Dodge Dakota - Quad Cab

bsparx

When I first drove my wife by the dealer to see Quads back in January, the first thing she said was "You mean a truck like that pukey rotten orange one?" OK, so it was raining, and it was next to a Black and a Pat. Blue, so it looked not so swell, but it never grew on her either, not even on the next sunny day. Oh well, I like the Pat Blue one we ended up with fine too. If I was ordering one, I'd strongly consider that root-beer color. Looks very sharp and probably almost never looks dirty. I know on-base parking is usually outdoors, and sometimes dusty...
Good Luck

Ben

wetwillie

Well is this enough response for ya? Amber Fire is the coolest color out there, however I think it is mislabeled. It's not amber or orange it's COPPER.

socaldude

I am totally frustrated right now. After finally
seeing the 01 Dakota, I can't believe they changed
the gorgeous interior/instrument panel. Apparently
to reduce costs (and increase profits), it has become stark and simplistic - it looks cheaper, almost as bad as my Camaro. The dealer said he's heard lots of negative comments about the change.

So, I decided to ask him to do a search for
an 00 equipped the way I want it - and there isn't
anything close enough in this state to enable that
to happen.

After making the decision to bite the bullet and
order an 01, I find out that leather is only
available on the quad (not the club cab !) That is
so lame! I already have a car, and need the
functionality of a truck (with a larger bed). Not
to slight folks on this board, most of whom are enamored of the quad, but I need the full-size bed of a club cab, and don't want to hassle with bed
extenders. Why would DC not make leather available on the CC?

I could live with that if they hadn't butchered
the dash, though, having an upholstery shop put in leather.

Damn I'm pissed! Not sure how to proceed at this
point. I'd call DC and tell them how unhappy I
am, but they absolutely would not care.

ok, I'm done now. Sorry if that sounded so
negative, and thanks for letting me vent ;-)

dragonhawk

All--many thanks. I didn't think the amber on the 4aDodge website looked so great (at least on my monitor), but an amber quad that's buried deep in car-truck.com looks pretty cool, as did the picture of vman's truck.

iowabigguy--not sure yet, but probably will be in northeast PA for a year when we return. Hope I run into Bookitty (not literally). I plan on ordering it through my hometown dealer (Michigan UP) and link up with it there, as my experience with the sales people here mirrors your brothers'.

bsparx--the dirt factor is very much a criteria, which is one reason why I'm leaning away from the darker colors. My sons though (who figure on driving the truck in a few years) like the dark colors. They are the holdouts.

bookitty/wetwillie--you don't mind if I quote you? I will censor the "pumpkin" comment lest they revolt.

other lurkers--for what it's worth, after being seriously distracted by the Ford Sport Trac for a while (liked its shorter length and moonroof among other things) we decided on the quad because it's cheaper, more powerful, MPG seems almost as good, is not too big, and IMHO looks better. Plus, while both groups of owners seem happy in their posts, the quad owners appear more so.

Current plan: 4x4 Part-time, 4.7 5-sp, 3.92 LSD, standard brakes. Color TBD.

Again, thanks!

bigal31

What bookitty said :)Love it or hate it,one thing is for sure you will stand out..Two reactions-
#1 Big smile on the onlookers face.
#2 What the hell is that "look"
Ok #3 I'm not sure if I like it or not.....(Thats me still)
Sorry "Norman" Can't make up my mind.
Allen-

fat_fenders

asta,

I've posted the web address for some photos of my Black Quad Cab in the photo section. I know this isn't the photo section, but this isn't really photos, just an address. Check out that Dk Slate Leather!!!

http://www.geocities.com/fat_fenders/My_BlackQuadCab.html

I've already added smoked headlight covers and bug deflector. The spray-in liner scheduled for Monday. Tonneau is next.

