New Truck? Ford or Chevy

[GET-N-RITE]

That is the problem I have now. Hook to the boat, trailer, etc and I am getting around 10. Granted it's a midsize truck but it will not handle much of a load. After having a midsize truck for the last 10 years there in no way I am going to pay 35G for another one. Plus at 6'5" I literally sit in the back seat.

[edub20]

So your saying that you could careless if you get 5 MPG compared to a truck that will get 17 MPG? It is a difference of opinion I suppose because I am not going to drop 35-40 grand on something that is going to average 10-13MPG.


The MPG game matters in the full size truck world because every manufacture is trying to get the most out of every truck. My pockets are not deep enough to buy a vehicle that is going to get the awful gas mileage.

I drive an 04 ford f150(14mpg's best) and a 97 80 series Landcruiser(11.5 is best ive ever got, average 10.5)...but both of these trucks are ton better at using them other than riding around town trying to save gas. My 05 z71 couldnt hardly pull my 16' aluminum boat around without down shifting all the time, but hey it got 16mpgs so its all good.

Dont know if a vehicle that gets under 10 mpgs sold on the market so your 5mpgs point is invalid. Over the life of a vehicle try and calculate the differenece between 12-17 mpgs and let me know how much youre out of pocket...its not as much as you think. And the gas milaegas window stickers are optimal conditions.

I usually get 13-14 around town in my 07 F150 s'crew FX4. It's got the towing package with the lower gear ratio in it and the trans cooler. I haven't had any issues out of it at all other than the initial changing of the dreaded spark plugs from the 04-08 5.4l. It's got about 135k on it right now and i'll drive this truck until it can't be fixed and then pay cash for another "slightly used" F150.

[deltadukman]

That is the problem I have now. Hook to the boat, trailer, etc and I am getting around 10. Granted it's a midsize truck but it will not handle much of a load. After having a midsize truck for the last 10 years there in no way I am going to pay 35G for another one. Plus at 6'5" I literally sit in the back seat.

To get the hign MPG's you need to realize how they get there. They put high speed rear ends and transmissions in them pretty much suited for a car. They do that so they can run low RPM's at higher speeds. When you do that, you get better fuel mileage, but it wont work or pull like a truck is suppose to. If you pull anything with these, the fuel economy drops low and they have trouble pulling. Its a trade off. Ive owned toyotas and have have a ford and a chevy. I will never again deal with the design flaws of these trucks. They are pieces of garbage. Toyotas just work and do what they are supposed to. I will have a Tundra next, and they have a big cab.

[TODO]

I drive 5,000 miles a month. I get a new vehicle about every year. Since 2010 I have had 1 chevy, 2 gmc's, an ecoboost, and a 4-runner. Only problem out of those were the '10 GMC went thru 2 wheel bearings. The ecoboost got 17.5 MPG overall. The current GMC I have is getting 16.8 overall and I have a high ratio rearend. I looked hard at the Ram half-ton diesel but even if you get 5 or 6 mpg better its a wash with the higher diesel price. I don't understand why they cant make the mid-size Toyota get 20+ but from what I hear they are about 17 too.

[duramax]

Definitely look at the new Rams.

I've owned 3 Chevy trucks and LOVED each one. An 87 K5, 94 Z71, and 2001 Duramax. That said, I was just in the market myself for a truck and I threw a big curveball and went with a Dodge Ram. New GM's have mixed reliability issues (and they have Gov't buyout stink on them), and I've never been huge of Ford trucks except for their super duty. The Dodge was at least $7k less than a Ford or Chevy equally equipped, AND comes with a 5 year warranty. You can't beat it. The Hemi's with the new 8 speed transmission also get the best fuel economy of all V8 pickups (and 400hp to boot) at close to 21mpg hwy (some folks say even better) and they have some really cool features the Ford and Chevy's didn't. I just got a fully decked out new 2014 Laramie for around $40k (Nav, leather...the works). An F150 or Z71 would have been close to $50k. They have some great rebates on their leftover new 2014's that make them very attractive.

[eSJay]

Definitely look at the new Rams.

I just got a fully decked out new 2014 Laramie for around $40k (Nav, leather...the works).

ATTN MODS ----------- Change his S/N to HEMI

[Deltaquack]

Tundra is out of the question now due to them drinking gas. I did drive a 2015 ram, and I'll be honest. I am now rethinking my ford and chevy only thoughts. I am not going with a diesel truck due to the maintenance is high, and the fuel is to high. I think I can buy 1,500 gallons of gas at the current price for what the cost diesel motor is. If the new diesel was getting around 35-40 mpg then I would be all over it, however they are not.

Might want to redo your math. The diesel is obviously higher.......but I get a heck of a lot better mpg than my dad's gas burner Z71. If you'll read the newer user's manuals.......you are actually supposed to run 89 octane or higher in them. By the time you do that to keep the engine from knocking and such.....the diesel wins.

[tombstone]

Had two tundras that I bought. Sold my tundra when I was given a 2014 f150 for work. It has averaged 14.6 mpg over the life of the vehicle (26,000 miles). The rides is better in the ford but that is it. If I gotta pay. it is gonna be a Tundra.

My F150 was 4 weeks old when I cut the A/C on for the first time. It was not cold. Took it back to the dealer and the condenser had about 20 pinholes from the factory.

[duramax]

Definitely look at the new Rams.

I just got a fully decked out new 2014 Laramie for around $40k (Nav, leather...the works).

ATTN MODS ----------- Change his S/N to HEMI

Haha. Let's put a pin in that until I've driven it for a few years so see how much I love my truck before I go and change my profile name that I hold almost as dearly as my two children...almost.

[adame]

Have a 2012 Sierra z71 crew with<60k mi. And driving to work mostly interstate I get 17 mpgs @ 80 mph (speed limit in Idaho)

[dukhntn]

Before putting larger, 10 ply tires and leveling kit on my Tundra I was getting 17mpg. Now I'm getting 14, but that is off slightly due to the larger tires. This is in line with what my Sierra was getting. I am also eligible for the GM employee discount through a family member, but due to my past experience I still bought a Tundra.

[kb7722]

Before putting larger, 10 ply tires and leveling kit on my Tundra I was getting 17mpg. Now I'm getting 14, but that is off slightly due to the larger tires. This is in line with what my Sierra was getting. I am also eligible for the GM employee discount through a family member, but due to my past experience I still bought a Tundra.

Same here with my Sierra. I was averaging around 17mpg; added larger heavier tires, and I get around 15 mpg highway or city.