I was chatting with a buddy of mine who's an automotive professional about how much I baby my Dakota. I still take it out in the mud, snow, dirt and backroads of Colorado, but for the most part, I'm a big sissy and am always worried I'm going to break something.

That got me wondering... what's the biggest 'wow' moment other owners have had with their Dakota's.

So, a 'wow' moment being something like...

- I plowed through 4' of fresh snow in 4-wheel mode and the truck didn't flinch
- I climbed the side of this mountain in loose conditions and never broke a sweat
- I pulled my buddy's Jeep out of a mud-bog while up to the axle's in the stuff myself
- I hauled/towed [something] and nearly forgot about it

There's much better stuff out there... let's hear it!


P.S. My 'wow' moment was my first drive over Georgia Pass in Colorado from South Park to Breckenridge when I first got my Dakota. Never having a 4x4 prior, I was amazed at how well the truck climbed and descended some stuff that scared the hell out of me. I was probably in way over my head, but I remember being pretty impressed.

 

When I found out you can really beat the ^%$# out of these trucks and they don't care.....I've mowed down stop signs, had it on 2 wheels autocrossing, had it completely airborn over jumps, pegged against the speed limiter racing a mazda, and high centered halfway off the road [not in that order]. These things really can take a beating.

 

magnethead, you got some raised eyebrows and a hearty chuckle out of me with your post. I'd give that five stars!

 

I've had over 2500 pounds in the bed. Its payload is 1500. It squatted a bit more than normal but didn't break a sweat.

 

"Wow this thing is a piece of sh*t" comes up more then "Wow this truck is awesome". Way too many problems...

 

My girlfriend had her little ford focus stuck in a snow ditch pretty good, and my Dakota was able to pull her out. I was surprised. It's only a 3.9 Reg cab 4x4 but it was heavy enough to get her out.

Also went mudding with 2 friends, one which has an 06 Ram with 35 inch mickey Thompsons, and the other guy with a 97 Ram I think. My truck did fine surprisingly, maybe because its lighter.

And at one point the 97 Ram got stuck, and there was only enough room for my Dakota to fit by and try to pull him out the front. Pulled him out no problem.

Just wish the truck wasn't rusting so bad right now.

 

my best wow moment was a couple winters ago when he had pretty much 3-4 feet of snow on the ground and i parked behind a mound of snow. i wake up the next day and someone blocked me and i was some how was able to push threw a mound of snow about 6 feet tall about 10 feet long and after i got out i looked at the mount like holy crap lol love my truck.

 

some of these stories are incredible. mine doesnt compare.. that much.

back last winter i was working for a AAA contractor. we had a 2011 dodge ram 5500 flatbed. needless to say. it blew up.. 20 miles from the shop. im off duty and get called to try an fix it.. no fixing a blown turbo roadside. so i took chains off the truck and hooked up to the flatbed and chain towed it 20 miles.. it didnt even feel like the flatbed was there until i hadda stop... glad i put some big tires on the *** end of my truck to act as a bumper

and my dakota is a 2000 3.9L with non functioning 4x4 (front diff was blown has since been removed. rendering the truck a 2wd)

 

Great posts!

 

There's no doubt these trucks are tough. I've hauled 2 yards of dirt (1,000+ pounds), a 351 V8 Ford engine with C6 trans and transfer case (1,000 pounds), it didn't break a sweat on either load. I've gotten airborne in this truck, I take it out in the mud (2wd, open rear end, 3.9) and I've never gotten stuck except once when I was up to my doors in mud, that was my fault...

I'd like to see these sissy new trucks do half of the stuff I've done in mine without breaking something. Everything is built so cheaply nowadays, I think these trucks were the last ones truly built tough... Except for the rust, it's eating mine. Oh yeah, and after all the stuff I put mine through, it still sails down the highway at 80 miles an hour smoothly with no problems.