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beerguy
Dodge Dakota
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1/03/2004
03:30:32
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 Subject: choosing a truck
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I'm looking in to buying a truck and have narrowed it down to a Dakota or a Tacoma. I'm leaning towards the Dakota but i want to hear from dodge owners some of the negatives about the Dakotas compared to the Tacomas.
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Kowalski
Dodge Dakota
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1/03/2004
10:23:36
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Had 2 of the toy minis before getting my Dak. Toy - stone cold reliable to the point of boredom and powerless. Dakota - solid, more character, more power. 3 1/2 years later I'm still thinking I made the right choice.
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eddy
Dodge Dakota
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1/03/2004
11:39:24
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I had a Ranger before my Dakota. Was a similar sized truck to the Tacoma. Now when I park the Dakota next to trucks like mine I wonder how I made it so long driving such a cramped truck.
The Tacoma was just never a very comfortable truck. You get more truck for the money with the Dakota. From what prices I got quoted for comparable Tacomas to my Quad Cab I paid about 2 grand less when all was said and done for more space, two more cylinders, and better looks.
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eddy
Dodge Dakota
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1/03/2004
11:40:11
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And by the way that's an unbiased opinion. Iv only had the truck 2 months, long enough to really love it but not long enough to become a brand name whore yet.
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ricardcapecod
Dodge Dakota
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1/03/2004
12:53:37
| RE: choosing a truck
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If you`re looking for reliability, get the toyota. If looking for power, space, performance in general and can pay the repair bills after the warranty is over, yes, get the dakota. If you get a dak, do yourself a big favor. Buy the extended warranty up to 75 or 100k miles. you`ll be glad you did. I love mine.
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Kowalski
Dodge Dakota
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1/03/2004
13:33:33
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I'd skip the extended warranty, its a rip off !
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Bob Hope
Dodge Dakota
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1/04/2004
03:23:31
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Not with the front ends DC puts under these trucks.
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Kowalski
Dodge Dakota
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1/04/2004
07:37:07
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Don't be so sure. They wouldn't offer it unless it was another source of revenue for them.
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gen1dak
Dodge Dakota
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1/04/2004
09:34:21
| RE: choosing a truck
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On extended warranties: If you plan on keeping the truck, get it. Yes, it costs, but it will save on inevitable repairs later on. Does it make money for DC? Definitely! Why else did they not fix a 14+year problem with the overdrives melting down? All the issues people have had with the formerly untouchable torqueflite? The warranty repair group makes money doing the repairs. The warranty repair group and dealers feed each other (a very convenient self-serving circle jerk), they're all making money and nobody in the corporate world cares because it's a consumer-driven economy. We're paying for all of it. This isn't just a DC concept, by the way. Bottom line, choke it out now for all the convenience you'll have when you don't have to pop for a couple thou here, and there when the tranny fails, or the front end flops.
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Kowalski
Dodge Dakota
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1/04/2004
09:41:03
| RE: choosing a truck
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I usually keep a truck 7-10 years and I'm way ahead of where I'd be if I bought those foolish things. Often tough to get them to honor it too.
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GHWB
Dodge Dakota
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1/04/2004
14:52:17
| RE: choosing a truck
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Extended warranties are a must with Dodge, especially for the Dakota. They're pretty trucks but with upper control arms (you can't buy just the ball joint for new Daks) running $800.00-$1000.00 for both sides installed you'll be way ahead with the extended warranty.
You can figure that you'll be replacing the ball joints about 3-4 times in 100,000 miles. If you tow, drive off road or put bigger tires on you can double the number of times.
Same goes for the brake rotors. They're just too small and get way too hot and warp. The brakes on my minivan are beefier than my Dakota brakes. Also Dodge transmissions are the worst on the market, IMHO. I guess that's why they're gradually being replaced with the M-B units.
If you are a good general mechanic you'll do OK with the Dak. Rersonally, I like to work on my truck because it keeps my wrenching skills honed. But if you want to just drive and put gas in and have the dealer do the maintenance then get the Tacoma.
