Dodge Dakota Crew Cab - II

cowtownkid

Quad Owners, after reading some of the past depressing post's (Bookitty, axel out of line etc) thought I would post some of my current observations... No ticking, no tranny slipping, no rattles, no weird vibrations, no nothing except "pure enjoyment"! This has to be one of the most finely built and tuned machines I have driven in quite some time! Filled up again...drove 153 miles in complete urban enviorment (lots of stop & go's) and many (did I say many) hard accelerations...tank needed 11.67 gallons to fill, 13.11 mpg. Can't say enough about this truck, still going over it with fine tooth comb.

cowtownkid

slr9589

IT has arrived !!! i took a spin thru the dealer's lot unannounced and found my QC waiting in line for CSX debriefing and a bath.The invoice on the door even had my name on it.....best of all,all the parts ordered were installed.
we will pick it up on the 26th....
sorry to hear about the messed up rear end...hope it's not a killer.will look double close at mine.
will share more info after purchase completed.

shoepeg

If this clowns email address was to appear
on this site, we could give a certain sales
manager reason to screw-up his work. I don't
think you should get even, I think you should
get ahead of them. Post it and we'll let the
BS flow. My truck is scheduled for 04-02-2000,
but the MAN ERINE say it will most like be built
this week....hope.....hope...

bookitty

This dealership is still using snail mail. It was not the sales manager's error, it was the sales person's error. I found out that he performs much better when in "panic mode.'

Bookitty

stvdman

Its about time someone hot the same gas mileage as me. I always get between 13-14mpg in the city, and 17-18 on the highway. I keep seeing everyone else get 2-3 mpg better in both areas, thought my Quad may have been defective.

nuthnfree

Saturday I inquired about ordering a quad, and to my surprise I actually found a dealer with a helpful salesman. When I told him it might be a couple of weeks before I order, he showed me a schedule, for fleet sales, indicating that orders for new 2000's will have a cutoff sometime in mid or late April (I don't remember the exact date). He didn't know whether the cutoff for regular orders was any different. Does anybody know any more?

Later that day I visited another dealer, where I found a salesman who was more typical, which is to say full of misinformation. He said his dealer was waiting for six Dakotas with 4.7's. Said they had ordered them many months ago, but was suffering an indeterminate delay "because they're not building the 4.7's, they're on restriction." It's not a huge dealer, so I asked if the problem was their allocation. He acted as if he had never heard the word before.

andy_jordan

nuthnfree - the manufacture of the next model year usually starts as soon as the workers come back from the 2 week shutdown at the start of August. This ensures that there are plenty on the dealers' lots by the official launch (October 1st). If you order at the end of July then you can be certain you will get a 2001.

The issue with quad cabs is complicated by the huge backlogs in orders. By saying mid April what the dealer is really saying is that it will take them until shutdown to fill all of the orders that they already have (plus dealer lot models). So in effect after that date the true picture is not that you will be able to order a 2001, but that you will be unable to order a 2000.

I suspect that the fleet cut off is slightly earlier, but my June 1st I would think that all orders will be filled with 2001s.

The downside is that when you order you won't know how much the truck will cost (so agree on a flat price rather than a % over invoice), what changes are going to be made, or even if your order will be buildable - for instance the color may be dropped.

jcody1

I am getting 14 mpg all the time in my 4X4 4.7 3.55 Quad (according to the computer and my calculations)

tpmiller1

I e-mailed DC about this a month ago and they answered indicating changeover late June early July. Andy's post makes more sense to me.

This complicates my situation. Locked in loan through 4/24. Locked in price protection through 5/18. Locked in "no build" status (order received by DC 1/18) probably because dealer has no allocation.

I'm going to be talking to dealer on 4/1 (april fool's)re: cancelling current order and re-ordering an '01. With a guarenteed delivery date no later than 12/24/00.

