I have a 2000 quad cab. I did wish for a longer bed. I have a free standing canoe rack (I custom build it for my 1987 Toyota). It is about 6 inches too long for the bed. I had to choose between cutting the canoe rack down or making the bed longer. I ended up taking the tail-gate off and building a platform over the bumper to support the legs of the canoe rack. I was going to just use it with the tailgate down, but the platform allows me to anchor it more securely and also provides better access to the hitch in case I'm taking the camper and the canoe.
The clips on the cables that hold the tailgate horizontal in the down position are not great. The attachment of the spring to the cable is not tight. They can come off easily and get lost. The tailgate is also suprisingly heavy. Now that it is off I'll probably just leave it in the garage and hope the clips don't get lost.
Thanks for the response. Your truck sounds just like mine, I have a Patriot blue 4.7L SLT with about 3500 miles. I took it to the dealer but they could not repeat the unlocking problem which is not surprising since it's happened only 6 times in 4 months. They did order a new switch for the driver's side door lock cylinder though. The tech felt that a bad switch might cause the spontaneous unlocking. I'm having it installed next week and I'll post the results.
I have a Question about your spontaneous unlocking problem. Does this occur in the same area or location all the time? It is possible that an external signal is causing your problem rather than the truck having a problem. A number of years ago my kids had a remote control truck that would take off and drive by itself at random intervals. Seems the truck was on a frequency that the truck drivers have in their CB radios. My house is located about 1/4 mile from Interstate 80 and a truck stop. If we took the toy to a local park about 7 miles from home we never had any interference with the toy truck. The little remotes we use to open our vehicles doors use rf energy. I suppose a strong enough signal on the right frequency could cause your problems. I also recall a newspaper article where peoples garage doors were opening and closing randomly. The article said the people lived near an airport and problem was traced to when Air Force 1 was in the area, some powerful radio equipment being used on the aircraft was causing the doors to do the up/down shuffle. Rick
At first I thought that RF interference might be the cause but the problem has occurred everywhere I've taken the truck. I have driven 20 miles home from work with the doors unlocking the whole time every few seconds, parked it in the driveway and listened to to the locks click away by themselves for an hour until I pulled the fuse to stop them. It is intermittent and when it happens the whole power door lock system seems to get stuck in a strange state, the alarm doesn't arm when parked and the auto-locking feature won't work while driving.
Your problem is interesting. When you pull the fuse to stop the activity, have you immediately reinserted it? and if so did the locks start back with the chattering or did they stop. If they stopped I would think the problem would be within the electronics. If it restarts you might have an intermittent short in the wiring harness. If it appears to be a computer problem it could still be external rf that causes say the remote lock/unlock receiver to latch in an unknown state, thus the oscillation of the locks. RF does some strange things to new car electronics. Part of my job is installing 110 Watt mobile radios in various vehicles made by the big 3 (no foreign). I've seen speedometers read 100+ MPH when you key the mike, radios lose all preprogrammed stations, heaters and a/c blowers turn on/off/change speed and windshield wipers turn on just to mention a few. The door locks, alarm and auto lock function I believe are all controlled by the same computer. Rick
I have a Quad with 4.7 auto 4x4 and the 3.92 rear end. The elevation I live at has somewhere around 25% less oxygen than at sea level.I have less H.P. cause of this lack of oxygen. I,m glad I have the 3.92's cause when you kick it in the pants the response is quicker up here in the high Sierra's. I'm sure my mileage suffers a bit,elevation plus the 3.92's,but after 4500 miles I wouldn't change a thing.I can't wait to get this truck at sea level to see what that smoooooooooooooooth 4.7 V8 can muster up.
Don't be too surprised if you find that you do better at high elevation. I don't know why, but my power on my F150 does not suffer much above 4000 ft. Amazingly, my gas mileage goes up 10-20%. Next Jan. I will see how it affects my Q.
impaulm/iowabigguy I've had the door lock problem on several occasions, one where it happened in the same location twice and once in my driveway (which went away after a few minutes). I suspect rf waves but is there anyway to check for this? I doubt the dealer will be of any help unless the problem can be replicated in the shop. Inpaulm, let me know if the new switch helps. Thanks!
I've noticed that the ads for Dodge always exclude the Dakota Quads and I asked a dealer about that and was told that's because they are selling so well. This same dealer only had 3 of them and they were almost hidden at the back of the lot. Not exactly smart business practice for something that's selling so well.