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Kowalski
Dodge Dakota
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1/04/2004
17:15:20
| RE: choosing a truck
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Some of you guys ought to do your homework before you start talking trash. That rip off warranty a must ? You really think it's going to cover brake rotors ? Guess again. I wonder if it will even cover ball joints, and if you've spent any time on this site you'd know your better off with the cheaper aftermarket greasable ones that don't require new control arms (see, you CAN buy just the ball joint). And I'll take a Mopar tranny over GM any day, and they're not being replaced by M-B ones, the 45RFE and 5-45RFE are Mopar designs... Most people will come out ahead skipping these extra warranties.
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Gadak
Dodge Dakota
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1/05/2004
09:10:23
| RE: choosing a truck
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Many moons ago I sold cars for a dealership. In those days, although some individuals got hit much harder, the average cost for repairs was a little over $80 per visit to the service department. The deductible for the extended warranty was $100 for each repair. So, and again this is on average, those who did not buy the warranty saved 20 bucks per repair.
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GHWB
Dodge Dakota
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1/05/2004
13:24:39
| RE: choosing a truck
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Kowalski, you're entitled to your opinion. You're obviously a Dodge product whore so listening to you is pointless. In the real world, where people may have owned more than one brand, it doesn't take long to figure things out. Dodges look nice but under the skin they are troubled. If you don't want an extra warranty, fine don't buy it. Mine has more than paid for itself.
And since MOPAR is now a division of DC, which is M-B, doesn't it make sense to say that all new Dodge product is, in a way,M-B? I know the guys I know who work for D-C refer to it as such. They tell me nothing gets done here without approval from Stuttgart.
And Gadak, you're full of crap and you made that up. More useless disinformation. This site gets better every day.
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Mojo
Dodge Dakota
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1/05/2004
15:48:41
| RE: choosing a truck
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Hey im a Dodge fanatic and i even know the warrany is worth it, my 2000 cc has almost 50k miles on it, i bought it with 40k. it came with the warranty (77k), the guy told me he use it a couple times for electrical problems but thats it, i have all the receits, i myself used it for an electrical problem so far i think the warranty is worth it. drop it off in the morning and get it back 2 hours later, its all fixed and free. Also, a good way to benefit from warranty is to not listen to mechanics at dealer they always rip you off cause thats how they make there money. my mom, who has a durango, almost got ripped off until i went down there and asked them to explain to ME what was wrong and they said nothing' after telling my mom a list of 10 things.
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Pongo
Dodge Dakota
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1/05/2004
17:25:16
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Thats a good point about watching out for our women - slime balls go after them for stuff like muffler berings and what not.
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Kowalski
Dodge Dakota
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1/05/2004
17:27:11
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GHWB - you really should have followed my advice when I suggested you do your homework before talking trash. I'm a "Dodge product whore" ? Why don't you go back up to the second post on this thread to see what I was driving before the Dak. I guess you're looking a little foolish now. Previously you claimed Dodge "transmissions are the worst on the market" and surmised that was why they are being replaced with M-B units, then you offer a weasely response that all "all new Dodge product is, in a way, M-B". That doesn't back up your earlier claim. It should now be easy for most to see who's really "full of crap" here. Next time do your homework. Consumer Reports also advises against these expensive extra warranties.
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Gadak
Dodge Dakota
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1/05/2004
17:31:36
| RE: choosing a truck
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GHWB, the fact that I am full of crap can be attested to by anyone who knows me well. In this case, though, the information I shared came from the Finance Manager at the dealership. Maybe he was full of crap too.
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GHWB
Dodge Dakota
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1/05/2004
19:06:27
| RE: choosing a truck
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Poloc,
I don't look foolish. You're talking out your @ss like you usually do. If you're too cheap or poor to but the extended warranty just say it. Most Dodge owners who have one know it's worth it. re-read this thread carefully.
If you've never had an extended warranty, how would you know wether or not it's worth it, you smack talking @ss clown pizza boy.
STFU, moron.
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Mojo
Dodge Dakota
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1/06/2004
08:42:47
| RE: choosing a truck
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Ok ladies this is a forum not a ... schoolyard... take it somewhere else.. everyone has opinions.. this is a nuetral comment so im not gonna say my opinion again.. but... ummm... Beerguy! id go for the power baby and get a dakota.. if ya like rompin get a 4x4 dakota.. if you like racing get an dakota r/t,.. if you like driving 60 miles a day on boring road and thats it .. get a tacoma.
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Huh
Dodge Dakota
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1/06/2004
17:34:36
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Ladies Mojo ? Thats a neutral comment ? Why don't you pucker up and kiss it.
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