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For decades I thought pick up trucks were dumb and hickish. Then I got one. Now I am hooked. I will probably never not have one, although I may also have other kinds of cars for certain types of driving. Pickups, even ridiculously fast 393 HP pickups are not really fun to drive. However, they are pretty much always ready to do anything else that you might ever want them to do. I prefer to drive one daily. It is like being a boy scout, you are always prepared whatever might come up. You never need to go home for a different vehicle, or say "no my vehicle cannot do that."
However if you want to go for a fun aggressive drive on curvy roads or something, then yes, you need something else.
Although I love pickups now, my preference is Ram, GM, Ford, Tundra.
The RAM is prone to have more problems and often the design elements do not fit together well (so you have to take the truck halfway apart to change a headlamp bulb), but the design elements are just o much better, it is worth it to me. They look better, go faster, ride nicer, have better storage and convenience than any other truck. Who cares if the break a lot and re hard to fix.
Chevy/GMC and Ford are both more durable and they are about equal to each other from what I can tell. However I like the Chevy better because I like their engines better, they ride better and the interior finish is nicer. I am a big non-fan of both the ecoboost turbo 6 engines and the aluminum body of the new Ford. But the Ford V-8s are ok. I prefer a tried and true V-8. One thing I hated about an older F-150 I had, but I think they fixed that, is it had a coil on plug configuration that means you eventfully need to replace 8 coil packs at $200 each at about the same time. Of course the new RAM with 16 spark plus is nearly as bad, although the coil pack for the dodge is dirt cheap and there is one fore every two plugs (it is replacing the 16 iridium spark plugs that actually do not last 100,000 miles that is the problem).
If the aluminium bodies work out after ten or so year, I may give them another look, but for now, I do not want the cost for repairs. I only know three people who have one and two of them are not pleased with it. The other loves his and says it is the best truck ever.
After experimenting wiht different brands over the years, most (not all) of my contractor clients bought Ford F-150 for their field people because they were cheaper and lasted longer, and they could be purchased more bare boned than other brands; and Chevy or GMC for management types because they were nicer and lasted almost as long. I wonder whether that is still true?
I cannot think of any contractors who use Rams. Even one company named "RAM" uses mostly Chevys and some F-350s and 250s. At least that is what I saw in their yard. You would think RAM Construction would provide their employees with RAM trucks, but I guess they want them to arrive at work on time all the time.
One client switched to all tundras, but quickly switched back (about 3 years, maybe 4). I do not remember the reason, but the Tundras did not work out at all.
Still all the US branded trucks are pretty awesome. I like them all. Each has its advantages and disadvantages and the F-150 is certainly a fine vehicle.
Unless one owns stock in the company, why would anyone care?
It is good because it helps sell more of them. Buying a car is very stressful for a lot of people and many need to "know" that their choice was the right one. Being a popular choice helps confirm that for many.
Also the trend lately is for domestic brands to drop divisions and stop badge engineering so they can have one nameplate to go up against names like Camry and Accord. Now...it is just Malibu instead of (Lumina, Grand Prix, Cutlass Supreme, Century, etc). It is better to have one nameplate as high up in the sales chart as possible because it helps the brand and sales overall. Chyrsler is phasing out the Town and Country and Dodge Grand Caravan and are pushing one Pacifica to go up against Odyssey and Sienna.
Gimme More Cash works too well and is an exception to this "rule" so I doubt we will see the Sierra go away any time soon. GM makes too much money off of them without too much investment.
I Who buys Lincoln theses days? I am not sure they have any dealers left.
There is a huge Lincoln dealership near us. If there is a Hyundai, or Toyota dealership anywhere nearby I have never seen it or herd of it. The closest Honda dealer is 40 miles away. However there are at least three Ford and Chevy dealers and one Dodge dealer (who has no interest in selling cars - which is odd since Trenton Engine is just up the street from them. You would think Chrysler would have a sterling Dodge dealership, so all the employees would use their employee discounts.This place makes a science out of indifference)
Funny thing about Trenton engine, I usually see a lot more F-150s and Chevy 1500s in the parking lot than I see RAMs. (However there are not that any pick ups at all, mostly small sedans that i cannot distinguish what make they are)
Wow the F-150 is the fastest selling Vehicle in America thats not even made in America. Mexico must be having
Fiestas in the streets, great news for their economy!
A quick google search shows that it is built in the US.
For decades I thought pick up trucks were dumb and hickish. Then I got one. Now I am hooked. I will probably never not have one, although I may also have other kinds of cars for certain types of driving. Pickups, even ridiculously fast 393 HP pickups are not really fun to drive. However, they are pretty much always ready to do anything else that you might ever want them to do. I prefer to drive one daily. It is like being a boy scout, you are always prepared whatever might come up. You never need to go home for a different vehicle, or say "no my vehicle cannot do that."
