I'm looking at picking up a very clean 97 Dodge Dakota, 4x4, extended cab or is it club cab....very clean no rust. It has the V8 magnum engine, which is the 318 I believe. Mileage at just under 200k, which is 120 for you U.S folks.

I have no experience with the Daks, any advice or things to look for?

What are the weaknesses or faults of this model dak?

From all appearances the truck has spend a lot of its life indoors when in use and when not in use.

Thanks,

Read this thread

https://board.moparts.org/ubbthreads/ubbt...tml#Post1970054

Hard to find one w/out rust being it's so old now. I just got a 98 ext cab 4x4 318 with low miles but does have rust. Replaced all the brake lines just about. The rockers are starting to go as well as the fenders. The frame even has a spooky swelling happening where the main frame joins rear section. (yes 2 pieces). Good truck for the most part.

I have a 97 2wd E-cab. Pushing 300K Colorado miles and no rust. Has been one the best trucks that I've over owned.
Check for worn ball joints as they were shot from the factory. They also had a defective intake gasket. The heater core is probably clogged up too.

I promise a 97 Dakota that spent its life in Northern IL would not look like that under it. A lot of them around here have rust holes in both bumpers, all 4 wheel wells, rockers, and door bottoms! Most run great though. 97 was the first year for that body style.

When did they start putting the 4.7 in?

I have a 93 4x4. Great truck, but the rust is probably going to kill it. Mine has 155,000 miles on it. Gene

These are great trucks! If it's been cared for, you'll have it a long time!

The foggy headlights can be revived with a wet-sanding, some clear coat for plastic, and a good coat of wax. Don't buy new aftermarket replacements.

About the only things I see regularly on these when they come up for sale is a noisy rear end, and blown transmissions. The steering system frequently leaks, too.

Otherwise, rust rust rust rust rust!

I got lucky, bought mine for a song from a charity. It was a one-owner truck, and I've got 170,000 miles on it with NO issues at all!

BWT, my truck is a Wisconsin truck it's whole life...

WOW that is a clean truck.............looks like its a year old...

I'm told the front end, ball joints and components were changed and have less then 100 miles on them. Asked about rust and there is no body rot and the underside looks like its 4 years old, is a rural truck so not exposed to road salt.

Nice truck....

Most of em I see for sale for cheap have transmission troubles. The rest have rust troubles. If you're good on both those counts, snag it.

Don't ever put clear coat on your headlights! Wet sand them yes, depending on how bad they are determines what grit you start with but usually around 1000 grit, then 1500 grit then POLISH them with paint polish, then wax them, they will look like new and never peel.