Did you recently take on (or consider) a loan of 84 months or longer on a car purchase?
A reporter would like to speak with you about your experience; please reach out to PR@Edmunds.com by 7/22 for details.
A reporter would like to speak with you about your experience; please reach out to PR@Edmunds.com by 7/22 for details.
Options
Comments
I paid 19,700 in October of 2002, less tax and title, no trade. I missed the rebate by 10 days!
2003 Dakota Club Cab Sport Plus
287 (4.7) V8
545RFE transmission
PW, PS, PB, PL, cruise, air, tilt, power mirrors
Limited Slip Differential
AM/FM/CD/Cassette
6100 GVW Package (includes heavier springs and front/rear sway bars)
16x8.0 inch wheels and P245/70R16 off/on road tires
Sliding rear window
Fog lamps
floor mats
wheel flares
keyless entry
bedliner (installed)
The dealer was better than average to deal with. They gave me the Mopar bedliner for $250, about 50% off of list. They low-balled me a little on the financing rate, but ended up coming down a little bit on the selling price. They let me take this truck for three days before the purchase.
Their selling process was as quick as any I've ever experienced. I finshed talking to the saleman at about 11:00 and I picked the Dakota up the following day at 5:00 PM.
The vehicle has been almost perfect in component and assembly quality. No buzzes, groans, or rattles and everything has worked as it should. I must say that this truck was assembled as well as my Nissan and better than our Toyota Avalon.
My only warranty service was to replace the right headlamp housing, which was cracked by a piece of ice hitting it. The service writer had no problem writing it up under warranty.
Regards,
Dusty
Sport, LSD, slider, high bucket seats, fog lights, mats, Auto, tire & handling group
$17,626...including $3k cust rebate and $500 Farm Bureay rebate.
Came to $56 below invoice shown on Edmunds...before the extra $3,500 in rebates.
Thanks, and any advice you could offer would be appreciated.
You don't state which engine you have, but the V6 and the 318 and 360 V8s all use a two-piece Viton front and rear crankshaft seal. These are premium materials. Leaks from worn or failed rear seals are not very common. I've seen many of these go into 150,000 mile range and still show no signs of leaking. However, previous owner care -- or the lack of it -- combined with heavy use may have "short-lived" the seals. Fortunately, this should not be a terribly expensive repair.
As to freeze plugs leaking, this is fairly rare on most engines nowadays. I suspect that the previous owner did not maintain the cooling system correctly.
As to specific quirks of the '99 versions, I can't help you too much there. Short-lived brake rotors was a complaint by some '99-'01 owners and this might warrant a better quality rotor at replacement time, although I suspect the factory rotors have long since been replaced. There are a number of recommendations for these in here at the Dodge forum.
Best of luck,
Dusty
["Excellent" condition means that the vehicle looks great, is in excellent mechanical condition and needs no reconditioning. It should pass a smog inspection. The engine compartment should be clean, with no fluid leaks. The paint is glossy and the body and interior are free of any wear or visible defects. There is no rust. The tires are the proper size and match and are new or nearly new. A clean title history is assumed. This is an exceptional vehicle.]
Best regards,
Dusty
$17,100 (aft $3K fac incentive).
(I've been in sales for 26 years....I can usually smell 'em comin') but, the dealer was a straight shooter, no BS, and I made the entire deal on the phone without even meeting face-to-face....and.....he had to pick the vehicle up from another dealer from another state.
My dealer was excellent. I ordered it and they catered to me every way they could, even when I called evey 3 days for a month to check on it.
$13500 is over blue book, so I guess you would just have to consider the condition of the vehicle and the cost of the extras - also, it's decked out for off-road - are you going to be using it off-road? If not, no need to pay for the extras. The point your mechanic had about it's previous off-road use is well-taken - as long as your mechanic is confident that the trans & drivetrain is in good shape, I guess that's a good sign. Check the ball joints!!! There is a current investigation by the NHSTA regarding Dakota/Durango ball joints.
I have a '98 Dakota Club Cab SLT 4x4 with a front guard, carpeted 12-v wired shell, upgraded shocks, and upgraded XM/CD stereo/speakers that unfortunately, I'm thinking about selling. I purchased the truck new & have had no major problems - runs like a top - kids are getting bigger though & I'm considering upgrading to a Quad-Cab. Only complanint I really have is a mixed one - I got the 3.9L V6 instead of the 8 - I miss the power of the V8, but the better fuel economy is worth it.
Best regards,
Dusty
2004 V6 Dakota Quad Cab SLT Plus (2x4)
Sticker Price: $25,600
Negotiated down to $21500 ($1830 below invoice)
Rebates: -$5000
New Price: $16500
(that's $9100 below the sticker)
We put $3000 down and got out the door with a loan around $14600 (TTL included). I'll sell my old truck for 5-6K, and refinance in a couple of months.
Well, in '03 I took a $23,480 list Dakota Club Cab Sport Plus to $17,400. Your list was higher and you got below my price, so from my vantage point you did pretty darn well!
Good luck with the new Dak.
