2004 Dodge Dakota Sport V6

[Bennick16]

This Saturday I am planning on buying a 2004 Dodge Dakota sport quad cab with a 3.7L V6 5 speed manual.

http://www.goodguyscarsandtrucks.com/vehicle/185132471

Have any of you guys or gals owned one of these?

[Grit dog]

That's retardely overpriced IMO. But the 5 speed is a plus as long as it's had a new clutch.
I wouldn't go more than 5 but I'm cheap.
I've had a bunch of 1500 rams, never a v6, and I think it's a good drivetrain. More so with a manual trans.

[dscubame]

Seems priced high.  Assume you talked them down a bunch from what the advertised price is.  Decent gas mileage.

[bigjohn98591]

That's retardely overpriced IMO. But the 5 speed is a plus as long as it's had a new clutch.
I wouldn't go more than 5 but I'm cheap.
I've had a bunch of 1500 rams, never a v6, and I think it's a good drivetrain. More so with a manual trans.

I kinda have to agree with Grit on the price. I looked at the link to the ad, I just recently bought a 96 Ram 1500 4x4 with 150,000 on the magnum 5.9 auto for $4000. this is 10 years newer and has more miles. As grit said if it has a new clutch it will probably be ok. One thing I know is that if you are a really tall person like myself (6'10") then there will not be a lot of head room due to the way the roof reinforcement is designed and there will be little to no room for anyone to sit behind you.

[Boss .300 winmag]

I bought a 1996 5 speed 2wd with the 3.9, and it has run great for us.

$5,000 would be a good price for that one I think.

[PlateauNDN]

Bout 5 yrs ago I paid 7000 for an 2001 dodge Dakota quad cab with the 4.7 v8. Now, I wouldn't pay over 5. Just my

[JJB11B]

I'd offer $5K cash and if they said no I'd leave my number and leave...

[huntandjeep]

I'd offer $5K cash and if they said no I'd leave my number and leave...

I had the same truck except v8 and auto. Averaged 15 mph , not a lot of room in the rear for bigger kids

[Bennick16]

It blue books for $8000... My dad knows the person who owns the lot and I have not talked money yet, my dad said he will call him tomorrow and see how bad he wants to sell it. I figured if I could get it for 6 I'd be happy but if it needs something like a new clutch then I would certainly deduct the cost of that from my offer.

[jackelope]

It blue books for $8000... My dad knows the person who owns the lot and I have not talked money yet, my dad said he will call him tomorrow and see how bad he wants to sell it. I figured if I could get it for 6 I'd be happy but if it needs something like a new clutch then I would certainly deduct the cost of that from my offer.

Kelly blue book means literally almost nothing. It might put you in the ballpark but that's as close as it will get you.
Have a mechanical inspection done on it before you buy it, or put it in the deal as a clause pending purchase. I.E. Purchase is agreed upon pending mechanical inspection. Those little pot lots don't usually have shops. I'd want to know that a safety inspection was done, an oil change was done, etc before I bought it. It's not a bad thing paying top dollar for a rig assuming it's worthy of top dollar price.
Just my .02

[fair-chase]

I agree that is ridiculously overpriced. If you have the patience, I think you could find similar make/model/year for half that price. Just have patience and be willing to travel. I purchased a 2004 Dakota Crew manual trans with the V8 for less than that back in 2008!!!

As far as reviews, I had the V8 so fuel mileage was horrific. A bale of hay in the back during winter dropped fuel mileage down around or less than 10mpg depending on how heavy you leaned on the gas. I also dumped the transfer case on Snoqualmie Pass. Unsure of the underlying cause, but the case cracked and the gears dumped out all over the highway. Other than that is was a pretty good pickup. One of the most comfortable cabs I've ever had. Easy to work on and got around just as well as any stock Toyota.


Just 5 minutes on craigslist turns up a similar pickup for $2,000 less...
 https://corvallis.craigslist.org/ctd/5354686176.html

[Widgeondeke]

I have an '04 Dakota club cab and think $7k is too much.
Things to look for on Dakota's.  Front brakes, they wear fast. Like every 1.5-2yrs, too small for truck.  Check exhaust manifold for leaks when engine is cold and first started.  If engine is warm you can't hear it.
Mine have been replaced twice under warranty and now .need one side again at 144,000 miles. 

Other than that, never left me on the road or not started. 

[The Weazle]

My first question, Why not a full size truck?

My second question, Are you married, have kids?

My experience...Buy bigger then you think you need.  If its not a full size quad cab 4x4, keep looking.  If its just for a commuter car, then buy a commuter car. 

I have had a few "this is what I need now" vehicles.  Paid them off, drove them, and then had to upgrade due to getting married, having a kid, then having two kids, etc...If I would have just gotten a full size quad cab at the time I bought "what I needed now" trucks, I would have not wasted thousands of dollars on trade ins, and lost equity, and would have had a paid off truck for what I truly needed years before I did.  I went from an S-10, to an S-10 extended cab, to a 2500 single cab, to a 2500 extra cab, to a 2500 quad cab all in about 15 years...I was a dealerships dream customer.  If I would have bought a 2500 diesel quad cab the first one or two trucks, I would have saved a load of money, and still had a reliable vehicle with no payments.  Now I have the quad cab diesel 2500, paid off, and a commuter car, paid off, and I could have saved myself 8 or so years of payments on trucks I no longer have and put that money to work somewhere else.

[Bennick16]

My first question, Why not a full size truck?

My second question, Are you married, have kids?

My experience...Buy bigger then you think you need.  If its not a full size quad cab 4x4, keep looking.  If its just for a commuter car, then buy a commuter car. 

I have had a few "this is what I need now" vehicles.  Paid them off, drove them, and then had to upgrade due to getting married, having a kid, then having two kids, etc...If I would have just gotten a full size quad cab at the time I bought "what I needed now" trucks, I would have not wasted thousands of dollars on trade ins, and lost equity, and would have had a paid off truck for what I truly needed years before I did.  I went from an S-10, to an S-10 extended cab, to a 2500 single cab, to a 2500 extra cab, to a 2500 quad cab all in about 15 years...I was a dealerships dream customer.  If I would have bought a 2500 diesel quad cab the first one or two trucks, I would have saved a load of money, and still had a reliable vehicle with no payments.  Now I have the quad cab diesel 2500, paid off, and a commuter car, paid off, and I could have saved myself 8 or so years of payments on trucks I no longer have and put that money to work somewhere else.

I am 19. I was originally looking for an older Tacoma but they are so expensive for what they are I decided to get something bigger but close to the same gas mileage. I have a 14 foot boat and a dirtbike, I am going to be in Moses lake for three more years, then I'll be wherever I need to be to Get a flight slot. My other car is a 99 corolla. I want a 4x4 truck with the best gas mileage possible because I Am also a delivery driver and I go home to Spokane a lot on weekends to help my grandfather out. I'm not a fan of my Corolla in the snow so when the roads are bad the truck will be my commuter. 3500 towing capacity is all I will need for the foreseeable future (5 or six years) if I ever want to upgrade my boat to fiberglass or a bigger aluminum I still have the flexibility to do so. And I also guess that full size trucks are more money and slightly more expensive for maintinence.

[bobcat]

You might be surprised that the smaller trucks really don't get any better gas mileage than full size trucks. Okay, maybe 1 mpg better but definitely not enough to make a significant difference in what you pay for fuel.