Attention: TDR Forum Junkies 
Well the day has come where the back seat is too small for my kids to sit in comfortably.
Brooke's been hinting at getting something bigger..... "The '05 sure had a lot more room than this truck", "The '05 sure was a nice truck", etc...
So I started hunting for a newer dually. I had four very simple criteria, which needed to be met:
1) It had to be a 4x4... we do too much traveling up north, and I don't want to get caught in the Rockies in a freak storm in a 2wd.
2) It had to be a long-bed... that was one of the reasons I got rid of our short-bed '05.
3) It had to be an automatic (Brooke's demand)... she hates shifting the NV5600, and to tell the truth, my knees are starting to hurt more and more, and shifting is becoming a pain.
Finally, 4) It had to have leather heated seats... on a long trip, when my Airborne-crippled back starts hurting, that heat eases the pain.
I started by looking on EBay... I found what I was looking for up in Fort Worth. Problem was the guy is a wholesaler and he wasn't going to give me squat for our '01... . pass.
Next, I went to the local dealership, a former locally-owned family business which sold to the Lithia Group... big mistake. The dealer tells me that finding what I want is like looking for a needle in a haystack, but he would look. When I got home from work, I had a voicemail...
"Mr. Lynes, this is Chon at Lithia. I couldn't find what you were looking for, but I would encourage you to come down and look at our inventory and buy from us. You can always buy a heating pad and plug it in and use that, when you're driving. See you soon. "... ... . pass.
So I began hunting, using that wonderful Google tool. I came across a Deep Molten Red Pearl, Taupe leather interior w/the suede inserts, automatic, 4x4 w/electronic shift, electric adjustable pedals, long-bed Quad Cab w/121,000 miles on it... $21,800. I called the Dodge dealer who had it and spoke to him and told him what I had. He told me that we could work a deal.
When all was said and done, I'm walking away with something I'll be happy with, finally. I'm taking the AirDog off and keeping it and putting the original LP back on, but I'll leave the AirDog wiring in place for whoever buys it next... 3rd Gen wiring harnesses are different anyway.
I've gotten a lot of useful tips and knowledge, especially from Gary, Bob and Tim regarding the APPS... Bob, I'll go ahead and send you the bracket back... anyone need some Deutsch connectors and a MS?
So, while I'm not saying goodbye, I will say thank you to all the 2nd Gen guys, who are very stand-up folks... maybe one day I'll be able to put a face with the post, while traveling with the tribe.
See you on the Dark Side...
Brooke's been hinting at getting something bigger..... "The '05 sure had a lot more room than this truck", "The '05 sure was a nice truck", etc...
So I started hunting for a newer dually. I had four very simple criteria, which needed to be met:
1) It had to be a 4x4... we do too much traveling up north, and I don't want to get caught in the Rockies in a freak storm in a 2wd.
2) It had to be a long-bed... that was one of the reasons I got rid of our short-bed '05.
3) It had to be an automatic (Brooke's demand)... she hates shifting the NV5600, and to tell the truth, my knees are starting to hurt more and more, and shifting is becoming a pain.
Finally, 4) It had to have leather heated seats... on a long trip, when my Airborne-crippled back starts hurting, that heat eases the pain.
I started by looking on EBay... I found what I was looking for up in Fort Worth. Problem was the guy is a wholesaler and he wasn't going to give me squat for our '01... . pass.
Next, I went to the local dealership, a former locally-owned family business which sold to the Lithia Group... big mistake. The dealer tells me that finding what I want is like looking for a needle in a haystack, but he would look. When I got home from work, I had a voicemail...
"Mr. Lynes, this is Chon at Lithia. I couldn't find what you were looking for, but I would encourage you to come down and look at our inventory and buy from us. You can always buy a heating pad and plug it in and use that, when you're driving. See you soon. "... ... . pass.
So I began hunting, using that wonderful Google tool. I came across a Deep Molten Red Pearl, Taupe leather interior w/the suede inserts, automatic, 4x4 w/electronic shift, electric adjustable pedals, long-bed Quad Cab w/121,000 miles on it... $21,800. I called the Dodge dealer who had it and spoke to him and told him what I had. He told me that we could work a deal.
When all was said and done, I'm walking away with something I'll be happy with, finally. I'm taking the AirDog off and keeping it and putting the original LP back on, but I'll leave the AirDog wiring in place for whoever buys it next... 3rd Gen wiring harnesses are different anyway.
I've gotten a lot of useful tips and knowledge, especially from Gary, Bob and Tim regarding the APPS... Bob, I'll go ahead and send you the bracket back... anyone need some Deutsch connectors and a MS?
So, while I'm not saying goodbye, I will say thank you to all the 2nd Gen guys, who are very stand-up folks... maybe one day I'll be able to put a face with the post, while traveling with the tribe.
See you on the Dark Side...
