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Thoughts on 2003 Dodge Dakota 4.7 V8 5-speed manual 4X4

2K views 6 replies 4 participants last post by  modain 
#1 ·
Going to look at one of these tomorrow and hopefully bring it home.

Highlights:

1. Low miles (less than 70k)
2. Minimal if any rust
3. Oil sprayed underneath
4. New tires
5. Interior looks mint

I’m having a dealership inspect it tomorrow, and if all’s well I am buying it.

Anything to watch out for?
 
#2 ·
I ended up buying this truck.

It has some minor rust underneath, and could use a new muffler soon.

The PO had a drop-in bedliner, and when I removed it the wheel arches in the bed were rusted through. I'm going to patch those in the spring and then do a truck bed coating of some kind.

I've been pretty happy with it thus far. I had to replace all 4 oxygen sensors and a couple other minor things, but it's been a good truck so far. I bought it with 58k and I'm at 65k now.

I did buy snow tires for the winter, and I also found a fiberglass tonneau on Craigslist that I had painted to match the truck:



In the summer I tow a boat and trailer weighing ~4500lbs and it does pretty well. I can climb mountain passes in 3rd gear with the A/C on and the temp needle won't budge past it's normal spot. Great truck.
 
#5 ·
Oh I see the pic now. Looks good nice and clean. Looks like new!

I'd like to see them bring the dakota back too but only if they can get the styling right. The way the styling is going with the latest ram is kinda scary. I feel like they messed up the big rig looks that everyone loved and replacing the ram's head in the grille with a "ram" written out also was kinda dumb especially that when u see one in your rear view mirror it appears to say "mar". Someone wasn't thinking when they came up with that. Putting the original ram's head back in the center would be a good first start lol. Especially that they took the ram's head off all Dodge models around 2011 when they created the Ram brand so why they took it off the Ram models makes no sense whatsoever.
 
#6 ·
I've got an 02' quad cab with the 4.7L and a 5 speed and love it. Just turned 219K miles and still runs like a top. Next week it gets a 3" body lift and Core/Hurst short shifter. Gonna keep this one for as long as it'll roll.
 
#7 ·
I hear you. My 2002 4.7L/5-speed manual now has 215K on it. Still runs great. I'll keep mine until I can no longer buy gasoline for it.
 
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