Getting a new truck, compare RAM EcoDiesel vs F150 Platnum??

As a commuter they'll both have long lives. Actually working I'll take the Nissan with the Cummins.

 

Don't get hung up on the Nissan because it has a Cummins. It is pretty crappy. It costs as much as a 3/4 or 1 ton and the fuel mileage is horrible while towing. I think the 5.6 out did it in a towing test.

 

If Toyota would redesign that thing and manage to get better than 15 mpg I'd seriously consider one. I'm still waiting to see what the redesigned Titan (the 1/2 ton, not the XD) is like as I really liked the original, but like the Tundra it's past it's prime now.

 

there. fixed that for you...

 

very good read, bass!

 

For example? I'm listening....

 

The bed rail height of the F150 is way to high, like almost up to my shoulders, but the Sierra/Silverado is a lot lower, about the same as my lifted Frontier. That's a big deal for me because it keeps me from having to climb in the bed to load/unload crap. And really, the entire purpose of driving a truck is having a bed!

I also want a column shifter next. I've driven a truck with a console shifter for the past 10 years, and all it does is take up space, I'd rather have the extra pockets in the console to stuff my wallet, phone, and whatever else happens to be in my pocket. The console of the Sierra/Silverado wins here compared to the F150 with a lot more usable space.

Rear dif, the GM comes with an auto locker that works at any speed, on and off road. The F150's is an manual switch electronic locker which is pretty useless for anything except maybe a boat ramp if you've got a 2wd. I actually pulled the electronic locker out of my current truck to put in an automatic one since the stock one was so useless.

Styling, this is subjective but I think GM trucks have the best style right now. I'm probably putting too much stock in this but I REALLY like the Sierra's look.

Reliability is a wash, from spending a ton of time of various forums it seems like the Fords have more problems, but they are smaller problems like seat motors stop working or the cooled seats don't work or the sunroof leaks. The GM's have less issues, but they are much bigger like the transmission took a crap and is getting replaced. I figured I'll take my chances and hope any issues pop up during the drivetrain warranty, vs being out of the bumper-bumper warranty in 2 years and have to spend the next 8 years replacing window motors.

I never looked into the Dodge's much more than a week or so. I'll start another 10 page argument by saying this but I don't think the new Rams will be anything but a bucket of problems after 3 years. If you plan on only having it that long, it'll probably be fine. But I plan on keeping my next truck for 10 years/200,000 miles so I wrote them off pretty quickly.

 

My VW rabbit diesel had 48 HP. But as you said, the think weighed about as much as a 98lb wife, soaking wet. But it ran just fine around town, the only time you would really notice a lack of power was going 65 on the highway up hill, it had a hard time holding 65 mph going up a long hill. But, man those were the good ole days!! I went to Cortland State, exactly 245 miles one way from home. I filled it up, 10 gallons at $0.60 cents a gallon, and took 3 students with me and charged them each $25 bucks which was $10 cheaper than a bus ticket. So I made $65 every weekend I came home! $65 college money was equivalent to $1000 regular money aka, you could buy a lot of Schlitz at 99 cents a 6 pack with 65 bucks!

 

The Ram has a knob on the dash as a shifter, so the console is ALL space which I love as you mentioned. BUT, I think it would take some getting used to (would love to hear from DexterDay on this?), on my test rides, TWICE I reached while driving to turn down or up the volume of the radio and instead switched from Drive to Park or Reverse. Of course the safety features of the trucks software did not actually switch the tranny at 40mph, but I was kinda shocked when I looked over to see why the volume didn't go down only to find the shifter Park light blinking!!! But I'm sure that is just a "getting used to" thing. Dex??

What specifically makes you think they will fall apart after time? Materials, craftsmanship, both... parts?

I'm kinda under the influence that the are all basically the same today. And everything I read in the professional journals (car driver, insurance institute, USAA journal...) says the same. None seem to be more reliable, or more problematic than any of the others. The main reason for that is, they all use the same vendors for many of the parts. Example, there is only 2 companies on the planet apparently for the most part that make the electronic motors for seats and windows... 1 or 2 alternator companies making OEM alt's, ... the main differences being the motor, tranny, and lastly the manufacturing/assembly tolerance levels.

