Ok, I admit, I am way to pragmatic. I bougt a Dakota for one reason. It fit my requiremnents better than any other truck. Holds 5-6 if needed, hauls junk, snowmobile,motorcycle, pulls snowmobile trailer, tent trailer, fits in my garage, (width is key).

I preferred gen 2 looks to the gen3, but truth is, gen3 grows on you and is not nearly as commom a sight on the road.

I read the info and comments on the 08 and am amazed how important looks are to every one. Buy what you want, but don't tell me what you dislike about everything. Grill, plastic parts,too low,cheap feel......

Why would you buy a heavy (as compared to a car) vehicle with a underpowered v6 or a v8 then complain about mileage.

People buy Kawasaki KLR's, then complain that they are not great performers in the dirt.

They buy a new general purpose snowmobile, then compare its performance to mountain sleds.

Seems there are even members on here that have gotten rid of their despised Dakota's yet still come here to complain. Get a life. Have some sound reasoning behind your decisions, stick to them or move on.

Tired of the whiners.

Later

 

Peace.

It just baffles me that people buy things, then complain about things they should have figured out first. (Not talking breakdown issues).

I thought the 06's were ugly, and I had to have a Red QC, but those thigs took second place once I found what I thought was a good deal. I didn't spend near 20k, but I took a salvage title chance that most of you would surely not try.

Trust me,I would never buy a plain colored sports car. If I spent that kind of money, it would look the way I wnated it. There are some truly ugly (plain looking) vettes out there.

 

I love my truck. Just ask anyone around me that knows me and my truck. I like to do my own mods to my truck just to personalize the looks and the feel of it. The only thing that I've never really liked about the GEN III trucks is the nose and the lack of power. But, I fixed the looks by adding a new grill to the front and I'm adding more hp/tq as I go along.. That made a big difference in the way it looks. I wouldn't own another truck.

 

Our Daks---It's a face that only a mother would love. Although we're mostly guys (ie. not mothers) here, we've (mostly) all fallen in love with our gal, nose and all...Some have gotten a nose job in the form of grill inserts to ease to pain. Me, I'm waiting for a full grille replacement when avail. And we add this and take away that to make it our own. I, too, wouldn't want any other veh (if I could only have one veh, that is--cuz I have LOTS of ideas for a second veh--like the MB CLS550....now that's a sedan! What a profile--another one that only it's mother could love, however).

 

I don't really complain about my truck....just every year something better comes out.....i.e. the Sport Appearance package....where I got screwed out of getting color matched bumpers/grille.....that's a little thing

And to see the 2008 Dakota with 290 hp & 320 tq AND get better gas mileage.....it just makes you wonder why our trucks don't already have that (because they're heavier than the last generation)

So yeah there's always gonna be something better.....just sucks that we didn't get it, but I'm not (really) complaining....(just wish I got better mileage...lol)

 

YUp yup yup...I love my truck and i have a 3.7.Its got more nut than my buddies 02 zr2 s10..Trucks not underpowered to me at all

 

I have always wanted a truck....for looks and function. I have already used her to haul rocks for around my pool...mulch for my landscaping. I can fit my kids easily and since I don't go many places....I could care less about gas mileage. Just to give you an idea of the mileage I put on vehicles (I had the oil changed in my minivan in November...I have since put 700 miles on it.).
I agree that if you buy a v-6 or v-8 you have no right to complain about gas mileage...go get a Prius lol.

 

I wanted a pick-up again after I wrecked my '94 Ranger a few years back. I have always loved the ride and style of a pick-up. Originally searching for an 03-04 Dakota, for no other reason than the look of it, I stumbled across a used '05 rental return. So I bought it. That's all the consideration I put into buying my truck. Sure I wish it has as much power, comparable handling, comparable mpg, and probably better resale and longevity as it's competitors, but this is the one I bought. And I like it. A lot. And it's damn fun to boogie around town, or throw the thing into fours on the beach, or in the mud, or snow if I ever get any....
Truth is I didn't know squat about it before using this website, and now I'm either:
A) worried that my truck is either going to:
1) make some type of howling ball bearing sound
2) have some type of tranny clunk noise
3) not shift when under 30 degrees or on a cloudy day during leap year
4) stall out completely while driving, or possibly start up on it's own and run away
5) reprogram it's own computer and take over the world if I do not remove the battery neg(-) cable
6) check engine light comes on and off and on and off and on and off
7) have some form of braking problem, basically requiring the choking of the nearest dealership manager to have them even entertain your request for warranty covered service
8) rock to me sleep while driving on a highway at 65 going up and down and up and down
9) blow up, flip over, break down, no wipers, hood flies off, wheels fly off, ect. etc.....

OR

B) simply enjoy the hell out of it and take it as it comes.

I choose B.

**disclaimer: in now way is this a diss to all the knowledgeable people on this board. I have learned a lot from everyone and hope to continue to do so.