Hello,
I've been a member but never posted yet however now I need some help.
What I need to know is on 3rd gen Dakotas what should I look out for? Is there anything special I should, check, test or be aware of? Does it matter V6 or V8? How about Dakotas with higher mileage, such as 150k to 190k? I wouldn't go any higher than that. The reason I want a Dakota is I need a 4dr truck that I can flat tow behind our motorhome and the Dakota fits the bill, plus I love Mopars! So does all 4x4 Dakotas have the neutral position on the 4whl drive selector? Also what package 3rd gen Dakota has the leather seats? I really appreciate any and all input you can give me on these.

I need to find a decent Dakota as our PT Cruiser was totaled last week when some bitch ran a red light when crossing a divided highway. She was cited for the red light and we have several witnesses saying she was flying threw the intersection.
Thanks, Ken

 

Front ends are a known weak point. Struts, sway bar end links. Engines are pretty stout. Make sure it has been maintained. There is little to no aftermarket support, so be aware of that as far as accessories, lift kits, lowering kits, etc. Go for the V8 if you can. Really no difference in mileage. The Laramie package will have the leather seats. I'll warn you though, it's a mighty heavy truck to be hauling around behind a motor home and it is not recommended to tow a 4x4 vehicle flat unless you remove the driveshafts. Even with the transfer case in neutral, the driveshafts, rear end, front CV joints, etc will all continue to spin putting undue wear on those components. Thats my opinion anyway. Better to tow it on a flat bed.

 

Thanks for the info, very good info which I'll retain for future use. Who knows when it might come in handy. I don't plan on any lift kits however I would have to guess the basic accessories would be avaiablesuch as wheels, tonnue cover ect ect. As far as flat towing or towing 4 down as it is commonly called is perfectly fine depending on the vehicle. Some 4x4's such as Dakota's and Jeeps can be towed without any mods. Yes everything is still spinning and I used to love the days of lockouts but that was only good for the front differential and shaft. Some 4x4's like F-150's can only be flat towed after a Ford dealer installs a neutral switch. I'm sure thats costly as any dealer item is! Some vehicles require a transmission lube pump, the car that got totaled on us last week was one of those, it lubracates the tranny system to keep it alive.

On the weight Dakota's arn'tany heavier than my Jeep ZJ and my Motorhome pulled it perferly. I'm not talking about a gas moho either, mine is a 36ft diesel pusher with an 8.3 Cummins and Allison tranny. A good combo which helps push the rating of my moho up to 10,000lbs. It's not for me but I've seen guys flat towing H1 Hummers, now that heavy!
Thank you for your help and have a great weekend.

BTW, I'm going to look at a 06 Laramie w/128k tomorrow so I'll keep my fingers crossed that is's not a POS! I looked at a 2011 yesterday and it was ok but it was a base model with a V6 and he wanted $7995 for it.