Which new truck??

[icantbejon]

So I figured I'd let you guys help me make another decision. You didn't steer me wrong with my promotion pick up, so why not dip back into the pool of knowledge. So here we are, I'm thinking about buying a new truck soon. I currently have a Dodge Dakota and I want something bigger. Here are my options.

1. Ram
2. F150
3. Sierra
4. Silverado
5. Tundra

Those are listed in no particular order to me, but I'll say this....I think the Tundra looks the best of the bunch. I haven't test driven any of these yet or even looked into pricing. I just wanted your guys general opinion.

[dubnick]

I drive an F150, the generation before the current, 04.

I Love my truck but don't absolutely love the new style. A good friend of mine drives a Tundra, and it's a great truck. Very roomy.

I'd say F150 for reliability, Tundra for style!!

[ToddziLLa]

'05 F-150 owner here, had a '92 before it. I bought the '05 with 17 miles on it, just turned 50k and have had ZERO issues with it.

Also do yourself a favor and watch ALL of this: http://www.fordvehicles.com/2009f150/

:D

[AAlmeter]

6. Titan. Had an F150 and got a Titan last year. More power and it handles being severely overloaded really well (I'm an abuser).

[Bruins Fan]

Stay away from Dodge, and I have had four new ones all top of the line SLT 4x4's.
They have lost my business for good.

[St. Lou Stu]

Stay away from Dodge, and I have had four new ones all top of the line SLT 4x4's.
They have lost my business for good.

I may regret opening this can o worms......
But, would you like to tell us why that is John?

[tobii3]

With all due respect, Sir....

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y198/tobii3/BabyandtheBeast.jpg

'98 Dakota
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y198/tobii3/TheBaby.jpg

'04 Ram 2500 Cummins Turbo Diesel(HO)
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y198/tobii3/TheBeast.jpg

And of course, Household 6 drives the Grand Caravan....:D

If you go with the Ram, skip the Hemi, go straight to Diesel.

[foomanto]

the chevy silverado i think you can get as a hybrid if that interests you at all

[jonharky]

I have had a 2000 s-10 and had no problems with but now I turned to Kia and since they don't have any trucks I will go with chevy

[flat6nut]

Stay away from Dodge, and I have had four new ones all top of the line SLT 4x4's.
They have lost my business for good.


I would stay away from them on the news/rumors as of late alone. I am a Ford guy, but the Toyotas are a very good truck but they are ugly.

Great deals on Dodges right now, but it is scary to think what will happen to the warranty/services you will get in the future with them.

[Wolfgang]

but from a company that is still in business.

[Smokin Gator]

I would not consider buying anything right now other than an F150. American owned company and a great truck (I have an 08).

[68TriShield]

I've owned many more Ford's(gas and diesel)than Chevys.So I voted Ford.
That said,I drive a 07 Silverado w/ the Duramax/Allison and I'm very happy with it.
Disclaimer:I've had many more 3/4 ton trucks than 1/2 tons.

[kelmac07]

Big Dodge guy here...have owned three of them. But I agree with the concern with the company downsizing/closing numerous dealerships. Love my vehicles though!!

[Bruins Fan]

I may regret opening this can o worms......
But, would you like to tell us why that is John?

We will start with this first, it came from the factory missing the trailer hitch I ordered, and I had to purchases again, the molding was missing on the passengers side, I did not notice it until I drove it off the lot, the dealer would not fix it told me to write Chrysler to make it good.
The computer let go went full throttle on the highway got it shut down after it hit 95 or so.
I can not use my plug in jacks all the bells and whistles go off spent two days in the shop for this still don't work, they might be ok now the bells and whistles are burnt out.
The bolt fell out of the a frame for the top ball joint, glad I noticed it backing up and not on the highway, had to replace two ball joints, two u joints, battery first two weeks, alternator, wiper assembly, power window switches, transmission lines had to be replaced, power steering hose had to be replaced, fabric on the drivers seat worn out hole in the fabric. I have a whine in the tranny, I am sure I forgot a few things.
Most of this occurred after the 36000 warranty was up. The truck is a 05 all highway miles and never been abused, I need the 4x4 to haul my 20' boat one mile to the ramp.
If you have a good one I am happy for you,me never again.

