New to Dodge
 

hey everyone, just trying to get some info and whatnot on my new truck i bought. picked up a 1998 Dakota single cab short box with the 2.5l rwd 5-speed manual. 215,000km. its the basic truck rollup windows cloth seats no cruise or a/c.

its a sweet little truck i must say, its comfortable on these farm roads, quiet on the highway.

cons i dont like and i may be able to improve by research is 5th gear is gutless i basically have to have it floored to keep a highway speed and even the slightest hill will slow me down. 1-4 is plenty powerful and gets me up to speed at a decent rate.

it needs a new paint job (which im gonna do myself in the summer), a little bit of rust on the front passenger fender near the grill, bit on the door and rear wheel wells. the clear coat is peeling. nonetheless that doesnt bother me, just needs a new paint job as said.

it has a tonneu? cover for the box, it doesnt close all the way but it clips and holds, but the one latch arm on the left side is broke off, not a big deal its an easy fix.

now for what im after...

is there maybe something that makes 5th gear gutless or is it because its a 2.5?

any common problems with the drive train i should be looking for?
front bearings, hubs, rotors, calipers and brakes were redone last year as well as the thermostat.

is there a performance chip i can use to give it a little more umpf if needed? (nothing crazy im not trying to get v-8 power)

as for myself, im from saskatchewan, canada. my last car was a 1999 saturn because i blew the heads in my '03 grand am gt1, which i fully customized the interior.

im handy with cosmetics but not body work itself, im handy with mechanics but not a mechanic myself. if i feel i can fix or repair something i will not hesitate to jump in. im a welder by trade so any customs you can think of throw em my way.

im 26, have two daughters and proud to finally get a dakota after years of looking.

Hello and welcome to DF. Check out the 2nd gen Dakota section. They will be abke to help you out.