I havent owned a dodge since my 95 ram. i liked it but lets face it times have changed and now i am clueless about the dodge trucks and their quality.

i want honest opinions here, i know this is a dodge forum but please give me honesty not just. **** on ford im a dodge guy kind of responses.

i may be buying a 2005 dakota, club cab, slt, 4x4 with the 4.7 v8
i want some opinions on this truck, good, bad, ugly, everything,
should i buy it
do dodges still have transmission problems like they used to be known for?
anything i should know before buying?
ive read countless reviews and a lot of people say this year of dakota is horrible, any truth to it?
here is a link to the actual truck if you guys want to see it. http://kansascity.craigslist.org/ctd/1958872643.html
let me know what you think about it, its quality, its price, everything let me hear it.
and please be honest and not biased just because this is a dodge forum.

 

I have a 2001 QC with the 4.7, I previously owned a 1995 Dakota with the 3.9L and ext. cab. I will say this, the tranny in mine has 188,000 miles on it and it is still running strong. I was afraid with the high miles I would be replacing it soon. I have a spare. But the 45rfe, which is the same in the '05, is a really great transmission. Nearly bullet proof from what I can tell, hence why they go for around $450 or so used. They just don't go out all that often with proper maintenance.

All in all, if you change the oil and fluids regularly, don't skimp on the maintenance, I think it is a solid truck in terms of drivetrain and engine. I honestly don't think you will be dissapointed with the engine or transmission. Why somone would say the '05 is horrible, not really sure. It shouldn't be because of the engine or transmission. Suspension?? Even that has been swapped out apparently on this truck you are looking at.

I had a Colorado for work and I prefer the Dakota but far, a much tougher truck, sturdier, more fun to drive, and better towing capacity.

The 4.7L engine is a little expensive to buy parts for, but I haven't had any problems so far after my swap. The guy before me blew a radiator hose and didn't stop driving, overheated it, and screwed it up. They don't like being overheated, and aren't very forgiving if you do. Best to just stop if you run into that, but that goes for all engines. I run synthetic oil and I think that is the way to go with these engines. Performance parts, although limited, are available. Check out www.airram.com to get an idea on price and such for performance and replacement parts.

As far as the price, I don't know what that 2005 body style should go for, but it does seem high for not being a quad cab, but it is the new body style and lower miles. I would be cautious of the "suspension" lift. If done properly with good components you could be in good shape, definately look into that more. See what brand components were used, make sure it isn't just a torsion bar lift and they are raising the price for that, which technically shouldn't be sold as a suspension lift. The lift will affect your handling, so you will need to drive the truck to see how you like it. It doesn't look like it been lifted a lot though.

 

Oh, and since this is for an '05, maybe a mod can move this to the third generation forum for you. Aside from the engine and trans, you will get better feedback there.

 

I am running an '04 with the same engine & transmission you have. I've owned 43 vehicles since I turned 16 many many years ago. This is my first dodge.

So far - its a solid truck & gets good mileage for being a 4x4. I've seen them for sale with a ton more miles. Ditto on the over heat - I started to buy one that had the thermostat housing replaced the guy said. In reality the engine had been driven dry & it was blown.

But you wont' have that issue.

A very common issue with these dakotas is the blend door on the AC vents will break. THere is a little plastic stop the blend door rests on when blowing out the front vents. This little tab on the door will eventually break off & all your air will only blow out the defrost.

Mine just cost me $750 at the dealership. Happens to a whole bunch of these trucks.

Other than that - I've only heard of basic maintenance stuff, wheel bearings, CV joints that kind of thing.

The engine & tranny themselves are modern well engineered parts that should last you a very long time if you maintain them.

I also run fully synthetic. My truck has 148k miles so far.

 

Not to sure about the 05's since they were the first year and everything was all changed. Just do what dbilik said about checking out what kind of lift it has. Most of the time dealers will say it has a suspension lift just to get more on-lookers but most of the ones I have saw are either body lifts or just torsion keys but take for a test drive try EVERYTHING OUT Hell I even test the cig lighter if Im paying money for something everything better work just like it should. If you can have it thrown up on a rack and have a look at it make sure the other guy looking at it is knowledgeable not just some oil change guy.

 

Not to sure about the 05's since they were the first year and everything was all changed. Just do what dbilik said about checking out what kind of lift it has. Most of the time dealers will say it has a suspension lift just to get more on-lookers but most of the ones I have saw are either body lifts or just torsion keys but take for a test drive try EVERYTHING OUT Hell I even test the cig lighter if Im paying money for something everything better work just like it should. If you can have it thrown up on a rack and have a look at it make sure the other guy looking at it is knowledgeable not just some oil change guy. One thing I would be worried about is the lift. Was it lifted for a reason? or just to look good? Check under the bed liner for mud, inside the fenders or on top of gas tank these are places that no one really seems to clean.