2009 Dakota. 3.7/Auto... Thoughts?

N

Not A Duster

Well-known member
We need a new sales/service call vehicle. Our little Chevy Astrovan is becoming unreliable enough, that I am reluctant to use it for our 1500km trips, and new trucks/vans are simply too big and hard on fuel.

The Astro was a good compromise, because it got decent mileage, had tool shelves, and could tow our little trailer of scaffold.

I have found this Dakota - relatively low mileage - has a contractors topper with the associated tool shelves and appears to be in decent shape. It's a 3.7 V6 with 4 speed auto 2WD. ST trim level, fleet equipped.

Any experience with these things? are they half decent? or utter feces...? We could acquire this for just a little more than we spent on repairs to the Astro last year....
 
Not sure about the engine and drive train, but the bodies are just as good as any other truck... meaning that at 7 years of age, look close at it for rust, especially around the rear wheel openings, door bottoms, cab corners, rockers and rear cab mounts.
If it runs well and is in decent shape, you probably can't go wrong.
 
I'm hoping that Stretch and Wiplomat_Dagon will chime in on this, since they work on stuff like this every day. It seems to me that SmellsFishy recently bought a Dakota and their was some discussion on FB about known issues with the later non-LA-based V engines. I can't say I've sold a ton of parts for them, but that could mean a few things: They're really good, there aren't many around, or they all go straight to the crusher. :D
 
Try to find a 2005 low mileage astro or safari? Mine is a 93 with awd and I put some money and mostly sweat hours into it. Still runs like a champ and blows through snow like Trudeau blows through our money... 198,000 kms.

I find it way more handy than a pickup truck. Lock the doors and stuff stays safe and dry. Easy to maneuver in the city as well.
 
We currently have an Astro of that vintage. (2003) At 236,000 KM it blew through $5100.00 in repairs last year. Time I spend working on it myself is time I'm not spending taking care of customers and putting profit back into the business... It's okay for the city, but long sales road trips are no longer feasible in it.

Replacement Astrofaris out here are too much money for the amount of miles they have on them.
 
The 3.7 V6 and 4.7 V8 are mediocre at best.

They were left over designs from AMC when Chrysler was in the process of buying them.

We have customers with 3.7 Nitros and Jeep Libertys that have thrown out multiple cam followers. (Kind of like a rocker arm but sits under the cam.) One 4.7 Jeep Cherokee that threw a follower and the lifter popped out of it's bore and broke the head casting. The 4.7 is gutless in the Dakotas (They are better 2009-11.) I can't imagine how bad the 3.7 would be in one. The old 3.9 had more torque.

Just lots of valvetrain problems in general. Those followers popping out, lifter noise. Ticks, rattles, broken timing chain guides.

As OHC engines go the 4.6L Ford is better.

Loaded with gear in that V6 Dakota pulling your little trailer it's going to make you miss your Astro Van.

I love the Dakota. Hate those engines.
 
My best buddy has been looking for a decent used 4.7 to replace his blown unit[seized solid] for almost a year now and every wrecker that he has checked all say the same thing, basically they can not keep up with the demand for them. One claimed that he gets at least two calls a week from some poor guy in the same boat as my Bud. My advice, avoid them at all costs.

Stick to the good stuff, 318s are still one of the most reliable engines ever built, the one in my '91 Dakota has well over three hundred thousand kilometers on it and it takes three months to use a quarter of a liter of 5/20 motor oil. Drove it home two years ago for $150.00 and I still have yet to look at the sparkplugs, it starts no matter how cold it is and runs like a champ. Nothing but oil changes and air filters since Dec. 12/2014.
 
$5100 is a lot. Here's mine after a 4 hour drive to a lakeside campground:
 

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MOPAR MARV said:
Stick to the good stuff, 318s are still one of the most reliable engines ever built, the one in my '91 Dakota has well over three hundred thousand kilometers on it and it takes three months to use a quarter of a liter of 5/20 motor oil. Drove it home two years ago for $150.00 and I still have yet to look at the sparkplugs, it starts no matter how cold it is and runs like a champ. Nothing but oil changes and air filters since Dec. 12/2014.
Click to expand...

Well, if we were going to buy someone else's worn out old junk, we might just as well keep the worn out old junk we have.... I do not have time in my typical 70 - 80 hour work week to fix stuff for myself anymore... And it's concern over a unreliable vehicle failing on a remote highway halfway through a 2000 km sales trip that has us looking for alternatives in the first place. I also have had LA V8s that have given me the kind of service you are talking about... But it's the rest of the vehicle that nickle and dimes you.

To be clear: We do not want to buy another vehicle....the oil shock, plus the current attack on the west by the liberal hordes makes me very nervous about depleting cash or increasing debt. Our little Astrovan has been near perfect in size, equipment, and fuel economy for our needs... it's just wearing out and costing too much for repairs and maintenance. When it starts costing us revenue as well because we are not making it to jobsites on time, or are putting off sales calls then it's just no longer viable. (Frankly, if Chevy still made them, we would be looking at a new or newer used one with lower km on the clock.)

We need something that will continue to provide a reasonable compromise between capacity for jobsite tools/quipment, and fuel economy for long sales trip carrying demo equipment. Big trucks/vans are too hard on fuel. We cannot raise prices enough to accommodate the increased input costs - and frankly climbing up into the back of a newer pickup is a daunting task for my broken old body, and reduces jobsite productivity.
 
Ram Promaster City: 1880lb payload, 173 hp, both best in class and most cargo room. New in 2015
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Nissan NV200/Chevy city express:
Nissan_NV200_Vanette_Van_001.JPG

Ford Transit:
Ford_Transit_Connect_1.6_TDCi_(II)_–_Frontansicht,_3._April_2015,_Düsseldorf.jpg
 
Those are all front wheel drive. We pull a trailer full of scaffolding often/far enough for that to be an issue. Part of the reason the current astrovan was attractive to us in the first place. Our choices are unfortunately pretty limited.
 
Slow down Dude, I'm not trying to sell my Dakota! :naughty: :D:D

Just using it as an example of how awesome those little 318s really are.

I'm a die hard 318 fan and have been since the fall of 1968 when my mother bought a brand new '69 Polara S/W . It was a HUGE tank with a tiny motor but I developed some serious respect for that little 318.
 
MOPAR MARV said:
Slow down Dude, I'm not trying to sell my Dakota! :naughty: :D:D
Click to expand...

Didn't think that you were... [smilie=::

I have owned at least 5 trucks and countless cars with some variant of the LA V8, so I don't need convincing. Trouble is, we put far too many miles on in any given week to risk being sidelined by an old and worn out vehicle...

Being that you are a SK resident, here's some perspective: My (at least) twice yearly road trip to visit customers starts in Regina - I head West through Moosejaw and Swift Current, Then North through Rosetown, Kindersley and up to Lloydminster and North Battleford . Then across to Prince Albert, Melfort/Tisdale. Down through Yorkton, Melville Moosomin, Estevan, Weyburn and point in between. Stopping at schools, churches theatres, etc. Takes about 12 days and 2100km. Add to that 2 or three sales trips a month to Saskatoon, (500KM) and 25,000 km/yr getting to jobsites and.........
 
Hmmm... Yes, dropping the astro was a crap move for GM... People love them as a mini/full-size van hybrid
 
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