Thoughts on a mid size pickup?

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rumblefish360 said:
No Nissans, CVT’s go bad quickly.
The wife’s Rouge in on number 3.

Import? Toyota
Domestic? Any of the big 3 will do.
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Actually it just might be that some of the imports are more 'murican than some of the 'A-murican trucks!!!
 
YY1 said:
I swear by Dakotas.

5.2 has much better power and only slightly worse MPG than 3.9

...plus you'll very quickly realize it's almost like working on your Dart.

All the LA based Magnums can live well past 175,000 miles.

I'd stay away from the "x.7" motors esp the 4.7.

Crew cab 97-2002 have issues with window winder cable guides breaking a LOT.

Worst issue IMO is heater core above rad fill which causes failure of core which requires removal of dash to replace.
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Well I HAVE a beater "home built" Dakota now, so "I know." PROBLEM is, I don't think I'm very excited about a later one which will be a 4.7 "no more magnum"
 
Appreciate all comments. This is likely somewhere between a 10--20G deal. Not new. It will be my "main car."

I was thinking Tacoma, Ranger, Dakota. I don't think I like the newer 4.7 Dakota, "maybe" I'll find a "last year" low miles magnum. Odds are against.

I WILL NOT be buying ANY GM anymore. My Dad got completely screwed on a new GM years ago, and the "much hated" 95 Olds that was Mom's did the usual GM "drop the antifreeze through the intake gasket into the oil pan" crap. They should be paying for that!!
 
dartfreak75 said:
What kind of gas mileage does a 5.2 Dakota get?
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Not all that good LOL

One HUGE gripe I have about "modern" 4x4's is the lack of being able to unhook the front drive. This Dakota has a "conventional" shift transfer case, that is it has a real high, a real low, a real neutral, and a real 2x and 4x function. BUT THE FRONT AXLE is always spinning you can not put hubs on the thing. I believe Toyotas are in the same boat.
 
67Dart273 said:
Not all that good LOL

One HUGE gripe I have about "modern" 4x4's is the lack of being able to unhook the front drive. This Dakota has a "conventional" shift transfer case, that is it has a real high, a real low, a real neutral, and a real 2x and 4x function. BUT THE FRONT AXLE is always spinning you can not put hubs on the thing. I believe Toyotas are in the same boat.
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My ram is the same way. I put lock in/out hubs my 85 helped none.lol My 01 spins all the time too. I like the stick selector I'm not a fan of push buttons or dial 4x4 I want a stick lol I'm 01 1500 ram gets about 13.5 mpg on average the best iv ever got was 14.8 the worst was pulling trailer loads of firewood I got about 9.
 
dartfreak75 said:
I agree on the resale value but I just dont like them. I think they are ugly. Lol
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I REALLY don't care for the look of the Nissans. Stuff like Honda is off the books for me. They seem more line an SUV they tried to make into a Hondamino
 
67Dart273 said:
I REALLY don't care for the look of the Nissans. Stuff like Honda is off the books for me. They seem more line an SUV they tried to make into a Hondamino
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Yea I agree I dont like the Nissan much I like the looks of a titan ok but still not my favorite. Those new Chevy Colorados look dang good imo! But the price tag you may as well get a full size
 
dartfreak75 said:
Yea I agree I dont like the Nissan much I like the looks of a titan ok but still not my favorite. Those new Chevy Colorados look dang good imo! But the price tag you may as well get a full size
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And if I heard correctly. No 8 cylinder option.
 
03 dakota. 3.9 5spd manual 2wd. Bought new, 322,000 miles and 20 mpg. Uses some oil, but damn reliable. Changed the timing chain at 180,000 and the original clutch at 274,800.
 
racerdan80 said:
03 dakota. 3.9 5spd manual 2wd. Bought new, 322,000 miles and 20 mpg. Uses some oil, but damn reliable. Changed the timing chain at 180,000 and the original clutch at 274,800.
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I was actually thinking of the "last year" of that engine vs the whatever new version is, 3.7?
 
67Dart273 said:
I was actually thinking of the "last year" of that engine vs the whatever new version is, 3.7?
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The 3.9 was used in the Dakota (base motor), Ram 1500 (base motor), and Ram 1500 van (optional; a 318 V8 was standard). Launched in 1986 (for the 1987 Dakota), the engine was a stopgap, but it was good enough to last 13 years. It was finally replaced in the 2001 trucks, ironically by a 3.7 liter versionof the 4.7 liter “Next Generation” V8 engine. (Also ironically, a closely related engine — the 360 V8 — had two cylinders added to make a V10 for trucks and Vipers.)
 
