I posted on going with my brother in law and sister and test driving a new Ford F250 Diesel truck to pull their fifth wheel travel trailer with. The big three all makes heavy duty diesel pick ups to pull heavy loads with.

They and I are doing alot of research on the internet about different truck tests and specks and all. And also talking to other pick up owners about what they like or don't like about their trucks.

For you folks in the know (other than just MINI's) which truck would you consider buying for towing a large fifth wheel and why would you choose it?

Come on folks,.....no flames here. My sister and her husband are retired school teachers and want to travel the USA for a few years while they still have the health to do so. They can afford about anything they want, fuel included

 

I'm kind of partial to the Dodge trucks, but I think that all of the big three have finally got their act together with the big diesels. I think it would be a choice of options/price.

 

the new Duramax Diesel puts out 360 hp/ 605 lbft torque. They have the new Allison 6 speed transmission with steptronic, it is off-the-hook. I would get a GMC with the combination above. trust me, Fords are ok, Dodge has the best motor, but piece of crap automatic, Chevy and GMCs are the best... Holding their values better than the others too

 

the only pickup I like is the Titan.

what do I like about it? i only know what it looks like, but considering
it's a pickup, it looks good. :smile:

 

From what little research I have came up with so far is that the Cummins is a pretty good motor, but Dodge has had some problems with their trannys going out depending on how heavy the tow. Seems like problems at about 60,000 to 80,000 miles.

What I did like about the F-250 Powerstroke was they now have a tow button on the dash where when engaged it helps the engine slow you down when coming down a steep grade and also helps with the right gearing when towing.

All things being equal, the Dodge is about $5,000 less than the Ford. Trade in value on the Dodge is not so good either, unless your buying another Dodge.

 

The Allison tranny alone is worth getting the GMC/Chevy.
Steve

 

So far I have read four reports from different places on the web, and the Ford F250 seems to be the truck of choice so far. The GM Duramax diesel only has about 2% of the diesel market at this time.

There must be a reason why the Ford is out selling the others.

 

I have no info re: pick-up (the trucks or the lines) but sales numbers are not everything - it can be due to fleet contracts, etc and deep discounts, not nec due to quality.

 

I was raised on a farm, so a pickup has always been a part of my psyche, maybe that's why I grew up to be a British car nut . For use and abuse, it's hard to beat a Chevy/GMC. They are everywhere (except perhaps northern Mexico where Ford rules). We also had Ford F250s which are excellent vehicles, a bit more upscale than a Chevy IMO but a bit more problematic as well. As for Dodge, great motor, but not much else. As far as the foreign makes go, skip 'em. You don't want your relatives to suffer the indignity of having car trouble in big sky country in a Toyota or Nissan, period.

p.s. 3/4 ton, 4X4 extended cab recommended for all PUs.

 

For sure the imports are not big enough to pull a 13,000lb fifth wheel. The GM diesel could be good, but market share is held by Ford when it comes to pick ups and they have held that title for several years. From the F150 up to the larger payload pick ups. In my opinion, you only keep market share if you have the better product overall. I can say this...its been fun pulling up in the MINI and asking drivers of all three makes what they think of their trucks. They tell me, and then want to know more about the MINI

If Dodge would offer a 5 speed tranny for the Cummins, and one that would hold up under heavy towing, I think that would help their sales quite a bit. Cummins is a great engine, coupled with a trouble prone 4 speed auto tranny. Dodge does offer a manual 6 speed that is reported to be bullet proof, but my brother in law wants the automatic.

GM offers the great tranny, but the Durimax Diesel does not get the great reviews that Fords power stroke gets in most truck mags.

Also, the GM pick ups look kinda dated. They have not had an out side refresh since the 80's . The Dodge looks the best to me with the Tonka truck front end. Ford did do a front end make over last year, and it looks a little like the Dodge front end IMO.

Oh well back to the research. Looking forward to test driving the Dodge truck this weekend. Want to check out the new mega cab that Dodge is offering for 06. I read where the back seats actually recline if needed. They now brag they have the largest cab of any full size pick up.

Thanks also for everyone's imput on this subject so far. I will for sure report my findings along with everyone's ideas here on NAM

 

PS: FWIW Ford seems to have had a lot of recalls come up lately...

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/recal...rd_wipers.html

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/recal...e_hundred.html

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news0...re_recall.html

Full list (I think):

http://www.synomia.com/sitesearch/co...=&strSynoUsed=

 

Have had several and they have always been great trucks. My current one (1992 F-150) has 264,000 miles on the same engine and tranny. Instead of getting a new one I will be replacing the engine with a new one as soon as I'm done adding stuff to my MINI. It still runs fine, gas mileage is not to good any more (10-12 MPG) but what can you expect for an engine with that kind of mileage.

 

I''d get another Dodge Cummins (my current one is a still-going-strong '89, the first year for it), but this time with a stick.

 

ken: now, you are in my territory buddy, when did Nissan start making trucks? oh if you are referring that sissy thing, no, we don't call it truck Nizmo needs to eat a loooooootttttt to hang around with big-boys.


the rest of the Ford boys:
ford guys love their Fords and I respect that, but like I said, as far as the technology is concerned new 06 High output Duramax with 6 speed Allison, is unreachable... Go test drive it, you will believe me.

 

Exactly, nuff said, Cummins with Stick

 

A stick is not the best choice when pulling a 13k# trailer.

As for the person who posted about 264,000 miles in an F150, that's awesome, however it was not pulling a 13k# trailer.

Duramax/Allison is the best combination for towing anything over 10k#.

Steve

 

Much of my husbands family live in the Ozarks and several of them are loggers. They all have big Chevy's and they work them unbelievably hard pulling logging equipment into some of the tighter spots where the big-rig type trucks can't go. The only thing that has really hurt any of their trucks is when the trees fight back by landing on it or from a teenager using it (i.e. plowed into a tree, but the truck still got killed by a tree none the less - kid was fine though) Their trucks look rough as can be but they don't worry about if their truck can pull something

 

I only want one pickup: Land Rover Defender 110 Hi-capacity. . . . .

Why? Because it is so freaking cool and it is British!

 

Nope no towing here just lots of highway miles and off road fire roads. But I did carry some full loads in it.

Took a trip to Alaska in it in 1995, put 9000 miles in a month driving up and back from the S.F. Bay Area. Only had to put in gas (lots of it).

 

I'm partial to the Cummins with the 6 spd but I understand that a stick is not the best when it comes to towing. My best friend's father works as a diesel mechanic at a Cummins shop for mostly big rigs etc. Those engines are massive.

How about trying to find one of these: http://www.bbc.co.uk/topgear/downloa..._broadband.ram . It'll probably outlast any of the new trucks with a 20 year headstart . Funny thing is that little Hilux is rated at 3/4 tons too...and it's pretty tiny.

 

I used to work for a company that used many pick-ups. We always had less problems with the Fords than the Chevy/GMCs. But this was heavy commercial uses.

If I "needed" a heavy pick-up I would only shop one brand and that is Ford.

JOHO

 

Our Mini is the first non-Ford in a long time. We are big fans . My wife drives a '98 Expedition EB and loves it.

 

I checked out the recalls from the above post and the only truck recall from Ford is the F-150. The brother in law, if he gets a Ford, is looking at either the F250 or the F350. He has said he sure likes the Ford for now, but is keeping his options open. He has not mentioned driving the GM product for the test. I want to drive all three, but I guess its is decision.

Recalls are never a good thing. Sure eats into company profits

 

Yeah, take a look at Ford's stock at the moment and see what this causes...

 

Ok now I'll wait for the other FORD acronym responses