't cheap anymore either.
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J. C. Brandon
Dodge Dakota
9/08/2001
12:57:17
| RE: Dodge/Toyota, pros and cons?
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Spirited debate here, ya'll :-)
How 'bout something more quantifiable? Like features and benefits. Like Tacoma doesn't offer a V8. Like a Dakota only has 44" between the wheel wells. I haven't driven the current Toyota trucks so I have no idea what they would be like to live with day to day.
-J.
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Kenny
Dodge Dakota
9/08/2001
14:36:13
| RE: Dodge/Toyota, pros and cons?
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As I said before. Toyota does make good cars and trucks. But don't think you are not paying extra for it.You can usually get an American car loaded for what a striped down Toy will cost you. I think you will also find that you will pay more to have a Toy serviced more than an American car. I am not talking about parts. But the things Toyota requires in there 15,000, 30,000, 45,000 and up, regular services.Most of their engines also require mid grade fuel that will also cost you more. My brother in law has a four banger Camery and he said his owner's manual calls for mid grade gas. So yes, I would fully agree that the Toyota makes a good car and truck. But your paying in more ways than one for it. And the Dakota is still a lot better looking than the Toy.
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sandman
Dodge Dakota
9/08/2001
18:45:57
| RE: Dodge/Toyota, pros and cons?
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Hey guys I am not nocking Dodge. I happen to own one 2001 Quad Cab. Prior to 1979 my family was a MOPAR family. I realy enjoy my Dodge Quad Cab. I do not kid myself t when it comes to the short comeings of it's design and build. I am happy with it so far inspite of it's short comeings. Some people on this board think that their dodge is the best built vechile on the planet and this just is not true. I do not have to have the best vechile on the planet to justify my purchase. The Dakota represents an excellent value with alot of bang for the buck. If dodge would shoot the paint right, hang some halfway decent brakes on the thing,Improve the steering so that the vechile did not feel so vauge when you are on center and get rid of the slight wondering then the vechile would be great.
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Hersbird
Dodge Dakota
9/08/2001
21:22:31
| RE: Dodge/Toyota, pros and cons?
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Don't get me started about how unrepresentative Consumer Reports is. They do not do any kind of scientific studies or search for overall repair rates, they are based only on reader surveys. I could say the same thing you are saying about your 4 runner as our first 89 Grand Caravan with the 4-speed overdrive, it was supposed to be horrendus but was perfect. Tires and oil (only about every 8-10,000 miles) and break pads once on it's way to 148,000 miles when we traded it in. We used it to tow a 2000# camper, used it hunting including offroad for game retrevial, dorve it hard for 10 years and put it away wet. Still running strong when we traded it in. These personal stories can be made about any car, but JD Powers does do sceintific sampling for repairs and the Dakota comes out fine (#1 to be exact) Consumer Reports doesn't even care if their readers still own (or ever did) the cars they send survey info on. I'd rather own a car from a company that owns up to problems and issues recall then just try to slid everything under the rug, Toyota will deny problems with a passion to try and keep the image up, didn't those Toyota V-6s go through some terrible years with headgasket problems, I'm not talking about a $300 oil leak like on a Neon but catastropic, strand you in the middle of nowhere, now I need a complete rebuild type of headgasket failure? So maybe dodge puts more of an effort into accelerating faster rather then stopping quicker, personally that's why I own a Dakoata and not a Toyota.
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Kenny
Dodge Dakota
9/08/2001
22:10:00
| RE: Dodge/Toyota, pros and cons?
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Aug. issue of Consumer Report tested the Quad Cabs. Although they gave their recommendation to the Toyota. Mostly because of past reliability, brakes and gas millage. The Ford Explorer and Dodge Dakota both beat it in the overall rating.One of the things you complained about in the stearing and handling of the Dakota, Consumer Report never complained about. As a matter of fact, they said,"The Dodge Dakota has a lot going for it, with its roomy, comfortable cabin; strong V-8; full-time 4WD;and longer (5-foot) cargo bed. The ride and handling aren't bad for this class."
