Dodge joined the mid-size pickup truck market in 1987 with the Dakota. The company fielded the product until 2011 and then withdrew from the market segment, though Dodge is still big in the full-size truck space. The seller has a nice first-year Dakota that has a brand-new engine and is in good shape overall. Located in Newport, Oregon, this two-tone mini-RAM is available here on craigslist for $4,500. Hats off to “Curvette” for sending this tip our way.
The Dakota competed with the Chevrolet S-10 (later Colorado) and the Ford Ranger. Three generations were offered for 24 years, and the Dakota was typically third in the sales race in this arena. It differed from the Chevy and Ford as it was the first mid-size to offer a V8 engine (optional and not yet available when the seller’s truck was produced). The Dakota was built in the same plant as the full-size D/W Series trucks. Standard and extended bed editions were offered.
As this truck is being listed for sale on behalf of a friend, details of the Dakota are sparse. The indicated mileage is not high (78,000), which begs the question, why was a new engine needed that only has 1,000 miles on it? The truck looks to have been well-kept for the past 39 years. The brakes are also new, and the truck uses an automatic transmission.
No mention is made of which engine was replaced. The standard 4-cylinder or the optional V6. No photo is provided, and that would be an important point to go into detail on. The body and paint on this Dodge look good, as does the interior, which appears to have been an upgraded version. If you need a smaller truck, the price could be quite right for this ride.
What’s that badge on the front fender. 🤔 is it the V6 Magnum ? Nice plain jane model Dixon.