By accessing this website, you acknowledge that Edmunds and its third party business partners may use cookies, pixels, and similar technologies to collect information about you and your interactions with the website as described in our
Privacy Statement, and you agree that your use of the website is subject to our
Visitor Agreement.
Comments
cowtownkid
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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?
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?
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
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
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
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.
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.
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
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.
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....
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
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.
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. ;-))
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
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
Got my Line-X spray in liner yesterday- it looks AWESOME! Much nicer than the drop ins.
Susan
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
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)
Thanks
Carl
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!
KnK
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.
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
thanks, Jason
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. :-)