Under 100k, 4.7l V8, Auto, extended cab. Guy says it drives/rides great. 3.55 with LSD. Tow package. REALLY CLEAN, couple bubbles on the bed near teh wheel wells but the pinch weld is perfect. Great looking truck, must have been garage kept. Looks awesome and my current topper on my first gen dakota is the right color, so I could swap that over.

Here's the thing:

Current owner is a mechanic
No Records
Guy brought it to the current owner and engine was knocking
Pulled the heads and found it dropped a valve seat into cylinder #1 and messed up the piston.
Pulled the motor, had the block bored and replaced all 8 pistons with Mahles
Had new valve seats pressed into both heads since they were off the truck

Guy built it and realized his family doesn't fit in it well so he's selling it to get something bigger. He has about 500 miles on the engine at this point, all timing components were replaced.

What's it worth? KBB says it's only worth $3,300, but I have seen most dakotas and they're all trash. I'm assuming KBB is wrong. I've also seen dealers ask 5-9k for clean dakotas with 150k miles. What do you guys think? He is asking $6500.

 

Any documentation for the engine rebuild? Receipts for parts? Anything?? Check the NADA guides as well. KBB isn't always accurate. (best to have a second opinion.)

 

In my opinion it's only worth that if there was proof it was done. Not because you don't believe him, but because when you go to sell it again one day, your buyer may not believe you.

 

All I can tell you is that I wouldn't pay anything near that. It's a 17 year old truck.

 

New valve seats should be about $800 with labor
New pistons should be about $800-1000
Chassis is worth $3,000 at best (more like $2500)
Assembly labor was free to him but probably worth $500 if you had to write it out

So about a $4500-5000 truck or so.

But make him show receipts.

 

He does have receipts.

I do question the comment that the chassis is worth 3k. You mean non running? Sure.

But I have been looking for a CLEAN low mile 4wd 1st gen or 2nd gen dakota for quite a while. Most have rotted away.

 

I'd offer him $4900 cash tops unless he can provide documentation.

 

No, these trucks are legit not worth more than 3-3500 in running condition. There's no collector value to them (except for Deep Amethyst R/T's), it's a 17 year old truck, and they have higher than average maintenance/repair costs, especially with the 4.7. Down here they are a $1500-2000 truck all day long, up in your rust belt they are about double at best.

 

2004 Stampede edition...loaded....44k miles one owner....$6300....

 

Not bad. Last year of the generation and all the upgrades and fixes from DCX's F*kups from 97-02.

Just an FYI, That stampede kit it worth almost $1,000 on the market in good condition. Many people try to find it to up-dress the prior years. It's rare to exist, and rare to find all the pieces in complete form intact.