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G51989

macrumors 68030
Original poster
Feb 25, 2012
2,530
10
NYC NY/Pittsburgh PA
I've always thought the raptor was pretty badass, i think its a trim of the f-150 but not too sure.
Image

Very cool truck, but they can tow about as much as a Ford Escape ( 4000 pounds ), because the same suspension that lets them catch a solid 12 feet of air without damage also is far to soft to tow anything

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The Dodge Ram is maybe the toughest truck out there now. Also look at the Silverado.

I was looking at both, but neither seem to have the appeal of the new F150

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Anything at or above the F150, Ram 1500, or GM 1500 range is considered a full size truck. That includes the Toyota Tundra and the like.


I don't particularly need a truck that large which is why I am waiting to see what comes of the new Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon. They are what I would consider a midsize pick. You can find all sorts of information online about them. I am going to wait for the 2016 model year for the 4 cylinder turbo diesel they will be putting in them. The 2015 v6 gas model is rated about 300 hp and 275 lb. ft. of torque with a towing capacity of at least 6700 pounds. For a midsize truck that is supposed to get 25+ mpg those specs are pretty good.

As I said though, I am going to wait until the diesel come out to make my final decision.


If you want a "full size" truck then the 2014 silverado and 2014 sierra were rated very good, though they seemed to like the ride of the RAM 1500 the best. A quick video is here

I don't mind ford, but I am not a fan of the design, I just like the "butch" look of the 2014 GM trucks better than any of the previous Ford designs. I understand I am in the minority there.

Agreed on that, the new GMCs look very promisng, could be very good for use. But I need a full sized.

My issue with the newer GM products is the ride.

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Yea, with that towing, you need a fullsize. F150 is considered full-size.

As I was saying, even being a huge Toyota/Nissan fan. I don't think anything holds a candle to the new Al F150.

Should hold up better in those northern winters too.

After some research thta is what I am thinking, I've had my F350 V10 for 5 years now, and it hasnt missed a hitch, not a spot either, same with my 09 ranger, I feel that Ford builds a good truck.

The issue with Yota is that their full sized offerings is sub 2007 level offerings.

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I have a Dakota which I love, unfortunately they don't make those anymore. I really think they are the prefect midsize.

I always liked those, they gave you a good option between small and full sized. But the issue was, they weren't very well made.

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I agree. I am driving around a 1998 S10 extended cab and it is almost perfect. There is no back seat seating area to speak of which sucks. The new Colorado and Canyon have an extended can and 4 door option that I am very mush interested in. My 98 S10 is in great shape and has low mile so I have not had to replace it and have been able to wait for something I thought was a worthy upgrade but not an upgrade to a full size (which i don't really need)

I like the S10 for the same reason I love my Ranger, which I decided I will keep, I can only get like 10K for mine anyway, I like having a real small truck around.

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Can't go wrong really with any of the full size trucks from the Big 3. Personally I would go for the Sierra. It is slightly higher in quality compared to the Silverado( real aluminum trim in the Sierra vs fake in the Silverado).

My family has a 2002 Suburban and it has been solid for 12 years.

001-2014-gmc-sierra-live.jpg

I did some research on the GM products, which I typically don't like as much besides my Vette, and while I was impressed with the strides they made, from the Demo 2015 I tooled around in, ( you still cant buy one, yet ), Ford has really upped the game in interior, MPG, power and ride.

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I think your choice of F150 is good. Have not had good luck with Toyota,and would lean toward American on the truck side. I will say that when I looked at used pickups a year ago the F150 seemed to age the best out of all the trucks. Here is what I have found sticky based on my used truck search.

Looked best after years of use in order from best to worst:

Ford - Cleaner Engine & Trans, Fewer rattles, higher quality interior feel, Great ride.
Chevy - Cleaner Engine, More rattles, middle on interior feel, Average ride.
Ram - Dirtier engines and trans, Rattle about same as Chevy, Good interior feel, Great ride. (Also noticed more paint and rust issues than all the others)
Toyota - Dirty engines and trans, Rattles about same as Chevy and Ram. Interior is shameful. Average ride
Nissan - Didn't look at engine or trans on these as the rattles are so bad there is no way I could drive it on a daily basis.

Good luck on your search.

Hope I didn't upset anyone on my opinions. Keep in mind these are my own personal observations. Others might have a different feeling about these trucks. Sorry if you love your truck and I put it at the bottom :)

I would agree with that, the Big 3 trucks are normally pretty good, but Ford always seems to be a step above GM and Chrysler in how long they last and how cheap they are to maintain, even tho Ford never quiet matches GM or Chrysler in power output.