[GarlicBreath]

Voted Ford because they didn't take our money.

[St. Lou Stu]

We will start with this first, it came from the factory missing the trailer hitch I ordered, and I had to purchases again, the molding was missing on the passengers side, I did not notice it until I drove it off the lot, the dealer would not fix it told me to write Chrysler to make it good.
The computer let go went full throttle on the highway got it shut down after it hit 95 or so.
I can not use my plug in jacks all the bells and whistles go off spent two days in the shop for this still don't work, they might be ok now the bells and whistles are burnt out.
The bolt fell out of the a frame for the top ball joint, glad I noticed it backing up and not on the highway, had to replace two ball joints, two u joints, battery first two weeks, alternator, wiper assembly, power window switches, transmission lines had to be replaced, power steering hose had to be replaced, fabric on the drivers seat worn out hole in the fabric. I have a whine in the tranny, I am sure I forgot a few things.
Most of this occurred after the 36000 warranty was up. The truck is a 05 all highway miles and never been abused, I need the 4x4 to haul my 20' boat one mile to the ramp.
If you have a good one I am happy for you,me never again.


Whew! :dance:
No regret here..... I actually was hoping for this reply rather than some company in bankruptcy BS.....

Understandable why you would wish to stay away as it sounds like you have had some less than desirable luck with their trucks..... I have owned several and never had such luck..... but then again... I don't keep 'em past 36k miles.
I prefer Dodges because their interiors are superior to Chebby and Furd.... I do really like Furds though..... if they had nicer interiors.... Chebby, a not so much.

[sikk50]

I'll never stray from my beloved Chevy diesels (pending outcome of bankrupcy)

[Bruins Fan]

I liked the Dodge B/C of the cab had lots of room, and it has lots of pulling power.
This one was or is a lemon, and I got no satisfaction from the dealer.
I have to hold them longer then the 36, when I am working I can do that in less then two years, my commute can be over 150 a day.

[cigars_n_scotch]

I drive a Tundra and that truck received my vote. Phenomenal truck! You wouldn't be disappointed.

[WildBlueSooner]

I love the Tundras..my friend has one and loves it. That said I also love F-150s

[CasaDooley]

I drive an 06 F150 and love it. My last one was a 1987 F250 with just over 200,000 miles on it and it still did not burn a drop of oil. Buy American, buy Ford:tu

[St. Lou Stu]

I liked the Dodge B/C of the cab had lots of room, and it has lots of pulling power.
This one was or is a lemon, and I got no satisfaction from the dealer.
I have to hold them longer then the 36, when I am working I can do that in less then two years, my commute can be over 150 a day.

Same here brother... you ain't half bad for a Red Sox fan:D (Cardinals here... you made our last season at the old Busch Stadium hell, remember? ;))
I commuted 80 miles a day in an 04 Hemi Quad Cab 2500 4x4 back in the height of the gas price BS!

Sounds like ya got a bad one.... I only ever had one problem... in warranty (thank goodness).
Don't give up on em yet.... unless you want to sacrifice that nice, large interior just to spite them! :tu

[Bruins Fan]

I sure do, it was pay back for 67 what a great season that was. We had Jim Lonborg you guys had Bob Gibson.
Two tuff SOB that would knock you down in a heart beat.
They would eat up and spit out today's players.
Sorry for the tread drift :D

[AAlmeter]

In my opinion, if you're big into the pro-America thing, its worth your while to see just which trucks are UAW made, and to avoid or buy in accordance with your beliefs. Remember, many 'US' trucks are made largely outside the US and then assembled by an organization which may or may not have very negative effects on US manufacturing and the economy as a whole, depending of course on your personal assessment of the situation.

Between the competition's performance and reliability and this fact, I certainly had very little difficulty in making the decision that I made when truck shopping.

[tobii3]

hmmm....

One question here...

For those of you recommmending certain makes, how many miles have you logged??

(and Bruins Fan, you have some crappy luck!!:D)

Reason I'm asking?

98 has 163K miles on it. Been coast to coast (NC/CA/NC numerous times) and no problems. 11 years now....All I've replaced is a catalytic converter and a water pump.

