I'll never buy one.
How's that for a start to a road test review?
I took a 2005 Dodge Dakota Club Cab, 4x4, 4.7V8, auto, SLT trim... in
Mineral Grey Metallic (bastards changed it - the color is different
slightly, from that of the Graphite Metallic. Looked lighter to me.)
Number ONE BIG BIG complaint. The roofline is sloped down far more than
a Gen III - I was hitting my hat and head on the door frame above my
head. That really pissed me off.
Next, I do not like where they placed the 4x4 control knob. It is low
under the dash behind the cup holders. Also the aux power outlet and
passenger side air bag switch are also recessed behind there. Not easy
access at all.
Complaint number three... I crawled under the truck in the show room and
saw up close what they did under the Dak. The new front suspension has
a very flimsy looking thin crossmember that stretches between the rear
control arm mounting points. That thing is the lowest part of the
undercarriage. It would be the first thing to get ripped up with even
mild offroading.
I don't like the instruments very much. I don't like the tach
positioned on the right - and the lack of additional instrumentation was
annoying. I like to see that I have oil pressure and good voltage. I
don't like an idiot light coming on telling me "something" isn't right.
Next up on my list of gripes was what Bernd was saying about the auto
tranny shifter. What the HELL were they thinking? They changed the
movement of the lever to make it rotate backwards as well as move down.
I do NOT like that at all. It also hit my knee in the low range
position. Very poor design change.
While I do not like the layout and set up of the interior controls, they
did have a very good fit and finish quality to them. They did not look
or feel cheap. Nothing rattled and it looked well made - - just badly
thought out.
Previous exterior design complaints still stand. Doors carved too much,
front end too low, grill dished into the bumper too much - ass end is
A++ wonderful. Kudos to the new V8 Magnum engine badge on the tail
gate. Me like that!
Cosmetically I like it but I don't love it.. they could have done much
better. Park a Gen III next to a Gen IV - and I really like the looks of
the Gen III better. Same thing happened to me with the Ram. After some
time you get used to seeing a certain model on the road and it no longer
excites you the way it did when you first saw it. That lull of a
feeling happened with me and the Gen III Daks and the 94-01 Rams. Then
the new O2 Rams came out - and I look at them compared to my 01 Ram -
and I love the older design - compared to the newer design. That's the
same feeling I had when I look at the remaining Gen IIIs next to the new
Gen IV's. I find myself appreciating the older designs more now.
Performance - - the truck seemed slower than I expected with a 4.7L
behind it. I was treated to the now familiar high revving sound of the
4.7L - which from past BBQ's has now been burned into my long term
memory. ---- "It feels like we're at a boat race!"
Wasn't able to get the tires to chirp from a stand still -
disappointing. Cornering and handling is MUCH improved. Truck can
corner very very well. Brakes grab nice and stopping distance is good
for a truck of its girth. Very quiet at highway speeds up to 85 mph
<evil grin>.
Sound system sounded damned good - better than the set up in my Ram.
Kudos to the rear suicide doors on the club cab - that was a good move.
One other gripe is that the fuel economy rating for the 3.7L is the same
- slightly worse - than the 4.7. (when in a 4x4 with an auto) Granted -
the 3.7 has a 4 speed auto - while the 4.7 has the new 5 speed auto - so
that might make a difference. However to have a V6 at 15 city, 19
highway - and the V8 at 15 city 20 highway - is disgusting. That's NOT
saying "The V8 gets the same great MPG as our V6!" That's saying "The
V6 gets the same crappy mileage at the V8" - however we all know how
inaccurate the EPA figures can be - so its all to be taken with a lump
of salt.
I had the usual encounter with the sales guy - he didn't know much about
the truck really. I griped about the knob control for the transfercase
- he said he would go inside and check to see if they offered a shift
lever option - I shook my head and said nope - this is all they offer.
I get off on the fact that I can go into a dealership and show up these
guys. I was lecturing him on the design changes between the old torsion
bar 4x4 set up and the new coil over set up... he just stood there and
listened. I honestly think he knew nothing about them. He also never
even heard of the Power Wagon Ram - said they had not received any info
about it yet.
I mentioned that I belong to a Dodge truck club and most of my
"colleagues" call the new Durango the "Durvango" (he laughed at that) -
and most probably won't like the new Dakota. He got defensive and
started saying well there are small groups like that who won't be
pleased by change - and that they have to make a vehicle that will
appeal to the majority vs. the minority. I nodded and said I understood
- but that the loyalists like myself and my associates - are still going
to be upset. I don't think he gets it heh.
My final take on the new truck is that I am disappointed in general. It
is a very nice truck and I'm sure it will sell well. But I won't buy
one. I'd take one if someone gave it to me - but if I was to make a new
truck purchase, it would hands down be a Ram Power Wagon. With any luck
- Dodge will refreshen the look and feel of this new Gen IV Dak in the
next few years - and maybe then I'll like it more.
-- Terrible Tom -- AIM & Yahoo Name: SilverEightynine http://members.aol.com/silvereightynine/
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Fri Oct 01 2004 - 11:38:59 EDT