 

The quoted text and this response are in my opinion accurate, no blind brand loyalty and a look at the bigger picture.

Manufacturers pay and trade designers like paying a pro athlete lol.
The guy who designed that hideous car of another brand? Yea he designed your car too!

I think dodge/Mopar will improve with fiats help.

Most manufacturers as stated use the same company or product design.
Some have or have developed "parts" companies like Delphi. Ford bought autolite. Etc.

Pickups have hardly changed in the past decade, mostly just refining them into a better product.

 

NO RICE BURNER Trucks for me!! I'm sticking with one of the USA truck names, even though most of the parts come from Riceland anyway!

 

Here's a good question for you guys back on the topic of ME getting a new truck!!

I just might do a bit of snow plowing this winter..., for a little extra cash now that I'm not working at the moment.

The Ram 1500 does not offer a snow plow prep option, and Ram does not recommend using it to plow. I'd guess there is problably an aftermarket option maybe, but would likely do a blowout to the warranty. So, the option would be bump up to a 2500 instead, with the plow prep.

So the question is, what are the main differences between a 1500 and a 2500? Is it just stronger shocks and springs, no air suspension (as on the 1500), OR is there a huge difference on the rest of the truck as well? Can I still get a Limited or Longhorn tricked model in a 2500?

 

Snow plowing semi commercially = 3/4 to 1 ton in my opinion! Take a look at the suspension components....big difference.

 

I live near Riceland...and believe me, there is no parts being made there! Just a golf course and a hotel...that's about it

 

Its dirty already. That lasted a whole 1 day since picking it up. Now time for the dirt this weekend. We will see how the eco diesel holds up long term. I will say... you'll get a tractor or something... then bigger trailer... then that truck won't pull it as good as you want... then 3/4 ton cummins or duramax in your future. Buddy Mark just got an LTZ 3/4 ton duramax and it is sweet.

 

I love those mini trucks!

 

That dang shifter is hard to get use too. For 2 weeks I grabbed at the colum trying to shift it. And every now n then while trying to go to reverse or into drive I will turn the AC up or down or the radio and just rev it. Never done it while driving, usually when I go to take of or shift to drive from reverse.

Also I always tend to leave it in drive and cut off key and you can't get key out and have to mess with the key and shifter to get it to park to get key back out. Not sure why? I never leave any other vehicle in drive and cut it off?...ever!

 

Delphi is no longer owned by GM.

I agree with what you are saying, the auto manufacturers do not make their own parts. An example I can think of is a Brembo brake caliper. The one I am thinking of is the same on a Infiniti G35, Nissan 350Z, Subaru WRX STI, and Acura TL. Then Dana makes a lot of differentials, New Venture makes a lot of transfer cases. The parts are all made to the manufacturers specs. Sometimes you may have 2 parts that are the similiar but because of 1 little change the one gives problems.

A 2nd gen with he 5.4 s/c would do a 13 stock but not 1 gen. I forgot about the cylcones and typhoons. They were pretty cool.



I thought he was going to check his blood pressure when he adjusted the lumbar on the typhoon

Ford tried the sport truck thing again with the "Tremor." It was a F-150 4x4 short bed regular cab truck. It started out as an FX4 package. What made it special was it had 4.10 gears, lightning style side exit exhaust, and it was the only truck regular cab truck since the lightning to have bucket seats.

I think the vortec 350 may have ran better than an early 5.3. One thing the old vortec trucks had going for them was shorter tires than most 5.3 trucks, so they were geared lower.

 

Syclone for GMC.

Ford has the correct spelling for Mercury Cyclone, which obviously came first.

It's the only time I can think of two different automakers using the same phonetical name for different vehicles, even if gm couldn't spell it correctly.

 

couldn't they just put lower gears or numerically higher gears in today's trucks to make up for the redicuosly 20 and 22" rims and tires they put on now a days vs the 15 or 16" from 20 years ago?