Happy Quading,
fat_fenders

asta

fat fenders - thanks for posting the pics! Your truck rocks! There's something about a black dodge with that big ol' grill that is just the toughest looking truck on the road, whether it's a ram or a dakota. Makes me giggle when all those f-150 owners say their trucks look so hard and macho...yeah, right. And I like ford vehicles, BTW. had a 65 mustang that I still miss every day.

dragonhawk - I first saw the amber dak at the LA auto show last january - my first reaction - really, really ugly (sorry BK). you either love it or hate it and I'm with the latter group. I'm going to go for the bronze (root beer color) or the silver. but having dark colors, while they look the best are a real pain - dirt and scratches leap off the surface - and it's impossible to keep clean, even the day you wash it. But, pat blue is an awfully enticing color, IMHO.

one mo thing - what kind of bedliner and bed cover are you going to add Fat fenders (if any) keep me posted. I'm considering the roll n lock top and the line - x spray-on for the bed.

96g11

bpeebles- great pix! looks kinda like what i did, difference is that I already had a K&N drop in filter so for cost cutting I just modified the air box by cutting out all of the internal webbing. I used a 90 degreee pvc elbow and 1 coupling. The factory flex hose just fit perfectly. I know a smooth pipe would be better but now that the flex hose is "streached" is is much less restrictive. It also gives me the felx I need between the air box and engine. I went one setep further in that I ran 4" aluninum dryer flex tubing from the air box to the front grill opening area. This is not as hard as it looks with a little patience. Just remove the black rubber cover on the passenger side of the grill and the tubing will pass right through with a little "manipulation and smoothing" (I moved the computer over about 2 inches and carefully bent the air cond. line to make more room). This setup provides a "ram air" with a measures 2.5 lb pressure at the air box at 50 mph. The pressureized system seems to make up for using the flex pipe. Hope you don't mind but I will steal your idea and wrap the pipe with the insulating/aluminum tape. Seems like a great idea.

themacguy

and we're working on a separate Topic 'area' just for the Club Cab & Regular Cabbers. 'We' that is, would be Bonnie and me - we can't find andy_jordan ANYWHERE! Been looking for him for a month+... anyone heard from him? All my e:mails to him since late July have seemingly gone into a black hole. Anybody???

As for your dilemma, be a bit more specific about what you want and I'll look around for one that fits your description between here (far W. TX.) & Calif. Hey, SWA flies into here (Midland, TX) for about a hundred bucks+ from Calif. And we have about two hundred Club Cabs on various lots around here. So why not make it a weekend trip? I'll even buy your dinner (supper for you West Coasters) & a tank of gas for your trip back. :-)

victx

I almost picked up my 2001 Quad last night. On the visual inspection I noticed about a 1 inch blemish in the paint. It was very near the right rear fender flare. The owner of the dealership happened to be there and said it looked like there was adhesive from the flare on the body when they painted it. Anyway it is being fixed today and I go back to pick it up.

Hey guys I have to say I like the interior. I've got the Dark Slate, it's almost black. My exterior color is Intense Blue, I know it's not the most popular color on the forum. The blue exterior contrasts well with the dark interior. I am not a big fan of leather, but fat fender's pics above makes the leather interior look awesome. The headliner is off-white, and initially I didn't like it, but now I kinda do. The center console is awesome. The armrest console is huge and I'm sure a 12-disc changer will find it's way in there with no problem and room to spare.

Well I expect to get the truck for good tomorrow. I'll be taking pics tomorrow, but don't have a digital camera, so I'll post ASAP.

PS I inquired about tow hooks as the '01 has an opening in the fascia for them, but I think the dealer said $165. The Mopar catalog has them for the Ram for like $140-something. Can't see why the Dakota should be more.

lmeyer1

Can anyone with the a 2001 tell me how the center console with the buckets is different than on the 2000?

I didn't like the console on the 2000 because you'd basically have to stack stuff up in it (aside from what you could fit in the small removable tray). The one thing that it really did look good for, though, was a CD changer.

How is the 2001 different, if at all?

Thanks for any input.

fat_fenders

I must say, when I first got in the Quad, I noticed the off-white extending from the door pillars up through the headliner. IMHO, it provides nice contrast to an otherwise very dark interior. May even make it look a little more spacious. Just think how a white ceiling in a house makes a room look so much better/bigger than a dark ceiling.

I tried to make the pics as light as possible without looking overexposed. The Dark Slate just doesn't reflect much light.

