Well, for the most part, most Dakotas are pretty reliable. Dodge did have some transmission problems back in the early 90s but most by now have been rectified and newer transmissions are much more dependable. I'm not personally fond of the 4.7 V8. Some of the early ones that are found in 2nd gen Dakotas and Durangos had issues, but there were several improvements made by the time the third gen models came out. I like the older 318 and powerhouse 360. Fuel economy for any of the V8s will be in the 14mpg range, give or take an mpg or two. Often overlooked will be any of the V6 offerings. The 3.9 and newer 3.7 are bread and butter engines. They aren't too strong and not really that much more efficient. But they are cheap to come by because most people wanted the V8s.
You'll be familiar with the 4wd system, in the second gen trucks, they are identical to the one in your 92. Only other difference might be newer models will come with a push button controller.
The newer models have more creature comforts than your old 92 did. Take advantage of some of those features especially the quad cab. Having a full rear seat and two more doors helps a lot…although it does come at the expense of less cargo space. But if you're like most people who buy trucks, they don't often use the bed to it's fullest potential. Good luck
Ed
You'll be familiar with the 4wd system, in the second gen trucks, they are identical to the one in your 92. Only other difference might be newer models will come with a push button controller.
The newer models have more creature comforts than your old 92 did. Take advantage of some of those features especially the quad cab. Having a full rear seat and two more doors helps a lot…although it does come at the expense of less cargo space. But if you're like most people who buy trucks, they don't often use the bed to it's fullest potential. Good luck
Ed
