Subject: Scared Now--Should I buy Dodge? IP: Logged
Message: I was all psyched up to buy a 2002 QC SLT 4.7L a/t...but now after reading some of the posts concerning the problems, I'm a bit reluctant to buy.
What's the deal, are the tranny problems/idle problems the norm or are they the exception?
I'm wanting to buy this truck for daily driving and occasional towing of my 3000# Malibu ski boat...would it be wise to not get a Dakota?
Message: Dont worry about your DAkota. they are awesome I have owned 2. A 2000 and a 2002. I love and will keep buying em. Dont tow in overdrive and your tranny will be fine. Just check the fluids and service it on time. Your ski boat will be perfect behind the Dak. Maybe get 3.92 gears for towing. I have had 3.55 and 3.92 and I think the 3.92s were a little better. Enjoy your ne dak.
Message: My experience with Dakota's has been rather mixed. My first, which was a '97 model with the V-6 was an outstanding truck. It had almost 100,000 miles on it with no problems. I traded it for a 2001 Dakota 4X4 with the V-8 and have had numerous problems with it, primarily the front and rear brakes (1 set of rotors and pads as well as 4 sets of rear brake drums within the first 25,000 miles)and I don't pull or tow anything with it. Overall, I like the power, ride and looks of this truck, but it's quality is poor. I will probably try a Chevy 2500 HD next time I buy.
Message: BUY THE DODGE!!! These trucks are the toughest on the road in my humble opinion....my little 2000 v-6 has soaked up every bit of work and came back for more....she's been loaded to the hilt more than once, and towed more trailers than i can remember, i'm with everyone else, just make sure you keep your fluids changed, and make sure you have the proper towing setup....frame-mounted hitches are THE nicest;)
Message: I have had 6 daks. A 92,94(totaled)95,99,02 (so far) have been good quality. I also had a very early 97 that was a piece of junk. It was a dealer trade from Traverse city MI. I had a bad truck and tried the arbitration process which of course didn't work. My wife traded her sonoma for a dak.Quad. Much more room.
Message: I own 2 dakotas, a 94 CC 4X2 w/5.2L and a 01 QC 4X4 w/4.7L. Both are good trucks with the normal amount of stuff to have to deal with. The brake rotors will warp if the lug nuts are not torqued properly (EXACTLY!!!) Otherwise it is a great truck. The Chevy 2500 HD is not in the same league as a Dakota, but the S-10 tries to be but falls short.
Message: Go for the Dodge. Nobody else makes anything in this catagory. Also, the warrenty period has been extended...
You do have a choice of which dealer you buy from. This is important if something goes wrong. Ask if you get a loaner car when you bring in something for work (should you need it). If the answer is NO then run!
Ask on this site and others what experiences others have had with dealers in your area. If I had it to do over again I would have paid the extra $300 I was quibling over and gone with the better dealer...
Message: I like my Y2K Dakota (4.7 4x4), but I have had tranny and brake problems. I had a Ford before this truck and I just bought the wife an Expedition. It really feels good to be back with Ford. Chrysler's quality control and customer relations is deplorable! As soon as I can afford to, I will trade in my Dakota for another vehicle. Either GM or Ford... it depends on what type of vehicle we want. I will never buy another MOPAR product again.
Message: You mainly hear people yelling and complaining about there trucks here. You don't hear all the people who don't have problems. The only problem I've had w/ mine is the belt squeaking. I can replace that by my self for like $5 or take it to the dealer and have them fix it. I've tried that twice and it won't do it at the dealer. As far as service goes w/ Mopar .. it's the same w/ all companies. Find a good service department and stick w/ it. I've gone to 5 now in my area and think I've found one that I like.
If you really want to talk about it join us in the chat room we usually have a good group together Monday - Friday 7am-4pm CST you can pick our brains there about what ever you want to know.