...oh, that smell of leather...

fat_fenders

fat_fenders

asta,

I'm using a local vendor for the bedliner. Their name is Fabick, Inc., a subsidiary of the local CAT dealer. See my comments in "Dakota - Accessories" thread on them. I made an appointment for Monday to have mine sprayed. I'm not hauling rocks, cinder blocks or scrap iron so I doubt I will EVER wear it out.

I'm somewhat undecided on the tonneau cover yet. Was planning on going with roll-top type as I got a price from one local vendor for $550. Spoke with vendor doing spray-in liner and they offer one for over $1000. Quite the price difference so I'm a bit concerned about quality. Will need to investigate that further.

There might be an issue with the roll-top and lack of room between the front of the wheel wells and the front of the box so check that out before ordering. (Liner vendor mentioned it might be a problem.)

2nd alternative would be hard cover painted gloss black. I want something that looks like a pickup so a full height topper is out of the question.

fat_fenders

towcrazy2

For what it's worth to those of you pondering tonneaus and spray-in bedliners, I might offer a couple of positive comments on the products I chose.

I went with the Fold-a-Cover (delivered through a local Ziebart franchise) for $550. I did the install (quite simple), and am very pleased with its looks and functionality.

Traced the curved edge of the tonneau where it folds down across the gate, popped the tonneau off the tracks (takes a few minutes, no helper required), took the truck into Ziebart for a Rhino liner, also through Ziebart.

They masked off the "footprint" of the tonneau, and sprayed over the rails and gate accordingly. I requested extra thick coats inside the bed sides, front and gate since it's a "mini" bed to begin with. They complied with all of my specs, and the finished product is outstanding ($350 for the Rhino).

Whether you choose, Rhino, Line-X or another product, I would strongly suggest first installing the tonneau, tracing its outside edge along rails and gate, then removing it and having the liner sprayed as close to the edge of that "footprint" as possible. The result is truly a "custom" look.

want1bad

Well, I disliked the new interior enough that I had the dealer do yet another search for a '00. Found a vehicle on the far side of colorado. I'm picking it up monday, the 21st.

Bronze 4WD Quad 4.7L 5spd bench 3.92 LSD tow pwr win/locks 6x9 mirrors agate interior. Waiting 'til monday to pick it up, so my FB discount kicks in.


I'm through pulling my hair out over the '01 changes. The only change I really liked in the '01 was the new A/C controls. I totally disliked the new floor tray and layout of power stuff on armrest. De-rating the engine for CA/NY emissions has me totally pissed. Dash is ho-hum, and light headliner is something to adjust to. Don't care about 16" wheels. Mixed reaction to taupe interior - looks like mud. Guess it won't show mud. And dodge didn't fix any of the stuff I thought was broke.

BTW, I had ordered a '01 with the exact same equipment. In fact, the '00 I am picking up was originally located by this same dealer, which I put a deposit on back June 30th. The dealer went to pick up truck over 4th of july weekend, and was told they couldn't have it by other dealer because it was sold. So, after searching far and wide, I ordered the '01 on 24 July, before I knew of all the changes.

To make a long story somewhat shorter, my dealer in desperation over my negative reaction to the '01 did another search, and found my '00 still on the other dealers inventory. Called and found out they've been holding the vehicle over a month now, waiting for my dealer to come pick it up. This is the 21st century, you'd think communication would be better than that! Irony of it all is, now I have a FB membership, and Dodge offers rebates on '00, so the truck will cost me $1K less.

Anyhow, my ordered '01 is already in, arrived tuesday. If you live near Boulder, CO and like this truck, call Valley Dodge and ask to speak to Lois Maiden. She'd be happy to sell two trucks this week.

Thanks much to all the contributors to the quad forums. Informative, courteous, friendly. I'll be taking much of next week off to enjoy my new toy, but I'll be back to help answer questions and hopefully contribute like others have done.

edwardqc

I've added a Black Soft Tonneau for mine, just the simple one with frame and Snap-On vinyl cover. It's made by Berlin and cost $199. I'll only use it occasionally for travel protection for items in the back, the rest of the time I want a pure truck. It's easy on and off and you can roll it up in place if needed. I would highly recommend it for those who don't need to lock stuff in.

