Regarding Edmunds reasons NOT to buy a Dakota"
1) Airbag
2) Side Impact
3) Third Door
1) Airbag. My personal opinion is that airbags are dramatically overblown
(sic). They are only really effective if the occupant is wearing a seatbelt,
and if you're wearing a seatbelt, you are 99.95% as well off as with the
airbag. Disconnect it, make sure your passengers are belted!
I don't have any airbags in my truck, and I don't miss them.
2) Side Impact. My girlfriend was driving my truck, making a left hand turn
in the outside lane of a two-lane turn. The fellow in a Toyota truck in the
inside lane decided he needed to get into her lane -- in the middle of the
turn. His truck was seriously messed up - whole front fender history. My
truck needed a new door skin. The door mechanism and door fit are fine.
The Dakota may not meet some arbitrary gov't standard, but I'm sure glad
she wasn't driving her VW Bug (and so is she!).
If you look at the insurance statistics, the Dakota is VERY under-represented
in claims and losses. I don't think this is a valid concern, frankly. At
least, not for 4x4 owners, where the frame is at most cars' bumper height.
3) I believe Dodge was working on the Durango during the '97 model restyle,
and the third door cab lost out in priority to the five-door cab! We might
yet see a third-door Dakota Club Cab, but possibly not ever. Dodge has to
re-work the LHS/Intrepid/etc. pretty soon.
Speaking of safety issues. Has anyone heard what the Cirrus/Stratus rear
seatbelt anchor resolution was? Are newer ones in thicker sheetmetal? Are
they retrofitting the early ones?
Sure, ChryCo does screw up sometimes, but I'd rather ride leaning on the
back hatch of a Plymouth Voyager, than ANYWHERE in a F*RD Windstar!
Jim
P--P-PP-P--P-PP-P--P-PP-P--P-PP-P--P-PP-P--P-PP-P--P-PP-P--P-PP-P--P-PP-P--P
Defining Material Possessions: Dakota 4x4 Pickup with 230 hp V8, 155 mph
Kawasaki Ninja 900, SCUBA gear, Hiking Boots, bicycles, Macintosh computer,
SAAB Sonett(s), chainsaw, knives, guns, books, copy of the Constitution.
~%@%~ Politically Incorrect and Proud of It! ~%@%~
Clarifying Wants: McLaren F1 GTR, Bill Gate's House, Silicon Graphics Onyx2.
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