Message: If you are looking for a truck that has perfect reliability, buy a Toyota Tundra or Tacoma. Ford and Chevy are known to have more problems than Dodge. Look at Consumer Reports and compare the reliability on the trucks. If style is more important. Buy the Dodge. Style was more important to me. Toyota's style looks bland. The features are not there either. Their in-dash unit sucks. The problems that I have had have been minor. The Dealer has been great. I say buy the Dodge.
I pull my Malibu with my Dakota QC 4.7 auto with 3.55 rear end. It comes in at just over 3000 pnds and it pulls it just like my Yukon does. Every now and then I have too look back to make sure I'm still pulling something. I do most of my towing out to the Okanogan Valley (better water) so I have to wait till the summer and see how good it does through the Rockies.
Message: Hate to say it, but if I had to do it over again, I'd get a Tundra. I do love my quad-cab, but sometimes you want a bit more than just looks, power, and roominess. I have a 2K QC 4x4 3.92 AT, and if I had to rate it on a scale of 1-10, I'd give it a 6.5. They're great, strong, american-made trucks but Chrysler needs to focus a bit more on the details before I'd buy another.
Well, I don't want to sell her so I guess that says somethin'. :-)
Message: Buy the dakota, but before you pull if off the lot, have some Bendix or Raybestos brake drums and rotors in hand along with some decent pads.
Have your dealer do an immediate swap of the crap OEM (made in Mexico JUNK) with USA made parts and you should do fine. If the dealer won't do that, then get another dealer or buy another truck.
Avoid at all costs the herky jerky 45RFE. It is a five star piece of sh$t and shifts worse than any automatic I have owned up to this point. Plus you save a grand in the process of going to the manual tranny and save in maintenance costs.
Message: If you are planning on buying stock in shell exxon or texaco buy the truck. If not, seriously consider how much the truck will cost you monthly (car note, fuel, insurance). However, I personally love my truck and it will probably last forever.
Message: I would also get a Tundra, but that truck is toally in a different class than the Dakota. I also was leaning towards a smaller truck, not something as large as the Tundra. However, it does beat the snot out of a Tacoma, S-10, Frontier, Ranger...you name it.
Message: Love my truck! But, as others have said, the dealerships are notoriously bad. The best thing you can do is learn as much as you can about maintenance , and let them do the warranty work only. I found a great mechanic whom I trust and who has dakotas of his own.
Very reliable vehicle, but none of them are perfect. The ball joints are known to be garbage, as are the brake rotors.
97 3.9 V6 Sport Club Cab. Black. Auto 3.55 Quick D Intake, JBA Stainless headers Autolite 3923s with Borg Warner Wires Awaiting Installation: Borla catback, V8 R/T TB
Message: If you can afford it get the Tundra. I wanted one but at the time Toyota would not haggle much on price and the fianaceing was not there. I realy like like my Dakota QC but the build quality just is not their. Dodge, GM, and Ford have alot more recalls then Toyota and they are normaly of a much more serious nature. The plus for the Dakota was the Quad Cab the Tundra did not have 4 full doors. Statisticaly Toyota has some great quality controls. My family was a mopar family but has owned Toyota's since 1973. We have never had a single toyota breakdown or fail to function. We have had to have one truck repaired under warranty. We had to have the trans input shaft seal replaced on his 5 spd. The paint finish on my Dakota is not a very good finish, I had to refit some interior pieces. The susepson is not setup for offroading. I like the transmission so far and I like the engine so far.
Message: Complaints are much more likely to surface here than kudos. Get the Dak. There is an element of chance to any of these purchases. Just select best fit. Note that I purchased a AWD version not available in other brands and I am very happy with it.