As for the Toyota. They say after talking about brakes,engine and fuel economy." However as a passenger vehicle, the Tacoma leaves much to be desired. The seat and driving position are uncomfortable. The ride is poor and the handling unresponsive." Unresponsive is what I think you said the Dakota was, didn't you? And you wouldn't believe what they said about the Nissan Frontier.They rated them dead last. With not much good to say about them at all.I also wonder how much better the Dakota would have done with fuel economy if they had tested a six instead of the eight like the Toy. It also could be that Japanese cars and trucks do not have as many recalls because the companies are not recalling them like they should. I think Mitsubishi, just this year admitted that there were a lot of times it should of had a recall and didn't. They didn't want to show the people that there were things wrong to make Mitsubishi and Japanese cars look bad.I think Consumer Reports also ripped Suzuki apart a couple of years ago. I don't think there is as much difference between American and Japanese cars and trucks as you would think. And I feel better knowing I have bought something made in America.Although I wish to hell the Germans would sell Chrysler back. And yes, I know Japanese companies make a lot of their products here. But I also know American companies pay more and have better benifits.It comes back into our economy and gives other Americans jobs.
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Hersman
Dodge Dakota
9/08/2001
23:43:27
| RE: Dodge/Toyota, pros and cons?
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The Japanese shops here in the US are not union shops either, and still the bulk of the profits go overseas. Luckly Chrysler hasn't been sending a lot of profits overseas as since the Germans did their hostle takeover Chrysler hasn't had those record profits of a few years back.
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Kenny
Dodge Dakota
9/08/2001
23:59:06
| RE: Dodge/Toyota, pros and cons?
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Let us not also forget how the Japanese put the American television industry out of business by dumping their sets here at a price that was cheaper than they could make them in Japan. By the time the Government could find out and put a stop to it.Zenith was the only American company left. And as of last year, they are no longer American owned either.We now have none. Zero. No, they don't have many recalls. But do I trust them to recall them if they do have problems? Not on your life.
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J. C. Brandon
Dodge Dakota
9/09/2001
00:57:19
| RE: Dodge/Toyota, pros and cons?
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Toyota Tacomas are built by New United Motor Manufacturing, Inc. in Fremont, California. The company is a joint venture between General Motors and Toyota.
Here are few quotes from http://www.nummi.com/
"In September 1983, the joint venture and the UAW signed a "Letter of Intent." ... to recognize the UAW as the bargaining agent for the new employees and to pay prevailing U.S. auto industry wages and benefits."
"In May 1986, Secretary of Labor William Brock visited the plant to announce that NUMMI had been selected as the U.S. model of labor-management cooperation. This would be presented as a case study at the 1986 International Labor Organization Conference."
"In August 1991, the first Toyota 4x2 compact pickup truck was produced at NUMMI. This was the first time that Toyota compact pickup trucks would be built in the United States...In February 1992, NUMMI began producing the 4x4 compact pickup truck...In March 1993, production began of the extended cab version of the Toyota pickup truck. This expansion brought the total truck production capacity to 150,000 units a year."
"...in 1994...NUMMI received J.D. Power and Associates' Silver Plant Award for its continued commitment to quality."
"Approximately 4,900 team members are employed at NUMMI; 4,000 hourly, 900 salaried."
"There are 1,400+ North American suppliers, including 500 in California, resulting in jobs for over 18,000 people."
"In 1996, NUMMI exported $246 million worth of parts to Japan, Australia, and Canada, including 13,960 Toyota Corollas to Taiwan and 3,410 Toyota Tacomas to Canada, Puerto Rico, Guam, American Somoa, and Saipan."
-J.
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sandman
Dodge Dakota
9/09/2001
01:06:19
| RE: Dodge/Toyota, pros and cons?