And a Happy New Year to all.

ozark

After following these Dakota Quad topics for nearly four months it seem that the single, obvious, weak link in the whole buying process is the local salesman/dealer. I am not attacking these people, I am stating what appears to be a fact. They often are not malicious, but just uninformed. I know that after following these topics, I knew more about the Quad and what was available than my salesman did. It is a shame that Bookitty, who was one of the Quad pioneers and one of the most helpful posters on this forum, should have to suffer because of ignorant salesman syndrome. My point, and one of the things that I have learned during this process, is that in the future I will trust my judgement and research and if necessary argue with the local dealership in order to get what I want. Seems like Daimler-Chrysler should have real experts to guide the dealers(and the customers) in the ordering process. The Dodge web site is a good beginning for buyers and they should be complimented on this. But buyers, have a good idea of what you want when you walk on the lot.

Sorry for the length. But had to get that off my chest.

REPORT: Will put the third tank of gas in the truck today. So far all is well. When washing the truck I found one loose screw on one fender flare and am not too impressed with the foam spaces on the roll-up windows (can't help it guys, just can't handle the power ones). Still shopping for stereo upgrade. The base unit is awful. Audio salespeople are worse than car salesmen. Hard to get the straight facts about reliability, etc. Buyers should consider the premium Infinity unit with steering wheel controls. If I had to do it over I would definitely order it. One other minor problem-- the truck sometimes causes delays in simple running around chores cause people want to talk about it and look at it. It's beautiful, I admit it. To see my truck (minus the leer tonneau and nerf bars that are have been ordered) just download the screen saver from the dodge web site. My 4x4 4.7 RED Quad looks just like it.

ferous

I agree with ! I've been researching the Quad on the internet since September, and I know more than any salesperson at any of the 4 Dodge dealers I've dealt with.
While waiting for the detail person to bring my truck around last Saturday, my Salesperson asked where I had learned so much about the truck (Remember I called him to tell him when it would arrive). When I explained that I had learned most of it from www.townhall-talk.edmunds.com, he claimed he had never heard of it. Needless to say I told him he should check it out.
Update time: After 3 days, 1 hour, and 23 minutes, I have 153 miles on it. Everything fits great and look great with one small exception. Above the drivers door handle I have a very small chip in the paint, but not in the clear coat, just the paint. I'm suppose to bring it in Friday, but I think I will live with it just the way it is. I'm afraid they will never match it well enough to not see the repair. Right now it looks like a fruit fly sitting on the paint.

What would you do? Fix it, or leave it?

bookitty

I'm happy that you received and are enjoying your Quad. Liked your post on the ignorance of the average sales person at the dealerships. It's a travesty that they don't have sufficient interest in their products, to familiarize themselves. Yet, the resource is there for them to tap. Too busy standing around B/Sing with their comrades awaiting Mr. or Ms. Innocent to pass through the portals. Such a shameful business. As far as sounds are concerned, I always take whatever gear comes with the vehicle. I listen to baseball games and one classical music station that has repeater stations throughout the Northeast. In addition to that, I am hearing impaired and it is difficult for me to discriminate when listening in any type of noise environment. My sound system is very expensive, two digital hearing devices.

Bookitty

andy_jordan

If they can't match the paint, well they owe you a new door don't they.

You bought a new vehicle because it would be without flaws. Your contract did not specify that paint chips were acceptable, so get them to sort it out, and sort it out right.

rjoder

I spoke with the service manager this morning in regards to the Rear end being off center and he stated that the automotive technician said that the truck was fine and it was an optical illusion! When I told him I had measured a 1 1/2 inch difference between the left and right wheel wells he changed his tune to "I agree with you, I'll have him look at this further." What is up with this? My wife wanted this truck in the worst way and we have to put up with Optical Illusions....

The Service Manager stated that the truck was up on the lift and everything checked out. I wonder if the body was placed on the frame incorrectly. Any thoughts?

andy_jordan

that the automotive technician is suffering from optical delusions.

The offset body on frame is possible, but I wonder whether something else may be wrong here. As I recall you were advised that you would have quite a wait for your truck, but then mysteriously got a call out of the blue saying that it was ready. When you do get it the door isn't fitted properly and the rear end is out of alignment.

I don't want to invent conspiracies where none exist, but does that sound as though a truck got pulled for some reason, say it fell off a railcar, and was then given a quick check and released to the next buyer who ordered that spec?