04 Ram is turning 90K...Been through 36 states now, towing everything from an empty flatbed to a 34 ft RV trailer. When I was in Iraq my buddy ran supplies down to Mississippi after Katrina - he blew an injector (under warranty). Nothing else has been replaced.

:wo

[AAlmeter]

hmmm....

One question here...

For those of you recommmending certain makes, how many miles have you logged??

(and Bruins Fan, you have some crappy luck!!:D)

Reason I'm asking?

98 has 163K miles on it. Been coast to coast (NC/CA/NC numerous times) and no problems. 11 years now....All I've replaced is a catalytic converter and a water pump.

04 Ram is turning 90K...Been through 36 states now. When I was in Iraq my buddy ran supplies down to Mississippi after Katrina - he blew an injector (under warranty). Nothing else has been replaced.

:wo

I go by close experience (meaning myself, my father, and one brother) as I service all of their vehicles and know their driving habits, and it would be impossible for anyone do drive multiple recent model year vehicles to the limits of their estimated longevity...

Chevy....350k
Nissan....500k
Ford.....100k

[BigAl_SC]

1.9% or $3000 off on the Tundra right now. I have an eight year old one that has 165k work miles on it. Engine is fantastic, just wish it had a heavier frame. The new ones do. I got mine 4 years too early but I would not trade it for any other except maybe a new Tundra.....

[tobii3]

...the limits of their estimated longevity...

The key to longevity is MAINTENANCE. And what I've seen (and you've seen) under the hood defies ALL aspects of common sense.

[GreekGodX]

Coming from a Ford family, I have to vote the F-150. I'm definitely biased but I would not choose anything else. It's American, great reputation and I think it's the best looking out of all of the trucks.

[tobii3]

It's American, great reputation and I think it's the best looking....

Ford has plants in Canada and Mexico as well, Greek...

Ford is Mexican Made?l (http://www.autoblog.com/2008/11/07/ford-closing-hermosillo-plant-for-january/)

Ford is made in Canada too?? (http://www.fordf150.net/howto/decodevin.php)

Yeah, that whole NAFTA thing worked real well, didn't it??

[RGD.]

Ford has plants in Canada and Mexico as well, Greek...

Ford is Mexican Made?l (http://www.autoblog.com/2008/11/07/ford-closing-hermosillo-plant-for-january/)

Ford is made in Canada too?? (http://www.fordf150.net/howto/decodevin.php)

Yeah, that whole NAFTA thing worked real well, didn't it??

All manufactures have plants in different countries. Keep in mind that Ford vehicles are not just sold in America - they are sold world wide and so are GM's and Dodge.

I'm a Ford man here, although I have owned trucks/cars from all the major American makes. My wife's Crown Vic was made in Canada. My F150 (previous) was made in Norfolk Va. My current and past F350's were made in Louisville KY and the motors were made in Indianapolis IN. I have toured both plants.

In answer to the OP's question/poll - from the list I would buy from a company that isn't facing bankruptcy myself. So either the Ford or Toyota. Really can't go wrong with either one. Ford is the best selling pick up truck for a reason.


Ron

[Bruzee]

Ford! :tu

[Swampper]

I have had a bunch of Ford trucks. I drive a Nissan now.
I vote Nissan Titan. :2

[acarr]

I have had a bunch of Ford trucks. I drive a Nissan now.
I vote Nissan Titan. :2

I would vote for the Titan also if it was on the list. My last Nissan had 250k on it with hardly any maintenance done. That includes oil changes and it still ran when I turned it in. I figured that the amount I saved with maintenance bought me my new Titan. Although, I do have regular maintenance done on the new one:D

[Ragin Cajun]

Chevy Silverado 2500 crewcab duramax diesel is the way to go. I drive one for work (only its all decked out to make it as tactical as possible) and the one that I drive for personal use has never given me any problems whatsoever.

[Lucky_Hippo]

Another Ford vote here!

[tobii3]

Well hell, Ferg, if I can make it up this weekend, I'll bring the Beast so you can REALLY test drive a Diesel 4x4.

Sound like a fair evaluation??

:tu

[AriesOpusX]

Go for the Dodge Ram I second the diesel though. :tu Love mine.