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My experiences:

Ford F-150 Super Crew - the best of the lot. Very comfortable ride, turns on a dime (for a vehicle that large), nice fit and feel.

Chevy Silverado - much like the Ford, but it wasn't nearly as maneuverable (hard to park).

Dodge Ram - Believe it or not, it felt cramped to me. Back seat was noticeably smaller than the Ford or Chevy. The ergonomics of the driver's controls didn't suit me, but everybody's different.

I can agree with most of this. I always thought that Ford is the one on top, it explains why they get the best sales in Trucks and Vans by a HUGE margin compared to GM and Chrysler.

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The F150 is a nice truck, I'd say go with that since you had the F350.

Yes, this is what I am thinking, my V10 F350 Super Duty has been a great truck, its never missed a beat. The MPG was even at 17mpg highway, not bad for a 7000 pound truck, tho people with duallys werent so lucky ;)

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Ford F150 is probably the way to go. Unless the Toyota reliability extends to trucks...?

It does, Toyota makes great trucks.

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The issue is the Tundra is the same since 2007. It's ancient.

Plus, the Big 3's quality issues never really extended to their trucks. That's the one thing they didn't dare screw up. With the one possibile exception of Chrysler's transmissions. They sucked and were the biggest weakness to the Ram.

This is how I feel, I took a look at the " new " even tho under the hood its the same as the old Tundra, its a wonderfully made truck with tons of nice options and the quality is mind blowing, but under the hood its nearly 10 years out of date.

Yep, and those Transmission Issues were fixed pretty quickly.

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That was my impression as well. People seem to keep these big trucks forever.

Yep, the nice thing about a big truck if you want to keep it forever, is that most of them are very easy to work on, with big lazy engines that are never really stressed, as well as very thick frames and overbuilt suspension, its not uncommon to see 20+ year old trucks here still on road with just basic upkeep.

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I use to only buy GM but since I've had a couple Fords. I've just found them to be so much more reliable that I'll never go back to GM. GM just has too many electrical problems.

Ive been asking around people I know in RL as well, and that seems to be the same thing, and my personal experience, Ford never seems to match GM in power output or bigness, big Ford F series trucks and E-series vans seem to be the choice of consumers and business alike, and they just run forever.

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I had a dodge dakota and I was really disappointed with the quality of the truck. The inside felt a bit cheap, and had more noises then other trucks but what got me was the mechanical failures, in under 3 years I had to have 4 brake jobs, 3 of them were considered warranty but the fourth was not. I have no idea why I was haven this issue and my other cars/trucks never suffered from a similar fate even though my driving habits were the same.

Yep, Chrysler Pre Fiat just was not a good company, even tho they made VERY innovative cars, their engineering was always a little to far ahead of their factories and tooling.

I actually think the Chrysler 300M is one of the best American Cars ever made, at the time it had a European Ride, and nearly European handling for a big sedan, with American comfort and interior simpleness, with a great 280hp 3.5 liter engine that sounded AWESOME from inside, but Chryslers terrible rear suspension and Ultradrive Transmission ruined it

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If the current gen Ram has crap transmissions, so does audi, bmw, bently and any other automaker that uses the world renowned ZF-8 speed transmission

do your homework before you bash the ram.. was truck of the year for 2 years

Well he makes a good point, old Chrysler Transmissions were terrible, the new ones are great.

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Was talking about the past. Chrysler back in the 90's and early 00's were notorious for transmission failures.

The Ram right now is a great truck. I personally disagree with MT naming it TOTY again for 2014 simply because it gained a diesel engine in the half ton version.

Yes they were.

I actually have one of the very last Lebaron Turbo Convertibles ever made, with the VERY rare 220HP Turbo III engine ( only about 300 ever ended up in a Lebaron ), it only has 43,000 miles on it, and its 1980s K Frame, tight suspension with tons of power is awesome. But its 5 speed transmission has already needed a rebuild, the spider gears and diff pins are just total garbage.

I agree with the RAM 1500 being truck of the year twice in a row, I bet the new F150 will take it next year, but right now, the RAM 1500 is a VERY good truck, deff a step up from the 13th gen F150 and Current GM products.

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it gets like 28mpg on the hwy....

The issue is towing, and power delivery. Fords new 2.7 Ecoboost promises to deliver the same kind of MPG, with more Torque/horsepower and runs on cheaper fuel.

