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DODGE DAKOTA QUAD CAB
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Comments
Check out the other edmunds posts for a recent recall on electric shift tranfer case. Now that could be a real problem.
Are you saying that it SHOULD have insulation?
Will the dealer install it free? I live in Ga.
mm
Other then the hood insulation, I've read where people claim the SLTs are built more solid or insulated better, and are considered the top of the line...come on now, are they trying to say the factory takes a common QC chassis and with the SLT, out comes a better built truck, with higher quality parts and trim?
I suspect no, and it's just a trim level game, right?
BTW, does the 'Federal' emissions 4.7L put out 230 or 235 HP? For 2001, I still see both figures quoted...for 230 HP, are they using the lower California rating?
Thanks...
I think all 4.7 engines for 01 are configured to meet 50 States emissions and are rated at 230 hp. It looks like they added a catalytic converter. There are now two of them and according to the service manual they are both part of the exhaust manifold so that if one is bad the entire manifold has to be replaced!!!
bcarter3 is also correct in that the '01 4.7L engines are now all 50 state emission compliant and thus put out 5 less hp than the '00 engines did.
Yes, the SLT decor group list 'hood insulation'
as part of package. My 2001 didn't come with it.
No problem, he ordered it and will call when it
comes in (of course, no charge).
Thanks to whomever raised this question!!!!!
And to "Town Hall"!:)
Side note: my first to tanks of gas; 16mpg.
Dakota Quad,4.7,auto,lim-slip-rear.
mick
I see some of you guys are from n.j.-pa. area and was wondering if anyone has bought their QC's from Reedmans in Pa.? It seems their prices are pretty good.
Any comments on Reedmans or dealers in Central/South N.J ?
I am considering buying one in the next few weeks.
Thanks for your help.
ordered the truck incorrectly, because the order manager was a bigger idiot than "Ray" and after waiting for months I refused delivery. I ended up writing a letter to Mr. Reedman, and was contacted by a truck sales manager, Joe Natriello. He was terrific, and treated me very well and also gave me a "sweetheart" deal on an extended warranty. If your salesman is Ray, run do not walk to the nearest exit. If Joe is still there, I would recommend him highly. He is very knowedgeable, honest and fair. Need to know more?
You may Email me directly. The address is in my profile. Good luck.
Bookitty
front hinged doors. It was the only crew cab truck that allowed me to couple a V8 engine to a 5 speed manual transmission. I personally prefer purchasing American made products although in reality there are no longer "pedigree" American products available. Another reason, is that I owned previously, a 1995 Dodge Dakota club cab with the 318 and a 5 speed and loved that truck. The size of a Dakota is unique in that it falls between a full size and a compact. The Nissan crew cab was also considered until I test drove one. There was a lack of power and I guess that Nissan recognized it as well, hence the new turbo-
charged version. The pedals on the Nissan were very close to each other and my size 12 EEE shoes became entangled. Although I have not driven a Toyota Tundra, the "suicide" doors and the inability to combine 5 speed and V8 eliminated any further thoughts for purchasing that particular vehicle. As for the choice between the 4.7 and the 5.9, here is my take for what it's worth. If you tow heavy loads on a regular basis, the 5.9 is a good choice. It has lots of "grunt" but the price of that, is fuel consumption. If you prefer a 5 speed transmission, then the 5.9 is not an option. The engine technology is older, but it is a strong and dependable mill. Doug, in the end, it is your choice. Weigh your particular needs and wants against what the manufacturers have to offer and consider the price versus your desires. Good luck in any eventuallity.
Bookitty
Like Bookitty says, it really comes down to your personal tastes, needs, etc. In my case, the QC was the right fit for me. Good luck.
Toyota advantages: BULLETPROOF reliability. I speak from personal experience on this. I bought a 4banger compact toyota in 1990 and sold it in 00. The only items replaced in that time (100Kmi) were a starter and the muffler. (Of course tires and battery etc..). Most reliable vehicle ever.
Dakota Quad Advantages: INTERIOR ROOM AND 4 DOORS. I haul people (2 kids, one in a car seat and wife) more than cargo, clear choice for me. LOOKS: The Tundra is lackluster and the Tacoma, IMHO, is butt ugly. For almost 30 large, I want to think "ssooweeeet" when I look at my new vehicle. The Quad definately does that, hands down over ANY other truck, I think.
If bulletproof reliability was my #1 overriding be all end all concern, I'd buy the Tundra.
My #1 overriding be all end all concern was 4 full size doors and a reasonable size box in back. I also wanted to stay under 30K; I doubt a well appointed Tundra will do that.
