> ChryCo really missed the Boat on [the '97 Dakota].
> 1) They did not put a passenger side Airbag Cutoff switch in.
Fair enough, but the media airbag furor is a lot more recent than
the Dakota development process. I'm sure if this is really a selling
point then you'll be able to find a dealer who will disable or remove
the passenger airbag.
What other pickup trucks have a disable switch, BTW?
(I've been bitching about mandatory airbags for about 5 years now;
amusing how things turn out.)
> 2) The '97 Dakota still does not meet 1999 Side Impact Safety Stds.
> - I realize they don't have to yet, but I do thinks safety counts for
> something and most vehicles DO now meet this standard.
What other pickup trucks meet this standard?
> 3) There is no third door on the extended Cabs.
This is a good point; those third doors do look pretty handy
(I use my extended cab to haul people & crap daily). With the
Dakota's front-facing rear seat, this feature would be perfect
(they had to delete one side-facing rear jump seat on the S-10
because of the 3rd door).
However, articles I've read indicate that a 3rd door would add
another ~$600 to the Dakota's price. I think that's a bit much
to pay for what amounts to a very minor convenience point.
I suspect that you're going to have some problems finding a pickup
truck that satisfies all 3 of your above requirements. Unless you
go full-size, you won't find any comparable truck with a V8, which
was the selling point in my case.
IMO the '97 Dakota is a great vehicle, but I'm still glad I got my
'95!
Ron
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