Good small/midsize truck

used to hear horroer stories about the V6 dakotas eating intake gaskets and all Dodges eating transmissions when I worked at the parts store in the late 90's.

The 96 dakota i have has never popped the plenum gasket in 245k, although i've done them on other trucks. There is an upgrade that fixes the problem.

As for the trans, my 96 got to about 204k before the seals were bad enough to bug me into fixing it (trans acted funny when cold, fine when warm). I did a basic clutches and seals rebuild (spent about $500 total) and it's still holding up at 245k. Family has had this truck since 30 something thousand miles, i think 13 years now.

Fuel mileage has been about the same as the stats for the 2011 ranger v6 posted above, except i have more room and can tow more and parts are cheaper and the engine bay is less cramped and etc etc.

Vigo- I assume you have the 3.9?

between the dodge 3.9 and the ford 3.0, it's like a competition which one makes the least inspiring sounds.

belteshazzar wrote: between the dodge 3.9 and the ford 3.0, it's like a competition which one makes the least inspiring sounds.

I like the sound my 3.0 makes, its like squirrels in a blender...

The S-trucks from GM are plenty reliable and dirt cheap parts. My 03 has the 4.3 V6, 2wd, and a 3.42 rear. I was pleasantly shocked to find I was getting 23-24 mpg on the highway. Around town its more like 18-19. Its also (rather comically) rated to tow 6800 lbs, but 5000 would be more realistic.

The durango never tripped my trigger. Its too big to be compact, and if you're just hauling lumber and bags of cement you don't need it.

If you get the manual version of the Ford you get a sweet M5OD which is nicely geared and strong... as long as you keep an eye on leaks. They tend to start leaking around the plugs and if it gets low you're best to just bury it.

The S-trucks get a nice-ish 5 speed as well. Its basically a tweaked version of an NV3550 which is a close cousin to the AX15. Not heavy duty by any means but more than adequate for what you're doing.

As far as the automatics, stick with the GM. The AX4N in the Ranger is poop and the RE in the dodge would be great if it weren't for super soft valving and shifting, coupled with terrible tranny cooler and check valve issues. The 4L60E is also much cheaper to fix.

You could also go with any of the imports. The toyotas have those 22-whatevers that get mid to high 20s mpg and they run forever.

I agree what has been said about getting the best one for the money you want to spend. If you have a favorite brand manufacturer then them but don't relegate yourself to it. Others brands are just as good or bad. As for 4WD, if all you do is street then you don't need it. I had a 4WD K5 Blazer for years, bought it in Fairbanks, Alaska and brought it back with me. Drove it 14 years until someone ran a red light and put it in a junkyard. Once, I drove it for over a year with a broken front locking hub, didn't know it was broke till I got off road once and tried using the 4WD. Replaced it with a 2WD F150 and been happy with it. Good tires make all the difference and a 2WD w/good tires can handle bad roads just as well as a 4WD. 4wd often means you just get yourself dug in deeper or farther off before you get stuck. 4WD also means more parts to go bad and more $$ to fix. Most 4WD that are cheap are in need of more work than an equivilant priced 2WD. Also 2WD = better mpg than 4WD.

I'm pretty solid in the 2wd camp now- that was great advice. Upon further discussion with the wife, she'd prefer it had four doors. Looks like there are options in all makes, but todays CL search is showing only the dakotas coming out at reasonable price points in the four door... Yes, it's sort of a cop out of a truck, but will still give me some utility. I found two 4.7's at about $6k. One is a manual. After Curtis's post, I tried the S-10s and they're still another grand or two above the Dakotas, and the toyotas are just thousands more. I'm guessing that the manuals are generally more reliable than the autos?

This is a vehicle I don't want to spend much time fixing/maintaining, I've got the MG for that.

watch for sludge as well in that 4.7

definitely go manual trans in a dodge.

Vigo- I assume you have the 3.9?

You got it, although the 5.2 and 4.7 owners frequently talk about getting the same highway mpg (not city).

A 4.7/5spd is a great truck. It's pleasantly powerful and tractable. Should be able to get 20 or a bit over on the highway.

The biggest thing wrong with the dodge autos, imo, is not knowing what you're getting. If i could go back in time and own an a500 or a518 truck from new, i wouldnt give it a second thought. The unknowable history is what scares me. I agree the gm 4l60 is easier and cheaper to fix.

But, if it's feasible, i'd get the manual in any case.

Off hand, I'd say there's a reason Dakota's are worth so much less than even an S10.... Just say'n.

A 4-door cab on a mini truck? It ain't gonna be much of a truck, cause the bed length is eaten up by the cab. Beware the rear seats of many. As in get in them and try them on for size. Things are not always as you'd expect or as they look.

Know where there's an 86 Toyota 1-ton sitting in a field near you. But, it would need some work, and its a standard cab.

Tacoma.

It comes down to the desire to have a truck that is:

1. Not an eyesore. It will be parked on the street in front of my house.
2. Reliable. I don't want it to be a project.
3. 4 door: needs to be legitimate 2nd car that can carry our two kids.
4. $6k or less

I choose not to have a payment, so anything above that cap is outside the budget. That cap, along with the other requirements has led me to find that (on the current craigslist) only the Dakota meets it- with the possible exception of reliability. I may re-think the truck idea, but the utility even of a 5' bed would be more convenient than hooking up the trailer every time I make the depot run.

You guys have been great- thanks again for the advice.