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Hersman the Toyota plants here in the USA are staffed by good old sothern boys that are all UAW memebers. Kenny I never called the Dakota unresponsive. I said that it had a vauge(spelling) on center feeling. I also said that it has tendency to wander. You will also notice that I have only refered to toyota by name. I knew that the Mitsuibishi thing would creep up. Toyota is the only japanesse company not partialy owned by one of the major american automotive manufactures. Most of the parts that go on your american car or truck are made by non-union labor in the usa by smaller supliers(sweat shops). I can also say that all the electronic parts in your vechiles are either made outside the USA or assembled here in the USA useing nondomestic parts. If you have a 4.7 liter in your truck look at your alternator bet it say denso on it. Guess who owns Nippon Denso, Toyota. Guess who makes those pretty coils. Diamond and Toyo are the two suppliers Toyo does not sound too american to me. Here goes another one for you. Some new chevys have denso a/c compressors instead of delco. The 1950 are gone and everything is global now. The new mid size cadilac that is replaceing the Catera is going to use the same 5 speed automatic that BMW has been useing for a couple of years now. Guess who build these transmissions? General motors has been building them for BMW in German for years now. If we want to beat the japanesse all we as American have to do is make the best product and offer it at a decent price. We taught the Jap's everything that they know. We have the best enginiers and scientists. The problem with our industry is too many gready A##holes wanting to maxamize quarterly profits at the cost of quality and design. If we let the enginers lead instead of the marketers and bean counters then all of the American Makes would rise to the top for quality once again. It would also help if we could get rid of all the trash that hides behind their union stewards that do not want to work. They give all of the Hard Working men and women that assemble our cars a bad name and bring shame to the union in general. We need to look ten years down the road instead of one to two years. P.S. DC is nolonger an American company. It is now a German company!!!So buying a DC prouduct assembled by Americans is no different then buying a Toyota assembled in the USA by Americans.
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J. C. Brandon
Dodge Dakota
9/09/2001
01:15:46
| RE: Dodge/Toyota, pros and cons?
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Interesting factoid there, Sandman. I thought most of the electrics on my truck were Bosch. Just checked that alternator as you suggested. It says "Denso Manufacturing, Tennessee."
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Kenny
Dodge Dakota
9/09/2001
11:55:53
| RE: Dodge/Toyota, pros and cons?
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I would be the first to agree that if you tore apart our truck or most any other you will find foreign and foreign owned domestic parts.I will agree with almost everything you, Sandman and J C just said. But I am using also what you said was true about Consumers Report to show that the Toy is not that much superior to the Dakota as you have tried to point out. Neither are the rest of the Japanese trucks. There was a point in time that was true. Not any more.I would suggest you get a copy of last month's Consumer Report and look at it. Let's stop bashing what we make here and make it sound like we can't compete with the rest of the world. We can. I have been getting Consumer Reports for years and I don't remember the VW's doing that well either.Toyota makes a good truck. But it sure is not that great a truck. And as my Son will see, it's not that great a value when you consider that he bought practically a stripped down truck for more than I paid for almost a fully loaded truck. Only difference being his is a 4x4.and mine is a Club Cab. The price difference alone should of made up for that.
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sandman
Dodge Dakota
9/09/2001
12:30:20
| RE: Dodge/Toyota, pros and cons?
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I am not saying that we can not compete. We can be very competive if the Ceo's would just let our work force do it's best. I would never cut down the hard working Men and Women of America. I will though say that Management does not have a clue on how to compete. I would like nothing better then to be able to say that we make the best cars and trucks in the world. I will also agree with you that the quality gap between forign makes and domestic has shrunk alot. If it had not done so I would not have bought my Dodge Dakota. The men and women that build our trucks can only build with what the company gives them. I just do not like anyone saying you know what lets save 10 cents a brake. WHo cares if they warp early in the life of the vechile. They knew about the shortcommings of these brake long before a single vechile rolled of the line. It would be cheap and easy to fix. The number of recalls this vechile suffers and how many parts fail dureing the next 5 years will determine if Dodge ever gets another dime of my money.
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Hersman
Dodge Dakota
9/09/2001
12:36:51
| RE: Dodge/Toyota, pros and cons?
