Toyota Tacoma or Dodge Dakota?????
I hope this does not sound too philosophical, but "To buy a Toyota Tacoma or Dodge Dakota, that is the question?" [?]
I'll be using it for hauling an ATV, an occasional load of fire wood and the annual [:p] deer!
I will probably get a slightly used one, but I could pop for a new one! What do you think?
(Another possible use would be to put a little camper on it for short trips with the wife, but that should not be a big consideration in this choice.)
I'll be using it for hauling an ATV, an occasional load of fire wood and the annual [:p] deer!
I will probably get a slightly used one, but I could pop for a new one! What do you think?
(Another possible use would be to put a little camper on it for short trips with the wife, but that should not be a big consideration in this choice.)
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Toyota.
Better reliability and greater resale value.
Can't go wrong with a 'Yota.0 -
DUH!
Do I give my money to Japanese, or Amexica...
give it to the NAU...0 -
Dodge.
Doug0 -
We bought a fleet of Dodge Dakotas as company trucks. They were always having problems and breaking down. The transmissions especially. I'd go with Toyota due to the reasons listed above. Plus Toyotas are 4 wheeling machines. 0 -
TOYOTA 0 -
Without question
Toyota!0 -
The Toyota. 0 -
Go with the Toyota. Have fun finding a used Tacoma. I couldn't do it when I was buying a few years ago, and my buddy worked for the dealer. I'd also suggest the Ranger. I don't know about the current crop, but the two I owned ('89 and '94) were reliable. They were the 4cyls, not the sixes. 0 -
You wont get your ATV in the bed of either one of them.[:(] Trust someone that knows.[V] 0 -
My son just sold his Ranger, and I thought it might be the truck for me. He said it was junk. He says the Toyota is probably a better truck but a used one costs three times the cost of a used Dakota.
Several years back, we had a used Dakota. We bought it for $2000 and used it for seven years and sold for $1500 ... when it was pretty much toast. I'd sure like to do that again!
Thanks for the input guys!0 -
Unless you were considering a full sized truck, I'd go with the Toyota. If you need a real truck (full sized work truck) get a Dodge. 0 -
Thats like saying "I'm torn between the Bryco and the Kimber." 0 -
Now that is a point about getting an ATV to fit ... back then with our old Dakota I had an old Skidoo, and it fit just fine, but an ATV could be another story. Oh yes, our Dakota had a long bed, too. When we move back to Canada, my main retirement toy is going to be an ATV ... probably a Honda Recon or Rancher. 0 -
Wait a minute ... I did haul around borrowed ATV's in my Dakota. They fit just fine. Maybe it is the extra bed length that is necessary not the width between the wheel wells. 0 -
I bought a new Dodge Dakota last week. The 100,000 mile warranty is what made the difference for me. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by Warpig883
I bought a new Dodge Dakota last week. The 100,000 mile warranty is what made the difference for me.
I thought the new Chrysler products were coming with a life time warranty.0 -
Buy American ... while you still have a choice. 0 -
Toyota if you want tough, long lasting. Dakota if you want guilt free, although toyota's are made here, probably more American than the big 3. 0 -
um.......the tacoma is american made......made by UAW workers in California......
get the Tacoma they are nice trucks0 -
I owned and drove two Dakotas (from 1990 - 2005). I never had a bit of trouble with either one of them. When I sold my last Dakota (a 1994 4x4 with 150,000+ miles on it), it was in tip top condition. My buddy is still driving it today. For those who are not aware, the Dakota and Tacoma have several things in common. Both use (at least they did in 1994) the exact same ATX 5-speed manual transmission... they are interchangeable. Several other parts of the gear train were made by the same company. The only real difference in the two trucks is the payload and tow capacity (the edge goes to the Dakota due to its optional high-performance V-8 engine). Dodge does offer a better warranty than Toyota. 0 -
the company i work for bought me a new tacoma in 1998 and i put 330,000 miles on that truck before we sold it--and it's still running! it had zero problems-just regular maintenence. after that they bought me a chevy astro that started having major problems at 50,000 miles--in fact between 50K and 157K they had to replace the transmission, radiator, water pump, rear diff seal, air compressor- twice. the catalytic converter went out at 60K-built chevy tough? hardly. and the brakes would not last long either, once you heard the warning squeak for the rotors, it was too late, didn't even give you 30 miles to get them fixed it would just score them. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by ECC
quote:Originally posted by Warpig883
I bought a new Dodge Dakota last week. The 100,000 mile warranty is what made the difference for me.
