Dodge Dakota Quad Cab 4x4

[GotOne]

Anybody have one of these? 2002 or newer. If so, what motor and what kinda of gas mileage do you get? It might be time to step down in size, gas is killing me.

[Jarrod32]

I have an '03 Dakota Quad Cab...it has been a very good truck for me...no trouble at all with it, and just turned over 80K on it.

The good...it has a comfortable cab, and has a very good highway ride, and as I said I have had no trouble with it...just standard maintenance. There was a recall on the front ball joints...not sure if that was for all Dakotas, or particular to 2003...but something to check on if you get one. No problem for the dealer to take care of it.

The bad...the box is pretty short at just over 5'. I have the 3.9L 6-cylinder engine...that is a bit underpowered. I can pull my 15' boat with little trouble, but I need to turn the overdrive off. There is no way it will hold overdrive pulling the boat. For normal driving, though, it is adequate.

Mileage...I haven't measured it around town...but on longer trips, I have measured highway mileage. I get anywhere from 17 to 19.5 depending on conditions. If I am on back highways running 60 mph, the mileage is better. 75 on the interstate...mileage goes down a bit.

If I had to do it over, I would give up a couple miles per gallon and go to the small-block 8. You will give up a couple MPG, but will likely be happier with the performance.

It is a tough truck. I have the SXT package with larger tires and higher clearance than some of the other packages...when out hunting, I can take this truck anywhere my friend's F-150 will go.

My next truck (in the not too distant future, hopefully) will be a full size. I just want the bigger box and more power for boat pulling. But I will not hesitate to buy another Dodge...

[GotOne]

Thanks Jarrod32. I have a full size 02, quad cab, 5.9. The gas mileage is terrible 10.5-14mpg. I pull an 18ft Alumacraft T/P. I have a topper on it and sleep in it a few long wknds a year. I hate to give that up, plus, I'm a "full size" truck guy. The gas prices are killing me. It's not bad when you bring a buddy and share the costs, but, if I go with my son on a longer trip it kills me. BTW, your setup looks nice.

[skies_and_eyes]

I had an 2003 Dakota Quad with the big engine, and the transmition went out at 61000 miles. Other than that huge bummer, it was a decent truck. I pulled a 2025 Pro-V with it. Highway MPG was about 14 on a good day, towing I usually got 8-9 so it might not help ya in that department.

[Jarrod32]

If you are pulling an 18' boat, the six-cylinder will not work for you. If you do a lot of towing, and put a lot of miles on with the boat, you might want to give some consideration to a diesel...

[solbes]

I have an '02 QC 4x4 with the 4.7 and 3.92 gears. I get 12-15.5 in winter and 14-17 in the summer with it. The 4.7 V8 has good low torque and I hardly notice towing my 16' aluminum deep V. It's a very capable midsize truck with a lot of full size attributes.

I also have pulled my 28' camper on occasion which weighs in about 4800 lbs dry. That's getting up there, but with an equilizer hitch and some careful driving it drives okay. I don't pull this very often as this is more full size truck territory.

I would recommend it, as I have had very few problems up to 80,000 miles. But I don't think it's going to save you a lot on gas. I hate to say it, but you might have to look at the Japanese Tacoma's or Frontier's if you want to tow a boat and get significantly better every day mileage.

[GotOne]

Thanks all. My truck is paid-off and I don't really want a payment right now. I was thinking of a trade-in for something similar in a Dakota, where it would be close to "even-up". I have thought about a diesel for my next truck, but the extra cost for one and the price of fuel for them goes up faster than gasoline. Three trips a year to Canada and 4 trips a year to the deer camp, which is about 40 miles south of Warroad-not to mention the mid-state stuff is stating to cost too much. Might have to get a part time job to pay for my fun stuff:)

[solbes]

I'm holding out for the 2010+ Ram 1500's with the 5.6 Cummins V8. Should be available late next year. Not as stout of a motor as the cummins inline six, but it won't weigh 1200 lbs either. Highway mpg's are expected to be in the mid 20's!

As long as you hold your truck for awhile you will get your money back, even with the extra cost of diesel.

[Jarrod32]

I think Ford is going to be offering a smaller diesel in the F-150 in the next year or two, as well...

[Valv]

You could get a good used full size diesel truck for same price as a Dakota gas, check the For Sale section....