Just wondering?

tpmiller1

rjoder do not let us hanging on this saga, which sadly appears to be far from over. Does this technician possess something such as a measuring tool?

Folks following their truck via rail, is it possible to backtrack a delivered vehicle's route?Don't I remember a recent post on one of the Dak threads about Quality inspections of Daks on rail cars?

Is Andy Jordan really Mulder?

cowtownkid

Do you also have the 3.92 ratio? After reading some of the other posts, I was second guessing my choice of ratios, but after driving the vehicle I am completely satisified with my choice. Maybe after reaching 3000 miles or so the mpg's jump up a mile or two...

cowtownkid

natdmann

At least that is what the window sticker stated. I am almost hoping it is wrong because I am getting the same gas mileage as all the 3:92 guys. It may just be that I cant keep my right foot out of the thing, it feels so fast for a truck. Like I have stated before this thing is almost as muc fun as my 1993 Lightning was, its just this thing gets 13+ mpg in the city where the lightning NEVER got better than 10 in the city.

badassbob

Ozark.....Let me reccommend the Alpine CDA-D852 or CDA-D855....It is the 1 1/2 DIN model for GM &Chrysler oversize holes so it will fit perfect in the stock dash hole with NO installation kits required....I have one in my wifes Trans-Am and have one sitting in th closet for when mine hits the driveway...Its an indash CD player with Canger controls....It has a cool multcolor "dancing lights" spectrum anylizer...Plus comes witha remote control...Prices are +\- $350 & $399 respectively....the D855 has an upgrade on the pre-amp outs and a upgraded CD-Changer D/A converter....What can i say...Im an electronics NUT.....If you have questions about car audio/installation....i probably have the answers or at leat can point you inthe right direction....

oh yeah....Spoke to d/c today to see if my tentetive ship date of 3/21 was still current and was informed tat my truck was put on a rail car onthe 15th...and switched to truck transfer on the 20th....should have mine hopefully by the end of te week...ill keep you posted...Ordered 2/23...shipped 3/15.....the name of te game people is dealer allocation......

later

CHAD

snowedin

I took possession of my quad (4.7L, 5 speed, 3.55 lsd, air, tire & handling, pwr. convenience grp., fogs, power bench, skid plates, cd) on 3/16. My order was placed by the dealer on 1/17----so it took about 8 weeks.
First, I would like to extend my sympathy to all who have been waiting for their vehicles since Nov. & Dec. I have been religiously reading these topics and am astonished at the poor customer service given by dealers and DC. Fortunatly, my experience has been positive (so far).
Secondly, I wish to thank everyone for their informative posts and responses, and too would like to see all these Dakota topics consolidated into one.
So far these are my observations-problems-questions:
-the 4.7L is a monster---I have never driven a truck that was this much fun
-there appears to be no speed limiter on my vehicle( I know, I know... but I had to check)
-the lsd is worth every penny and then some in the snow
-the drivers door does stick out a little at the very top (I never noticed until reading about it here; no rear end probs. though)
-the cd stereo (RBR) is not stellar; I definitely do not recommend it.
-the 5x7 mirrors are too small---seriously consider the 6x9 upgrade. Unfortunately, I believe the only way to get the bigger mirrors is if they are power/heated at $160 inv. cost.
-my mileage @ 300 miles was 14.4. Apx. 30% freeway, 50% rural roads, 20% city streets. This includes a lot of acceleration/deceleration as is specified for "break-in driving" in the manual.
-the driver side power bench seat has begun to squeak annoyingly(will call tomorrow for adjustment/tightening/lubrication)
-there is a burnt odor that I attributed to the exhaust burning off lubrication oil that is still present after 300 miles(will also ask service about this) Is this normal?
Well, so much for brevity. I will post anything that seems relevant as well as any goodies I may find in my hunt for accessories.
Happy Quadding!
Brian

jimbuck

Has anyone noticed that there is no information for tire inflation if you get the tire & handling package? We looked at three Dakotas and they all listed info for the standard tires. Anyone have any info on the recommendations for the 15x8 wheels with the 255x65x15 tires (Goodyear). Thought this was really strange.