My question to anyone who's purchased already is how much are dealers willing to deal on these things? Also I have yet to see any Quads on the lot or the road in the medium bronze color I love. Anyone have a Quad in that color?
The best deal thazt you will probably see, depending on area, will be a few hundred over invoice. Several people that frequent this forum have the bronze, myself included.
dbeale1, pricing runs usually from invoice, to 5% above. There is also a Farm Bureau discount amounting to $500.00 and which I understand has been extended. To be eligible, one must have a membership for thirty days. Membership fees run between $35-$75.00. To contact for details, try this link: www.fb.com and then look for the links that connect you to your state. Do not divulge this during negotiations, but invoke it when you sit down to pay for the vehicle. There is no catch to this program. I paid $125.00 over invoice, and went through two increases (ordered vehicle) unscathed, less the $500.00. Good luck! Log in to the Dodge Dakota Owners Club under conferences in the Edmunds forum (link on left margin).
Bookitty - thanks for the input. The Farm Bureau things seems funky to me, but I'll check it out nonetheless. Also, I haved logged into the owners club forum but thought I better post here since technically I'm not an "owner" yet. Not sure how rigid the protocol is.
We're NOT that nice - really we're not! Lots of us are funkier than the Farm Bureau thing. Come on over to 'group' therapy with us... and buy a Quad. Most of us don't own a Quad either, we just lie like dogs and swap war stories about stuff we know absolutely nothing about, etc. :-P
BTW - Is a_j dead? Has anyone seen or heard from him lately? Did Canada finally shut itself off from the e:world or just tax it to death?
I just love the look of the Quads. I keep driving by a local lot and just looking.
Have a little dilemma convincing the wife however. I think she's concerned how she'd look driving a "truck." And I'd want her to have the 4wd in the snow so... But the way I see it, it has four doors, which makes it somewhat family oriented (we have a 1 yr. old son) but it also allows me to haul stuff to the dump (I do a ton of work on our house myself) without ruining the finished interior of a typical SUV etc. Plus it seems like a lot of truck for the money.
I'm confused as to when exactly the 2001's are coming out however. I've read they went into production last month. Can you still order a 2000? And if so, does the impending arrival of the 2001s mean dealers are more willing to deal on the 2000s?
Not sure what neck of the woods you're from but several dealers in south central PA have many 2000's on their lots. If you're not interested in what they have, several people are posting that the 2001's they ordered are on the way.
I agree with themacguy, we're not "that" exclusive of a group that you can't ask questions. We don't have spies do we?
I see that you're basically following the same route to a Quad as I did. Both my wife and I like the Volvos (2) we had over a 26 year period. They were distinctive, made well enough that if you put the money into them they would last longer than other cars exposed to each winter's road salt, and in the earlier years they sort of denoted you as a non-conformist.
Well, you can have all of that again in a family oriented medium-sized pick up - Quad. You might need to put steps on it for the "little people" but the Quad is made to do a lot of jobs.
I've been looking thru the literature and noticed that the 4.7L V8 Quad Cab comes with a 4-spd "multispeed" automatic transmission. Anyone have any experience with this transmission; pro or con?
Also, has anyone actually SEEN a 2001 QC yet; or know where to find a photo on the web? I'm ready to buy, but want to know whether I should wait until September for the 2001's. THANKS
In the owners club-Quad owners, I listed the new features of the quad that I am picking up tomorrow. Could of had it yesterday, but I am one of those 'indispensible' types. At least until pay raises come around. There are pictures of the 2001 in the photo gallery. I think the interior looks better in person, but the pics give an idea of the change.
Well, you have us convinced, now all that remains is the BA (bride approval). Spike50 had to adopt two kittens in order to get his wife's okay. I promised a lot of stuff (can't seem to remember most of it now). Your wife will absolutely love this vehicle, and you will have a problem waiting for "your turn". It's a great family vehicle, a truck and sedan rolled into one wonderful package without giving up style and good looks. This truck really delivers. If it is affordable and fits your budget, you and your wife will be very pleased with it. We welcome you to the owners club forum.
From my un-scientific count, most Quad owners have the 4.7 L V-8 and have the multispeed auto transmission. I think most like them after the transmission and the new owner both "learn" each others driving style. There have been several posts about slips, bangs, clunks, and failures but most have had good luck with them.
