Hi everyone,
I am lookign into an 01 Dodge Dakota Quad Cab SLT. It has the 4.7l v8 and 4x4. 71,500 miles. The dealer is askin $10,888, but i think i can walk out with it for $9500. Anyway I just wanted to ask if there was anythign in particular i should look for while inspecting this vehicle. I test drove it the other day and it drove well. The Engine light was on but saleman didn't know why so I am going to bring my code reader with me. There is also some rust around the bottom of the truck as well as the hardware for the bedliner.
So are thier any common problem or issues to keep an eye out for?
Do you thin kit is a good deal?
Any suggestion on how to deal with the salesperson/managers.?
This will lbe the first vehicle i buy from a dealer all other have been private sales.

Thanks for the advice in advance!

 

KBB - Excelllent condition - 9,480, Good condition - 8,825, Fair condition - 7,985. Check engine light on, and rust ??? Check front end, find out what codes it has. Might be worth spending a hundred bucks or so, and having it gone over. Why can't the dealer find out why the check engine light is on ? Something smells fishy to me.Is the dealer giving you any warranty?

 

yah def check why the engine light is on.. could be the gas cap but who knows. i do think its overpriced for an 01' tho. you can find 02's and possibly 03's in that condition for the same price... if there's rust on it with only 71 miles then id say safe to say they didn't probably take care of it well. anyway bottom line i think for what you described id pay about 8000$ for that condition. if the body was good then id maybe go too 9000 tops for an 01. the actual retail value i saw on the sheet for my 01 dakota sport when i bought it was 7300. and that was over a year ago. i just recently got a 02 quad 4x4 for around 10k private sale.
oh yah.. fyi see if you can get the vin # if your serious about it.. check to make sure the truck had its recalls done. i know there's a website for it i think its just dodge site... and you can even get a print out for previous record for the vin(vehicle). anyway hope some of this helps.
anyway just my .02 cnts . good luck in your search. [8D]

 

Not that the dealer couldn't find out why the engien light was on the salesperson just didn't know off the tops of his head. Also i don't know where you guys are from but KBB put suggested reatail value at 11,900. granted i would never pay that but everything is more expensive here in Connecticut. I have the Vin. As for recall it has a gear lever shift blocker recall and it says incomplete. The rust is not really all that bad but you can see discoloration and the beginning of the rust. Sale is as is. I will obviously have them provide a carfax report before i buy it.

Thanks again

 

Id certainly push for extended warrenty, I bought my 01 dakota quad cab SLT 4.7l with 88k milesfor $8200, got the Ext. warrenty free when i pushed to drop the price due to the bed cover frame having pretty nasty rust on it, when they said no I got up and walked out, same day they called and Oked the warrenty, just make sure your lender has already approved you or they may call your bluff.Had to check on the paper work that they didnt add some bull charge which they usually do, I had my brother who is a salesperson for Planet Ford in Houston check it over and it was clear, as you all know they will say whatever they can to get it off the lot, and try to screw you over time. Id advise you to check for rust in the rear wheel well as those areas are prone to holding moisture, your front bracing where your hood latch is, also prone to rust. Dodge's shop rate is murder so its best to get it checked now rather then after you buy it.I had to pay $380.00 just to have a key ignition rebuilt, and $300 of that was the labor.

 

In many states it's illegal to sell a vehicle with an oustanding NHTSA recall. I would press them to get the check engine light fixed, and the recall completed. There are plenty of nice Dakotas out there -- don't put yourself at too much risk trying to buy just one of them. Take your time and make the dealer make it right -- or just move on.

 

if you can hold out and no one else buys it tell them your price and call them like 2 times a week asking if they'll take it. at minimum get the cel fixed. i paid 10,300 for my 00 with 90k miles but its a 5 speed and i was tired of looking and didn't wanna let this one pass bye that was a year ago tho. alot of cars from the northeast have rust so just make sure everything under its in good shape. but im sure you could get it for 9k if you waited and they didnt have anyone else interested like someone else said there is plenty of trucks out there to choose from.

 

id pass on this one. a CEL alone would turn me off to that one. there are good ones out there, you just have to be patient and very picky.i looked for 3 months for mine. they were either overpriced, or they were junky. i did alot of online research about these trucks and knew exactly what i was looking for before i went shopping. mine had more miles than i wanted but it also had everything else that idid want, so the high miles wasnt a deal breaker.

id also do research on the dealers in your area online. ask one dealer what they think about other dealers, you know they will tear the competition apart, but you can read between the lines.tell one dealer that you found a great truck at one place and ask if they will match or beat their price, most will for a sale.