Used 1997 Dodge Dakota Consumer Reviews
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Reliable
MW Maker, 08/02/2008
1997 Dodge Dakota Sport 2dr Extended Cab SB (3.9L 6cyl naturally aspired 5M)
10 of 10 people found this review helpful
I bought the Dakota new back in 1997. I now have almost 150k miles with nothing but standard maintenance required. I have had a problem with the speakers since I bought it and the dealership could never figure it out. Other than this one issue the truck has served me well over the past decade.
Handy to have around
Phil Briddell, 01/12/2008
1997 Dodge Dakota Sport 2dr Regular Cab LB (2.5L 4cyl naturally aspired 5M)
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
I bought this for my daughter who always wanted a pickup. It has a teal color. It worked very well for her. She has moved to the city and a pickup is unnecessary, so I inherited it. I'm having trouble giving it up as it is handy to have around. Drives like a truck and gets the same kind of low mileage but that is what it is.
Great 97 Dakota
Jeff, 12/04/2010
1997 Dodge Dakota Sport 2dr Extended Cab 4WD SB (3.9L 6cyl naturally aspired 5M)
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
318 5.2 auto 192,000 miles. Purchased it last summer from a 1 owner, always garaged and well taken care of. Usual rust areas esp in northeast to be expected....bottom of the pass side door, and had the rear spring shackles replaced. Hasnt failed me yet...a/c doesnt work the best, to be expected on a 13 y/o vehicle. Not the best on gas, 13.3 - 18.5 on aggressive tread 31's....wish I had a 5spd for better gas milage. Other than the a/c, everything else works great. Needed to replace the steering shaft. My second Dakota...feel they are built well and Id buy another.
Best truck I could buy
curt, 09/26/2006
1997 Dodge Dakota SLT 2dr Extended Cab 4WD SB (3.9L 6cyl naturally aspired 5M)
6 of 7 people found this review helpful
I wanted to get a little truck hoping for good gas mileage, and when I found my Dakota SLT 4x4 with the 5.2 V8 I fell in love. Since I got this truck all I have had done was put dual flowmaster exhaust on it which increase my fuel mileage 3 miles. I love the horsepower it has, and I feel this is the best looking Dakota model out there, and my friends agree.
Just bought a '97 in 2013
sstevek, 07/30/2013
updated 02/05/2018
1997 Dodge Dakota SLT 2dr Regular Cab SB (3.9L 6cyl naturally aspired 5M)
3 of 4 people found this review helpful
My model is actually a Sport 2WD 3.9 5 speed manual that I bought with about 102,500 miles. I get plenty of snow in my area, but the truck is for occasional use. I wanted a truck with a V6 and a manual transmission, something not easy to find. I think the V6 with the manual is a great combination - and a rare find. The regular cab is a little tight for me - but that's ok. I do enjoy driving the truck. It rides well, and the interior is solid. With the windows up it's quiet - there's not one rattle in the truck. My first fuel calculation, highway and around town was 18.8 mpg. Very satisfied with that. I feel good about this truck. I was asked to update my review. I no longer have the Dakota, mainly because my son was living in an off campus area where the roads were steep. He had a AWD car, but it was getting up there in miles and if he needed repairs I wanted him to borrow something suited for snow, so I bought a 4WD truck with an automatic transmission. I will say, the interior of the Dakota was solid, not one rattle. I can't say the same about the 2001 GM truck that replaced it. I'd still recommend a used Dodge Dakota. I know someone who had about 230k miles on the 3.9V6 and it was still running fine. I was again asked to update my review. All I can add is the friend's Dakota mentioned above with 230k miles was sold with 320k. Last he heard it was running with 329k.
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
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