I'm sure with 80% or more having the V-8 & multispeed (some percentage have also gone with V-6 and the old style auto) for many months now, there are many experiences to tap into. Personally, I have the 5 sp manual and I'm happy with my choice. Would be nice sometimes to not have to shift like while I'm trying to keep a McDonalds ice cream cone from melting down.
I bought my 2000 QC through CarOrder.com. I got a very good price ($950 below invoice), but little customer support. Prices fluctuate daily and from place to place, so you would have to check out their price when you are ready to buy and lock in if it looks good to you.
We dropped off the wife's '98 Stratus at the dealer to have the failed front struts changed out under warranty. While she was filling out the paperwork, I was looking the Dakotas (Clubs and Quads). Really can't tell a '00 from a '01 except for the 16" wheels. Why change much if its selling so well.
dbeale1 - you're hooked. Just pull the trigger, it's really pretty painless. You won't be able to keep the family OUT of the darned thing when you get it. Buy the Infinity system AND the steering wheel radio controls and you might as well get the camper shell - you won't ever come out. I've driven mine as much as 900 miles in one day, and 3,110 miles in exactly seven days. Not ONE back ache or stiff neck. Weird. I've got 22,000 HARD miles on mine now (4.7/auto/3.55/non-lsd), and I've had one relay blown. That's it. It's now getting close to twenty on the highway and about sixteen in town - and those are just the chix. ;-)
spike - we've still got a couple of Turbo Wagons in the family. Fabulous cars. This Quad sort of reminds me of them... with a really big trunk.
gator - it's a bit weird at times; if you've ever raced a Yamaha or Briggs Kart, it sort of sounds like it's 'winding up' like those viscous clutches. But while it seems like that's what's happening, all @#$% breaks loose (the tires), and you're catapulted off your tail and down the road at a pretty good clip. And that's just when you're pulling a trailer! :-O
steve - I think the 01's are terrible, it just won't please you like an '00 would. I'm SURE of it. And now that you're convinced, we might as well 'trade,' as I HATE to think of you driving something you really can't stand. I'm just the kind of guy that'll help you out of this sorry predicament, and I'll even fill the tank with premium, and throw in one or two 'exes.' Deal? ;-P
i was just at the local dodge dealership today and noticed that a couple 01 model "club cabs" had just been delivered. since i had heard about some changes to the 01 model i decided to investigate. looks like most of the changes were to the interior...in other words the dash and door panels. my reaction to the dash is mixed. interestingly enough its styling sorta reminds me of some dashes i've seen in cadillacs. it also has borrowed the radio and climate controls from the intrepid. anyone else seen the 01 model??
Replacing a Ford Ranger four door with a 2000 4.7 Auto QC. I was surprised that there was no on/off switch for the passenger air bag similar to what the Ranger and most other trucks have. I asked the dealer I'm working with about it and he says their dealership does not want the liability, thus has no info. Has anyone looked into this mod or explored SB-083799 or SB-9930. These SB's have something to do with the Air bag, but again my dealer is no help. Any info would be greatly appreciated.
Woody, the switch to defeat the deployment of the air bag is relegated to two door (or four door) extended cab vehicles, is because the rear seats are not suitable nor intended to allow fixing a child seat properly. The four door cabs with full front hinged doors (ala sedan) are suitable for anchoring that seat. Thus, the air bag defeat switch is a moot point. There are anchoring clips that D/C will install at no charge if requested. Hope that this helps to explain.
Good Answer, My father has a 98 d club cab with the on/off switch. When I told him that the quad did not have the same switch I thought he would have a panic attack because of my two sons (ages 3 and 5). I explained to him that the quad had 4 FULL doors and an air bag switch was not necessary in the front seat.
I looked into this about 6 months ago, when I first fell in love with the quad. My wife insists that my next car seats 6 (we have 4 kids) and I was concerned about the lack of on/off switch. After lots of poking around, I found a couple dealers w/in 50 miles who would do the switch, pending govt approval. Cost of switch was $160 + labor, if I remember right.
Go to http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/airbags/ and read the info about petitioning for airbag switch. Basically, my reason for switch should be automatic approval (4 kids, only 3 seats in back).