I admit my neighbor works at DC and HOOKED me up with a 2% under invoice deal, add to that a 2K rebate and I was out the door for 25K on a 29.8K Dakota. That helped..:)
Went to Reed mans yesterday,not a big supply left of Quad Cabs and couldn't find one with the options I was seeking. Salesman said I could still order one and I priced one out. I wasnt too thrilled with his price though,was expecting better. Might go to a dealer a little more local and see what kind of deal I can get by ordering a new one, before the 2000. rebate ends.
Bright Silver looks mighty good.
Bookitty
This dealer which was recommended by autobytel.
Signed the papers for $400 over invoice.
good luck
drive safely,
scottie
Bookitty
Thanks,
Chrick
In my opinion, the quality of the dealer determines the quality of the vehicle. Its too bad that Chrysler has so many poor dealer service departments.
Bright Silver 2001 QC 4x4 with the following :
4.7 V8
45 rfe mission
anti-spin miff.
delux.conv.group
ad service group
radio w/the equalizer
power drivers seat
skid plates
sports plus group
leather wrapped steering wheel
towing group
r. defroster
power overhead conv. group
bucket seats
p/time 4wd
3.55 axle
power conv. group
radio controls on wheel
Think that's about it....Geez, I don't think my blood pressure
has returned to normal yet.
Now, if I could only figure how to pay for it...............
Sorry for the long post regarding options, but I just HAD to tell someone !
One question though, while typing this post I hit the tab key and
it appears to have horizontally expanded the box I'm typing in,
anybody know how to bring it back to normal size ? I dont want the posts
to be too wide.
Thanks for yor help guys
Sit back and take a deep breathe. Now, exhale gently and continue to take deep breaths until you feel better! Hemoglobin is a wonderful thing!!!
Don't worry - You Done Good!!! Sounds like a fantastic purchase. Know what your bottom line $Price$ will be, Keep to your guns, and Keep your fingers crossed (the last two require alittle dexterity).
The best advice I'd like to share with you is to get your truck paid off as quickly as possible, double up on payments whenever you can. If you haven't purchased a house yet then this is probably the biggest investment you have made, so make that investment work in your favor (and enjoy a great ride at the same time)!
Good Luck!
I tried the strap on mirrors and they stink. They vibrate too much and bend in the wind.
Rob Fruth - Houston, Tx
http://freeweb.pdq.net/rfruth
1981 Raleigh for commuting, errands & fun
1997 Trek 2300 for real fun !
2000 Honda Civic hatchback
- snip - http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/story.hts/nation/873109
HoustonChronicle.com April 9, 2001, 1:28PM
Some truck bumpers not as strong as they look
DETROIT -- When the going gets tough .. the tough get bent out of shape. That's the conclusion that might be drawn from results released today of low-speed crash tests on the bumpers of rugged-
looking pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
Of the seven 2001 models tested, only one, Ford Motor Co.'s small Escape SUV, earned an acceptable rating for crash-worthiness,
according to the safety institute.
It said the other vehicles, subjected to four separate crash tests at 5 miles an hour, sustained extensive damage that would require
costly repairs.
The pickups tested were the Chevrolet Silverado, the Ford F-150, the Toyota (7203.T) Tundra and Dodge Ram. In addition to the Escape, the SUVs were Hyundai Motor's (05380.KS) Santa Fe and Toyota's RAV4.
"The performance of the four large pickups ranged from poor to awful," said Adrian Lund, the institute's chief operating officer.
"None of these vehicles sustained less than $4,000 total damage in the four tests, and the Dodge Ram sustained more than $8,000 damage.
There's no excuse for such poor performance."
Modern manufacturing drives most of the costs out of it but building by parts as in a body shop is very loabor intensive and that is where the high cost come from. Heck, I just bent the hood on a car in a 25 MPH tap and it cost almost 2500.
thanks! Good to be back amongst old friends.
A few months a friend of mine was in a slight fender bender in which his air bags deployed. When he went to the shop that was repairing his vehicle he was astonished to find out that half of the $2500 bill was for air bag replacement. For comparison purposes the owner of the body shop led him over to a 2000 Dodge Ram which had been in an accident. The actual body damage was $1500 but since all of the air bags deployed the total cost came to well over $8000! Just FYI...
So all you 2001 Dakota SLT owners check under
the hood for insulation, bet you don't have any.
The dealer will install it for free(you already
paid for it).
I was also shocked at the 'crash tests' for
the Dodge Dakota. The more I look under and
around my truck, I can see how Dodge 'cuts' the
weight! But others do it also.
Some dealers willl put it in since it doesn't cost much and if it keeps the customer happy, that is better for them. A small price to pay if you ask me.
Since DC confirmed it is no longer installed I expect when I pick mine up Sat. it won't have any. Of course if the dealer starts to give me a hard time about my trade or whatever, I'll push them to install it just for the hell of it.
I have a 97 with the insulation. I have driven a few Sports which don't have it. I cannot hear any difference so quieting the noise isn't a factor. I have not noticed the Sport being any hotter than the SLT so maybe in the end it doesn't really matter whether they install it or not.