However if you want to go for a fun aggressive drive on curvy roads or something, then yes, you need something else.
Although I love pickups now, my preference is Ram, GM, Ford, Tundra.
The RAM is prone to have more problems and often the design elements do not fit together well (so you have to take the truck halfway apart to change a headlamp bulb), but the design elements are just o much better, it is worth it to me. They look better, go faster, ride nicer, have better storage and convenience than any other truck. Who cares if the break a lot and re hard to fix.
Chevy/GMC and Ford are both more durable and they are about equal to each other from what I can tell. However I like the Chevy better because I like their engines better, they ride better and the interior finish is nicer. I am a big non-fan of both the ecoboost turbo 6 engines and the aluminum body of the new Ford. But the Ford V-8s are ok. I prefer a tried and true V-8. One thing I hated about an older F-150 I had, but I think they fixed that, is it had a coil on plug configuration that means you eventfully need to replace 8 coil packs at $200 each at about the same time. Of course the new RAM with 16 spark plus is nearly as bad, although the coil pack for the dodge is dirt cheap and there is one fore every two plugs (it is replacing the 16 iridium spark plugs that actually do not last 100,000 miles that is the problem).
If the aluminium bodies work out after ten or so year, I may give them another look, but for now, I do not want the cost for repairs. I only know three people who have one and two of them are not pleased with it. The other loves his and says it is the best truck ever.
After experimenting wiht different brands over the years, most (not all) of my contractor clients bought Ford F-150 for their field people because they were cheaper and lasted longer, and they could be purchased more bare boned than other brands; and Chevy or GMC for management types because they were nicer and lasted almost as long. I wonder whether that is still true?
I cannot think of any contractors who use Rams. Even one company named "RAM" uses mostly Chevys and some F-350s and 250s. At least that is what I saw in their yard. You would think RAM Construction would provide their employees with RAM trucks, but I guess they want them to arrive at work on time all the time.
One client switched to all tundras, but quickly switched back (about 3 years, maybe 4). I do not remember the reason, but the Tundras did not work out at all.
Still all the US branded trucks are pretty awesome. I like them all. Each has its advantages and disadvantages and the F-150 is certainly a fine vehicle.
The company I work for bought several F-150 this past summer. I use it once or twice a week. Just walking in the bed it creeks and makes noises. The bed and wheel wells dent very easily. The tailgate is so light, you have to be careful what you put on it, hoping it dont fold up, not to mention on the outside of the tailgate you can easily push in the metal with just your little finger. Ford went for light, NOT for strength. Although our trucks did not come with a bed liner, I would highly recommend one. I will say it does drive good, with good acceleration with just a V6. Not bashing Ford products here, I bought a new Ford in 2014, just not a pickup.
A quick google search shows that it is built in the US.
I did a search and the F-150 was built in Mexico from 2009-2014, in 2015 Ford relocated the F-150
manufacturing back to Dearborn. Thanks for the insight.
You need to get out a tape measure. My 2014 F150 is no wider or longer than my 2003. Nor are other makes.
I will say the newer one is higher, Ford raised the Super Crew to get rid of the drive shaft hump for the back seat. Which may be why it seems to you, especially in a low slung small car, that they're riding your bumper when they're really not.
I think my 2016 supercab is about 6 inches longer than my 2002 supercab.
...If the aluminium bodies work out after ten or so year, I may give them another look, but for now, I do not want the cost for repairs. I only know three people who have one and two of them are not pleased with it. The other loves his and says it is the best truck ever...
No chance of me buying anything from Ford, but I question the wisdom of the aluminum beds. Why take a vehicle that is light in the ass to start with and make it even lighter. Hell, making the front end out of aluminum would make more sense.
Another thing is paint. Ford has never mastered painting steel...and aluminum is more tricky to paint properly. I bet the paint on those aluminum beds will be flaking off in a few years. And of course, Ford will refuse to admit there is a problem until the courts force them to.
Wow the F-150 is the fastest selling Vehicle in America thats not even made in America. Mexico must be having
Fiestas in the streets, great news for their economy!
Boy is this a misstatement. Lets look at the truth.
The F-150 is assembled at plants in Dearborn, Mi., and Kansas City, Mo., and the Super-Duty F-series is produced at a factory near Louisville, Ky. Ford also announced recently that it is moving production of its medium-duty F-series trucks from Mexico to Ohio.Jun 29, 2015
They changed from building some pickups in Mexico, brought back even the small amount made in Mexico, so they can convert to their really small autos being built there.
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