2003 Dodge Dakota consumer reviews

like extra cab I like the r/t 5.9 v8 member of r/t club not a big fan of v6 in this truck like spray in bed liner

this is the best truck ever i really love it and i hope my dad doesnt make me get rid of it. i havent gotten to take it to a drive in movie yet and im pretty sad about it.

After owning other small trucks we have had 2 Dakotas. The size not too small and not too big. Comfortable and good ride. Dependability is always a must and this has been excellent.

all around a good vehicle comfortable good for work however it did take a little upkeep it had a recall on the catalytic converter and I spent money on radiator water pump hoses and harmonic balancer

Overall this vehicles a good buy for $ spent ... as trucks of this type go its not as large nor as high as other full-size trucks which has its advantages in manuverability and gives a wider stance in appearance - interior rooms perfect with comfortable seating, gauges and controls in the right areas, plus the added rear seating and storage (club cab) without the added 2 xtra doors - electric switch controlled shift-on-the-fly 4WD is a great feature - having the 6 cyl equipped with the 5-sp w/OD manual trans definitely helps in the fuel range dept. and still has enough performance to haul a heavy payload without the added expense of higher registration and insurance woes in comparison to larger full-size pickups. Its appearance, performance, and reliabily are a step beyond those offered by other manufacturers in the mid-size class for its era. I've owned one for 6 yrs. and thou only 25k miles were added it was a 'thumbs up' all thru its journey in every aspect - only negative I would ppost is that of the sheetmetal being prone to rust - BUT - what truck doesn't if its driven in the northern states.

I HAD to buy a vehicle in Nov of 2003 because mine had crapped out after 198k miles. I bought my Dakota 2 days later for less than $15k. 15 model years, 181k miles, original clutch later, you can't beat that. Yeah the mileage sucks if you aren't highway but I'll take that tradeoff. Paint good, interior good, 4 sets of tires, 3 sets of brakes, etc...

It's nice safe truck for commuting for school especially in the winter. Decent gas mileage for a truck.

I found myself buying my first truck and it was between this and a regular cab Ranger with the 2.5 four cylinder. Had an insanely low (for a 14 year old truck) 65k on it when I bought it and almost a year later I am at 81k. I have had a trouble-free ownership so far, other than replacing the drive belt and servicing the rear diff when I first bought it. Pros would be how well this truck has aged (I've had a few compliments on it!), the consistent 20-22mpg I get with my manual transmission and how surprisingly comfortable it is on long journeys. A couple of downsides to consider before buying: like many others with the 3.9, there is a noticeable lack of power in hilly or mountainous terrain that gets me longing for a V8. Furthermore, while it's nice to have a no frills truck, there is a lack of comfort features for 2003 (no power windows/locks/seats/keyless entry) which took some getting used to. Because my Dakota has low miles and a manual, I plan on keeping it for quite some time.

This is a great, no-frills, reliable truck. It's certainly not the greatest on amenities, but it safely and reliably gets you from point A to B.

Drove this truck for 8 years and loved it Only replaced it because I had to get one to fit all 6 of the family in