Hey, I'm trying to find a decent truck that seats 4 adults, gets ok mpg, and has a decently professional appearance. Impossible to find what I'm looking for in WI without paying an unholy amount. CA, NV, AZ, NM, MI,AL,GA,Fl,TX states preferred. I'll arrange the details and stuff for shipping, but I'm looking for someone to find something on craigslist or a dealer lot, and check it out. I'll pay $100 for that if I like the truck.

Decided on a 97-04 Dakota. Requirements are V6, 4wd, under 160k miles, 4 door (crew cab, 4 real doors), NOT BLACK NO RUST OR CRASH DAMAGE.
$4000 or so for the truck, knowing I'm going to spend around a grand getting it home... Plus every used vehicle needs "something"

Please PM me if anything's found. I really am having a tough time finding anything, and yes, I'm aware that my requirements are pretty strict, but, I really want a specific vehicle.

Thank you all very much.
~Nate

__________________
95 Honda Shadow ACE 1100.
1999 Plymouth Neon Expresso. 2.4 swap, 10.5 to 1 comp, big cams. Autocross time attack vehicle!
2012 Escape, 'hunter" (5 sp 4cyl)

I'll give you a $100 to buy a mercedes. Jk.

I'm in Santa Barabara, california. But you can check Santa Maria and San Luis Obispo Craigslist also.

For $4k it's pretty much a given it will need a tranny. They are horrible in those trucks.

Toyota on the other hand.

Thanks for the heads up. Its looking like most of the v6 4wd quad cab trucks were manual transmission, so I'm not too concerned about that, and the dodge transmission scare is a factor in my vehicle decision. I appreciate that, but, this is what I'm after.

What I am asking is litterally for someone to search craigslist/dealerships in their area, and if they see a clean 4 door dakota 4x4 v6 quad cab thats not black, rusty, with less than 160k miles, for around $4,000 to send me a link, and be willing to take a test drive if I like it and report back to me for $100. Only if I like what I see in the link will I ask for you to test drive it, at that point $100 via paypal is yours, even if it's a POS or whatever, even if it doesnt work out.

Not asking anyone to spend days kicking tires or anything. Just need someone NOT from a rust belt state to checkout a vehicle.

Thanks everyone!
~Nate

__________________
95 Honda Shadow ACE 1100.
1999 Plymouth Neon Expresso. 2.4 swap, 10.5 to 1 comp, big cams. Autocross time attack vehicle!
2012 Escape, 'hunter" (5 sp 4cyl)

How about a V8, 2WD, extended cab? I have one for sale?

You need to up your budget. That is a very in demand vehicle

__________________
1985 500SL Euro w/ AMG bits 130k
1984 300SD Turbodiesel 192k
1980 240D Stick China 188k
2001 CLK55 AMG 101k
2007 S600 Biturbo 149k Overheated Project, IT'S ALIVE!!!

Hi Nate.

My 2000 Dodge Dakota, 4cylinder cummins diesel gets 24 mpg. It is a 4wd, 4 real doors, crew cab, with less than 160K miles on it. My Cummins swap is well documented. It has a rebuilt 47RE with a brand new torque.

Sorry about the shakiness of this video; I was just learning how to take video with my iPad: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WeWeJOXowOc

And I will echo what Tyler said, you definitely need to up your budget.

Oh, I just read your ad. My truck may not work for you. It's black. It is from north central Florida though and has NO rust.

__________________
daw_two
Germantown, TN

Links:
Sold last car --- 05/2012 1984 300D Light Ivory, Red interior
Cluster Needles Paint
New Old Stock (NOS) parts

Past:
3/2008 1986 300SDL "Coda"
04/2010 1965 190D(c) "Ben"
& many more

Before I closed my dealership in December, I sold tons of Dakotas. The crew cabs never stayed on the lot more than a week. Cheapest I ever sold one was $6000 with 165k miles V6 2WD.

The fact is there are plenty of people out there willing to pay more than you are willing to pay, and unless the seller is stupid he will demand that price.

__________________
1985 500SL Euro w/ AMG bits 130k
1984 300SD Turbodiesel 192k
1980 240D Stick China 188k
2001 CLK55 AMG 101k
2007 S600 Biturbo 149k Overheated Project, IT'S ALIVE!!!

The Dakota is sweet.

Ditto on the budget if I have to search Craigslist. Haha.

There are sites out there that allow you to search all of Craigslist.

But I'll get one to your door for $1500.

2001 Dodge Dakota** Crew cab 4x4

__________________
-Justin

91 560 SEC AMG - other dogs dd
01 Honda S2000 - dogs dd
07 MB ML320 CDI - dd
16 Lexus IS250 - wifes dd

it's automatic.

Just out of curiosity... what is it about the Dakota that people like it? Durable? Powerful? Comfy?

__________________
"Senior Luna, your sense of humor is still loco... but we love it, anyway." -rickymay ____ "Your sense of humor is still loco... " -MBeige ____ "Señor Luna, your sense of humor is quite järjetön" -Delibes

1982 300SD -- 211k, Texas car, tranny issues ____ 1979 240D 4-speed 234k -- turbo and tuned IP, third world taxi hot rod

2 Samuel 12:13: "David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die."

Cheaper than a Tacoma? I was wondering that too.

The Dakotas have posi trac rear ends correct? My dads old 98 ram had that and it was easily it's best feature. Otherwise mediocre at best, essentially rusted out by 130k. One of the rear doors got stuck closed, never could get it open before we sold it.

Yeah, I guess it's the only mid-size pickup other than the Tacoma that could be had in crew cab configuration (excluding oddballs like the Explorer Sport Trac).

__________________
"Senior Luna, your sense of humor is still loco... but we love it, anyway." -rickymay ____ "Your sense of humor is still loco... " -MBeige ____ "Señor Luna, your sense of humor is quite järjetön" -Delibes

1982 300SD -- 211k, Texas car, tranny issues ____ 1979 240D 4-speed 234k -- turbo and tuned IP, third world taxi hot rod

2 Samuel 12:13: "David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die."

Interesting. My buddy had a 2wd with a v6. It was cool I guess. Fit a lot of people. That truck had back luck though, we always got in trouble in it.

What happened to our OP?

I'll keep a look out. I'm on Craigslist, and here, too much as it is.

Finding a bunch of them out west, but holding out for "the" one. May have found it...

04, quad cab, stickshift, v6, 155k miles, new clutch. Blue, with tanno cover. Owned by a Marine stationed unpleasently on 29 palms... He wants more than it's worth, but, we're finding common ground after swapping stories and such.

It has odo discrepency's accourding to carfax, but fairly confident his mother screwed up registering it when he was away based on what I see for odometer trends and his story. Logical, but, definetly going to ding the value of the truck...

But... Manual windows... and quite a few dings but.... It's a truck. I should expect that.

Hummmm, one way to make a cool story. Buy a cheap truck halfway across the country based off a handful of pictures and a few dozen test messages/emails.

We shall see...
~Nate

__________________
95 Honda Shadow ACE 1100.
1999 Plymouth Neon Expresso. 2.4 swap, 10.5 to 1 comp, big cams. Autocross time attack vehicle!
2012 Escape, 'hunter" (5 sp 4cyl)