Been a while

[1 MEAN66]

Been a while since I was here. But will be bounceing around as I have a new to me truck. Had been waiting for Ma Mopar to offerup a new Dakota, but looks like if they do will be based on the PUKE-O platform. I truly loved my Dakota did anything I wanted, good MPG empty - 21, or towing 6.000 lbs - 15Mpg. Has a stick so it was not only fun to drive but made those numbers possible. Most do not care to row a shifter anymore, as a result they usually are not offered. Almost did a new Colorado but did not want to spend $35k-45K on anything that I had to "settle for". So last Tuesday I drove from upstate NY to WV to get my newrer "ride". Was nervous as I could only go by pictures and dealers answers to my questions. put nothing down to hold it, just drove down with the money! I was on my 2014 Victory Cross country (got 47.2 MPG on it. When got there liked it, bought it, they put on temp tags loaded the bike in it and drove home. Start to finish 19 hours which includes all stops - food/fuel/etc. Got 17.8 with the truck coming back, Speeds both ways not under 60mph-ran 10 MPH over posted ( WV that means 80). Actually was running 18+ in the truck with the load until I got to the Penn. Hills. So the 17.8 was average fom WV to House. Doesn't accel as hard as my 66 Satellite (runs 10.30's) but for 5,000 lbs it is pretty quick. Will check around with all of ya about Cold air intakes & exhaust systems before I purchase.
New Ride: 2016 Ram tradesman,quite a few options, Reg, Cab, Long Box, 6 spd, Auto , 3.55's, and the 5.7 MDS-VVT Only 58,600 miles, zero rust, even zero surface rust on frame and/or under body. Nice ride comfortable and "spunky".

 

[volaredon]

I have a 12 ram reg cab Long bed and can't believe how HARD It was to find! Everything does NOT need 4 damn doors!
And why does everything with less than 4 doors have to be REFRIGERATOR WHITE????

 

[7mopar]

Got a yuppy friend ask them. It's just like asking why anyone in Arizona needs a 4-wheel drive that will never get off a hard surface and lives in the valley. Or why anyone needs a truck you can see under one side and out the other while sitting in your car. Why anyone needs 800 hp in a vehicle that will never pull a load or carry more than two people and a bag of food. But still needs 4 doors and a 6 foot bed.

 

[65 sporty]

You have to post a pic or two of the new to you ride so some of us can be jealous

 

[1 MEAN66]

I have two in my flip phone. but have no idea what buttons to push to get out and put them here> Will be headed back to school (drive bus part time) I will ask one of my third graders. I can send it to a phone BUT? they you would have to put it here! Jerry

 

[7mopar]

I have two in my flip phone. but have no idea what buttons to push to get out and put them here> Will be headed back to school (drive bus part time) I will ask one of my third graders. I can send it to a phone BUT? they you would have to put it here! Jerry

You may have to export them to a PC or memory card.

 

[1 MEAN66]

I have a 12 ram reg cab Long bed and can't believe how HARD It was to find! Everything does NOT need 4 damn doors!
And why does everything with less than 4 doors have to be REFRIGERATOR WHITE????

The reason so many are white is that people like me that do not mind power window, BUT just do not want to buy the $6000 "option package" that has 50 other things included in that "option Package". I head straight for the "fleet" truck and order what I want. "option pachages" include much less"stuff" etc. So the total you get it to list for is less, yet you can actually order a TRUCK. In 2016 it was the ONLY place to get a Reg.cab/Long Box. Most Fleet's are ordered in white so that business graphics will stand out, and with the new "Wraps" can be peeled off to sell when done. on the 2016 the bright white that mine is was a Fleet color only (at least by title and code). I have never owned a white vehicle new or used. If I bought new was headed to fleet to oder a black one (in what ever brand I settled on). I just decided NOT to spend $40K+ on something I was going to settle for, in any brand or size. Brand Looked at: Toyata tacoma, Chevy Colorado, Ram, NO BLUE OVALS. But was always waiting for the Dakota. It has been coming out now since 2017. Latest is it as moved to 2024 - Spring of 2023. Gave up waiting!!! Saved 20K + which will buy a used C5 or C6 vette in the garage for Rebecca. The 2002 Century will be our "winter Rat". Was under the Ram over the past few days adding an MBRP cat back stainless sigle tail pipe system $489 - why by two pipes as it is just a single up front anyway. The underside looks like it just left the assembly line. Added a K&N Cold air system - 63 Series - K&N makes 4 for the Rams the only one NOT carb certified and on their dyno charts made the most HP TQ in the middle and top range was the 63 series. Needed a class IV -10,000 lb. hitch but they ( O'Riellys)wanted $399, they had a class V 12,000Lb for $229. Truck not "rated" for that, But with the 3.55's all the Heavy Duty stuff rated 10,800Lb. I guess nobody needs the class V's but less money and only weighted 3Lbs, more itself. The only Ram that I have ever driven are after I did repairs and a 2-4 mile road test. My first outing in this was 441 miles, So I guess I really like this one! Might be the last truck I own. Nothing Special just a basic Plain Jane w/truck stuff.

 

[volaredon]

Looks just like my 12.
I took liiked for a while, and never found exactly what I wanted, mine is the closest to come up in a while, I settled on 2 things. I wound up with a 4.7 not the hemi and of course the whiteness of it.
I also have a 96 Dakota that's white and my wife's 01 Durango... Guess what color that is... Yup.
And the truck I sold when my 12 came up? A white 99 Dakota. I wanted some other color but it had to be a Dodge, had to have less than 4 doors, had to be a long (as In 8') bed and I got all of that but still got stuck with white again.

 

[volaredon]

About a week after I found this one a few others popped up. Yeah, all white. I occasionally see them in blue or black or red in the road, but not on the car lots or the classifieds.
All a year or 2 newer, all electric power steering (which I did not want) and all had more rust than this one. I bought a 5 gallon bucket of NHOU undercoating that I will be applying before the weather turns to snow and salt, though my plans are to drive it as little as possible thru the winter, my 96 Dakota has 4wd which my new truck doesn't (which I really don't need 99% of the time anyway) but I paid too much for it to watch it disintegrate into nothingness

 

[7mopar]

About a week after I found this one a few others popped up. Yeah, all white. I occasionally see them in blue or black or red in the road, but not on the car lots or the classifieds.
All a year or 2 newer, all electric power steering (which I did not want) and all had more rust than this one. I bought a 5 gallon bucket of NHOU undercoating that I will be applying before the weather turns to snow and salt, though my plans are to drive it as little as possible thru the winter, my 96 Dakota has 4wd which my new truck doesn't (which I really don't need 99% of the time anyway) but I paid too much for it to watch it disintegrate into nothingness

If you don't like the color putting a wrap on it would be the cheapest thing to do.

 

[1 MEAN66]

Got a yuppy friend ask them. It's just like asking why anyone in Arizona needs a 4-wheel drive that will never get off a hard surface and lives in the valley. Or why anyone needs a truck you can see under one side and out the other while sitting in your car. Why anyone needs 800 hp in a vehicle that will never pull a load or carry more than two people and a bag of food. But still needs 4 doors and a 6 foot bed.

AH but most four doors are only 4-4.5 ft beds. Your kid bicycle won't even fit in them!

 

[7mopar]

AH but most four doors are only 4-4.5 ft beds. Your kid bicycle won't even fit in them!

I know but somehow, they are still called trucks. I would like to see them classified different but that is just me. Maybe people need 500 ponies, 4 doors and that short bed to get their groceries home. But with the national average of .5 kids, I just don't see it.