yea..

i have the v6 club cab. i think the power/torque it produces is decent for a base in a truck this size. u can definately feel a difference in performance when u have a load in the back. i have put 42 pieces of 3"x8' landscape timber in the bed. i havent test driven the v8 or rode in one but i'm pretty sure it would have accelerated better with that same load.

 

I didn't come in here telling anyone anything about what their trucks get for mileage or anything else. I aksed some questions about getting better gas mileage out of the V6. I didn't come in here with an attitude either, but I seem to encounter a bunch here. I clearly explained what I want the truck for. What kind of chip do you guys have on your shoulders? Does it come with the truck? Damn. I'm used to people being rude on the internet but you guys can't even answer a question without a smart *** comment. I got two real answers with no attitude. Thanks superdak05 and SinceOne it's much appreciated. I guess the other guys can't read very well.

One more time for the hard of hearing. I wanted to know about aftermarket support. I wanted to know about improving the mileage on the V6. I have a V8 truck I don't need another. I won't be getting a V8 Dakota despite the childish attempts to call into question my masculinity for wanting the V6. I like the looks of the Dakota and it seems to be built well. I want something I can put a sheet or two of plywood in so I won't be getting a little truck.

So far I have cold air intake in mind (K&N) and exhaust (Flowmaster) as well as relocating the IAT sensor and a 180 thermo. The six speed seems to cruise nice on the highway as well.

 

WOW I didnt make my posts to be rude, I just suggested you look elswhere! Um I think you have the problem! I think they are both fine trucks, but you are the *** saying Oh I want to get a V6 and make it perform like an 8! Get a life dude, Oh lets take a v6 truck and try to make a ecno box out of it and yet want to tear up the streets. I am a well mannered person, my post were not intended to be rude but you want to call someone an ***. You have very little class. I am telling you from experiance I am glad to have gotten the 8 with the 2 jet skis I pull thru the hills to the various lakes I go to here in TX, the 6 would have never pulled them the way the 8 does. Yeah put that 4900lbs in a 6 and see how well it does, just cuz Dodge says it will pull it doesn't mean it will pull it well and not hold up traffic. My 8 struggles in steep hills with about 2700lbs, no where near the 7200lbs rated for. The DAK is a great midsize truck either 6 or 8, but dont buy one to try to make it do the other's job, there is a reason both engines are offered, not to mention the HO version. I like to think DAK owners are bit more mature, you seem more like a chevy person or even a ford, but most likely a GM person. Dont think I was talking down to you, however dont rule out a vehicle because there arent aftermarket performance parts IT IS A TRUCK, you want performance...dont be cheap, pony up the 54k for the str10, if it was praticle I would of bought one.

PS the RAM 1500 is much bigger than the Dakota (sorry I dont know the dementions nor do I care). Any time I park next to a ram I comment how big they are compared to my Dak. Want a true midsize get the canyon with that hot I5 that the top end of the motor blows out in under 50k. Dude trucks have changed a bit since 1960, just in case you live in a cave and havent noticed.

If I didnt have the PWCs I would of bought the 6 (actully no truck at all). I didnt want a huge truck like the ram, and I watch the 6s try to pull stuff out a steep boat ramp and see them struggle. NO other make out there would perform like the dak does for my needs.


Final point if you are soooo worried about MPG get a prius or a honda civic. I however just fill up when the tank is on E and stop when it clicks full, cant remember last time I actully looked at the pump to notice how much it costs. Life is too short to worry about such things. If you are a person that has to worry about such things dont buy a truck! If you think I was talking down to you in my other posts, dont be so sensitive, you may have some sort of complex that gets you that upset from "car talk." Hope you make a wise decision in what you buy.

 

Theh go back and read them... "IMO if you want a truck to play with and worried about performance parts why dont you get the V8. Cracks me up when people will spend hundreds trying to improve MPG, how long do you have to drive those parts to make up for the costs? I spend alot on aftermarkets parts to enjoy them and not worry about MPG. Any like I said IMO only." I asked about improving the mileage or the efficiency of the engine, this also usually means that more power is made for a given amount oif fuel. and nowhere did I say "saying Oh I want to get a V6 and make it perform like an 8!" I said I wanted to improve the mileage of the V6, lower the truck and play with it down the road... you have a serious comprehension problem.