Haven't done it yet, because I don't have a quad yet. I'm Now agonizing over unexpected changes in '01. 'nuther discussion.
Through a series of near-comical circumstances, my desire for a quad has alas gone unfullfilled to date. I have been dreaming and drooling for over 6 months now, but have had my efforts thwarted at obtaining one.
I finally ordered a '01 on July 24th. Called today, status is done, pending final inspection. Railway assigned, all that stuff. Might see it by next week. (Cruzin - operator at DC could hardly believe I had placed order only 2 weeks before). Bronze SLT plus 4x4, 5spd 4.7L bench anti-spin etc. Excitement mounted, until I discovered that DC has changed the interior for the '01.
Being the conservative that I am, I hate unexpected changes. So I originally went balistic. Drove my dealer nuts with all the new information about the '01. They could care less, but I was making a big stink about it.
Finally got to sit in one (not mine) at the dealers lot. My original reaction was - true to form - I hated it.
Headliner is mist grey. At first I was horrified. Looks fine against mist grey, two-toned against slate grey (but not bad), but I haven't seen it against taupe. Wondering if it will look silly. Have to wait and see.
New 4wd selecter on dash is conveniently mounted. However, I'm from the old-school, and would have preferred DC leave the 4WD shifter on the floor. Too many friends with exploders and whatnot that say they've had trouble with the dash-mount not always engaging 4WD when selected.
The new dash-mount would have cleared up the clutter on the floor, especially for automatics, except they replaced the old plastic floor tray with something bigger. Like over 2" tall bigger. I guess its to hold the 32oz big-gulps, since the cupholders are no longer under the bench seat but on the floor. For my needs, this is really a behemoth - and I'll be investigating how to take it out. Almost eliminates what little room there was for a kid in the front seat, or at least thats how I see it.
And the power controls changed. Like already noted, the door panels have a sleeker look, with armrests that go full lenght of door. Power controls are moved to armrest, which I find fairly inconvenient copared to the '00. The '00 had the controls mounted at an angle, easy to see and operate. The new controls caused me to be craning my neck around and fully taking my eyes off the road to operate. The mirror controls, similar now to the caravan, should have been easy to recognize and operate (I have a caravan). However, the placement of the controls is at the farthest end of the armrest, so those controls in particular were a pain.
Oh yeah, I'm 6'2", and sit wiht the seat almost altheway back. And the headliner ridge is unchanged, so it still almost rubs my head in my normal sitting position, giving me the uncanny feeling that something creepy is about to drop down my neck.
The dash itself I had a mixed reaction to. The flatter design and pushed back look add to a feeling of more leg room. However, when I sit in either front seat, comparing '00 to '01, I can't notice a difference. Except that the new dash results in a smaller glove box.
Overall, I'd rather have the '00 interior. But having sat in the '01, driven it, slept on it, and re-visited dealer to sit in again, most of my complaints about the '01 will probably disolve over time. The second time in a slate grey interior, I hardly noticed the light-colored headliner. It certainly wasn't distracting, and, as my wife lovingly pointed out, the caravan has a similar interior color scheme.
I still would rather return to the floor-shift 4wd selector, smaller plastic floor tray, and (to me anyhow) more convenient power controls.
i just looked at an 01 club cab with the new interior and it still had the 4x4 selector on the floor. however, i can't remember if it was the full-time or part-time transfer case...
I am thinking about ordering a 4.7. Anyone out there have any experience on doing maintenance i.e. changing spark plugs etc. It probably isn't going to be an issue for 3 or 4 years but eventually it will have to be done. I understand the plugs are somewhere under the injectors. How big of a job is it?
Also, has anyone hauled 4x8 sheets of drywall in the short bed? Any special modifications etc required?
I haven't personally changed the spark plugs but it appears fairly easy according to the shop manual. Each sparkplug has a small "tower" covering it that has a coil on top. It is secured to the intake manifold with one nut/bolt. The only issue I can see is the air box has to be removed to get at a couple of the fasteners. Shop manual Schedule "A" plugs change is at 2 years or 30,000 miles. Schedule "B" at 30,000 miles, no time interval. If you get an automatic maintenance on it is schedule "A" 24 months or 30,000 and schedule "B" every 12,000 miles. Thats another reason to get a 5 speed. Unless you service your own transmission that can run up the cost real quick. I bet the dealer gets at least $75 for a transmission service. Rick
I test drove an '01 Quadcab today, and I too have a mixed reaction to the new interior design. I definitely like the new I/P layout. It's more refined (except for the 500rpm/5mph marker intervals!! What are they thinking!!) but, overall it has a nice balanced look to it from left to right. And separate A/C controls!! Overall a definite improvement.