I have a spray-on liner installation scheduled for Monday as well(Iron Eagle Coatings - $235). Similar to Line-X, just without the price.

The other issue is tires. Those Goodyear RTS are not much for off road capability(I'd be severely spinning in the first mudhole I encountered). I'm going to a true all-terrain tire in P265-75R16, so it will be about 1" diameter increase over the stock P265-70R16. Got a good trade already set-up.

lmeyer1

Funny, my 2000 brochure shows the QC derated in CA/NY (from 235hp to 230hp). Was there something else done in 2001?

socaldude

I appreciate your kind offer. The problem in CA is
that locals can't go out of state to buy a vehicle
and then drive it back. To discourage that, the
DMV insists that you put at least 5K miles on the
vehicle in the state you bought it in before
bringing it here. Can't do that on a weekend ;-)

I have good news, though. After posting yesterday,
my dealer called me back to say he'd found an 00
CC similar enough to what I wanted that I'm going to drive to L.A. and take a look today. I'll have
to sacrifice a couple of options I wanted that
aren't there, but the basic vehicle is acceptable:
Black Sport Plus, 4x2, 4.7, Auto, LSD, Deluxe
Power and Convenience groups, buckets.

Also, thanks for working on a non-quad message
board.....

Have a great day!

btw, can anyone point me to a URL that shows and
describes a spray-on bedliner?

socaldude

I recommend using Autobytel on the Internet to
purchase your vehicle. It's no hassle/hard sell,
and the price is $100. over dealer invoice.

http://www.autobytel.com

blakdak

Go to http://www.line-x.com/

You'll see lots of possibilities.

Earl

socaldude

I recommend using Autobytel on the Internet to
purchase your vehicle. It's no hassle/hard sell,
and the price is $100. over dealer invoice.

http://www.autobytel.com

bookitty

Dragonhawk, If you do get Amber Fire, then there will be three of us; You, Vman and me. Vman and I live in Bucks County, PA. I spent much time in the
UP, as I worked for Pettibone Michigan in Baraga. Used to fly into Hancock/Houghton. Froze my butt off many nights in the old Lanse Motel.

Fat-Fenders, look at the A.R.E. LSII, as it is a high quality fiber glass lid that comes with a superior paint job and an excellent hinge system. This is my second one, and I absolutely love it. This lid suits my needs perfectly. There is a $20.00 discount on their web site.

Bookitty

bookitty

Sorry, here is the URL for A.R.E. www.4are.com

Bookitty

want1bad

Yeah, what Dodge changed for '01 is that ALL dakotas, regardless of state to be sold in, must meet the CA/NY requirements. I live in CO. Therefore, my '00 has better ratings (hp, mileage) than an identical '01. Don't know if the milage numbers are real, but the horsepower difference seemed more noticable than the mere 5hp mentioned. Of course the 235/230 HP rating is at 5000RPMs, which is not where most people operate their vehicles most of the time. It could be that the horsepower at lower RPMS is more dramatically affected, but without seeing actual real curves, I can only go by feel, and "feel" told me that the '01 felt more sluggish than the '00. That was in a test drive side by side BEFORE I noticed the '01 derating.

want1bad

Here in colo. spgs, CO, I was quoted $400 over to order a dakota quad thru autobytel. That was a couple months ago. Another dealer, not with autobytel, cut a deal at $200 over.

socaldude

that there's no consistency with Autobytel, and
you may not get the best price from them. I
went through them to get my parents a Honda
Accord this summer, and we paid $100. less than
invoice, *and* they waived the destination
and advertising charges. Now that was a good deal.