BTW, don't believe everything you read about the crash test. My 97 has been hit in the rear 2 times since it was new. Both times the bumper was tweaked about 1/2 inch. Just put a new bumper on it. The 1st time the other car was totaled, (a Miata) and the 2nd time (just yesterday) a T-bird has at least 2500 bucks of damage. Each time it was hit was about 15 MPH.
Mine weighs 4600lbs . . . that's almost more than I would want . . . so I'm not sure where exactly Dodge is cutting corners?
Unless dodge can build a better auto, it will also be the last.
Funny thing, those old dinosaur designs sure lasted a lot longer than this so-called electronic stuff. Never had a problem with the 904/727 trans in my older mopars.
What is interesting about those old torqueflights was they told you NOT to change the tranny fluid or else you have to change it all the time. I never changed mine and they ran for more than 100000 miles.
Of course, I haven't had any trouble with my 4 speed auto in my 97 and I hope I have no trouble with the "multi-speed" in the one I'm picking up tomorrow.
Not to say mine doesn't shift at all, it just shifts LIKE it has 100K on it.
My only hope is that the person who designed the 727 is still around, his/her spirit guiding the fellas in Kokomo as another 45 RFE comes down the line.
On a related matter, the 2.2 was a darn good engine and one of the designers for that engine was plucked out of retirement when the K-cars were in development. Guess what he did in his earlier life at mother MOpar? He designed the slant six, quite possilby the best engine of all time. I had one in a Dart and it ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran. SO the did 904 behind it. 35,000 of teenager driving did not hurt the engine or tranny at all.
I'm still trying to justify the muchos dineros it will cost to get a fiberglass tonneau cover. Does anyone have the stats on the MPG increase for a truck that is open vs. tonneau cover, versus riding without the tailgate? I haven't seen a leather tonneau that I really like, so I'm looking more toward the fiberglass ones.
Beach - I can certainly agree with you concerning the idiosyncratic behaviour of the 45RFE. I have 2500 miles on the truck and I'm still getting used to the gear shifts while driving. I thought that the tranny was supposed to somehow "learn" from your driving style and come to a happy medium, but I still feel that my tranny is dictating the way I drive and not vice-versa.
Shame too because MOPAR used to make the finest automatics in the world.
Seems to me they should have stayed with what worked and let other companies venture out into electronic land.
On the upside, Mopar can still design good looking trucks. If only they would upgrade some of the components (brake rotors, get rid of plastic intake, better shifting trans) they would be world beaters.
Tonneau cover: try looking at extang, which is what I have. Nearly two years and nary a problem with it even with the nasty winters here in PA.
I would not buy a tonneau for mileage purposes. I have a fiberglass cover and love it for securing and keeping dry my "stuff" when travelling. It will not make a significant change in your mileage and certainly not enough to pay you back the $600 or so initial outlay. IF you don't need a way to secure your gear, vinyl or no tonneau is really the best bet. I find the fiberglass inconvenient at times. Good luck.
Not as pretty as fiberglass, but more practical IMHO
rm13- you're absolutely right, I've been known to blow some cash on my toys but I just can't justify 600 clams! And to think I wanted to get the sport wing too. No doubt, it would look awesome, but I rather spend the money on headers, exhaust, and intake mods.
Ray, I'd like to look at that Gem cover, do you have a web-link?
Eric, how much was the foldacover?
I think I'll probably just ride barebacked and use my $4.99 tarp when I need to! Then I can buy everyone a drink with the money that I kept in my pocket
I have the fold-a-cover, too; dealer installed on my '01 QC SLT+. I love it. I have not removed mine yet. But, I believe it has a "C" clamp holding it on each side.
Do you have any tips on removing the cover?
Is it difficult to re-position it when you put it back on, etc.?
FYI: I put a marine-grade weatherstrip on the underside of the front lip and rear lip of my cover. Now, even in the heaviest downpour, I get only about a 1/2 cup of water!
I also put in the rubber bed mat; instead of the bedliner. Removes easily and really protects the bed.
GATOR72
A woman left me a message on my machine saying she had a "Few Questions" about my joining. Now I havent gotten back to her yet,but was wondering if you guys that have already joined were asked some questions about why you want to join or had farms or something along those lines?
Thanks, Greg
Bookitty
I feel that your order too will arrive before you will be eligible for the discount. Maybe you can file for it after your purchase? I don't know. Good luck.
Rich
developed the 4.7 to replace the 5.2 and 5.9:
excessive goverment regulations regarding emissions, mpg,
weight, etc. That is the reason for all the electronic/
computer-controlled gadgets that infest vehicles today.
A good old Torqueflite Trans with a nice V-8 would be
solid, smooth, and reliable but wouldn't meet the damn
regulations........................