However, the new door panels, I think, are a step backwards. The new window/lock/mirror controls are not as intuitive to use, or as easy to reach, and the old door design has a cleaner, more unified look to it.
BTW the new I/P is not farther away from the seats, rather, the top of the new dash is significantly lower (and slightly closer) than the old design and appears more open for more forward visibility.
And I lament the apparent loss of the floor mounted 4x4 shift lever with the 5-speed.
I have a 3.9L w/Auto trans. When the truck is first driven after sitting for awhile (this can be as little as ten minutes), the transmission acts like it is in low gear while the RPMs are higher than usual. After about 2 minutes or so of the truck acting like the engine will explode, the RPMs drop down and everything shifts just fine. This doesn't seem normal to me.....
The dealer told me it was. I drive a Ram with the same engine in it for work and it doesn't do that. The service manager looked under the truck and told me that my work truck doesn't have overdrive on the transmission and that is why they act different (what a bozo, the overdrive button is in the same place as my Dakota).
Has anyone else experienced this problem........is this really normal? I've never had a car do this.
jones27: My work Dakota w/3.9l on occasions that it is not driven for a few days, will stay in lowgear for a few minutes. Some automatics will allow higher rpms during a warmup phase but whether yours is acting normal or not, only a mechanic can tell. You may need to arrange with the dealer to keep the vehicle overnight and then duplicate the circumstances.
2drive: I thought about mentioning the new shift action, but did not want to scare some of the people waiting on new trucks. For those who are wondering, the action is more down and towards the driver than the usual left to right motion. It is not a big deal, my wife still cannot tell the difference. For some drivers, it is a minor weird sensation until you have used it a few times. As far as the door controls goes, that is the problem for all designers. I love the new door controls and the new floor console, but it does not suite everyone as noted above.
Its Automatic, 4 speed with overdrive. The shifter lever is on the wheel. It has a little button to disable the overdrive feature if the transmission is shifting too much, like when towing.
does anyone know if the full-time transfer case cuts down significantly on gas mileage? i'm thinking about getting a quad cab this fall with the 4.7l v/8 and autobox. thanks for any info you can provide.
Looks like they got rid of the cool "V8 Magnum" badging on the front fenders. Damn, I can't believe what these companies will do to save $0.50. I'll have to buy some and put them on when I get mine.
Don, as a general rule, full time 4WD takes a toll on MPG, as well as excessive tire wear. I cannot provide you with information documenting the MPG difference, but I have had experience with both types, and actually converted two of my son's Ford trucks back to part time by installing Warn hubs in the field. Unless you live in an area, where 4WD is necessary most of the time, I don't feel that it is self justifying. Just my opinion.
Test drove an SLT V8 yesterday. Found out the colors are really limited with the Sport model so I migrated to the SLT. Sticker was $27,445, but I made the mistake of telling the guy I was interested in leasing so rather than negotiate a price, trade in value etc. he came back with a monthly payment figure. It was $392/mo. for 36 months - way too high. I told him to call me tonight and outline for me exactly what price he's willing to sell the Quad for and exactly how much I'm getting for my trade and why etc. I hate when they try to hide behind a monthly payment rather than negotiate on the price and then go from there.
Question I have is -- How hard can I hammer given the 2001s are coming out and I would be taking a truck right off the lot (instead of special ordering)?
(BTW the color was garnet red which I hadn't seen before - man was it pretty.)
'Bout the best you can do once you've mentioned the dreaded 'L' word (lease), is negotiate a lower residual. Hey, my payment is $605 / month with another hundred bucks per mo. for the ext. warranty (for 1 year) (purchasing in 42 months - no down). But I needed a '99 year end tax deal and had to hide some money, so your $392 sounds pretty decent to me; course I'd've blown the mileage ceiling in 6 months (already had 20k at that point!) on a lease and likely that lease penalty (at turn-in) would be about the price of a new Quad in three years or something! Plus, my factory warranty will expire before ONE year is out. :-O
Anyway, only real advice would be to go on-line or to another area dealer and start over. Get your price-terms, whatever, and then go BACK to your original dealer (if you like 'em) and renegotiate the deal with the info (and your new figures) in hand, and use it to lower the pmts. Good luck and good hunting...
