1999 Dodge Dakota Sport 4x4 Extended Cab review from North America
"At $23,000 out the door, I can't complain"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Headlight/foglight switch failed after two years, replacement was covered under warranty.
Heavy duty battery died at 63,000 miles, but that is about the life span.
One front shock started leaking fluid after warranty expired, replaced all units with Edelbrocks.
General comments?
The Dakota has been problem free with regular maintenance, most of which I can perform myself.
The sport suspension handles great, especially after installing Edelbrock shock absorbers. I bought this truck to tame my aggressive driving habits, but it didn't work!
The heavy duty service equipped 5.2 liter V-8 performance is beyond what I expected. The gas mileage is terrible, 10 mpg city and no better then 17 highway, but that's what I expected when I bought it. Fuel at the time in 1999 was $1.05. It failed one state emissions test, but new plugs and a full cleaning of the throttle-body passed it. Spark plug gap increases steadily so they get changed every 15,000 or so miles.
It's a V-8 4x4 that sees hard service in suburban N.Y.C. and mountain roads all over New England.
Recommended Reviews:
  | Solid, reliable, comfortable. A keeper |
| 1998 - Dakota SLT 4x4 3.9 MFI V6 Great daily driver and weekend warrior |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| First year of ownership | 1999 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2004 |
| Engine and transmission | 5.2 liter V8 Automatic |
| Performance marks | 9/10 |
| Reliability marks | 10/10 |
| Comfort marks | 8/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 5/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 8 miles |
| Most recent distance | 69100 miles |
| Previous car | Pontiac Grand Am |
| Date of Entry | 7th January, 2004 |