In the past when I've dealed for cars my method
was to go straight to the fleet manager with
invoice prices in hand and tell him that I would
pay $200 over invoice if he would order me the
car I wanted. Given the existence of holdback
and the fact that they didn't have to put out
any effort for a sure sale, I was always
successful.

iowabigguy

"This setup provides a "ram air" with a measures 2.5 lb pressure at the air box at 50 mph."
I have a question you might possibly not have thought of! With that direct line to the grill for the ram air effect what happens to the water when you drive in a rain storm?? I hope it drains somewhere. From what I remember water does not compress. Get enough into the engine and there go the pistons and connecting rods. Rick

96g11

Rick,
Thanks for your concern. I guess I should have addressed this. Yes I thoutht about water. There is a small hole in the bottom of the stock air cleaner housing to allow for any water to drain. The K&N filter is oiled and won't allow water to pass through in dropplet form. Any water "vapor" that passes through will not hurt the engine and will only help to reduce any carbon that might build up in the combustion chamber. Years of experience with off road racing has proven this. I raced jeeps and off road trucks for many years. Water crossings at high speed and all. We learned a lot about keeping the water out.
As the air entering the filter must rise upward and hit the oiled filter, any water dropplets will fall out and run to the drain. The drain hole reduces available pressure but is neccessary. After driving 10 miles at 70 mph in the pooring rain (and I mean it was comming down!), I pulled over and checked the filter housing. No water at all above the filter element, and the filter was not noticeably damp.

henne

i have a rollnlock roll top and its great, it locks the bed and the tonneau with one lock and one key. in the v series line they have a model designed for the quad, and it fits fine and looks great. but if i had to do it over again, i might go with the folding like the one in the mopar catalog. but all in all its a great top, not 100% water proof but it does a nice job.

robert

lmeyer1

Thanks for the clarification. Glad you got the 2000. If I get one, I'm stuck with the derated version either way, since I live in CT (which gets the same treatment as NY).

themacguy

I don't know if this will hold or not, but most of us who got a Quad over time will probably tell you that the 4.7 or other choice you make will 'loosen up' somewhat over time. Specifically, mine felt VERY tight until it had about 800 on the odo. At about 8k a little more loosening occurred as well. Now with 23k on it, it's smooth as silk, has had half a dozen synth-oil changes and is going in for its auto tranny fluid change in the next week or so. This has been (and is) a very entertaining learning curve. ;-)

I wonder if the 00 you drove has reached the 800 mark yet - and if the 01 was new. If so, maybe the difference will be minimal for those who go with the 01 model. Just a thought.

vman

Of course, it's all preference, but I love the Amber Fire. It's a beautiful color, IMO. I'd call it a burnt metallic orange. I can understand the bipolar attitude towards it, but I had to have it. It definitely turns heads! What I don't like is Ford's lame attempt to copy it. Now that's ugly! I'll try to get a better pic. It was overcast the day I took the pictures. It looks great in direct sunlight.

vman

Boxers are probably the best family dogs you can get. I have a 4 y.o. female that I adopted (at 1.5 y.o.). They are amazing with kids and very cautious/protective with strangers around. Ours still barks at my brother after 3 years...just to show off. They will adjust to your level of activity on any given day and just be happy to be with you, no matter what. You would NOT want to be a stranger posing a threat to their family. They will fight like lions if necessary.

The only negatives (IMO) are they can be a bit slobbery on hot days (especially in the car) and are totally dependent on their families. If my wife goes out, even for five minutes, the dog will sit and stare at the front door until she returns. They get very upset when left alone, too (at least ours).

Overall, you'd never regret owning one.

ford_bii

Sorry Vman, but I like the Mandarin Gold shade that Ford was putting on the Sport Tracs better than the Amber Fire. It was a little bit more "controlled" than the Amber Fire. Worry not though, Ford has dropped the color for 2001.

fat_fenders

Bookitty & henne,

Thanks for the feedback on the tonneau covers. I'll check out the ARE website and see what I like.

Henne, you say the rollnlock doesn't seal 100%? How bad is it. a couple drops in a rainstorm, couple tablespoons, couple cups, gallons? I plan on puitting stuff in plastic tubs so I guess as long as it locks, I'll be ok.

fat_fenders

chachingman

I'm also shopping for a Tonneau... still undecided. I found the ARE LSII at a local dealer for $699 in a matching color (red). I'm also looking at a Gaylords lid for $770 painted. GEMtop makes a GT classic that looks like it fits pretty close to flush, I haven't priced it yet. Any opinions on a cat-back exhaust? I'm looking at the Gibson split rear, anyone have any experience or other options?

sorcerer

Everyone is talking about the Roll & Lock top for their Quads, This sounds like it would be the perfect cover for me, as I plan to carry my Mt. Bike in a rack in the bed on occasion, but want a top for the rest of the time.