Daimler Chrysler will send you, w/in a few weeks of the purchase, a half letter-sized envelope that will offer you the various warranty levels you can purchase directly from them. Mine had a $1200 price for everything for the 5yr/100k deal. A couple of months after that I got one for $1400. See the pattern? Lesser / different yrs/mileage packages were much less than this from D/C. the dealer SHOULD offer you the warranty for $800 - $900, as he makes about a $3-400 profit at that level (and $600 at the $1200 'retail' level). He'll tell you he doesn't make a dime - of course - and I'm sure you'll believe him... not!
Other people SWEAR by 3rd party warranties. They have NEVER worked for me, however. In my case, I chose to go with the D/C deal. To each his own I guess. I'm sure you'll get better advice a plenty.
Comments
I did wish for a longer bed.
I have a free standing canoe rack
(I custom build it for my 1987 Toyota).
It is about 6 inches too long for the bed.
I had to choose between cutting the canoe rack
down or making the bed longer.
I ended up taking the tail-gate off and building
a platform over the bumper to support the legs
of the canoe rack.
I was going to just use it with the tailgate down,
but the platform allows me to anchor it more
securely and also provides better access to
the hitch in case I'm taking the camper and the canoe.
The clips on the cables that hold the tailgate
horizontal in the down position are not great.
The attachment of the spring to the cable is not
tight. They can come off easily and get lost.
The tailgate is also suprisingly heavy.
Now that it is off I'll probably just leave it in
the garage and hope the clips don't get lost.
I also recall a newspaper article where peoples garage doors were opening and closing randomly. The article said the people lived near an airport and problem was traced to when Air Force 1 was in the area, some powerful radio equipment being used on the aircraft was causing the doors to do the up/down shuffle. Rick
I've had the door lock problem on several occasions, one where it happened in the same location twice and once in my driveway (which went away after a few minutes). I suspect rf waves but is there anyway to check for this? I doubt the dealer will be of any help unless the problem can be replicated in the shop. Inpaulm, let me know if the new switch helps. Thanks!
I've noticed that the ads for Dodge always exclude the Dakota Quads and I asked a dealer about that and was told that's because they are selling so well. This same dealer only had 3 of them and they were almost hidden at the back of the lot. Not exactly smart business practice for something that's selling so well.
My question to anyone who's purchased already is how much are dealers willing to deal on these things? Also I have yet to see any Quads on the lot or the road in the medium bronze color I love. Anyone have a Quad in that color?
to this program. I paid $125.00 over invoice, and went through two increases (ordered vehicle) unscathed, less the $500.00. Good luck! Log in to the Dodge Dakota Owners Club under conferences in the Edmunds forum (link on left margin).
Bookitty
Thanks again.
dbeale1
BTW - Is a_j dead? Has anyone seen or heard from him lately? Did Canada finally shut itself off from the e:world or just tax it to death?
Have a little dilemma convincing the wife however. I think she's concerned how she'd look driving a "truck." And I'd want her to have the 4wd in the snow so... But the way I see it, it has four doors, which makes it somewhat family oriented (we have a 1 yr. old son) but it also allows me to haul stuff to the dump (I do a ton of work on our house myself) without ruining the finished interior of a typical SUV etc. Plus it seems like a lot of truck for the money.
I'm confused as to when exactly the 2001's are coming out however. I've read they went into production last month. Can you still order a 2000? And if so, does the impending arrival of the 2001s mean dealers are more willing to deal on the 2000s?
dbeale1
I agree with themacguy, we're not "that" exclusive of a group that you can't ask questions. We don't have spies do we?
I see that you're basically following the same route to a Quad as I did. Both my wife and I like the Volvos (2) we had over a 26 year period. They were distinctive, made well enough that if you put the money into them they would last longer than other cars exposed to each winter's road salt, and in the earlier years they sort of denoted you as a non-conformist.
Well, you can have all of that again in a family oriented medium-sized pick up - Quad. You might need to put steps on it for the "little people" but the Quad is made to do a lot of jobs.
