caddyowner

I'm planning to add a full-size truck to my stable for the utility, 4WD capability in the winter, and pulling a planned travel trailer. (Planning on some long-delayed exploring.) Truck requirements:

- Crew cab (I want the extra interior space for passengers or secure cargo. I'll live with the small bed.)
- 4WD / AWD
- GCWR above 12,000 lbs.
- Cooled, perforated leather or nice fabric interior

Trucks I've looked at and my opinions so far:

- Ford F150: The 2011-12 F150 Lariat and King Ranch lead the pack. The back seat room and access for passengers and cargo is awesome. The quality of the Lariat leather is good and the King Ranch leather is a few notches above that. The ride is quite nice, even empty. However, I'm concerned with some build quality issues I've seen in some new trucks and the fabric interiors feel awful. The wood on the Lariat dash looks like a cheap aftermarket kit. I don't like the pre-2011 engines and the new 5.0L NA and 3.5L ecoboost engines are unproven in my book. I would lease one of these trucks (good rates as my brother-in-law is a Ford retiree) and consider buying it at the end of the lease (and warranty period) if it appears solid. (or just let it go)

- Chevy Silverado / GMC Sierra: I've owned a number of GM trucks and SUVs in the past and I find the current products to be disappointing. They haven't seemed to keep up with Ford. While the cloth interior is nicer than Ford's cloth, the leather feels very cheap, even in the LTZ trim level. (I have yet to check out a Denali.) The tilt wheel adjusts in notches and doesn't telescope. There's also no dead pedal or any place to rest my left foot. Access to the rear seat is awful in that your adult male feet have to go in at just the right angle or they get hung up between the seat support and center pillar. Not a problem if you're a kid, but it would be for me every time I clean the truck. The ride seems much harsher than the F150, which is surprising since GM is known for a better ride quality. Maybe the truck I drove had a stiff suspension upgrade. GM has heavy incentives on the Silverado which make up for the fact I'm no longer eligible for GMS retiree pricing. Since the current generation of GM trucks have been around since 07, I may be able to find a nice used 08-10.

- Chevy Avalanche: I owned an 02 Avalanche and the new ones are pretty nice. The ride is very smooth and the expandable, covered, locked bed is quite useful - though hard to access due to the height and tall tailgate. However, it still has the rear seat entry/exit problems of the Silverado and published GCWR is only 11K. They have a heavy-duty tow package that boosts the axle ratio from 3.08 to 3.42, but they don't publish the GCWR with that change. GM has almost no incentives on the Avalanche, so new ones are quite pricey. Like the Silverado, they current generation has been around for a few years so I should be able to find some nice used ones.

- Toyota Tundra: I'll be at the Toyota dealer on Monday for routine service on my Prius. I looked at an 07 Tundra Crewmax w/leather at the Ford dealer and the truck looks like a possibility. There is a Premium trim level (though rare around here) that has cooled/perforated leather. I'll have to check out the cloth version, too. I was disappointed with the back seat in that it doesn't appear to fold up to provide a large interior cargo area. It slides forward and reclines or the seat back folds forward to form a tall package shelf. I get the sense that Toyota still doesn't totally get it when it comes to full-size trucks.

I haven't considered Dodge Ram (quality concerns) and Nissan Titan (have never cared for the brand).

I know truck loyalty often ranks right up there with religion, the flag, mom, and your dog. Any compelling reasons I shouldn't pull the trigger on an F150 low mile lease, probably with the 5L V8? 10K a year will be plenty of miles given I have two other daily drivers.

lamar411

I say go for the Ford, best all around truck IMO. Nice interior/exterior and a nice choice of engines.

FrankReynoldsCPA

I agree on the Ford as well. Haven't driven the new ones, but I hear the Ecoboost is the bees knees. My preference however, would be to look past the half-tons and get into a 250 or 350, which leaves you more room for trailer if you decide more trailer is neccessary. I've never considered anything less than a 3/4 ton a full size truck anyhow.

Plus, with a 250/350, you can get the crew cab AND a long bed, which is really nice to have. The ride is pretty decent as well. Based on my research, the 6.2 gas engine seems to be averaging 15ish on the highway, and about 8-10 with a trailer. Not bad for what it is really. The new 6.7 diesel gets great mileage from what I hear, and has held up on initial reliability much better than the previous 2 engines.

Ty419

Was the Tundra you checked out a Limited version? I was really impressed with the Limited, although not so much with the lower trim levels. Might be worth tracking one down to compare.

As for Ford, I agree with BrettJacks in that you might want to check out a Super-Duty. The King Ranch 250 is really a cut above pretty much any other truck on the road. Interior is really well done with tons of features and comfort items.