And telling me to my research when it was you that was wrong. You should also look and see that the 2005-2006 trucks gained a bunch of weight but the V-6 makes the same power, hence the 2nd Gen have a better power to weight ratio, it's not talking ****, it's fact, simple math, try it. Get off of your high horse. I could care less about your Jet Ski's, I asked simple questions you were an ***. And I like how you want to make fun of my Int'l, ewww what a big man. I guess it sitting in my shop arrow straight in bare metal getting ready for it's HOK Emerald Green would make you cry. I merely want the Dakota for my daily commute and to chase parts. Or maybe you didn't comprehend that part. Learn to read and **** off.

 

LoL what ever dude, I edited my post I felt bad picking on your truck, that was wrong, however that truck would never make me cry. The jet skis were not the point, it is their weight. Replace jet ski with camper, construction material, parts whatever weighs the same. ok im done with this...

 

Ok. I'm sorry if I come of as an ***, but everyone comes in here crying, "I bought a truck *sob* and it gets 15MPG *sob* how can I improve it? *sob*," and we just kinda get tired of hearing it because, well, damn, its a truck, what do they expect?
Bottom line is, from what I have read on here, there is more out there for the V-8 than the V-6 as far as chips and mod's and such are concerned. I don't keep up with these chips, etc. Hell, I don't even know if there's a damn thing out there for my V-6.
You are stating a fact... the 3rd Gens are heavier than the 2nd Gens. While it is heavier, the truck is bigger, more capable, etc, which makes up for its weight gain.
However, because the after market I believe is bigger for the 4.7L V-8 than the 3.7 V-6, there would be way more in the way of mod's for power and/or economy for the V-8.
The bottom line is, its a truck, there is only so much you can do to improve its overall efficency *the biggest mileage improvement is when the driver stops giving it too much gas when they go to accelerate*.
People get pretty good mileage in their V-8's, better than what I get in my V-6, and they got tons more power. (Granted, the 3rd Gen is 10 years newer than my truck, but they also get about the same mileage as the V-6's, with more power!)
If you are really that concerned about the weight gain the 3rd Gen made, go with a 2nd Gen V-8.
But, like I said before, if you really want and I-4, I-5, or small V-6, so with F.o.r.d. or Chevy. If you really want a Dodge, and believe (for whatever reason) the V-6 is a lot easier on the gas, go ahead, get a V-6... you'll soon relize the aftermarker ain't huge, and the V-8 offers about the same fuel economy, with a much bigger aftermarket.

 

If you're getting the manual tranny I would almost definitely go with the V8. My 05 SLT CC 4x4 gets 18-18.5 mpg in mixed driving with the 5 speed automatic. I previously had an '01 regular cab 4x2 with a V6 and 4 speed automatic and that got around 20 to 21 mpg.

A manual should be better on gas than an auto, and there's no charge for the manual tranny. So in actuality, you'd be spending another 600 or 700 bucks on the V8. Might be the best 700 bucks you've ever spent if you do a lot of towing/hauling.

Are you looking at getting a 4x2 or 4x4? If you're looking at the 4x4, then you'd definitely wanna go with the V8.

Just comes down to what you're gonna use the truck for. If you do no towing/hauling and are looking at a 4x2, a V6 will more than suffice, but if you ever plan on towing/hauling anything, a V8 might be a wise investment, especially with the no charge manual tranny. Just my two cents. Good luck.

 

wow talk about bashing. another way to improve milage on a 6 cyl. is get a tonneau cover for the bed. all the other stuff you want will also help. as far as the int. truck that would be better off as a beast then an every day driver.

 

Well I've narrowed down to two. A Red SLT/TRX and Patriot Blue SLT. I have to make my decision in the morning. Hmmm.... The Red one has a bunch of options as well (sliding rear window, buckets)... Thanks for the Tonneau tip, I had thought of that as well. I think this will work out pretty decent for a ligth duty hauler and daily driver. And you're right about the Int'l being a beast, I built the same engine ('65 Buick 425 Nailhead) for my '57 Buick and it dyno'd at 342HP at the wheels through an automatic. The Int'l has a Muncie 4 speed, It will not get good gas mileage. But that's for another board. thanks for the tips guys. I'll sign in the morning and should get it on Monday, they have to bring it in from another dealer. I'll try and document everything as best as I can so I can tell what works and what doesn't. I think I'll also dyno her along the way just to see what it's making to the wheels and how the changes really effect her.