Could someone post a site where I can see these tops?

Thanks in advance!

dragonhawk

Based on everyone's responses, it seems that the amber quad SLT on the car-truck.com "buzz" site gives the best representation of the color. I showed it and the picture of your Sport to the family and the two boys declared "pretty cool." There is also an amber quad on the accesscover.com site which had been confusing the issue because it appeared to be a deep orange. Anyway, we have settled on amber. The wife has been unusually impartial on this one, and has decided to leave it to her "three stooges" to sort out. I think this means that she plans on retaining control of her Camaro when we finally get the quad.

sorcerer--I'm also planning on getting the roll-n-lock (and Bed Rug liner). Their site is www.rollnlock.com, and you can also see it at calconcepts.com--the latter site sells the V405 for the QC either for $669 (or possibly $599; it's hard to tell). Regardless, it has the best internet price that I've found so far.

bookitty--you are clearly more knowledgable about my home stomping grounds than I am about yours. I finally figured out that our next probable home (Carlisle) is in the south central part of your state.

bookitty

Carlisle is near Harrisburg, the capital of PA. Dickinson college is in Carlisl, and it's a nice place. Exit 16 of the PA turnpike, I-81 (route 11)
and actually not far from Gettysburg, PA and Hagerstown, MD. Lots to do. Good luck.

Bookitty

rhyswf

I Think Burnt Orange is best discription for Amber Fire. Either you love it or you hate it.

While I have lived in Texas for last 26 years, my mother and youngest brother lives in Carlisle. Very nice town. Will you be at the War College at the Carlisle Barracks. The Carlisle area is really the garden part of PA. Beautiful farms and countryside. Close to good outdoor activity areas. Good trout fishing and hunting. Still only
two hours to Baltimore, Philly, three hours to DC.
Sure will enjoy.

rhyswf

Lee

On the 2001 the center floor console now is dominated by two large adjustible cup holders. It also has two trays. On the 2000 the console, if not occupied by shift levels only had trays. The cup holders pulled out of front seat. I personally prefer the new arrangement on the 2001.

Just FYI - if you are trying to decide between 2000 and 2001 I suggest the you see both. There are several changes to the dash and doors as well.

I purchased the 2001 myself. But several others seem to like the 2000 better. Really a matter of taste.

Good Luck

dragonhawk

Thanks for the info on Carlisle; it sounds like a great area. I will be going to the War College, though at this point there is still a possibility that I could go to a similar program elsewhere (D.C., for example).

towcrazy2

WANT1BAD & SOCALDUDE: Have to agree with SOCAL on the net- or phone-based "buying services." They're not generally going to get you the lowest price on a new Qad or any other vehicle.

Better to get accurate, updated specs and pricing (dealer invoice and MSRP) on BOTH the base vehicle and options/groups, print it out, study it, then spec and price your vehicle, re-price it with options, then work with a few dealers either by phone or face-to-face.

I used invoicedealers.com to spec and price my Quad. Their specs and prices duplicated what appeared in the dealers ordering book. I landed my Quad at $300 under dealer invoice. As SOCAL said, it's no skin off the dealer's butt since he simply takes the order and collects the holdback.

UNRELATED BUT INTERESTING: Went to the "Woodward Dream Cruise" north of Detroit yesterday... Billed as the world's largest one-day automotive event (and it WAS). Quite a spectacle with every car/truck imaginable, from Model T's to current factory prototypes/concept cars/trucks.

All the factories had lavish displays. Ford was pushing vehicles like the Sport Trac, Harley Edition, Lightning, etc. But surprisingly, the Quad Cab was conspicuously absent from the Dodge factory area. In fact, through the entire day, I saw only ONE Dodge Quad Cab... MINE!