FrankReynoldsCPA

Yeah, I would kill to at least ride in a King Ranch sometime. Nicest I've ridden in so far was a Lariat, and I'd still be perfectly happy with one. Hell, an XLT model is nice enough for me. Our 92 F350 is the very base model with no frills, other than cloth seats instead of vinyl. I'm happy as a pig in **** when I drive it.

My biggest fret with the new trucks...other than price.....is that they don't offer them with a manual transmission anymore. What the hell kind of truck is not available with a manual?

Toys4RJill

If you don't think Toyota gets trucks, then go with the Ford. Just don't start a thread complaining if the reliability is not up to par.

The Platinum Tundra is a nice truck, too big for my needs but it is nice.

FrankReynoldsCPA

I think if Toyota and Nissan understood trucks, they would be offering choices in the 3/4 and 1 ton segments as well. There's a lot of potential truck buyers out there with needs that won't be filled by a 1/2 ton pickup.

mmarshall

I've driven (and reviewed) a new Ram. Dodge engineers have done wonders with the frame and suspension.....not to mention other major improvements as well. Its over-the-road comfort astounded me.....it combines a sedan-ride with work-truck toughness (no, I'm not kidding).

But, being a Chrysler product, I understand your reliability concern. Dodge, Jeep, and Chrysler are doing vehicles now with MUCH better engineering, drivetrains, suspension, fit/finish, trim-materials, and assembly-quality than just a few years ago. But they generally haven't been on the road long enough to determine if those improvements will also translate into better long-term reliability. So, yes, to some extent, you would be tossing the dice.

caddyowner

Good input, folks. I priced out the F250 Lariat and King Ranch and they are only a few K more than the 150 versions. I sat in a F350 King Ranch at the dealer and it was nicer than the 150. They add leather to the armrests which isn't present in the 150s I've seen. The only issue, aside from the likely rougher ride in the 250, is the added height when using the parking structure at work. BTW, Ford offers an optional 6.5' bed with the F150 Supercrew instead of the standard 5.5' bed.

I hope to check out the Tundras on Monday and may stop at a Dodge dealer.

J.P.

I have a silverado only because they were giving them away with my family discount.... otherwise I would have went Ford and the new tow rig will be a Ford.

I would rather have the black trim from the lariat plus package or FX Appearance Package over the woodgrain, but I think you can only get that on an F150 without doing a special order...

LunaVyohr

I would avoid newer Ford trucks. My friend was doing an oil change on a brand new F-250, and found out that the oil pan was made out of plastic, as was the drain plug. This was found on multiple F-250s. That's just one indication, to me, that quality may not be up to par.

bad co

Go for a super duty, I've been extremely happy with my F450 Super duty. Went to a contractor supply store for some cement, purchased 60 bags at 90lbs (5400lbs). The forklift operator looked at me funny when I told him I want all that on my bed. Once he put it down. The truck only dropped a few inches. The ride back was sublime, the ride is rough with out a heavy load in the back.

pbm317

For the Tundra, the Double Cab (shorter rear doors, but still a crew cab) has the flip up rear seat bottom that you want. The CrewMaxx has the sliding/reclining/fold forward rear seat.

Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

The Ford. Wouldn't ever consider any other truck

FrankReynoldsCPA

The plastic oil pan kind of made me double take at first......but I don't think that will be too big of a problem unless you are doing some SERIOUS off roading.......

For me, Ford quality has been a given. There has been a Ford in our driveway since before I was born. We bought our 92 F350 Crew Cab in 1998, with 60,000 miles on it at the time. It is now sitting at 178,000 miles. It has a 5.8 liter gas engine with a 5 speed manual. It was the no frills base model. The only options it has are cloth seats(base has vinyl standard) and a chrome grill. This truck has been generally treated like crap for the almost 14 years we've owned it(coming this February). My dad is not very good about general maintenance. We have had this thing on ATV and jeep trails(this is the crew cab, long bed model). We've gone through ditches, washes, and over rocks. We've hauled all kinds of stuff from lumber to cement to tiles to bricks in the bed. We've towed countless stranded vehicles, pulled campers, boats, and what not with it. We've traveled the country in it(despite not having A/C). It has never been towed. We have never had to hitch a ride home or walk. It's had a few minor problems, such as a starter or two, and an improperly installed alternator catch fire(still drove the truck home). It is still a very cost effective vehicle and the easiest thing I have ever worked on, with the exception of our 1967 Firebird.

This is the reason I will only buy a Ford pickup.