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Doesn't matter. It's impressive, but it isn't an all new truck. It just got a new engine. COTY/TOTY awards should be for new vehicles for that year, not a vehicle that got a new engine.

I do agree with that, but the RAM 1500 for 2014 is still the best truck youcan buy imo.


That being said, thank you all for the advice, I think I will be going with the new F150 this year. Platinum edition. Those new Ecoboost engines as well as the new 5.0 V8 are just straight up incredible.
 

jpine

macrumors 6502
Jun 15, 2007
393
71
That was my impression as well. People seem to keep these big trucks forever.

I still have (and love) my 1997 Dodge RAM 1500 club cab with the 360 (5.9L) engine. But I admit I got lucky with the tranny...no problems at all. None. It may only get 13 MPG, but it was paid for long ago. It's not a daily driver, so I can't justify trading it for something that gets better gas mileage. I can buy a lot of gas for the price of a truck payment.

As to taking a full sized PU truck into NYC, I drive my Mustang anytime I have to go into Los Angeles which is about 45 minutes away. IMHO, I don't think there is much difference in a F150 or F350 in terms of urban driving unless your F350 is a big "dually." When I do get another truck, it will have backup sensors AND a backup camera. ;-)

JP
 

G51989

macrumors 68030
Original poster
Feb 25, 2012
2,530
10
NYC NY/Pittsburgh PA
Interesting... Do give your reasons

Reasons are good, the 3.5 Ecoboost in the new F150 is rumored to give around 25-26mpg highway, with 370HP/420ftlbs of torque. Which is not quite as much as the Eco Diesel in the torque category, it runs off much cheaper fuel, will be cheaper to run in the long term, and probably more reliable, Ford engines other than some teething problems in first year or two have been SUPER reliable, I have a few people who work for me who have Ecoboost F150s and they love them, many of them beat the EPA estimated MPG ratings. The Eco-Boost motors have also been subject to tons of torture tests by ford and other car reviewing sites, and it held up to all of it. They are incredible engines. Yes, they have issues here and there, but most have been worked out, from an engineering viewpoint, they are very innovative, and have proven to be very durable and successful, while putting out great MPG and power. I don't think GM or Chrysler even have the skill to build something as good.

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I still have (and love) my 1997 Dodge RAM 1500 club cab with the 360 (5.9L) engine. But I admit I got lucky with the tranny...no problems at all. None. It may only get 13 MPG, but it was paid for long ago. It's not a daily driver, so I can't justify trading it for something that gets better gas mileage. I can buy a lot of gas for the price of a truck payment.

As to taking a full sized PU truck into NYC, I drive my Mustang anytime I have to go into Los Angeles which is about 45 minutes away. IMHO, I don't think there is much difference in a F150 or F350 in terms of urban driving unless your F350 is a big "dually." When I do get another truck, it will have backup sensors AND a backup camera. ;-)

JP

I like those old 90s Dodge Trucks, the Magnum engines were awesome for their time.

Trust me, there is a difference between a short bed F150 extended cab, and a F350 V10 quad cab with a long bed ;)


This is just from what I know personally, I do run my own small business, and we do some work with the big 3, and from what I can tell, Ford doesnt make as much profit per truck as Dodge/GM does but they do use much higher quality materials these days, even the public knows this, the steel used in the new F150s ladder frame is nearly twice as strong as the steel used in the GM/Chrysler products. And three times stronger than Tundra steel. Ford doesn't piss around.

Another thing Ive always noticed about Ford, I REALLY noticed it when I bought the wife a 2012 Escape for her own use, 2012, 12K miles on it, every possible option. Leather, power everything, heated and cooled everything, 4WD, V6, sunroof in shiny black with the shiny wheels and 4 wheel disc brakes and 6 speed automatic with 240HP V6, I paid just 14,500 for it, with a warranty until 120,000 miles. I tested a CRV, RAV4, Chevy Eqionix, Dodge Nitro, Jeep Liberty, and a VW Tigun or however you spell it. None of them had the all motor power of the Escape, none of them felt as good to drive, none of them could match it in overall MPG, or interior quality and layout, all of their engines felt weak and needing to be revved, while the Escapes 3.0 V6 was happy to provide power at all RPMs and in any gear, with a much better ride with its front and rear IRS suspension, it also has the best 4WD system, best MPG, best road feel, and is almost like a car to drive on the road, pretty fun. 0-60 in around 7.5 seconds isnt bad for a soccer mom car ;)

Oh yeah, at least Pre owned, also the cheapest and the best.