One thing impressive about the 3.9 is that it is a cast iron pushrod engine with a roller cam and fuel injection. Very simple and trouble free. The basic design started with a 273 back in 1964 and morphed to a 318 then a 5.2 Magnum. Chop off a couple cylinders to make a V6 and make it work. Mopar has always cast their blocks with a high nickel content for long life and minimal wear.
 
I had an issue with the 06/7 dakotas. 4 door trucks.
They bounce. Cross a railroad track and they shudder. I found it very annoying,almost unnerving.
Lower air pressure helped, but not a truck i would own.
Gentleman i know runs ‘yotas,very happy with them.
 
racerdan80 said:
03 dakota. 3.9 5spd manual 2wd. Bought new, 322,000 miles and 20 mpg. Uses some oil, but damn reliable. Changed the timing chain at 180,000 and the original clutch at 274,800.
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That is impressive!!
toolmanmike said:
What does that add to the sticker? $5-8000?
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I'm not sure I havent looked into them much I could never afford a new truck so I dont really seriously look at them I do however like to browse them. A guy I work with has a new Colorado it's a very nice truck!! If I could afford a new truck it would hands down be that new GMC with the pro tail gate!!! That thing is amazing. I built one on there website just playing around I got it with the off road package and a 6.0 it was around 60k to rich for my blood haha
 
Tooljunkie said:
I had an issue with the 06/7 dakotas. 4 door trucks.
They bounce. Cross a railroad track and they shudder. I found it very annoying,almost unnerving.
Lower air pressure helped, but not a truck i would own.
Gentleman i know runs ‘yotas,very happy with them.
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Tires too big? They probably needed a steering stabiliser.
 
toolmanmike said:
One thing impressive about the 3.9 is that it is a cast iron pushrod engine with a roller cam and fuel injection. Very simple and trouble free. The basic design started with a 273 back in 1964 and morphed to a 318 then a 5.2 Magnum. Chop off a couple cylinders to make a V6 and make it work. Mopar has always cast their blocks with a high nickel content for long life and minimal wear.
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I love the basic iron block iron headed single cam engines. All that other crap is just to much and asking for trouble. Look at the 5.4 Ford motors they are beasts but a stupid design and they blow spark plugs out like crazy. Iv never been a fan of dual overhead cams and all 4v and all that other fancy stuff. I don't even like aluminum heads lol I guess I'm just old school. I have a good friend that bought a brand new ram 1500 in 04 he got the 4.7 ( I'm not a fan of) I tried to talk him into the hemi he wouldn't listen wanted to save the 3000 bucks or whatever it was back then. Well he absolutely babied that truck he wouldn't even take it on a dirt road whenever we went hunting or shooting or fishing he road with me he washed it weekly had the interior detailed monthly etc etc etc I mean BABIED that truck. It started smoking one day not bad but just a little when it was cold outside. I told him not to worry about it but he took it to the shop. It had a cracked head at 77k miles. And i know that thing never saw 3500rpms a day in its life. He ended up selling it for nothing and buying a Ford big mistake. Lol after seeing that I just like them 4.7 if I ever buy another dodge newer than 01 it will have a hemi or cummins!!
 
dartfreak75 said:
I love the basic iron block iron headed single cam engines. All that other crap i...........5.4 Ford motors t................blow spark plugs out like crazy............ never been a fan of dual overhead cams ...........a brand new ram 1500 in 04 he got the 4.7 ( I'm not a fan of) I tried to talk him into the hemi he wouldn't listen ............. cracked head at 77k miles. .............if I ever buy another dodge newer than 01 it will have a hemi or cummins!!
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I agree completely and others who mentioned this but the sad thing is, if you want a MID sized truck for SOME economy, there ARE NO pushrod simple engines anymore. Ranger went OHC the same year as my wrecked one, though it still had the old pushrod V6. Anything "still" having a conventional engine is "getting somewhat old"

I agree tho,..........not real excited about the 4.7 or the newer 4.7 based V7 Dodge
 
67Dart273 said:
Appreciate all comments. This is likely somewhere between a 10--20G deal. Not new. It will be my "main car."

I was thinking Tacoma, Ranger, Dakota. I don't think I like the newer 4.7 Dakota, "maybe" I'll find a "last year" low miles magnum. Odds are against.

I WILL NOT be buying ANY GM anymore. My Dad got completely screwed on a new GM years ago, and the "much hated" 95 Olds that was Mom's did the usual GM "drop the antifreeze through the intake gasket into the oil pan" crap. They should be paying for that!!
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Same here w/ fords. my dad had a few that were crap. My wife has a 2018 that is under a 8 yr. warranty, good thing because there is always something it needs, and is greek as hell to me !
 
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