Power steering pump started to make noise last week. this happened with my previous Dakota and dealer replaced it without hassle. otherwise no problems.
4.7L v8 5 speed manual 3:92 rear end 2wd, very fast, powerful enough to haul anything. 20mpg on highway. plenty of room inside. best of all worlds, as fast as my old 5.0 mustang, the room inside of a sedan, plus a pickup. get the v8, the mileage is the same or better than the 3.9 v6 with a lot more power. get the 3:92 for towing otherwise 3:55 rear is fine and better on mpg.
Curious to hear how you think the manual transmission works?
Regarding manual transmission. I just purchased a 2004 quad cab with 4.7 liter v8 and manual. It definitely shifts like a truck, not a sports car. I decided on the manual over the automatic because I believe it will be a more durable and longer lasting setup. Interestingly, the clutch pedal is easier to depress than my Toyota 4 cylinder. The manual transmission also advertises slightly better fuel economy, probably due to more efficient power transfer, which means more horsepower at the rear wheels. At 65 m.p.h., the tachometer yields about 1900 r.p.m.'s. Fuel economy on the freeway is about 17 mpg, but should improve slightly as the truck is broken in. I also noticed that the first gear is quite low, which gives the truck great acceleration, and the ability to bog along at slow speeds if desired. I would sum it up by saying, if you want a drag racer, don't go with the manual. It doesn't shift as quickly as a sports car. It is definitely a heavy duty transmission, but I am very pleased with it.
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