Also, has anyone actually SEEN a 2001 QC yet; or know where to find a photo on the web? I'm ready to buy, but want to know whether I should wait until September for the 2001's. THANKS
for "your turn". It's a great family vehicle, a truck and sedan rolled into one wonderful package
without giving up style and good looks. This truck really delivers. If it is affordable and fits your budget, you and your wife will be very pleased with it. We welcome you to the owners club forum.
Bookitty
I'm sure with 80% or more having the V-8 & multispeed (some percentage have also gone with V-6 and the old style auto) for many months now, there are many experiences to tap into. Personally, I have the 5 sp manual and I'm happy with my choice. Would be nice sometimes to not have to shift like while I'm trying to keep a McDonalds ice cream cone from melting down.
dbeale1
spike - we've still got a couple of Turbo Wagons in the family. Fabulous cars. This Quad sort of reminds me of them... with a really big trunk.
gator - it's a bit weird at times; if you've ever raced a Yamaha or Briggs Kart, it sort of sounds like it's 'winding up' like those viscous clutches. But while it seems like that's what's happening, all @#$% breaks loose (the tires), and you're catapulted off your tail and down the road at a pretty good clip. And that's just when you're pulling a trailer! :-O
steve - I think the 01's are terrible, it just won't please you like an '00 would. I'm SURE of it. And now that you're convinced, we might as well 'trade,' as I HATE to think of you driving something you really can't stand. I'm just the kind of guy that'll help you out of this sorry predicament, and I'll even fill the tank with premium, and throw in one or two 'exes.' Deal? ;-P
war between the compact trucks:
http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/engaged/edmund.cgi?c=Pickups&f=0&t=2170
Do you think the Dakota is the best thing since sliced bread? Tell us why.
You can Email me at BadQuadCab@cs.com
noticed that a couple 01 model "club cabs" had just been delivered. since i had heard about some
changes to the 01 model i decided to investigate.
looks like most of the changes were to the
interior...in other words the dash and door panels. my reaction to the dash is mixed. interestingly enough its styling sorta reminds me of some dashes i've seen in cadillacs. it also has borrowed the radio and climate controls from the intrepid. anyone else seen the 01 model??
Bookitty
I looked into this about 6 months ago, when I first fell in love with the quad. My wife insists that my next car seats 6 (we have 4 kids) and I was concerned about the lack of on/off switch. After lots of poking around, I found a couple dealers w/in 50 miles who would do the switch, pending govt approval. Cost of switch was $160 + labor, if I remember right.
Go to http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/airbags/
and read the info about petitioning for airbag switch. Basically, my reason for switch should be automatic approval (4 kids, only 3 seats in back).
Haven't done it yet, because I don't have a quad yet. I'm Now agonizing over unexpected changes in '01. 'nuther discussion.
I finally ordered a '01 on July 24th. Called today, status is done, pending final inspection.
Railway assigned, all that stuff. Might see it
by next week. (Cruzin - operator at DC could hardly believe I had placed order only 2 weeks before). Bronze SLT plus 4x4, 5spd 4.7L bench anti-spin etc. Excitement mounted, until I discovered that DC has changed the interior for the '01.
Being the conservative that I am, I hate unexpected changes. So I originally went balistic. Drove my dealer nuts with all the new information about the '01. They could care less, but I was making a big stink about it.
Finally got to sit in one (not mine) at the dealers lot. My original reaction was - true to form - I hated it.
Headliner is mist grey. At first I was horrified. Looks fine against mist grey, two-toned against slate grey (but not bad), but I haven't seen it against taupe. Wondering if it will look silly. Have to wait and see.
New 4wd selecter on dash is conveniently mounted. However, I'm from the old-school, and would have
preferred DC leave the 4WD shifter on the floor. Too many friends with exploders and whatnot that say they've had trouble with the dash-mount not always engaging 4WD when selected.
The new dash-mount would have cleared up the clutter on the floor, especially for automatics, except they replaced the old plastic floor tray with something bigger. Like over 2" tall bigger. I guess its to hold the 32oz big-gulps, since the cupholders are no longer under the bench seat but on the floor. For my needs, this is really a behemoth - and I'll be investigating how to take it out. Almost eliminates what little room there was for a kid in the front seat, or at least thats how I see it.