This makes me realize that Ford is run by Engineers, not Bean Counters.
 
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jger77

macrumors member
Feb 23, 2014
35
0
the Fraser Valley
Get a Ford

I've driven quite a few different vehicles over the years many of them full size trucks & vans, and mostly from Detroit, I've never had any serious reliability issues with any of them, I can attest that having to sit any amount of time in a Chrysler seat constitutes cruel and unusual punishment.

With respect to engines, the blown 6 is slightly more complex (more to go wrong) than the 8, sixes are inherently smoother than eights, but lack the badass V8 rumble. I'd get '14 before i'd get a '15, steel bends and dents can be pulled aluminium crumples and the sheet metal is ruined for life.
 
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PigDog

macrumors member
Jul 18, 2002
69
0
Have you thought about a lightning, it seems that you have a passion for trucks and this might be more fun.
 

puma1552

Suspended
Nov 20, 2008
5,559
1,947
It would be between the RAM and the new aluminum F150 for me.

The F150 in reality is probably the better truck, but there's no denying that the RAM just plain looks great going down the road.

My only concern with the 2015 F150 is that it's a first year car, and subsequent refreshes/updates may make it seem dated, aside from the first year bugs it surely will have (I had the same kind of conundrum between a '14 and '15 Mustang and decided to order a '14). If you were to buy a '14, you know you're getting the best of that body style and the bugs will be worked out. Plus it might not be a bad idea to wait for the industry to learn how to work with aluminum for repairs. Some Audi's etc. have been aluminum for years, but competent body shops are few and far between.
 

G51989

macrumors 68030
Original poster
Feb 25, 2012
2,530
10
NYC NY/Pittsburgh PA
Sounds like you made your decision, just let us know when you pick up your F150 :D

yep!

I thought about it, the new F150 with the 3.5 Ecoboost is gonna be the way to go.

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I've owned two F-150's and loved them both. I highly recommend them.

Indeed.


It seems like EVERYONE I know who buys a ford truck has had a hugely positive experience and buys another one when the time comes.
 

maflynn

macrumors Haswell
May 3, 2009
73,483
43,408
yep!

I thought about it, the new F150 with the 3.5 Ecoboost is gonna be the way to go.
Nice :D

I was taking a hard look at the F150 myself but for my needs, its a bit bigger then I wanted and definitely out of my intended price range. Its a great truck and they're the industry leader for a reason

Good luck
 

G51989

macrumors 68030
Original poster
Feb 25, 2012
2,530
10
NYC NY/Pittsburgh PA
Nice :D

I was taking a hard look at the F150 myself but for my needs, its a bit bigger then I wanted and definitely out of my intended price range. Its a great truck and they're the industry leader for a reason

Good luck

There is always used F150s, many of them can be had with tons of options for a very good price.
 

maflynn

macrumors Haswell
May 3, 2009
73,483
43,408
There is always used F150s, many of them can be had with tons of options for a very good price.

No question, and I was probably looking to go that path, but the Honda dealer I go to, offered to basically swap my wife's CRV for a 2013 Ridgeline. I loved my old Ridgeline and seeing how this was not going to cost me any more in terms of monthly payments (I had throw a little cash towards a down payment), we jumped at :)

I'm happy with the Ridgeline, I put on an Extang Solid Fold tonneau cover and its been a great truck - except in the gas mileage department :(

I knew going into the purchase, it would be less then the Honda Civic that I was driving (and now my wife has) so it comes as no surprise and I have no buyers remorse.
 

SkyBell

macrumors 604
Sep 7, 2006
6,603
219
Texas, unfortunately.
My dad has bought a few F-150's over the years for his pool cleaning/maintenance business. He says they drive better with a load in the bed rather than empty. :p He runs them around 100-150 miles a day most everyday with a couple hundred pounds of pool supplies and tools, and sometimes light towing. I've never heard of him having a whole lot of problems with them.

But, I've recently heard him nearly glowing about his fleet of Toyota Tacoma's. All of his Tacomas are as bare-bones as you can get (single cab, manual transmission, 4-cyl), and he loves them. Says the first one he ever bought, a 2008, has done 289,000 miles and counting, with only one set of brakes and one battery replaced on it. IIRC, I think he told me he gets around 20 or 21 MP3 with a light load in the bed.
 

kapolani

macrumors 6502
Feb 24, 2011
268
559
USA
I've towed way more than 4000 lbs with my 2014 Raptor.

