What NEW truck should I buy?

Yes, they are either Eco or boost. That's been about the only complaint about the 3.5 ecoboost. The 2.7 might bridge that gap a little. Motortrend did a 2015 2.7 ecoboost vs a ecodiesel ram for towing tests. The ford beat it in all towing tests. I think the ram was a little better mpg, but as we know, diesel isn't cheap.

Seriously, my biggest issue is the ecodiesel's italian VM motori turbodiesel. The catalytic converter already failed on motor trends long term one. It's only got like 10k on it. Dodge ram Chrysler jeep.. Those are almost all vehicles that you don't want to own out of warranty. Unless you like chasing gremlins, usually electrical. An Italian motor?, that just took out one of the more reliable parts out of that whole brand/ family.

Fiat, which owns FCA, fka Chrysler stands for Fix It Again Tony!

 

It all depends on how the aluminum parts are prepped, and what alloys they use. My parents have an 02 explorer with the aluminum hood, its their winter vehicle. Over 150k on it, no rust, aluminum hood is perfect.

Some older fords with aluminum hoods did have corrosion. Not all though. I would like to think they cut their teeth on aluminum body panels years before monkeying with the best selling truck for the last what?, 30 years.

I drive an 04 Audi all road with a bit of aluminum on it. Including the hood. No corrosion. But then again Audi has likeke a 10 or 11yr anti rust/corrosion warranty. The a8's have been all aluminum frames/ bodies since the late 90s. They probably learned a thing or 3 over that time too.

 

Diesel isn't really that much cheaper to refine thanks to the epa. I've worked building the ULSD additions that cost 10-20 million depending on size. The fuel is refined until the sulphur content is almost nothing in it which cuts down on lubricaton properties of the fuel. If you can remember having the old fuel on your hands how oily it was compared to this today.

 

In the ram 1500 ecodiesel vs the both ecoboost v6 fords, 2.7 & 3.5, it looks like you'd only recoup that cost difference if you towed all the time. Towing heavier loads would get to that dollar point quicker, but I bet many never reach that point before they sell it, or it is done one way or another.

When the ram ecodiesel was announced, I was all over it. ( or the grand cherokee ecodiesel). Then I did more research and found out about the new 2.7 ecoboost in an aluminum f150, and determined the mpg, ROI math would never work out for me, even with wood, ski boat, sleds, bikes, etc trailering that I do.

I came to the conclusion if you are going to go diesel, go 2500 diesel or don't bother.

 

Makes you wonder if you can run off hwy diesel in the new clean diesel trucks? I know its a no no, but how would they catch you as a light weight non truck stop diesel vehicle? That would make the ecodiesel make more financial sense.

 

I drive an 06 VW Jetta TDI (diesel). In the winter with winter tires I'll get between 45-48 mpg. During the spring and summer months, I'll get 48-50 without babying it too much.

The cost of diesel at the pump is overly prohibitive. It drives me nuts to see the difference in price at the pump. Honestly I believe they keep the price per gallon higher at the pump for diesel just to promote unleaded fuel.

Now with my car, I laugh all the way to the bank. What people don't realize, nor do they bother to compute is their price per mile. I use the Fuelly App on my iPhone, and my cost per mile has averaged around 8/mile over the past two years. Whereas my cousin with a gas care averages around 18/mile. Yes the price might be cheaper for unleaded, but the difference in miles is significant enough.

 

My understanding is all diesel is ulsd. It is here anyway.

 

In cars it absolutely makes sense. I know guys with TDI jettas and golfs, you are not alone with the mpg figures. There's tradeoffs even on TDI veedubs. They won't win many drag races, and have higher maintenance costs then their gas variants, but they are good tradeoffs.

The us government hates diesel. The Europeans love diesel. Go to Europe, you'll see as many, or more diesels than gas cars.