A cool event nonetheless... And if the prototypes are any indication of what's to come, I would conjecture that the four-door pickup is destined to equal or replace the SUV as the male YUPPY's vehicle of choice within a few years, while SUVs will continue to be favored by the ladies... Ah well... At least the QC was something special for awhile!!!

spike50

Have recently been off-line and not keeping up with the Quad group posts while getting a new computer system up and running. Welcome to the group. I'm running a '00 QC, Lt. Driftwood, 4x4, 4.7L, 5 sp., LSD, T&H package, buckets, soft tonneau. 3,700 miles since May 4.

I'm east of Carlisle and live inside the "square" made by the towns of Hershey, Hummelstown, Middletown, and Elizabethtown. Carlisle is famous for its huge car shows that occur spring, summer, and fall. Big Corvette show, antique auto's etc. Heck one year they even had a fatal shoot-out with one of the vendors. Just be aware that the traffic is horrible right in front of the entrance to the War College during these events.

The War College was the old Indian School where the gov't "re-educated" youngsters to the eastern European culture to the detriment of their own. This past spring, they had a big ceremony to recognize all of the Indian tribal cultures (former subjects) and to admit that the gov't practitioners probably did more harm than good.

lmeyer1

Thanks for the information. From what I've seen of the 2001 (limited to pictures on the Net), I think I'm partial to it too.

Thanks, again.

henne

i get maybe a cup or so in a heavy rain, but it just seeps down the side and i have a bedliner and it just flows forward and sits in the grooves and never touches anything then it drains or evaporates. i like it, it works great for me. i paid about 850.00 installed for mine.

good luck,

robert

victx

I've just put 300 miles on my '01 and I'm really liking this truck. 4x4 Sport, 5-speed, 3.55 axle. I've got a couple of questions for you guys. About 18.5 mpg on the first tank of gas, with a light foot for the break-in.

While installing my Reese hitch, I was surprised to see that my spare is a full-size alloy wheel exactly like the other 4 tires. I would have thought that they would have used a cheaper steel wheel. I do have the new 16" wheels. I took the spare off until I get a good lock for it next week.

Does anyone know how I can disable the horn honk when you use the keyless entry to lock the doors?

I am surprised at the quality of sound the factory stereo has, but will be upgrading. I have taken off the dash, only two screws above the steering column, the rest are just snaps. Headunit looks easy to replace once I find a dash kit, Crutchfield doesn't have one yet. I couldn't find a good place for a sub-woofer, but because the stock system performs so well, I may just replace speakers and the head unit. Anyone taken off their door panels to check the speaker sizes?

fat_fenders

victx,

the horn honk disabling is detailed in the owners manual. other functions of the keyless remote can also be customized such as unlocking one door or all four with a single unlock button push. it involves turning the ignition on/off four times or something like that in conjunction with pushing the button on the remote. if you can't find it, i'll pull my manual and post.

good luck. i love my 01 QC 4x4! Just turned over about 350 miles on mine.

fat_fenders

edwardqc

I've got about 450 miles on mine now. First tank mileage not impressive (14.8mpg), but that's alot of city driving and a little punching the 4.7 to get a feel for that acceleration. I suspect it will improve as my heavy foot relaxes a little. That mileage though is better than I ever got from the 5.2 Ram.

I fixed my only complaint with the 4x4 QC this weekend--tires. Those Goodyear RTS are fine for the street, but I use my 4x4. So I've added some true all-terrain tires in P265-75R16. These are 31.6" or about 1" taller than stock and they fit from stop-to-stop, if anyone in QC land wants to know. You will need a lift to go any taller, though, as my minimum clearance between the front fender and the tire is 3/8" when the tire is turned about half way to the stop.

Off-road we go this weekend. I'll give you my reaction on the 4x4 later.

knkresort

I spent many years living in Chambersburg, (Letterkenny Army Depot) which is 30 miles south of Carlisle. Great area of the country. Skiing is about 1 hour away at the Roundtop Ski Area (near Gettysburg), plus Gettysburg and the surrounding area is great for Civil War buffs.

During my college days, I was invited to a college mixer at the post commander's house in Carlisle Barracks. The house was part of the Underground Railroad during the Civil War and has a hidden room in the house. If you ever get a chance to see it, do so. It is nice piece of Americana.

I take it "dragonhawk" has something to do with ADA or TOW missiles. I spent a few years running around in the Fulda Gap..


KnK