Mine does 21mpg at 70mph, 23mpg at 65mph, and 16.5mpg at 65mph with a 30ft gooseneck flatbed trailer.

I will probably do 18mpg with a boat.

It did 14mpg with this load:

[GotOne]

Won't fit in my garage:)

[Mid-Lake Rock]

I have a 2002 Dakota Quad with the sport package - 108,000 miles. I purchased the truck because I wanted a V8 and I got a great deal. This truck has been good to me, but I treat it well - I still have all schedule service done right on time. I seem to get better mileage than other people on the board. My city mileage is 14-15 and highway is 17-18. When I pull my 17'5" boat I get 12-13 on the highway.

I think the new 1/2 Ton Diesels are going to be the way to go.

[GotOne]

I've never really looked into buying a diesel. A buddy has one, but he pulls a race car around. How does one justify the extra cost of a diesel, not to mention the cost of fuel is about .50 gal higher? Plus, I don't like keeping a truck for over 5 or 6 years. I'm sure the resale is fairly high, but I think the overall cost and running one doesn't justify the price.

[Valv]

I have had diesels for decades and never cost any more than a gas, in fact they are cheaper to run, use less fuel, and tow better.

I don't know where people gets the idea a diesel is more expensive than a gasoline, beside initial cost, but it holds the used value 3 times better than a gas, definitely some misinformation around.

[GotOne]

Valv, you sound like a guy trying to sell a truck with a diesel:}

I'm guessing a truck with a diesel costs about 3-4k more than a truck using gasoline-am I correct? I don't know enough about diesel costs and mileage to do a true comparison. If someone wants to think this through and put some numbers out, that would be great. Take into consideration, keeping the truck for 5 years, paying for service or up-keep (diesel vs gasoline), mileage and re-sale and what ever else I can't think of. Supply and damand-shortages of fuel. Truckers are mad because too many diesel p/u drivers are causing fuel to be more expensive, which costs us all more in the long run. Thats what I've heard anyway.

[MuskieJunkie]

 Originally Posted By: Wallabee

Anybody have one of these? 2002 or newer. If so, what motor and what kinda of gas mileage do you get? It might be time to step down in size, gas is killing me.

I had a '98 Jeep grand Cherokee with the dodge 5.2 V8, the mileage was horrible, about 13. My mother in law has a Dakota ex cab 4x4 with the 5.2 V8 and drives it like a grandma (literally) she gets about 14 mpg. I don't think I'll ever buy a dodge gas vehicle again.

[MuskieJunkie]

 Originally Posted By: Wallabee

I'm guessing a truck with a diesel costs about 3-4k more than a truck using gasoline-am I correct? I don't know enough about diesel costs and mileage to do a true comparison.

I had a Dodge Cumming 3/4 ton 4x4 quad cab. Great truck by the way. The diesel motor was about $5 or 6k extra (if I'm remebering right), the fuel right now is aprx 10% more than gas per gallon. Yes they get better mileage, but you can buy a lot of gas for the $5,000 it cost you to get the diesel engine.

You do get some of that back in resale but there are a lot less buyers out there for that type of truck, vs a 1/2 ton gas.

IMO it won't work out money wise unless you are doing a lot of big trailer towing.

[Valv]

Wallabee you sound like somebody that heard too many stories.

A diesel truck will cost between $ 4000/$7000 more than a gas.

A diesel truck until 2008 has at least 30% better fuel mileage compared to a gas. Resale value after 5 years is 3 times as high for diesel regardless of miles, get a 160,000 miles diesel and you get 4 times more than gas, get a 200,000 miles diesel and you get 8/10 times more than gas. Maintenance is less, diesel change oil at 7500 miles instead of 3000.

Tow anything and your numbers will be even better.

If you drive few (between 10k and 18k) miles every year the initial cost will never be overcome even with higher resale, but anything above 20k and it will pay itself in a hurry. I range 650miles between fills, can you do that with a gas, no way.

Truckers mad at pickups because they raise price of fuel ? What are you talking about ?

If you don't want or you are not in the market for a diesel truck whether due to size or cost or other, I understand that, no problem at all, but if you have to start a debate get real facts not rumors that you've heard at the bar, please.