 

I had an electrical issue in one of my vehicals once. Went to the mechanic about six times. Finally changed mechanics. Turned out it had to do with an electric motor to a retractable antenna. I still go to the mechanic that found that problem.
If you are determined to get a new truck. Go for it. But I'm betting your old truck has many miles lest in it for the fixing.
I hate having payments, high insurance cost, tax on the purchase, and the outrageous excise tax on new vehicals. I have a '99 f150 with 114,000 on it. I've put under 10,000 miles on it since I bought it in 2008. When I no longer can get it inspected, I'll have to let go of the old friend.

 

Excise tax. Oh yeah, those suck. I remember the first time I saw that when I moved to Maine. That and you buy a brand new car, and it has to be inspected. Its brand new. What's up with that? None of that here, although they tax the heck out of us in many other ways. In the end, Wisconsin has bad taxes, just like Maine. We're both in the top 5 taxed states.

 

I've had my Ram 1500 4x4 for a year. Regular Cab 8 ft. bed. Got about 34000 miles on it now.
It has a 6 cyl with a 8 speed tranny, a work cap and loaded with tools. I get 21-22 mpg.
I calculate the mpg with pen and paper.
I had a 2005 f150, bought that new...put 265000 on it...that got 14 mpg when new, around 165k the mpg started dropping.
I'm not brand loyal, went thru a lot of trucks over the years.

 

Exactly!

 

The last time I bought a truck, the dealer said: GM employees buy Chevy Trucks, farmers buy Fords, and if you buy Dodge, well then your just nuts. I have bought two new F150's and love'em.

 

Every year we have to get an inspection sticker from a liscensed mechanic. Supposedly they check for safety issues and rust. But it's basically a racket where they tell 90% of the little old ladies and other unsuspecting people that they need new brake pads and a brake line. And then try to charge them $800 for the $50 in parts and hour of labor.

If you drive without an inspection sticker the police pull you over and ticket you. And if you live in Cumberland county they now plug in obd2 reader to make sure you have no codes. You know, because global warming.

Once your car hits 25 years old you can register it as an antique and drive it with NO inspection. So I'm not really sure where the safety aspect comes from failing newer trucks over some rust bubbles on the rear fenders but allowing antiques on the road.

I've failed inspections because the brake pads 'are worn out.' Even though I changed the 2500 miles earlier, and the mechanic never even took the wheel off to check them.

/rant off

 

I have a truck because I want a "truck"..
My 04.5 Cummins is a truck.
I like my truck...

And that Horkn guy better stop badmouthing Italians...

 

It's tough to deal with salty environments with any metals. Your just going to have to change them out sooner. Salt is a killer. Not just say water but salt "air".
Aluminum corrodes horribly too. Just ask anyone who ever purchased an airplane near an ocean( like within 20 miles) Now that's never seen salt roads or salt water but that thing turns to snow almost everywhere two "metals" meet.
Good luck with the truck search. Your backside will tell you more about the truck then your wallet. ( brain)
Trucks by nature aren't the most financially "smart" investments unless is a business truck.

 

That's BS....and fraud!

 

Same here, planning on a new truck this summer/fall it will be a Dodge 3500 SRW, my daily driver now is a 02 Chevy 1500HD with 223, xxx miles , I hate the 6.0 gasser in it, lucky to get over 10 mpg, and no power for towing... my towing truck is a 02 Dodge diesel 235, xxx miles, I get 15-18 mpg while towing a 32' gooseneck, and 20-22 empty. Dodge does have some electrical gremlins, but not as bad as some people say. I've been in a slew of 14/15 Ford F250/350's... I gotta say the most comfortable ride and leg room in most anything I've drove... But with the mileage I put on trucks (run them til the wheels fall off, done that literally twice) one look under the hood says no way to me, plus my diesel guru tells me there expensive to work on, $500 in filters alone. Thank you epa!

Around here, a one ton is a serious work truck... a 3/4 ton is a light work/ more for comfort truck... And a 1/2 ton is a town "truck" (a car with no trunk) I have driven many 1/2 ton trucks, never again, unless I can convince my wife out of a mini van and into a truck, wishful thinking.