Also, notice my door is out of align also, had to get the rear one aligned already (1700 miles and running great).

On a trip last weekend, put mid grade in and the mileage jumped to about 19mpg running at 70mph.

gsx750f

While looking at the QC's on dealer lots in December. I noticed several had misaligned beds. It was very easy to see that that the leading edge of the bed stuck out further than the rear door one side but was well within on the other side.
regarding mpg: I now have over 4k miles on my mine since Dec. Switched to Castrol 10-30 syn. at 4k. I drive mostly highway (rush hour though) and get about 16.5 when its warm, 55+ and 15.5 when its colder out. Question, is there an external way to check to see if maybe I have the 3.92 gears instead of the 3.55 like it stated on the sticker. On all my other vehicles I have had now problem meeting or beating the highway mileage on the sticker. Or was I just naive enough to think that a 4400lb v8 4x4 was ever going to get 19mpg.

jcody1

Unless you drive downhill at a constant 50 mph for 300 solid miles.

ferous

Rear End - There is a big white sticker wrapped around the axle on the drivers side. It will have either 3.55 or 3.92 in big letters.

Mileage - My 2wd Quad with 4.7 5spd 3.55lsd is avg @ 19.1 on the first tank (<300 miles total) and I have the small stock tires (215 75R 15).

Tire Pressure - My owners manual came with all the tire warranty stuff for all the different tire options. I would send you one if your missing it, but I threw away all the ones that didn't apply to me.

RAZ - Radio option is worth every penny. My 2 cents worth.

cowtownkid

I to, after four days, developed a squeak in the driver's seat. I have buckets and the squeak is coming from the left side of the rail. Will have it checked soon. I have to disagree about the mirrors though, I ordered the 5 X 7 mirrors and I am really suprised on the rear view area, I didn't think the larger ones would look right on the "Sport" package, but to each his own, just my opinion.

cowtownkid

tiltboy

Hey guys, I am still considering ordering a Quad. I was wondering if anybody has dealt with Meltonsales.com. They are a 5 star DC dealer(whatever thats worth!!!) They advertise $175 under invoice less $49 processing and advertising. They are in Clairmont OK. They say you can get the FB rebate in your home state as it doesn't apply in Ok. Anybody have any comments? Thanks Kyle

2drive

Dealer allocation appears to be the key to a timely delivery on a Quad order. And a volume dealership is definitely recommended over a small dealer. I learned this the hard way. After waiting since 12/28/99 for my order to go off allocation/restriction status (and my fleet manager all this time insisting that his dealership did not have any kind of allocation problem), Ernie placed a call to my dealer last Wednesday to inquire as to why my order had been taking so long.

Well SURPRISE!!!! Monday, Ernie said that I had received allocation. What Ernie said was that a Dealer had to sell their prior delivered unit(s) before they are allowed allocation to receive further unit(s) regardless of how many orders they may have taken or when the orders may have been sent to Chrysler. D*** dealership!!!! The dealer certainly is the weak link in the ordering/purchasing process.

What I've learned from all this ... Be willing to pay a little more from a volume dealer to be assured of receiving an immediate allocation.

THANKS to Ernie at Customer Service, and to the Dodge Get-A-Quote ordering process. At least placing an order is a quick hassle free/haggle free 15 minute process.

rjoder

Problem: Right rear tire sticking out 2 inches more than left..

Fix: Talk to dealership manager who talks to service manager who realigns the bed of the truck. The service manager stated that the bed of the truck can be aligned a couple of inches to the left or right. Now, where is the service tech who said it was an optical illusion????

Problem: Driver door misaligned at top.

Fix: I don't know , but its fixed, so I don't care.

My wife and I took her new quad for a night on the town. Damn, that is one fine looking truck....

Now if I could just do something about those service people....

knkresort

I just picked up my Quad this afternoon and the very first thing I did was look for the rear wheels sticking out. Low and behold, the right one was out 1 1/2" more than the left. Then I looked at 6 more Quads on the lot (large dealer with no allocation problem) and they all stuck out on the right side. Climbed under the truck and looked around. Everything lines up correctly there. Took it for a test drive and it handles great. Bottom line, I agree with rjoder, it must be a bed alignment problem.

