2coff, you should look at comparison tests. Edmunds loaded a Dakota, Tacoma, and Frontier down with about 1000 pounds of payload and the one that lost the least amount of acceleration was the Frontier. If you don't believe me here's the link http://www.edmunds.com/apps/vdpconta...4/pageNumber=8

Granted this was with the L.O. version of the 4.7L but it was still defeated by the Frontier and Tacoma. The 4.7L H.O. also uses premium gas. If you were to compare them towing around 5000 pounds, then I wouldn't be surprised if the Dakota won; however, how often do people really use Dakota's for serious towing anyways. Most of the people I know who own Dakota's use them for daily drivers and maybe hauling something in the bed that you could fit in a minivan. This is why I suggest using a powerful V6 instead of a L.O. V8 and a MDS 5.7L HEMI, the cost is normally lower this way and the fuel mileage is normally higher for both. I know people who have gotten worse mileage than 14 with a Dakota 4.7L.

Have you even read what we have been talking about? The HEMI is MORE efficient than the 4.7L because of the MDS. The 5.9L (360) was a larger, less fuel efficient engine, yet they were offfered in the previous model Dakota. So would you tell people who wanted the 5.9L (360) in the old Dakota to get a Ram? I was considering a Dakota until I learned that they weren't going to offer the HEMI. When I want a V8, I want a pushrod. I don't want a Ram because they are too big for my needs. A Dakota is the perfect size for my needs, the problem is they aren't offering an engine that I would consider.

 

I'm just telling you what I felt the power was lower on the RPM on the Dakota and I like that feeling, the V6's felt great in the higher RPM but I don't drive there so it's useless and not the feeling I expect in a truck. How fast a truck acceleratesisn't important to me, the feel of the Dakotas motor isjust mypersonal preference. Heck racing any of the new Mid size trucks is pointless there all technically slow. Now if they offered a Hemi then I would have taken that in a hartbeat, that 4.7H.O. it pointless.

 

Okay 2coff, I can respect that. Each person has their own taste. My point was that these other trucks appear to do just as well in theory as the Dakota with loads around 1000 pounds. As I said earilier, I'm sure that if they had a heavier load, the Dakota's extra torque would make a bigger difference.

I'm glad to see that you get it on why the Dakota should have the 5.7L available.

 

i think the idea ofa dakota with the hemi (maybe a new RT model like someone else stated) gets better the more i think about it. a truck that small with a hemi in it would give the lightnings a close run, maybe even beat them depending on the drivers. ive heard conflicting reports on the lightnings. some people say a slightly modded hemi can beat them, other sources ive found say that they are quicker in the 1/4 than the srt10 rams, so im gonna be safe by sayin that it MIGHT beat a lightning, but i think that it would def. give ita close run.

 

no i doesnt need one but i would be alot of fun to drive if it had one anyone disagree???