I thought the new Chrysler products were coming with a life time warranty.
You are right they do have lifetime. I bought two new vehicles last week the 2nd one has 100,000 and the Dodge has lifetime. I had typed it all and edited out the wrong stuff.0 -
Toyota 0 -
The biggest concern I would have about the toyota would be your intent to haul an ATV. I saw a video some time back in which all of the major brand truck were run across a "washboard" road . The toyota had by far the most flexible frame. The box appeared to have a foot or more of side to side movement as it bounced down the road. Not something I'd want to put a heavy ATV or load of firewood on.
I have had 2 Dakotas and admit I have had tranny problems. The first one I burned up the transfer case. I discovered after, that a "vent" had clogged causing pressure to build up and blow out most of the oil.
The second vehicle the tranny started to slip but I may be at fault for that one. The first Dakota I owned had the 4X4 indicator light on the dash where it was always easy to see if it was in 4x4 or not. The second one had the light near the floor mounted shifter which I always seemed to have covered with gloves or something else. I'd be willing to bet that truck had 5000 highway miles in 4x4 at 65 mph cause I forgot I had it in 4WD. I should note that when my mechanic rebuilt it he told me upgraded it from a 2 to a 3 valve system. He was highly recomended to me so I am taking his word that he wasn't just screwing me over.0 -
Nissan 0 -
Toyota, without question. Costs more up front, but reliability translates to ongoing savings for repairs and much less aggravation.
Dodge Dakotas made some good trucks - but not in the past 8-10 years.
Check the Consumer Reports ratings.0 -
I'm not trying to sell Dodge here. Fact is, I think the newer body style is somewhat less than attractive... BUT -
Whether a mistake or not, Dodge has attempted to make a vehicle that has everything for everyone. Dakotas are weight-wise within a few pounds of real trucks and much heavier than other compacts. Then they offer options that save consumers money (in theory), but cost in the end because they aren't heavy enough for the intended use. And then they suffer a bad rap because the vehicle wasn't heavy enough, but it's what the consumer ordered. Toyota is smarter in this respect I think, but maybe not really better.
Sad when a consumer purchases a Dakota with a six and finds that a Hemi will outperform their truck in every way and get better economy while doing so. Sad when Dodge offers brakes too light to do more than stop the truck, let alone the truck with a payload or trailer. Sad when a dealer is too stupid to know the difference and inform the consumer in advance. Sad when the truck wasn't ordered with the heavier components in the first case at minimal extra cost.
Having said this, Dodge trucks are very good. Purchase one optioned for your intended use and you'll not be disappointed. The one word of caution here is that a full size truck can be had for the same money and will get the same economy. And unless you purchase the bottom of the economy line the full size truck will contain heavier components all around.
The problem? Light truck buyers are usually the car crowd. The idea of options is limited to luxury items and a leather interior. Dodge marches to a slightly different beat. They've always sold TRUCKS as trucks. Truck folks are aware that with the exception of the outer panels, trucks are pretty much a combination of options. Heck, I'd bet that seats would an option with Dodge if they weren't mandated.
This is neither good, nor bad. It's merely a somewhat different marketing strategy than the car consumer is used to. Few understand that huge decals proclaiming a vehicle to be an off-road king don't make it so. Few understand that just because one has an eight foot box, it doesn't mean that the vehicle isn't overloaded at the halfway mark. Few understand that they need to specify the correct options for the intended task at hand... With Dodge anyway.0 -
Does Ferrari make a truck? 0
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