what is a dakota?!

just what classification do you dodge fellers put the dakota in? it seems to me that it was confused at birth and thought it wanted to be full size but realized the larger engines still churned out about as much power as a roto-rooter. just a slight concern of mine about a sad little/middle size/full size vehicle.

I have never owned a Dakota or a Dodge for that matter, but from what Ive seen a Dakota has big balls for a little truck. It has my respect. I live in northern Michigen, back in 95 we got a total 5 feet of snow in 2 days. The National Guard was activated to help us dig out. A guy I work with had a 93 Dakota 318 with a plow on it. He moved a mountian of snow with it. Seeing is believing so dont bash the little truck. I would consider buying a dakota but gas mileage is no better than the Ram thats what really hurts the Dakota. What is a Dakota? A midsized truck that may kick the s--t out of some full size trucks!

I agree, the Dakota may have a few identity issues, but it's a great truck for people who don't want/have the room for a Ram or other large truck but don't want a small truck like the ranger or s-10. I have owned two and my mom had a quad cab. I love them and would recomend them to anyone. In fact, the father of a friend of mine owned a ram, he sat in my dakota, and wanted to trade his ram off for one. I've been through several winters with my Dakota and you can't beat them on the snow. Even the 2 wheel drives do pretty well. My little 2x4 Dakota held the road better than a 4x4 Ranger one winter. The mid-sized trucks are so popular that Chevy has made one as well. I guarantee, one drive and you'll be hooked.

I can't understand someone that would bash a Dakota unless they obviously haven't experienced one. Especially with the silverado thing. And speaking of identity crisis I always thought bow ties were for little boys. I have a '92 extended cab 4 by 4 with a 318 and it is as much fun to drive as my '78 Power Wagon with factory 440. Of course the Power Wagon is a true 4 wheel drive and the Dakota only pulls 2 wheels in 4 wheel drive ( like most of the "4 wheel drives" today ) but girlfriend, 2 kids and I ride very comfortable in our Dakota getting 19 MPG. When we want to go off road it has proven itself many times and is just as much fun on the road. So go ahead try one or are you sceered you might like it?

What's a Silverado?

Better yet what is a Colorado? I think they have a 5? cylinder engine. Talk about an identity issue.

lets see, a dakota is a truck that dodge made oh some many years back. its a mid size truck. some seat 2 people, some seat 4. the beds are differents sizes. ....all i know is i am a chevy guy, but i dont know of one that can keep up with the dakota. dodge is the only one that had the "BALLS" to stuff a V8 in a small truck. lets also stick 3.93 posi rear in some (stock)

A Dakota Is a cheap peice od scrap, i would never buy a dodge, they are so poorly built.

I would be careful about calling Dakota's cheap little pieces of scrap. I have owned two, and I would put it against any small/midsized truck on the market. Some Dakotas can actually seat 5-6 people somewhat comfortably. As far as cheap pieces of scrap go, that would be Ranger's or s-10's. I have driven both, and the both suck big time in comparrison to the Dakota. The s-10 I drove barely cleared the ground and they wanted 17,000 or more for it because it was and "extreme". The only thing extreme about it was it's lack of power. Dakota's may not be Cadilacs, but they are hard working, fun driving machines. You obviously have never driven one.

There are Dakotas that come into the shop with well over 200000 miles as are some S-10s. So poorly built I don't believe fits this catagory. I like my Dodges but as far as I am concerned all manufacturers pull some real boners. Maybe a lack of experience in autos and spelling are why some posts are written.

dakotas kick ass especialy one with the v8 they got the most balls of any midsized truck I have ever riden in

yea no shit...stick a 4.7 v8 or a 5.2 in any midsized truck and it will haul ass...what about the gmc cyclone? i believe that would blow a doakota out of the water and thats a V6! might i add

i personally have a dodge dakota, my dad use to have a dodge dakota, and a friend of mine's dad has a dakota with 275 thousand miles on it, and it is still running strong. My dads old dakota ran the 5.2L 318 and it was indeed the quickest truck around. anybody who speaks porely of this truck is misinformed, or perhaps arrogant. Compared to any of the other mid-sized trucks like s-10, or ranger, the dakota is the longest lasting, most reliable and can come with an optional 5.9L V8 in the R/T or a V10 which produces the most horsepower of any truck in its class. Even my 94 with the 3.9L V6 has no trouble pulling my 1989, 19 foot ski boat with a 110 HP johnson engine. This is not what you would call.. a light boat.

If you don't like the dakota, why don't you subscribe to a different thread, instead of talking down others so that you can FEEL big

yea no shit...stick a 4.7 v8 or a 5.2 in any midsized truck and it will haul ass...what about the gmc cyclone? i believe that would blow a doakota out of the water and thats a V6! might i add
the Syclone would beat a dakota, but i bet if i turbo charged my 4.7 dakota just like the Syclone is turbo charged, i'd haul some ass and blow that little Syclone out of the water.

There must be something about a Dakota!!
It keeps drawing you back to talk about it!!!
You don't see me going to a thread to talk about your................... what did you call it????????

I personally own a 89 4x4 Dakota Sport V6 and I am NOT impressed at all. This thing gets blown out of the water by EVERYTHING. I have driven a Ranger and I would prefer that over a Dakota any day. But it wasn't my choice so I have to make do with what I've got. As for calling it a mid-size truck I doubt it. It is still in the same category as the Ranger and S-10.

I don't mean to bash Dakotas but this is my personal experience.

Gizmo, you need to take a newer Dakota with a V8 for a spin, it'll change your mind :) You probably have the worst setup, as far as Dakotas go, Gen I with a premag 3.9, only a four cylinder would be worse. I had a '93 Dakota 4x4 with the Magnum 3.9, it was a good truck, not a powerhouse, but still a good truck.

Yeah, Gizmo, not to be a hardass, but you're not complaining about the truck, just the power/speed aspect. How's it holding up otherwise?

and mr silver, uh, chevy guy, we know you like your chebbie but please go drive a Dakota so you can have an informed opinion. I'd have one, but it's a little short on headroom for me - and that's my only complaint.

Yeah, you guys are probably right. The body has absolutely no rust on it at all. It's got a couple of dents on the bottom of the doors, 1 tailgate cable is broke, and I need to put on new calipers and pads on the front. The sound system is crap, I've got a blown driver's door speaker, and it gets staticky when I turn it up.