And the power controls changed. Like already noted, the door panels have a sleeker look, with armrests that go full lenght of door. Power controls are moved to armrest, which I find fairly inconvenient copared to the '00. The '00 had the controls mounted at an angle, easy to see and operate. The new controls caused me to be craning my neck around and fully taking my eyes off the road to operate. The mirror controls, similar now to the caravan, should have been easy to recognize and operate (I have a caravan). However, the placement of the controls is at the farthest end of the armrest, so those controls in particular were a pain.
Oh yeah, I'm 6'2", and sit wiht the seat almost altheway back. And the headliner ridge is unchanged, so it still almost rubs my head in my normal sitting position, giving me the uncanny feeling that something creepy is about to drop down my neck.
The dash itself I had a mixed reaction to. The flatter design and pushed back look add to a feeling of more leg room. However, when I sit in either front seat, comparing '00 to '01, I can't notice a difference. Except that the new dash results in a smaller glove box.
Overall, I'd rather have the '00 interior. But having sat in the '01, driven it, slept on it, and re-visited dealer to sit in again, most of my complaints about the '01 will probably disolve over time. The second time in a slate grey interior, I hardly noticed the light-colored headliner. It certainly wasn't distracting, and, as my wife lovingly pointed out, the caravan has a similar interior color scheme.
I still would rather return to the floor-shift 4wd selector, smaller plastic floor tray, and (to me anyhow) more convenient power controls.
i just looked at an 01 club cab with the new interior and it still had the 4x4 selector on the floor. however, i can't remember if it was the full-time or part-time transfer case...
Also, has anyone hauled 4x8 sheets of drywall in the short bed? Any special modifications etc required?
However, the new door panels, I think, are a step backwards. The new window/lock/mirror controls are not as intuitive to use, or as easy to reach, and the old door design has a cleaner, more unified look to it.
BTW the new I/P is not farther away from the seats, rather, the top of the new dash is significantly lower (and slightly closer) than the old design and appears more open for more forward visibility.
And I lament the apparent loss of the floor mounted 4x4 shift lever with the 5-speed.
The dealer told me it was. I drive a Ram with the same engine in it for work and it doesn't do that. The service manager looked under the truck and told me that my work truck doesn't have overdrive on the transmission and that is why they act different (what a bozo, the overdrive button is in the same place as my Dakota).
Has anyone else experienced this problem........is this really normal? I've never had a car do this.
Thanks for the info on the plugs. The dealer told me the plugs didn't have to be changed until 100,000 miles.
2drive: I thought about mentioning the new shift action, but did not want to scare some of the people waiting on new trucks. For those who are wondering, the action is more down and towards the driver than the usual left to right motion. It is not a big deal, my wife still cannot tell the difference. For some drivers, it is a minor weird sensation until you have used it a few times. As far as the door controls goes, that is the problem for all designers. I love the new door controls and the new floor console, but it does not suite everyone as noted above.
The shifter lever is on the wheel.
It has a little button to disable the overdrive feature if the transmission is shifting too much, like when towing.
does anyone know if the full-time transfer case cuts down significantly on gas mileage? i'm thinking about getting a quad cab this fall with the 4.7l v/8 and autobox. thanks for any info you can provide.
on MPG, as well as excessive tire wear. I cannot provide you with information documenting the MPG difference, but I have had experience with both types, and actually converted two of my son's Ford trucks back to part time by installing Warn hubs in the field. Unless you live in an area, where 4WD is necessary most of the time, I don't feel that it is self justifying. Just my opinion.
Bookitty
Question I have is -- How hard can I hammer given the 2001s are coming out and I would be taking a truck right off the lot (instead of special ordering)?
(BTW the color was garnet red which I hadn't seen before - man was it pretty.)
dbeale1
Anyway, only real advice would be to go on-line or to another area dealer and start over. Get your price-terms, whatever, and then go BACK to your original dealer (if you like 'em) and renegotiate the deal with the info (and your new figures) in hand, and use it to lower the pmts. Good luck and good hunting...
Chrysler's was more than a bit high at about $1700 for "all inclusive" minus the usual stuff (brakes, wipers, belts, etc.)
Any info would be appreciated.
Thanks,
fat_fenders
Other people SWEAR by 3rd party warranties. They have NEVER worked for me, however. In my case, I chose to go with the D/C deal. To each his own I guess. I'm sure you'll get better advice a plenty.