Ordered contoured mud flaps for all four wheels, $90 installed for all. Should be here in 2-3 days. Also received a booklet with $500 worth of free oil changes. Not bad. Dealer also has a barbecue dinner for new owners once a month. The $150 over invoice I paid doesn't seem so bad now....

Got the steering wheel stereo controls for free. Seems they screwed up the order (in my favor)and they are now mine. I must say, I do like them, but have to remember they are there. With only 24 miles on the truck, I still am learning its feel.

Dealer wanted to sell me a clear coat protector and fabric protector called VIP. Its some sort of vinyl sealant, 5 year warranty, but wants $395 for it. Any body else heard of this or similar type of product?

Now comes the hard decision, spray in or drop in bedliner? Tonneau (spelling?) is a possibility, but have to find one I like.

Happy Quadding...

KnK

snowedin

I have an appointment Fri. to fix seat. Will have them look at the top of the driver's door also. Almost afraid to have them try and fix it....it's not that bad and I'm worried about the "technique"
they will use to fix it. Will update when it's done.
Personally, I liked the look of the larger mirrors but was too slow to add them to my order.
The service manager said the burnt smell was most likley the undercoating burning off the exhaust and would continue until 1000mi.

themacguy

I had a conversation or two with those guys (melton). Seemed OK for the most part but were a little pushy and very little (or no) internet knowledge - completely indifferent to it. Of course that was last year so who knows, by now they could be the 'hot' new IPO of the day.
Second up were the lovely Pam & Brigitte (NO exaggeration I assure you) of [www.bennyboyd.com]. They let me know up front (honesty) that this was their first foray into a 'net presence (some experience) & were selling about a dozen or so vehicles a month last summer. They looked hard for what I wanted, willing to do anything to help push my order - when placed - along to delivery(savvy).
I was in a real 'tax' time bind. E:mailed me regularly (communication), before the sale & to date, to keep me up on their 'worldwide' efforts (followup). They are now selling something like twice what they were (growth) over the 'net. They found me not one but TWO very close to my 'perfect' Quads, and even without any whining (or groveling) on my end, had BOTH shipped to them in a matter of days for my (no obligation) look-see. I got a 'blank' check from [www.peoplefirst.com] - who delivered it to the family ranch in San Angelo, halfway from my house to Benny Boyd Dodge in Lampasas, TX - sixteen hours after initiating contact (a record?). Neither my USAA bank or local Credit Union could move that fast, so I did this ENTIRE DEAL over the 'net, without ever meeting a human. Consumer Reports never called me about my internet purchase 'experience!' So thorough that bunch.

Benny Boyd had 10 Quads in their itty bitty town by the first of Dec. - most of em sold - before ANY of my local mega million dollar, high volume, big city dealers (5 with a combined population of 1.5 million people) got their first ones. I bought mine at first site - didn't even test drive it, and have never looked back. Can't wait for the return trip to see Pam & Brigitte & the service crew to thank them personally. When's the last time any of you heard of someone anxious to get back to a dealer (for anything)? I actually like these people A LOT. And I ABHOR car dealer types.

hey knkresort - thanks for the good voodoo - & the 4 inches of rain it brought us. ;-))

poolman57

Hey, let me know what they did to fix the squeaking seat, please. Mine is doing it to. I am curious to see what it is and if I can fix it myself. I'm not located conveniently to a dealer to schedule an appointment.
Anyway, I guess I am the only one to order the 5.9 and the 3.92 lsd, 4wd, sport. Fuel mileage: 13 mpg in the city. Just about the same realisticly.
Look to check on the passenger rear door between the door latch and the door panel to see if everyone got a good coating of paint on it. I have black and can see some tannish(?) primer behind the black as if they didn't spray it with enough paint. It's really not noticeable unless you are really looking for it. Just curious........