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Check out this link from the UAW
http://www.uaw.org/uawmade/products/webuy20.html
I was wrong about the Tacoma being union made but not many other imports are. Notice the #1 selling camary is absent from this list, as are other Toyota trucks like the Tundra and 4-runner.
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mopar67
Dodge Dakota
9/09/2001
13:18:40
| RE: Dodge/Toyota, pros and cons?
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Sandman is right folks. I have the same issues on brakes he does, matter of fact, I just got mine CC back after the FOURTH attempt to rectify warped rotors and drums. The pads and shoes were replaced with units that are supposed to dissipate heat better and the drums and rotors were replaced. All this with 20K on the clock! And NO towing or hauling. Do the math, and it averages out to 5K on rotors and drums. Whats wrong with this picture?
Sandman said it. So I won't repeat it here.
But I deal with the corporate american (shareholders first) mentality EVERY day and yes, its always about next quarters profits and bonuses. Sad thing is, Dodge is telling customers to act as development engineers on their vehicles when in reality, they are growing customers for the competition. Then, Dodge has to resort to expensive profit robbing rebates to "move the iron". WOUldn't it be cheaper in the long run to simply build it right the first time with quality parts? Satisfied loyal customers are what keeps a company in business, not the guy who invested 5K in stock options 30 years ago.
Witness discount retail: Walmart, Target, and Kmart each run circulars. Ever notice how INFREQUENTLY Walmart runs ads whereas Kmart and Target print and distribute millions upon millions of flyers each week? Why? WhHy does walmart advertise so infrequently compared to Kmart and Target? Answer, they don't have to! They don't need to invest in market ploys to get customers in their stores. Read Sam Waltons book on this.
Is anyone in Detroit listening?
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Kenny
Dodge Dakota
9/09/2001
17:37:01
| RE: Dodge/Toyota, pros and cons?
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I'll agree Corp. America is running this Country. They worry about the stock holders more than the customers. And yes, they try and cut corners when ever they get a chance. They blew a couple of big ones on the Dakota. Hopefully they have fixed it.
But I again go back and say. Toyota makes a good truck. They don't make a great truck. The words from Consumer Reports shows that.It runs and stops great. It's just uncomfortable to drive. The ride is poor and the handling is unresponsive. That is not the words for a great truck. Lets see what they say about the only other Japanese truck. I quote. " The Nissan Frontier rates the lowest of the group, by a substantial margin. The supercharged V-6 engine is noisy, gulps a thirsty 14 mpg and is the only engine in the group to require premium fuel. In addition, the ride is poor, the cabin is noisy and uncomfortable, handling is unresponsive, and crash-test results are not encouraging." I may be wrong, but that doesn't sound to me like the Japanese companys are that far ahead of us in quality. Add to that the confession of at least Mitsubishi that they had times when they should of had recalls and didn't. I don't think their upper management is that great either. How many more of the Japanese companys should of had recalls and didn't? I still haven't forgotten about what they did to the television industry over here. They would have to build one hell of a car or truck before I would buy one.
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sandman
Dodge Dakota
9/09/2001
20:08:23
| RE: Dodge/Toyota, pros and cons?
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With everything that has been said pro or con for non-domestic makes that still does not change the fact that the Dakota's are suffering from too many durabilty issues. It does not change the fact that we are getting way too many recall notices in the mail. It does not fix the problem with mis-aligned rear axle assembly, warped rotors, warped drums, improperly programed pcm/ecm, leaking front pump seal on Tranny,constant stalling, bad paint, missing hood insulation, bad ball joints.......
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Kenny
Dodge Dakota
9/09/2001
22:36:03
| RE: Dodge/Toyota, pros and cons?
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Your right there. These trucks should be put together a little better and D/C could use some better parts. But all in all, you take a survey on how many people would buy the Dakota again. I am willing to bet about 7-8 out of ten would do it.The main reason being it is a solid, good looking truck that rides like a car and has a good size bed and good power. You can drive across the country and not get tired of driving it. It turns heads like no truck before it. Most of these problems are fixed under warranty. There are a number of bulletin boards for the Dakota and most wouldn't think of getting rid of their truck even with the problems some of them have had. Thats saying a lot. Yes, you can probably buy a Toyota and not have one thing go wrong with it for 100,000 miles. But how good is it if after driving 100 miles your butt gets sore from the hard seats. If it rides like a tank and handles unresponsive? How much are you going to enjoy it because it cost so much you can't afford the things that make driving pleasurable. Like cruise control,power seats,windows or door locks?
