>
>> I prefer a stick to an automatic, (haven't bought a vehicle without one
>> and probably never will) but the Dakota's manual does seem like a weak link
>> in the acceleration equation...
>
> This is strictly my opinion, but I've noticed this exact point used
>to criticize the Dakota on Usenet before and I really think it misses
>the mark.
>
> According to the FSM, the NV-3500 5 speed tranny is a "medium duty"
>unit. Hence I believe the main design goals for this transmission
>were load-carrying, and ability to take a beating. Not lightning-
>quick acceleration runs. The wide gear ratios (particularly the
>spacing between 1-2) seem to corroborate this opinion.
>
> I'm not saying the Dakota shouldn't be considered a reasonably-
>priced performance vehicle (heck, I just shut down some chump in
>an Altima on the onramp this morning ;), but after all, it is a
>TRUCK.
>
Ron,
You're right, of course. :)
Most Dakotas are probably used for fairly mundane truck-type stuff. I
guess with my "muscle-car mentality" I seem to have forgotten that.
With that v8 and the performance, I often get confused. :)
I wonder if Dodge will ever offer a "performance transmission" as
an option? They have a "Sport" and now an "R/T", why not go all the way?
Speaking of which...
This is something that has always confused me:
After the recent discussion about ignition upgrades, I got some
literature from MSD, looked over that, looked on WWW pages, etc.
From what I read, these ignition upgrades increase gas mileage, give
you more power, and reduce emissions. For about $300 retail, I could
get an MSD ignition and coil. If I'm reading this right, there are
only benefits and no drawbacks. (Besides the initial $300 outlay.)
Why wouldn't manufacturers equip their cars with something like this
in the first place?? I'm sure they could do it for a heck of a lot
cheaper than $300, so that's not a huge issue...
Its not just ignitions, I've seen this with a variety of things.
(Exaust, headers, etc) Why do the manufacturers use this obviously
inferior stuff when, for just a little more money, they could put
out a really quality product? I have this nagging thought sometimes
that goes something like, "If this stuff was really good for the
car/truck, the manufacturer would have done it that way to begin with."
Am I missing something?
-Jon-
Jon Steiger - Network Administrator for Academic Information Technology
.- steiger@ait.fredonia.edu -- http://www.cs.fredonia.edu/~stei0302/ -.
| DoD# 1038, EAA# 518210, NMA# 117376, USUA# A46209, KotWitDoDFAQ |
| '96 Dodge Dakota SLT V8, '96 Kolb FireFly 447, '91 Yamaha FZR600R |
`---------------------------------------------------------------------'
I do not speak for SUNY College at Fredonia; any opinions are my own.
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Fri Jun 20 2003 - 12:07:34 EDT