I think it's rated for 8000 lbs. Not SuperDuty standards, but good enough to pull my parent's trailers when I use them.

I had to have come close to the rated max many times and haven't broke a sweat.

With that being said - mpg's are atrocious. I average 12 mpg's around town. I get around 17 mpg's freeway.

Then again, I didn't buy this truck for its mpg's or towing capacity!
 

quagmire

macrumors 604
Apr 19, 2004
6,910
2,338
Before I would buy any gm or chrysler product ... def a toyota tundra or nissan titan

Why the Titan? That thing is older than the Tundra….. The Tundra is still ancient dating back to 2007 and not close to the Big 3's offerings. Toyota's are good for cars, but full size trucks? GM, Chrysler, and Ford are the way to go.
 

Jbp915

macrumors member
Aug 11, 2013
64
2
Midwest
Years ago I would of said that. GM/Chrysler have gone down hill in quality. Know too many people having issues with their f150 with ecoboost, or any new chevy. Used to own a Dodge 1500 1999... loved it, back then when they put quality behind it. Titans are great for going off the trail. Taken a few on many surf trips.
 

quagmire

macrumors 604
Apr 19, 2004
6,910
2,338
Years ago I would of said that. GM/Chrysler have gone down hill in quality. Know too many people having issues with their f150 with ecoboost, or any new chevy. Used to own a Dodge 1500 1999... loved it, back then when they put quality behind it. Titans are great for going off the trail. Taken a few on many surf trips.

Never had any major problems with all 5 of our GM products( we have had 6 GM products, but my dads ATS is only a month old) which includes a 12 year old 2002 Chevy Suburban( based on the same platform as the trucks). I love my 2007 Saturn Aura, my mom loved her 2006 Equinox and she replaced it with a 2013 Equinox. They all have been very reliable.

The Titan dates back to 2004. It's a 10 year old design, the Tundra is 7 years old, and trucks have come a long way since then. GM's, Ford's, and Chrysler's offerings are a lot more capable. Better frames, better engines, etc.
 

maflynn

macrumors Haswell
May 3, 2009
73,483
43,408
Why the Titan? That thing is older than the Tundra….. The Tundra is still ancient dating back to 2007 and not close to the Big 3's offerings. Toyota's are good for cars, but full size trucks? GM, Chrysler, and Ford are the way to go.

Perhaps I got a bad one, but I had a Dodge Dakota, the quality was felt cheap and I had constant issues with the breaks - right from the get go. I mean literally had new breaks put in, less then a month of owning it. I had (if memory serves me) two more brake jobs, the last one the dealership wouldn't cover because they stated it was wear and tear - even though my mileage and ownership showed that it was highly unlikely it was from usage (never mind the two prior brake jobs).

Since then, avoided Dodge (now Ram).

I think overall, the big three trucks a great trucks but I'd choose Ford and GM over Chrysler at this stage. I have no need for a "serious" truck, the smaller mid size models better fit my needs and I got a fabulous deal from Honda, so I'm back with the Ridgeline
 

macproredux

macrumors member
Mar 3, 2014
46
0
I've driven quite a few different vehicles over the years many of them full size trucks & vans, and mostly from Detroit, I've never had any serious reliability issues with any of them, I can attest that having to sit any amount of time in a Chrysler seat constitutes cruel and unusual punishment.

With respect to engines, the blown 6 is slightly more complex (more to go wrong) than the 8, sixes are inherently smoother than eights, but lack the badass V8 rumble. I'd get '14 before i'd get a '15, steel bends and dents can be pulled aluminium crumples and the sheet metal is ruined for life.

Yea it really comes down to preferences any more and really has for more almost two decades.
 

G51989

macrumors 68030
Original poster
Feb 25, 2012
2,530
10
NYC NY/Pittsburgh PA
No question, and I was probably looking to go that path, but the Honda dealer I go to, offered to basically swap my wife's CRV for a 2013 Ridgeline. I loved my old Ridgeline and seeing how this was not going to cost me any more in terms of monthly payments (I had throw a little cash towards a down payment), we jumped at :)

I'm happy with the Ridgeline, I put on an Extang Solid Fold tonneau cover and its been a great truck - except in the gas mileage department :(

I knew going into the purchase, it would be less then the Honda Civic that I was driving (and now my wife has) so it comes as no surprise and I have no buyers remorse.

Here is the thing I never got about the Ridgeline, is that yeah its a cool truck.

But why no V8?
 
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