Jeff

mpa2

I just took delivery of a Quad Cab SLT 4x4 with
most options except for bucket seats, full-time xfer case, and the steering wheel radio controls.
Does anyone know if the radio controls can be easily retrofitted? I'm regretting not getting them to go with the RAZ radio option as it is a
little awkward to reach the radio while driving.

thanks

newquad

My driver seat is squeaking too! Will check it with dealer. Very annoying. I also have the bucket seats.
Got my Line-X spray in liner yesterday- it looks AWESOME! Much nicer than the drop ins.
Susan

relious

Well I did it, placed the order for the Quad today. I've been waiting since I first saw pics of it well over a year ago, and envying all of you talking about yours. White 4x2 Sport with just about everything. I went with the 3.9L rather then the 4.7. Hope I didn't make a mistake on that note. Thanks everyone for all the helpful information, now the wait is on. Hopefully it will be completed this year and I won't have to go through this again for the 2001. Does anyone know who sells the fender flares other then Dodge/Mopar? The dealer wants a small fortune ($525) for the things, but they look great.

chrysler7

I think your dealer is price gouging on the fender flares. I ordered a set for my Quad in Driftwood for $255. That seems to be the going price. It's amazing how these message boards have helped me save $$$$$

themacguy

My flares were $200. I know there's a couple of 'mail order' Chrysler sites that can order ANY part (if you have the part #) for a price at least that low. And Bushwhacker has some flares avail. So does Xenon.

I think you 'might' want to reconsider the 4.7 (and order it). After having driven both - and watching v-6's pile up around W TX (flat terrain) lots - I can't imagine a 1 mpg difference making up for the velvet tiger 4.7. There's just no real comparison - except engine 'how'l in the v-6 vs. 'growl' in the v-8 during acceleration. But, yeah I guess over its lifetime of 200k miles, the initial $500 cost + the $200 saved in fuel might matter. But not to me. Not for $6 a month.

just an opinion

tpmiller1

rjoder-glad you got things worked out so quickly. Guess there are happy endings.

themacguy-understand what your saying above, but man you lost me on the math. Doesn't there have to be an "x" # of months in that equation? Or at least tell us how many miles you're driving a month?...(LOL)

carls5

Anyone have an idea on the best place to buy a bed extender and appox. how much do they cost. Appreciate any words of wisdom.
Thanks
Carl

fireflyerr

I was wondering if anybody has dealt with
Meltonsales.com. (tiltboy)

I ordered my Dak quad there and it was the best experience I have ever had buying a car. They picked me up at the airport. I was in and out of the dealership in under an hour. I saved $950 traveling up there from Dallas. I took the $300 commercial discount instead of the FB one, and they offered everyone $275 under invoice when I bought my truck in Dec.99. What a deal!
CB

PS. I raised the front of my bucket seat half an inch. It made a big difference in the comfort. I love this truck!

wilmar1

you really should reconsider the 3.9. Drove one for 5 years & constantly had problems with hills. Even small ones. Just doesn't have the guts to handle this heavy truck, unless you don't use overdrive gears. Look at www.wardsauto.com/best10/99info/dcc47v8.htm for information on the 4.7 V-8. The 3.9 is being replaced next year by a new 3.8 based on the 4.7, so you are buying outdated engineering. Wish you well. Bill

jcody1

The power to gas milage ratio compared to the V-6 is much better. Yea you might get a mile or two less milage, but you get far more torque and HP. Plus it is a cool sounding motor!

zonk

Do you have any details on that new engine, or know where I could get some info on it (HP, torque, mileage, etc). It looks like I am not going to be buying till Jan or so anyway.

knkresort

After getting my Quad yesterday and driving 75 miles today with it I can honestly say that there is no comparison with the 3.9L. I had a Dak with the 3.9L and while it worked okay, it doesn't compare to the 4.7L. Power is terrific and gas mileage is small a difference it doesn't matter.

KnK

spike50

As noted by several people, all of these forums seem to run together. And the point to that statement is that in one of them someone posted the following site for info on the 4.7L. Go to

http://dodgeram.com/technical/cammer/4_7_v8.html

Although the author tries to use a little too much "street-talk" for me, the article has a lot of good info. For example, he explains the pros and cons of moving the top piston ring nearer to the top of the piston.