Message: Don't worry too much about the complaints on this site. I had discovered this site after special ordering my truck and was concerned that after all my research I had made a big mistake. You have to remember that these comments cover a lot of model years and Dodge has made great strides recently and in truth any vehicle is a consumable item. That said I can tell you that the paint problems reported here seem to have been addressed for 2002 if my experience is typical. My patriot blue pearlcoat paint job is flawless. It is thick, smooth and free of any blemishes. Believe me after what I read on this site it was the first thing I checked. All body parts and bumpers are in line and although I haven't had the truck long enough to see if the brake rotors are going to warp, they have plenty of power and feel with no sign of fade. Finally, Consumer Reports paradoxically shows all red circles (above average reliability) on their chart and then predicts only average reliability if I remember right. They have shown more than once that they just don't like trucks.
Message: This is my first Dakota (first dodge ever), never considered buying a dodge before, but glad I did. I have a 01 CC 4x4, 4.7 V8, auto. I've had one problem in 12,000 + miles, no tranny problems no Idle problems. Only thing I had the dealer check was the alignment they said it was way out he said sometimes the way they strap them down when delivering them can cause alignment problems, it was promptly taken care of. All ok now. Glad toyota tried screwing me on my trade in or I might be driving a V6 Tacoma right now!! V8 only way to go!!
Message: I love my Dakota and would never give it up. Dodge does have some people who need to be fired in their quality control area (would explain the appearance flaws on my truck, thank god my warranty covers it... then again I have a kean eye for perfection) but most American made stuff these days seems to be going towards sell first, fix later. Dakotas are great trucks and beats all other trucks in its class. Ford Rangers and S-10's are just too small and the Tacoma only comes in a V6. Plus, Dakotas look much better. Ever seen the stepside Tacoma or Ranger? Eeeek!
Message: I have 24,000 miles on my 2000 4x4, w/ 4.7L and auto. I have no problems at all, not even the brake rotors or anything...Your suppose to torque the lug nuts to a specific LB/FT??? oops! The only kind of truck I'll buy is a Dakota.....Man another in the garage would sure look nice.....
Tony
2000 4X4 4.7L AUTO SLT +
Jet Stage II, Z-Tube
Custom Exhuast, Extang Soft Tonno
32"X11.50"X15" BFG All-terrain T/A Ko's
16.2@80mph
Message: I know the big things to check for when picking up a new vehicle. Could some of you enlighten me to any "Dakota specific" things I should check out.
Message: No problems with mine in it's first 21,000 miles other than dealer finished bolting the left engine mount to the block in the first 300 miles.
Paint scratches real easy and white primer shows brightly through on the Intense Blue Pearl.
No warped rotors. I rotate my tires every 6,000 miles myself and all I do is follow the tightening sequence specified by the owner's manual.
Our manual trans and 3.55 with the 4.7 n Quad Cab gets 23.5mpg on the freeway with tailgate off, 22mpg with it on and 18.8mpg in the hills. it must be the 4WD/auto trans/3.92 owners complaining about their mileage. Mine does better than my Mazda MPV I got rid of for mileage and sure hauls a lot more!
I want another one... if I could just win the lotto!
Message: Dave...Glad to hear about the great milage. That's about as good as my nieghbors four cylinder Nissan truck. I got 20 MPG freeway when I checked at 200 miles. I have about 1350 miles now on my 2002 4.7 2WD CC with 3.55 LSD rear end. I can only expect the mileage to get a bit better as the engine loosens up if it follows what is typical in other vehicles. Who knows though with the new no-break'em-in method of engine manufacture. I think this guy has gotten the message that even those who have had problems still think the Dakota is best and those of us with newer Dakotas think (hope) that a lot of the past problems have been addressed.
Message: Zjumper, advice from the new truck owners is nice, but what about what happens when the warrantty runs out? how about long term reliability? no offense to the guys who have the 00 and up models, but you should have VERY minimal if any problems with trucks that new. you should be asking for feedback from the guys who have older trucks. Mine is a 95 CC V-6 with 121,000 miles, and if youask me, I'll tell you GREAT truck. get one! has all the superlatives, but unfortunatly this is the hear and now. This is the new Dodge, and sad to say the good old days of trucks that looked like trucks and ran forever are long gone. and if D/C does'nt turn it around, it will only get worse. I have friends, some of whom have new Dodges and they b**ch continuosly about the problems. The new Daks look and ride great! but the problems would lead me to purchase a Toyota Tundra as my next truck.--If this damn stodgy looking old Dodge ever dies!!!