Best regards,
Dusty
MSRP $28,215
Discounted MSRP $27915.
Paid $19,288 after $5,000 rebate - That's a 3.9k discount from MSRP...not too bad I don't think
Bought from Dover Dodge in Dover, NJ
http://www.hoblithaynes.fivestardealers.com/Dodge/body.cgi?apc=po- ol_templates/monroney.tmpl&vin=1D7HG48N14S762145
there is anothe one just like it but $80 cheaper i tried carsdirect.com but they only have v-6 models availibe does anyone know if they willget you a car that you are looking at but dont have it on their website?
Thanks.
I went to the local Dodge dealer yesterday, North of Seattle.
I was looking at 2005 QC 4X4 Laramie, 4.7L with no real
additional options. Went for test ride, enjoyed the truck, nice.
The salesman had referred to a demo they had with 7300 miles
for over $30K, and that was a couple thousand less than the $33K
for the truck I had driven. I didn't think much of it, I had searched
on the Internet quite a lot, and knew the sticker was $31290 for the
truck I had driven. I thought he was thinking of another truck we walked by.
When we start talking numbers, sure enough, there was a "dealer add on"
sticker on the window for $2500. Anyone else in the Puget Sound region
run into this?
Needless to say, we weren't able to come anywhere close on
price and I didn't buy the truck. I was really surprised by this
add on, I wasn't looking at something I thought was in really high demand.
(The truck had to have been there for a while, since before Dodge raised the
sticker price. If you price it out on Dodge's or Edmund's web site it
comes to $31500 now.)
Of course, the sales manager gave me a song and dance about the
Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price, and they don't know
what it costs to run a dealership.
I haven't looked at any other dealers in the area to see if they have similar add ons.
I was just curious if anyone else had run into a similar situation?
Thanks for any help.
Paul
I've seen numerous ads for Dakotas in the 26-32 range for 10k off MSRP. Looking at the bluebook wholesale used value for them 1year old thats about what you want off for a new one.
--jjf
Should I be concerned about the high mileage?
If its kbb wholesale is $7000 and they are asking 6000 with no negotiations yet you want more off and something is out of whack. Not unusual for a car more than 5 years old but still.
Good luck
--jjf
I'm considering a 2001 Quad with the 4.7 and loaded with nice options (power windows/mirrors/locks, cruise, CD, has bed lined and with locking cover). It has clearly been well kept by the owner. Carfax shows 1 owner and no wrecks, and it KBBs at $9925. Dealer is asking me $6000 for it. Besides the very high mileage the drivers side passenger window is being held closed with a cardboard shim. Other than that the truck is in very fine shape from a visual inspection and the road test was great.
Should I be concerned about the high mileage?
The 4.7 has a near impeccable reputation. Like most Mopar V8s they do not have a habit of excessive oil consumption. The 4.7 is a very tightly assembled engine.
Likewise the 545RFE (or 45RFE) has been an exceptionally good transmission in truck service and is the same one used behind the 5.7 Hemi.
Typical component issues for that vintage Dakota that might be affected by high mileage were ball joints, heater core & air conditioner condensers, Central Timer Modules, intermediate steering shafts (4x4 only). There were numerous complaints of premature brake rotor wear in those years.
Of course, if it is high mileage the chances are many of these areas have already had a component replacement. If you can get the repair history of the vehicle it could give you a better idea.
I know Dakotas pretty well and if the price was inline and there was no history of body damage, I wouldn't have a moments hestitation about buying one.
Good luck & best regards,
Dusty
Good luck
--jjf
2007 QC SLT 4x4
4.8L Flex-fuel
Bench seat
Sliding rear window
Power seat
single CD
Sprayed on bed liner
step rails
$23,300
A new 07 36000 msrp ram 1500 sells regularly for 24000. The kbb wholesale on a used 06 is about 21000 for a dealer sale price of about 23000+. You be the judge. The 08s large discounts will become larger with the holidays into next year. 07+ dodges bought new have the factory lifetime powertrain waranty too.
So my advice on a used 07 is ... don't. Duuuummmmb. Think 07 or 08 new.
Good luck
--jjf
Any advice on purchasing a used 2007? I am finding it difficult to get "accurate" used pricing info since there are not that many that are getting traded. For instance I did find pricing on Edmunds and Kelly but NADA says that it does not have enough info. Since there are new ones still on the lots do the "Trade-in" values include any cash back offers or do I need to take that off as well?
2007 QC SLT 4x4
4.8L Flex-fuel
Bench seat
Sliding rear window
Power seat
single CD
Sprayed on bed liner
step rails
$23,300
If you don't need towing I would look at the Honda Ridgeline or the Nissan Frontier.
You should be able to get either in a crew cab for 21000 or so well equipped in 4wd. The Ridgeline is of excellent quality. Without the V8 definitely go for the other two.
Good luck
--jjf
According to Edmunds the rebates on 2007 Dakotas is $5000 customer cash. However, it also looks like there is $5000 dealer cash as well. Is this accurate? No other site, that I have found, shows dealer cash.