Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
The Toyota Tundra is the new standard.
The F150 is still a good truck though!
The Tundra is?! How do you figure that especially considering it has either the lowest or second lowest towing/hauling capability of all full-sized trucks.
The F-150 and Silverado/Sierra have always dominated the truck market and for good reason, both are built for true work use and will last for hundreds of thousands of miles. Personally I'm a Ford person and love my '10 F-150 but I'm really eyeing the new 2013's! In 2014 it might be a whole new ballgame when GM releases their redesigned full-size trucks.
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
34,690 posts, read 57,994,855 times
Reputation: 46166
1st Gen Dodge Cummins. (1989 - 1993)
The first (and LAST) real (pickup) truck with a REAL diesel engine... (and they ride like a TANK... certainly no comparison to F-150 (are 1/2 tons actually TRUCKS ))
YMMV. (a 1997 and 1998 12V Dodge is pretty close, BUT still saddled with the cheesy suspension issues of 2nd Gen ('94-'98).
I voted Rram, only because Dakota was not on the list.
I have a 2002 R/T that I bought new in 2002, and it has been a fantastic vehicle.
Extremely quick, and to this day, does not have even one rattle any where,
It is quiet in the cabin, and I hear nothing from the outside when the windows are up, especially no wind noise.
In all the years I have had it, only things I replaced were the starter about 6 months ago, and the battery about a year ago, and that's it.
Everything works as it should.
I think it is a dammed good truck, and the best part, it still looks better than it did when it was new.
Bob.
For a recreational truck, I'd have to go with Toyota, even though I love my '07 Frontier. If you have to get some serious work done, you've got to buy a Ford.
Full size trucks are a bright spot for Ford, GM and Chrysler. All three are their brands best sellers, the don't have major quality issues and have great profit margins. They also still have loyal customers that buy the brand, something lost for the most part with cars.
That loyalty has made it hard for Toyota and Nissan to take a cut of this profitable business. Honda didn't even try since they don't have a V-8 or a big enough diesel engine. Toyota and Nissan may make great full size pickups, they don't sell near the number the big three do.
I think all five full size pickups are good choices.
The first (and LAST) real (pickup) truck with a REAL diesel engine... (and they ride like a TANK... certainly no comparison to F-150 (are 1/2 tons actually TRUCKS ))
My F-150 rides like a Cadillac, I'll surely take that ride over a tank any day of the week.
Can't beat a new pickup with heated/cooled memory seats, backup cameras, bluetooth, navigation, info screens, etc; so many great features that used to only be found on luxury vehicles have finally made it to the truck market. Not much reason to buy an upscale sedan anymore when you can get everything on a vehicle with a much greater utility and practicality.
The first (and LAST) real (pickup) truck with a REAL diesel engine... (and they ride like a TANK... certainly no comparison to F-150 (are 1/2 tons actually TRUCKS ))
Having driven tanks and half tracks I can guarantee that no truck rides like a tank. Someone would have to be a fool to want a truck that rode like a tank.
Ford makes a good pickup, they wouldn't sell more of them than anybody else if they weren't good. GM makes a reasonable unit as well but the bailout and government ownership has made a lot of people nervous about buying one. Toyota doesn't make a bad truck but they are not as capable as the domestics (lower towing capacity, frame is much less sturdy) and VERY overpriced. Ford and GM will deal with you. Toyota dealers will generally not budge much since they still think it's 1987, all domestic vehicles are garbage, and that you HAVE to go to them to get a decent vehicle. Dodge is known for their Cummins-engined 3/4 ton and 1 ton pickups, otherwise they were considered a joke as reliability was typical Chrysler crappy. Now they have a line of decent engines with the Hemi and the Jeep V6/V8 engines but reliability is still suspect, notably the transmissions. They have done a lot of work and supposedly improved quality a bunch but the jury is still out. Nissan is a real also-ran. The Titan was initially about as good as everybody else's truck, but no better. Then Nissan didn't do anything to update it and it has sank to the back of the pack.
Compact pickups are really a non-market these days. They are not much smaller than full-sized units, nor much less expensive or get better mileage. That is why Dodge canned the Dakota, Ford canned the Ranger, and the Chevy Colorado is on life support. Only Toyota and Nissan sell many compact pickups, and they still sell slowly compared to full sized units. The Honda Ridgeline is a transverse-engined, unit-body minivan with a little bed in the back and shouldn't even be mentioned in a discussion about trucks except maybe as a punch line
I voted Dodge, but want to qualify my choice. The best brand will be whatever one puts a small diesel in a 1/2 ton truck (or even a midsize) and gets better than 30mpg highway with it. It'll be my next rig. My round trip commute is 85 miles...couldn't afford diesel for the 3/4 ton Dodge.
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
34,690 posts, read 57,994,855 times
Reputation: 46166
Quote:
Originally Posted by Toyman at Jewel Lake
I voted Dodge, but want to qualify my choice. The best brand will be whatever one puts a small diesel in a 1/2 ton truck (or even a midsize) and gets better than 30mpg highway with it. It'll be my next rig. My round trip commute is 85 miles...couldn't afford diesel for the 3/4 ton Dodge.
I'm afraid you'll have to build your own. (as no one seems to be rushing to that market (unfortunately)). New Emission devices are dramatically altering the practicality of Diesel economy / cost of ownership (exhaust scrubbers). I will have to imagine that CNG and LP will take the 'econo-less pollution' market in USA (since USA hates diesels). Was in Thailand last week, and one day took a CNG instead of Diesel Toyota cargo van... Had to stop 6x for fuel on a simple route that took less than 1/2 tank of diesel. MANY (if not MOST of the OTR transit trucks have CNG conversions / dual fuel.) I bet they are gutless.
Last I saw, someone in ID was offering F150's w/ 4BT's. They were not terribly impressive, tho I think they got ~33-35mpg. Since my 6BT gets 20-22 (empty) I can stiil drive it, tho I add most my mileage to my econo Rabbits, VW pickups, Jettas, Golfs, Passats. (lower cost of tires / brakes / bearings / shocks ...)
50 mpg since 1976, where have you been? No Dinosaurs or OPEC required.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
(are 1/2 tons actually TRUCKS 
))