Message: By the way...what the hecka is lol. I see it alot on this site. When I was a paramedic 16 years ago it meant "little old lady". I take it from the context that's not it. Does it mean "hello"?
Message: Zjumper, I have not had any transmission shift or idle problems with my '01 Dak.
I bought my Dak for a whole bunch of reasons;
1. City where I grew up always had Dodges for their work fleet...those trucks never died, just oil and tranny fluid changes. I have a high school bud who buys them at the city auction and he's got 2 that have over 200,000 miles (early 90's vintage) and hasn't had a major repair yet.
2. V8 - I looked at Chevy's, Fords, Toyo's and Nissans. Nobody else had a V8.
3. Looks, best looking truck I saw in 5 months of research....like Plex says..have you seen stepside Toyos or Fords? What the hell were they thinking? Retro 70's in plastic from what I test drove...ugh!
4. Handling...This is a truck?
5. Dealer, willing to deal on invoice Zero down. They wanted me as a customer and it showed. The other 4 "Five Star Dealers" I visited are not worthy.
6. Service, see #5.
Problem areas for me so far:
Oil send unit
Transfer case output seal. Replaced once, leaking again :-(
Bed out alignment by 1/4 on the passenger side.
All fixed under warranty without any questions.
Known problem areas by posts here and talking to my dealer:
Transfer case output seal
Brakes
Transmission shifts hard sometimes...don't tow in O/D!
Since this was my first brand new vehicle I did a lot of research on the Net and visited dealers in my area to see what they were like.
Trust me, do not buy a truck and then find a dealer...pick the truck you THINK you want, then find a dealer you're comfortable with and make the deal.
Never be afraid to walk away from the deal if you feel rushed or that they aren't listening to you.
Message: Hey, Mud, I asked the same thing. I'm glad im not the only one who did not know. BTW, I'm a Paramedic with Fulton Co. F.D.. 16 years ago? Man I bet you got some war stories!
Message: Chris...Yeah. Lotsa stories but we would probably gross out the rest of the readers. I worked Oakland and Richmond area in California. Wonderful life experience but for so many reasons, most of which people not in that field wouldn't expect, I'm glad I'm not doing that any more.
Message: Mud, after 16 years in those areas I dont blame you for being glad to get out. Ive only been a Medic for 2 years and It feels like 5!. ANYWAY, back to the issue at hand. Heres my take,coming form a long time GEN2 owner. If youre willing to invest a little more time and perhaps money in the upkeep of the new Daks then go for it. They look great and have power. TTYL.
Message: I own a 2000 4.7 with the 5 speed NV3500 coupled to 3.92 optional rear end with an after market Hurst Shifter. Great drive train combo. You should consider this combo over the auto...you won't be disappointed. The automatic is something I would recommend you stay away from...too many pieces of advice to list.
Message: Everyone says "don't tow in overdrive". I have a 1991 2WD 5 speed with 2.5L. Can't tow TOO much with that engine or do too much driveline damage anyway, but should I stay out of 5th when towing a 1,500 lb boat?
Message: buy the dakota!!!!,,, i own 4 89 w 477858 miles same major parts, 93 4x4cc3.9 255236 miles same major parts, 97 majenta sport 3.9 75778 miles only problem was paint caused by jack a-- dealer prep boy, wife's 2000 sport 3.9 21985 miles had light knock dealer could'nt find so new engine installed no ?? ask, just buy the dak and keep fluid changed only tow in D not OD
ps amsoil synthetic lubricants do wonders for these and all vehicles
Subject: Scared Now--Should I buy Dodge?
RE: Scared Now--Should I buy Dodge?
