Loved the 2008 I used to drive everyday it had zero issues until one of the other techs driving it after I was gone totalled it around 80K..

 

I would buy the Raider again in a heartbeat.

 

Yes, I plan on building another one as soon as I transfer back to the CONUS.

 

In a heartbeat! I've had mine now for just over a year and I still get a big grin every time I climb in.

My daughter is now learning to drive in it. I think it is a perfect vehicle to learn in (since I can't find a 5-tonne international truck for her to learn in). It is big, slow to react, hard to see out of, etc. It is teaching her to know where she is and what is going on around her! And if something bad does happen - she will likely win and be OK in the end, due to its size and weight.

 

probably not.
i like it ok, but since the mileage is basically the same as a comparable half ton i'd rather have the extra room & power of a full size for my purposes.

IOW, i miss my big hemi truck.

if i'd known i'd land my current job back when things went sour at the old one i wouldve never traded down to be honest.

but hey, at least i got the title to the dak,lol.

 

Be careful...my daughter learned to drive in mine.... took out a mailbox one day....$1200 fix.

 

I hear ya! But it will be cheaper/less important that trying to fix Mom's Volvo V70!

My real problem will be to find someone with a Manual Tranny that will let her learn - I don't think my neighbour with the Lotus Elise is too keen . . .

 

Probably not. I am on my 5th Dakota and it looks to be my last. Dodge started to abandon me when these things kept growing in size. I parked next to a 2WD, quad cab Chevy Silverado at the airport last week and got a better realization of just how porky this Dakota has become.

And now they are gone completely. I guess we can put a little blame on CAFE regs also that probably made it hard for Dodge to keep building the Dakota. I'm worried they'll come out with some Ridgeline'esque junk to replace it with so I'll probably be heading off to Frontier or Tacoma land next time around.

Dear Dodge. I will NOT buy a full size truck. Killing off the Dakota does not make me want a Ram. Pricing the Dakota at 98% of the Ram does not make me want a Ram either. I do not want a Ram. I want a smaller truck. Period.

 

I posted this question 20 days ago.
Seems to me like most of the "NO!"'s come from owning the V6, or from fuel millage not as good as expected.

I think if I had not previously owned a 2007 RAM 1500, I would have been more pleased with this truck. Even though my RAM was a SXT model with crank your own windows, no keyless entry, and no power seat, whereas my Dakota is the SLT with all the goodys, I STILL liked the RAM better. And the RAM was ALSO a 3.7L V6/Auto trans, but had the 3.963 w. Posi rear axle. No powerhouse, but was noticeably faster 0-50 than this Dakota.

When I bought my 'kota, I was also looking at a used '08 V6 RAM that had the 6 speed manual and the 3.93 rear axle oprtion. Even though it was 3 grand more than mine, I am still kinda kicking myself for not geting it instead.

 

yeah coyote, i think my old ram was what spoiled me too.
i had an 06 hemi ram quad cab,trx4,tow package fully loaded etc.

i could tow & hardly know it had a load on it.
with the dak......not so much.& my ram got a little better mileage,especially when towing.
oh well,water under the bridge now.
now im waiting for frenic to start marketing that hemi conversion kit he was working on.