Ok so i just got rid of my 95 4x4 ranger and i want a dakota. i found one around here. it is a 99 with the 5.2L V8 4x4and54000 miles on it and they want 7000. it has the 4 speed auto. only thing im leary about buying a dodge is all the transmission issues i read about. how common are those really? should it be something that i am majorly worried about? how do the transmissions compare to those of the rangers and s10's?and because of all the reported tranny issues should one of the first things i do if i get the truck is take it to a tranny shop and have them replace the transmission fluid and filter? and how long could i expect the transmission to last if i am easy on it? like i dont have a lead foot and also i dont ever haul anything really
Thanks for responses, hope to really get to use this forum to use soon
Nick

EDIT: This is the truck. I got the vehicle history report and it was in a minor accident that left it with a small dented front fender and broken front blinker cover which the owner repaired neither of so im def gonna talk them down on the price of it
http://cincinnati.craigslist.org/car/525077752.html

 

yea I could see why ur worried I had an 01v6 and I had trans problems with it, but I think it was cause I was ******* the hell out of it,.. but I think its a good truck if you take care of it ever. since I found out about the minor problem in the transmission I got my new 5.9 1999about a week or two ago and Im goin to get the fluids changed on it tomorrow cause I really want this baby to last. but other than that I would get it its got some good miles on it for a 99 I got my 5.9 with 103,000 miles I paid 6200 Im damn happy I got it

 

Just a tip that worked for me when I was getting my dakota. Don't go look at it right away and ask them to lower the price. You have to play the game. The truck I got was listed for 6500. Got it down to 5000. Just look at the truck and seem interested. But then just say your gonna go look at another dakota (but your not). Call them back in maybe a day or so and say you like their truck because of the color/look/etc. Then bargin. Worked really easy for me. Just see if their a pushover. Might work. Could save some money

 

exactly, diont get over excited, but id say 7000 is a ok price for that truck...

 

looks like a good truck. you could probly talk them down to around 6k.


and if you do buy it, get a tranny flush done on it and change all the diff fluids cause you never know when they were changed last. mine has 218,000kms and its still runs almost like new.

 

well as much as id love to play the price game to get it lowered i really cant. i start back to school on the 7th and its a 20 mile drive from my house every day and right now i dont have any vehicle. so i'll have to get it as soon as possible