[GotOne]

Valv, with all do respect, you are selling a 2001 truck that burns diesel for 11,500. What was the sticker or original sale price on that truck? Doesn't seem like re-sale is 3x higher to me and I just came back from a bar:) I'm not really trying to start anything, I just don't think the advantage of owning a diesel is as good as a value it might have been at one time. Maybe back when diesel was .50gal or so less than gas, it might have been. I have a 2002 quad cab, SLT pkg-nothing overly fancy, that blue book is in the neighborhood of 12,700 for a private party sale. BTW, I don't think I paid over 26,000. I drive about 18 to 20k per year pulling a 18ft aluminum boat or a 2 place trailer, so I don't need the extra power. I know diesels make a lot of since for some people, but not the average joe. Why sir is the price of diesel going higher, I think it is because they don't have the capacity to refine it fast enough because of the demand (I don't know if speculators influence diesel also?) but that could add to the inflated price. Regarding the thing about truckers, I was reading a truckers forum and that is what they were talking about. Seems to me if the demand goes up and quantity goes down, the price of fuel goes up. A diesel might run forever, but what about the body, drive train, etc, that wear out? I'm not attacking your ad, it seems like a very fair price. So, adm., please don't delete this informative post. OK, now this city kid is ready to get educated!!!!

[Valv]

My truck has a Salvage title since was damaged at on point, original cost was $ 31.500, resale now at $ 18,000 approx., I can buy your truck at $ 5500 anytime

I will leave the rest of the discussion alone since it's not going anywhere except downhill.

I just ask you to get paper and pend and calculate how much it cost towing your boat at 10mpg and at 18mpg

Let us know the results

[solbes]

Comparing a 1/2 toncummins diesel to a 1/2 ton Hemi Ram. Here's some numbers I had worked out before:

hemi 1500 --> 150,000 miles / 15 mpg = 10,000 gallons x $3.25/gallon (maybe low) = $32,500

V8 cummins 1500 --> 150,000 miles / 22 mpg = 6818 gallons x $3.55/gallon (diesel) = $24,204 + $4000 (fairly conservative figure for diesel option) = $28,204

Assuming you drive the truck for 150,000 miles you are saving somewhere around $4300. If you think the diesel option will cost more or less than $4000, then add or subtract that amount. Those numbers are probably low, because gas will continue to rise ($106 a barrel for crude?!?). If you sell the vehicle early, I would expect a healthy percentage of the diesel option will come back to you.

I would argue that diesels have never been more relavent. Getting 25-40% mileage benefit is huge! We're at a point where the lifetime fuel costs exceed that of the capital cost of the truck.

I don't really know why the price of diesel is higher than gas. It is a less refined fraction that competes in the cold weather season with heating oil. That's why it used to be higher than gas in the cold months and cheaper in the warm months. Now it just seems to be higher all year round. One barrel of crude (42 gallons) will produce ~ 20 gallons of gasoline and 9 gallons of heating oil/diesel.

On a side note, bio-diesel (unlike ethanol) does not give you a mileage penalty. Imagine a biodiesel process where you take woody plants (trees, shrubs, etc) and convert it into high energy fuel. It would not take away from the food supply and inflate the prices of livestock like ethanol does. I hear this technology may only be a few years out!

[GotOne]

Valv, The reason I started this post was the terrible gas mileage I was getting just driving-let alone pulling my boat. So my truck does suck(gas). The point I'm trying to make is, I don't believe a diesel truck is a good option for me-pulling a several times per year. Especially now, when they could cost up to 7000k more than gas burner. Like I said, if I was in a business where I used the truck differently, it would be the only way to go.

If you can get my truck for 5k, I'll take two:) You might have a dealer license, but, I doubt you will sell them for 5k!

Private party excellent condition 13,600 Trade-in 11,325

good condition 12,700 Trade-in 10,550

fair " 11,570 Trade-in 9,200

Solbes-thanks for putting some numbers out. It's been a fun debate!

[Valv]

Solbes, that is a great post.

It does help when trying to figure the costs.

Only neg issue we have, '08 and future diesel models have been so highly emission regulated that their fuel consumption have decreased considerably, putting them at same level or less than a gas engine, in which case the price difference will never be overcome. Too bad since diesel fuel is a more efficient fuel than gasoline.

[GotOne]

Wow, we answered at the same time:)