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Mar
Dodge Dakota
9/10/2001
08:57:34
| RE: Dodge/Toyota, pros and cons?
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From what my friend tells me. When damler benz bought chrysler the quality control and maintance in all the assembaly plants went to the crapper.
But like i said before. Toyotas are just as bad. My 4runner that i owned for 1 year got two recall notices one for head gasket and one for tranny. The truck ran like crap. Used more gas and anti freeze then a chev tahoe and one day in winter i used the power sliding rear glass window and a peice inside cracked and rattled till i got rid of the truck. I noticed the other day that my friends chevy S-10 had the bed misalignment out buy a half inch.
I think that dodge is building better trucks then domestic but have some shortcommings. The good thing is that we know were they are its not like every day a new thing is breaking.
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mike
Dodge Dakota
9/10/2001
11:14:46
| RE: Dodge/Toyota, pros and cons?
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TOYota=jap=crap
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J. C. Brandon
Dodge Dakota
9/10/2001
13:07:47
| RE: Dodge/Toyota, pros and cons?
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I'd buy another Dakota. I've got more than 48,000 miles on mine with just one repair: warped brake rotors. And the only recall I've received was a little thing about relocating the transmission filler tube. Maybe I've just been lucky; but I think this is a great truck.
Kenny's statement that "You can drive across the country and not get tired of driving it" is one of the main things I like about this truck. This spring I drove 800 miles in a day, slept in the back of the truck, then drove another 400 miles. On that same trip I drove from the San Francisco Bay Area, over the Sierra, across Nevada on Highway 50, across Utah, and up to the Continental Divide. Spent a week exploring offroad then left Colorado in a snowstorm. Drove Interstate 80 back to California. And I pulled an 18-wheeler out of a ditch along the way.
This is one amazing truck.
-J.
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Kenny
Dodge Dakota
9/10/2001
19:46:33
| RE: Dodge/Toyota, pros and cons?
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As much as I do not like buying Japanese trucks, I have to agree with Sandman that Chrysler has to put out a more reliable product in the Dakota. I don't know if it's sloppy workmanship or faulty parts they are buying. It may also be a problem in the design of the brakes. I can't imagine that they would go through the expense of having to fix so many unless they just designed it wrong. I E-maild Chrysler about the problem with the drums and rotors and they wrote back that they have fixed the brake problem on these new ones. Time will tell if that is true. I still feel that most Dakota owners would not give up their trucks to buy a Toyota.Even with the problems they have had.
Even if Toyota were trouble free. They don't look that good. They don't handle that good. And they don't feel that good. And they are way over priced. But lets her it from you guys and gals. Would you sell your truck and buy a Toyota? I could be all wet.
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Hersbird
Dodge Dakota
9/10/2001
23:34:34
| RE: Dodge/Toyota, pros and cons?
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Mopar67, while I agree with most everthing you said I have to disagree about the walmart ad flyier thing. As a USPS Letter Carrier in a town with a Walmart, Target, and K-mart we do the town coverages on the Walmart at least twice as often as the other two stores. The only places to give the Walmart a run for the mailer king here would be the Albertsons and the Safeways but they are in a different market. Funny thing is the Walmart does much more business then the other two stores combined, judging by the parking lots. And it's not just the mail, but Walmart is in the newspaper with a big pull out at least once every two weeks. Don't get me wrong I'm a Walmart guy myself but I wish they'd save a few more trees and mailmen's backs. (you'd think I'd be happy for the revenue for the P.O., but I really don't think they pay enough for the service they receive, thier lobbiest in congress with the postal rate commission is better then the average Joe paying regular first class postage. Often when the rates go up the bulk mailers are uneffected.)
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