Hey, I am looking to buy a Dodge Dakota. I've been looking around with $4,500 and I really like the look of the 2nd generation Dakotas. My last truck was a 1989 F-250 and it broke down ALOT. So I was wondering how dependable
Dakotas are. I don't really know a whole lot about these trucks but I was wondering what engines you guys preferred and just how many miles you can rack up on the motor, transmission, and rear end just before they break or if there is anything in particular I should look for when I'm looking at Dakota's to buy.
Thanks, Justin

 

I have been somewhat disappointed.

 

Spyknee, you just got a lemon. My 1st gen Durango is the same as a 2nd gen dak and I have been very pleased so far. With the durangos you had no other option than a V8 so I couldnt say much for a V6. Overall I say its a tough durable rig.

 

you want to get a v8. you will be more impressed with the amount of power and will get about the same mileage as the v6. for you price range of about 4500 you could get a 97-99 with a 5.2 motor which is a great solid motor. it would be better if you could find a 5 speed manual, but the autos will hold up with regular maintenance. my 2002 dakota just ticked 130k and have had NO problems other than a window regulator going out. i think they are great reliable trucks

 

Common problems are a POS Automatic tranny, upper and lower ball joints usually need replaced before 100k, front wheel bearings, tie rods, blower motor resistor, head liner sag, shifter column can wear out and cause problems there is a recall on it. The evap system is known to have problems with split rubber from age. Another common problem is the a/c evap condensation drain can clog or leak past the seal back into the cabin, easy fix.

 

I just got a lemon? Stop. What does that really mean. Baloney excuse!

Do not answer this, the threader wanted opinions. I gave an honest one.
Get on line and you'll find 1000's of "lemons".

 

i will list what i needed to replace.
shocks,bushings, fuel pump, PCM, engine, headgasket, all break componets, probably a few other things. but other than that i love my truck.

 

I don't know about everybody else but my Dakota has been great. Best truck I ever owned. Sure I have had to do some work on it, but it has all been either regular maintenance or parts I replaced on a proactive basis before they wore out. It has 144,600 miles on it and in that time I have put on 3 sets of front brakes, I replaced one set of front brake pads because they were still working OK but were making a wierd clicking/tapping noise in the calipers after I put about 12,000 miles on them. My truck still has plenty of material left on its original rear brake shoes, I replaced my fuel pump at 120,000 miles, it was still working but had a bad check valve in the fuel pressure regulator that made it take a few extra seconds to start after sitting overnight. My original water pump lasted 143,000 miles before I replaced it and it was also still woking fine when I replaced it, it just had more play in the pump shaft than I was comfortable with so I changed it out before it had a chance to fail. I replaced my MAP sensor and both upstream O2 sensors at 85,000 miles, they were OK but I did that as preventative maintenance. Like everyone else I had to replace my blower motor resistor too. It cost $15.00 and took ten minutes to replace it in the parking lot at the Dodge dealer where I bought it. I replaced my fan clutch at about 115,000 miles. If yours needs a new fan clutch it is best to bite the bullet and get the new one at the dealer or buy a good used one at a junk yard. I had serious problems with the aftermarket fan clutch I bought. I bought one for $30.00 off of a wrecked Dakota at a junk yard, it is still doing fine so far.

My truck is on its third battery, I put a Duralast Gold in it last summer. The one before that was a POS Auto Craft that hardly lasted two years. That was my fault I guess for buying a cheap battery. I just put my third set of tires on it back in February, this time I went with BFG Long Trail T/A's, which are turning out to be a great running tire. They look good on my truck too. I replaced all my ball joints last year. If you do that on yours be sure to use a greaseable ball joint and it will be fine. I have also put in two sets of shocks and replaced my stabilizer bar end links and recently replaced my front hub/weel bearing assemblies. Those parts all will wear out but I got over 140,000 miles out of my original wheel bearings so I think I got my money's worth out of them plus some.

That is all I have done on my Dakota other than routine maintenance and tune-ups. I change my oil every 3,000 miles and rotate my tires, inspect my brakes and suspension every 5,000 miles. Every 20,000 miles I do a tune-up with new spark plugs, distributor cap and rotor button. I clean the IAC valve, I clean the throttle body and lube the pivot points and linkages on the throttle body at every tune-up. Every other tune-up I replace my spark plug wires. I use the Napa Belden premium wire set, NGK stock heat range plugs and the better quality Napa cap and rotor button that has the brass contacts. They last longer and get a bit better spark to the plugs. I replaced my original radiator hoses when I did the water pump but the original hoses were doing fine. I change my rear differential gear oil every 12,000 miles and I change the manual trasnmission gear lube out at every 48,000 miles. The manual trans is a bit noisy but they say all of the NV3500 5 speeds are noisy. I use Pennzoil Synchromesh lube in it which helps keep it a little more quiet.

My truck has been wrecked twice. In 2007 I hit a small doe deer on the interstate at 75 mph, that one did $3,000.00 in damage to the front end and I was still able to drive the truck back home about 80 miles to the body shop. Last year someone hit me in the left front fender/front bumper area and that one was $4,300.00 in damage. Both times I had my truck fixed and it still runs and drives great. I had to beg and plead and have an attorney involved on that last wreck to keep the insurance from totaling my truck out but there was no way I was letting them take it away from me like that.

Dakota's are damn good trucks. I think the 2nd Gen trucks look best and have the best interior and I much prefer a Club Cab over a Quad or Single Cab but that is just my own opinion. I don't have a bunch of kids or family to haul around. But any truck you buy will only be as good as the owner that takes care of it. If you find one that has been neglected and abused it may not be the best one to buy. My truck has a 3.9, it's not super fast but it does well enough to suit me. If I could do it over I would have found one with a V8. The 4.7 is good too if you can find one.

My tuck has been like an old and trusted friend. It has never let me down or left me walking. It runs very well for its age, the 5-speed is fun to drive and it gets decent gas mileage. I do plan to keep my truck until the wheels fall off or I get too old to drive, what ever happens first. Hopefully you can find a good Dakota in good shape for the right price.

Jimmy

 

i wish i had a 5.2 or a 5.9, my 3.9 is sluggish and gets 12.5 mpg.

 

Best looking trucks ever made....I have two.

2004 4.7 4x4.
2001 5.9 R/T. (see below)