[Junior]

Going off of the trucks/SUVs that I have owned. I would only buy a GM product, so Chevrolet or GMC. I have driven Fords and Dodges. The Fords don't get the MPG that GM does. I had multiple issues with the Dodge that I had.

[AAlmeter]

The key to longevity is MAINTENANCE. And what I've seen (and you've seen) under the hood defies ALL aspects of common sense.

Agreed.

I should post up some pics of my girlfriend 'new' car. '02(?) Jetta TDI. She bought it after her brother (a doctor) looked it over, but she didn't give me the opportunity to look it over because, apparently, I'm a know-it-all who turns everything into an engineering problem. ;)

You should see the absolute disaster under the hood. A whole poop ton of add-on wires, some not connected, just birdnested around the whoe engine compartment. My very favorite is a stretched out coil of solder running from the negative terminal to the body as some sort of ground.

Anyone in the market for a POS Jetta??

[Starscream]

I would stay away from both Dodge and the GMs right now. Ford seems to be holding steady so far.

[Ranger_B]

I went ahead and voted for the Dodge. I have an 06 Ram and much like others have said did have some issues with it. I on the other hand was quite lucky and the dealer not only took care of it but reset my warranty to the date of when the issue was resolved. know not all dealers are the same so I got lucky there. All that being said I would take my time not only do you find the better deals come early fall but that will give the companies time to figure out who is in charge and paying the bills.

[shilala]

I would go with the GMC. Only because I have had my best luck with GMC's, and the Envoy I drive now is hands down the best, most reliable, most comfortable, and favorite vehicle I have ever owned.
If I was going with "what's the smartest choice?", I'd say the Ford.
I'd walk before I had to drive the Toyota. :tu

[White97Jimmy]

I've owned both Chevy and Ford trucks and would buy either one again. However I did enjoy my Ford a little more.

Never considered a Chrysler product and never a foreign vehicle.
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[smokeyandthebandit05]

With this cash for clunker thing goin on and my Explorer gettin HORRIBLE gas mileage Im thinkin about taking advantage of this. Chrysler is offering to double the money the gov't is giving out so instead of $4500 I could get $9000. I like the 09 Ram 1500's.

I was wondering if anyone has any thoughts about the truck.

[SchizoFilly]

I voted Tundra....assuming you won't be going diesel with your given choices.

I have seen the Toyota put up with a lot more abuse and hold up better over the miles than anything else on the road. Don't know about resale value, but most of the time a Toyota will hold its value fairly well. 4-wheel drive systems don't get much better from the factory than Toyota. I have always driven American made trucks of my own and for work until the most recent, and it was a Tundra. I am a convert for sure. The four full door model has about as much leg room in the back as the Dodge Mega Cab, and those are the ONLY two vehicles that can comfortably seat four adults (I'm 6'5", if you're short you can probably ignore that).

Dirt roads took much longer to make the Tundra start to rattle than the dodge, ford, or GM trucks. It's inevitable, but it's nice to have the quiet last as long as it can. Didn't haul heavy trailers much, but I'm in the camp that feels if you are hauling heavy trailers on a regular basis you need a diesel.

The only other thing I will say is that for comfort, the fully loaded GM has the best seats of any truck on the market hands down.

[e-man67]

I voted Ford...I have had 3 with ZERO issues...My dad has a 1972 Ford dump truck non diesel with over 700K on it and it sits outside...he can got out any day of the week in the dead of winter and it starts...he also has an 81 f250 non diesel with over 400K on the clock and never an engine or tranny overhaul...that couldn't be said for his chevy of GMC. I had a Toyota 4 Runner and while it was OK it felt like a tin can...and when it started to rust there was no stopping it...had the same issue with my wifes Toyota Paseo...started to rust 5 years after she bought it and there was no stopping it...I am a firm believer in Ford trucks! I traded my 05 F150 quad cab King ranch in and bought a BMW 5 series with the M sport pack...and while it's fun I wish I had my truck back!

[AngryBill]

I voted Dodge. Love my truck and have had no issues. I did buy the lifetime warranties, since I keep a truck for about 20 years. The only issue I have had is the rear power door lock mechanism had to be replaced (Under warranty). Have 71k miles on it and for a hemi is getting 14-20 mpg.

I know the Tundra is an excellent truck also.