The Dakota isn't as unreliable as it sounds. Remember, on the internetz you mainly hear the bad stuff. True Dakotas do have some issues (every vehicle has issues of some sort), but most are easy to fix and parts are pretty cheap for them.

I liked my 91 Mazda B2200 2wd extended cab. It was the most car like truck I've ever driven. This was before Mazda's trucks became rebadged Rangers. it's the only truck I've ever driven that I could heel-toe. It also had the steering wheel of an RX-7, and the transmission of a Miata. Higher final drive, of course, but the spacing between gears was very familiar to me!

If you're talking about little flip-out suicide doors on an extended cab, you might find them but don't expect to put actual people in there unless you hate them.

If you're talking about full 4-door crew cabs, the only one I know of is the last couple years of S-trucks.

Those 4dr s-trucks are pretty rare here (not in brazil, etc lol). I did just see one the other day, though.

The back seats in a quad cab (real 4 dr) dakota are perfectly reasonable.

Imo you wont find a better looking small/midsize truck that isnt a tacoma, either.

Although, i dont know if it's been mentioned..Frontier? It was the only compact 4dr you could get with a FULL length bed, although they are super rare, and the shorter bed is way more common on the 4drs.

curtis73 wrote: If you're talking about little flip-out suicide doors on an extended cab, you might find them but don't expect to put actual people in there unless you hate them.

It'd be for the kids, sooooo.... sometimes yes, sometimes no. Seriously though, I think to make the truck thing work it has to be midsized or smaller and have four real doors.

Looked at the Frontiers, and can't find any, but have 4 dakota 4 doors on CL right now. One is a 2003 with 80k and she wants $5k for it. Just installed a rebuilt 4.7 engine, but otherwise in pretty good shape. The others are at about $6k, one a manual and one an auto. The manual has the 4.7, and the auto the 3.9. Looks like they get almost the same MPG's.

Rebuilt 4.7 engine 80k 4x4 $5k: http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/mld/cto/2587246195.html

Manual 4.7 109k $6k: http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/ctd/2588071044.html

Auto 3.9 4x4 $4500: http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/mld/cto/2575277369.html

Manual 3.9 $2500 193k w/some damage: http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/cto/2589492747.html

Auto 3.9 w/cap ?k $5k: http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/ctd/2586301429.html

They're out there plenty in Dakota guise. Really trying to figure out if the rebuilt engine is an asset or a liability. Also heard mixed reviews in research on the transmission, so the manual looks good.

The Nissan held its value well, about the same as the Toyota.

Be aware that an auto 3.9 in one of those trucks is going to be very slow and possibly aggravating.

A manual 3.9 would probably be tolerable but not much more.

I honestly like the 3.9 engine, but the weight of those trucks is a little much for it imo.

Off hand, I'd say there's a reason Dakota's are worth so much less than even an S10....

Off hand i'd say it's because a lot of people are dumb as bricks. Ive spent a fair amount of time driving and working on both and vastly prefer the dakota. Even the latest, lowest mileage s10 isnt worth more than $3k in my opinion unless it's a super nice Xtreme or something. They fall apart. Your first impression of an S-truck is USUALLY feeling the door sag and/or pop as you open it. And the motor is a pita compared to a dakota, imo. Unless you're talking about the 2.2 in which case.. you're fired.

Yeah, for the MPG penalty (~1), I'll take the 4.7. Is there anything specific I should look at with the 4.7? I've read about some sludging issues, and have corresponded with a woman who had the engine rebuilt at 80k, which doesn't make me feel great about it. I'm assuming that's the exception and that with regular oil changes I should be ok.

With enough determination, anything can be broken in any brief period of time. I have seen a dakota (3.9 iirc) with no oil changes at 80k and taking off the valve cover was like taking the mold off a bundt cake.. there was a valve cover shaped dome of carbon under it.

Honestly, you should be able to tell most of the things you'd ever want to know just by driving and looking at the car, including looking into the oil fill and seeing how it looks in there. If you can borrow the truck for an hour or two and get a good look underneath it, that'll help. Things like ball joints, rack bushings, tie rods, u-joints, motor mounts, diff housing leaks, rear main or front seal leaks, etc can all be looked at or tugged on from underneath. Up top id just be looking at fluid conditions and any obvious signs of hacked repair jobs. Just trust your mechanical instincts and give yourself TIME to look thoroughly.. and you should end up with a decent truck.

Hi there. Saw this post and finally decided to register after lurking for who knows how long. Anyway, have you considered an Explorer SportTrac? They're built on Ranger platforms but have 4 real doors and a small bed to throw things in. A quick search of the DC craigslist area shows they are right in your price range. The ST's are great trucks but seem to get forgotten about because they are an "Explorer" and not a pickup.

Anyone wanna rebuild my dakota project trucks trans?

Checked out the sport trac's and they are about $1k more and are all about 130k miles plus. Three of the five were 160k plus. That's outside of my comfort range with any of these. I'd like to be the guy to take it up to that mileage, if you know what I mean.

Getting in late, but I just sold my 2000 Dakota V6 2wd sport. It had 66k on it and between 60-66k the truck needed a water pump, coil and ecu. I had bought the truck new and it didnt have a single problem until 60k. The interior was bare-bones but held up well and the truck was rust free. I got around 18mpg in regular traffic. For the record, the kbb was $3600 and I was able to sell it for 4k cash. Ive found ones around NC with 100k on them for $2500.