Hey Folks, I have been looking for a daily driver for my soon to be 16 year old while we finish his rodarunner clone and he keeps finding dakotas that he is interested in.

So a local lot has a 2001 club cab 6 cylinder that has a ton of miles but it is spotless and drives perfect.

Some questions:

What kind of mileage are we looking at? is 20 within reach in city daily driving?

this thing has 217,000 miles on it. What kind of life expectancy do they have?

any major issues I need to look for?

I am a diesel guy and have a 1 ton, so I know little about the dakotas.

Thanks and I will appreciate any and all info.

Ron

 

I feel your pain, my son is about to start driving also. A 6 cyl club cab is going to get about the same mpg as a v8, but may be cheaper on insurance for him. I really like the Dakota's and they seem to be very pretty reliable. I have a 4.7 V8 so I am not going to be much help with the engine info. I know you will want to watch the ball-joints and go to the Dodge web-site to check the Vin# for recalls. Hopefully someone w/V6 will chime in.
Good Luck
Ron

 

With a 2001 club cab with a 3.9 I'm getting bwtween 16 and 18 MPG depending on conditions.

 

I can say one thing, a v6 is slow. I have one a 1997 club cab, 4x4, with 31's. It eats the gas.... My friends v6 crew with smaller tires is way better however. But a v8 is the way to go. Also, what is the price and we can tell you what is reasonable...

 

not really anything out of the ordinary that i have come across with my 01 extended cab automatic 2wd 3.9. Except for my damn stubbornbrakes i can't get to work.Just regular stuff. bulbs, tires, all fluids, maybe wheel bearings depending on mileage. I don't think to many people have had the problem with their brakes like i'm having so you can disregard that tiny little rant. lol

 

217K?
holy **** thats a lot!
but my 4 bangers at 115K
and i get 20 all highway

 

I get 17-18 depending on what gas in city and about 23 on highway. I drive in hilly conditions. These motors will last a long time but i do not know that i would buy one with 200k on it. I do not think the v-6 is under powered but i think i am the only one. As a young drive (20) i think you are better getting him a v-6 over a v-8. I can get in enough trouble with the 3.9 (I have the tickets to prove this) sorry for the long post.

 

id be very tempted even with that amount of miles if it as clean as you say it is, especially if the price is far enough under book. even if the engine craps out on you in a year or so, you can slap in a used motor for under $1000 and it would be worth it if you didnt pay too much for the truck in the first place. when you sell it one day you will for sure get your money back out of it.

i assume you took it on a test drive since you say it drives good...id stomp on the gas a couple times and see how bad it is blowing oil, if its real bad id talk the seller down enough to make it worth putting a new engine in it within the next year.

mileage is about the same on the V-6's as the V-8's from what most people say on this site, and epa estimates say the same thing.

the truck was probably driven on the highway alot since it has so many miles and is as clean as you say...it has probably been well maintained from the sounds of it too...a rule of thumb i have always heard...for every 1 highway mile equals 2 or more city miles as far as wear and tear goes...

if the price is right and you like it, id go for it.

 

i get 18 average and juct check the ball joints but other wise these trucks will go forever