My only experiences with the 3.9, 4.7, and the 5.9 were on test drives of 4WD auto's on an eight mile loop from the dealer. The 4.7 beat both the 3.9 and 5.9. Although you could feel a noticeable weight change between the 3.9 to the 4.7, it felt more substantial. The 5.9 just felt heavier to me but if you're going to do big trailers all of the time then 5.9 might be the way to go.

slr9589

Well,
today was supposed to be the day to pay for the new truck but the finance somehow blew off my 6pm appt.(and me with all the cash!)
while we were at the showroom i decided to show my daughter the truck.
I scanned the sides of the truck and sure enough the right rear wheel was 1 1/2 inches out of the fender well versus the left...the salesman said it was due to the truck being on a slant...i don't think so....
i made it clear that i would not purchase the truck in that shape.if the bed is off...i want them tofix it.the salesman also said that there had been several dakota defective rearends come in off late ...
guys let me know what you think as i'm supposed to close this deal on monday at 3pm.
thanks

jcody1

Have any of you experienced a slight miss or hesitation once in a while with your truck? It is almost like the engine is losing total power for about a 1/2 a second. I thought at first the transmission was slipping, but I think it is in the engine. It happens about once or twice a day, and like I said it feels like a real quick loss of power or hesitation- almost like you turn the ignition off and back on within a half a second. It seems to happen at highway speed with constant pressure on the accelerator (not wide open). Interestingly- I mentioned this to a friend of mine that just sold a 5.2 litre Grand Cherokee, and he said his truck did that from the day he bought it, right up to the day he sold it. Maybe it is a Chrysler thing? Trying to save fuel maybe (kidding). Just curious if anyone else has experienced this......

thanks, Jason

wilmar1

Original information on new versions of the 4.7 came from Wards Automotive review in 1999. Tried to get an update from them, but no news. Here's what they said in 1999: We like what the 4.7 portends for future DaimlerChrysler light trucks. The 4.7 absolutely is a modular design and sources say we can expect a range of V-8 & V-6 engines to be borne of the 4.7's SOHC two valve per cylinder architecture. In fact Chrysler officials confirmed for Ward"s early last month that a V-6 3.7L is slated for near term Dodge truck applications -- will be the first variant of Jeep's startingly refined V-8. Sorry I couldn't develop more information.

ron104

I am very interested in the new Quadcab 4x4.I have been a Ford driver for years, Bronco 2 and F250. I am concerned about the lousy reliability ratings that the Dakota has according to the new Consumer's report. Is this going to apply to the 2000 Quad with the 4.7l new generation engine??? Also I can't believe that the 4x4 has only 7.1" ground clearance in front. That's less than the 4x2. What were these guys thinking when they designed this. My wife's Volvo is about the same. That's way too low for any reasonable off-roading. The new Tundra has 10-11 " and the Ford's at least 8 or more. Please help. I really would like to convince myself that the Quad is the truck for my.

themacguy

but Four Wheeler magazine named the Dakota Quad Pickup: Truck of the Year in its Jan. 2000 issue. Over the Tundra to boot. Truckin' magazine (Feb. 2000) also has the Dakota as Truck of the Year. Over the Tundra as well. I've seen that the Motor Trend testers had the Tundra on top by a VERY slim margin. I would tend to believe them & / or the many four wheelers at this site over the 'lab rats' at a test facility (C/R) that's never asked me (or anyone I know) their ACTUAL driving experience with these trucks - or any other products, come to think of it. I'm sure they have good intentions - I'm just not sure they PAY attention.

Anyway, the ground clearance listed in the Four Wheeler magazine test says 8.0 for the Dakota. Plus, I figure most folks put bigger tires and lift kits on for serious off-road stuff, anyway.

Looks like either the Tundra or Dakota is a pretty good choice - or a SuperCrew. But if you're a Ford guy (I'm partial to GM myself), I wonder what it is about these Dakota Quads that draws us to them so willingly? If you want reprints of any of the magazine articles - just e:mail me. :-)