I have liked the dakotas since the gen 3 but i would like to see these smaller truck with a diesel engine like what over seas have. I just don't understand why auto makers offer diesel in other countries and not in the us. I understand a lot of other countries run more on diesel than we do but i think it is more due to the fact we don't have a lot of option up till vw started to bring their tdi line to the us it was either and old butt vehicle or a big full sized truck. A friend on mine had a tdi bug that got 52mpg almost twice of a gas powered and it would out run darn near anything. I just wish the auto makers would catch up with the times and offer more variety

 

Yeah I used to give golf lessons to my local dealerships general manager and he says the buzz is that talks are back on between Dodge (Fiat) and Nissan about the Nissan full size trucks being largely Ram built and the small trucks being Nissan built.

 

I think the big reason that we, as Americans don't have midsize diesels, is due to our desire to have big trucks, ie full size. Car manufacturers don't want to sell the diesel because it would cut too much into the sales of the full size trucks.

 

Well has anyone else notice how large a full size pickup is now compared to 10 years ago? I can tell a huge difference with ford. They made thier pickup boxy and huge. And even a Ram 1500, they sit high and are the same size as a 2500 pickup used to be. Its the new style or something.
And with the diesel cars and trucks, I dont understand this one. American wants to be green, but automakers like Chevy will make a diesel car but wont sell it here. Its called clean diesel for a reason. They do have awesome gas mileage in both the city and the highway, and a lot of power in reserve. And lets face it, they are cooler than owning a hybrid.

 

US emissions regulations are much tougher on diesels than Euro 5. The emssion regulation systems they have to add for diesel use here are both expensive and reduce the engine's power output. So you would pay more for a less efficient diesel here than you could get in Europe. Don't blame the auto makers, blame the EPA.

 

Well, with the Dakota..... RAM is going to stop production on dakota and FIAT is going to take it over.... It is goign to get a dual clutch and some awesome improvments..... If none of ya guys knew RAM is seperate from DODGE now... RAM does trucks while DODGE does everything else... FIAT is going to try to upgrade the system and parts for the dakota.... It might even keep the dakota name... Noone is really sure on what is goign to happen till it happens and the model prints leak. From what I hear from RAM and their designers, FIAT is not goign to change much... and the gen4 is going to stay... Why redesign a truck for 3 years? Only to redesign it again. No sense. Keep your eyes open and you will be surprised with wht u will find. When RAM is the top maker of the Midsize truck with the option of a flex-fuel V8 with a 16 spark-plug set-up and great fuel economy... they will not lose that power.

 

No disrespect intended Monkeywrench but if you want a Ranger then buy a Ranger. I do agree with the Ridgeline clone being a non-starter.

Rock-On

 

None of this matters to me. My Dakota will live forever.

 

Did anybody notice Fiat has shut down their plants for lack of sales? How they managed getting Chrysler is beyond me. The worst pairing ever. I always thought Dakota was just the right size for me. Ranger/Tacoma etc. are too small and Ram is too much. I sat in a Ram before buying my Dak and inside they are actually pretty comparable. I just didn't need that climb to get in the Ram.

 

thats how I feel, the last meeting I was in with the Fiat guys said since I work for Chrysler is that the Dakota may not go away but you never know the guy that heads up the Dakota line said he is giving it his best shot to keep it alive.

Only time will tell, I have had Fiat guys at work for the last 30 days trying to change our systems to there way of doing things.. The problem is the way there changing them is the way we where doing it back in the 80's the rest of the employees just laugh, because what was old way of doing things is new again whatever.. The thing is since there running the show we got no choice, ever time we get sold the new owners try to re invent the wheel ..

I do love the size of the Dakota, who knows maybe do a total overhaul on my favorite year of Dakota, just like the overhaulin tv show.. Cya Slick