Looking for opinions and reviews. I'm in the market and want some first hand knowledge to work with.

Almost everyone on this board loves Ford (especially w/ boost) and hates Dodge (except maybe diesel). Soooo....... get ready for a lot of pro Ford responses.

I drive a 13 year old Dodge, btw.

We do have a vocal ferd contingent.

I have no time behind the wheel of either. FWIW, Consumer Reports rates the F150 Ecoboost and 5.0 behind the Ram 1500 5.7L and the GM twins.

CR says:

"With its last freshening, the Ram is perhaps the most civilized full-sized pickup on sale. Its coil-spring rear suspension helps lend a cushioned ride and handling is competent for such a big vehicle. Our Big Horn Crew Cab, with its smooth, effortless 5.7-liter V8 and slick eight-speed a automatic, averaged 15 mpg. The base 4.7-liter V8, mated to a six-speed automatic, is underwhelming and has no mileage advantage. An available V6 is plenty capable. An upcoming diesel V6 is likely to be the most fuel-efficient for this class. The spacious cab is luxury-car quiet and the Uconnect Infotainment system, with its eight-inch touch screen, is easy to use. Reliability has been average."

Abut the F150 they say:

"Both of the F-150's engines, the 5.0-liter V8 and V6 turbo, make this truck quick. With either powertrain, the F-150 is quick and relatively refined. Both engines delivered 15 mpg overall. The crew-cab version is very roomy, but the step-in is high. Handling is still clumsy but secure enough. The formerly stiff, busy ride has been improved and is now more tolerable. Towing and hauling are very capable, but the capacities of our tested trucks aren't class-leading. The integrated tailgate step is a nice option. New for 2014 is the Tremor "sporty" version with the V6 turbo. Reliability has been average for the V8, but the V6 EcoBoost has dropped to below average."

I actually really like the Ram. Drove a Hemi last week. With the 8sp the 3.21 axle is plenty low enoguh for both decent towing and everyday driving. Honestly for most truck people the 3.6 with 8sp is probably just fine.

Interior is a tossup and preference IMO. Fords looks better to me but I could easily see one prefering the Ram.

Ford is more affordable though.

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but the step-in is high

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Whiskey Tango... Someone should alert CR they were testing a truck.

As far as Ford vs Ram- I think they both look great and ride well. Test drive both and just go with what you like- asking us too many questions will only make the process a pain.

The 1Ags contact doesn't sell Rams, only Fords. Coincidence? I THINK NOT!


Your choice is clear.

CR is doing its best turn every vehicle into a ****ing crossover. They absolutely do not understand form and function.

Owned (3) ford trucks and (2) chevy trucks, then bought a Ram 1500 and by far my favorite truck to date over the others.

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The 1Ags contact doesn't sell Rams, only Fords. Coincidence? I THINK NOT!

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Oh but they have a Dodge store too....

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Owned (3) ford trucks and (2) chevy trucks, then bought a Ram 1500 and by far my favorite truck to date over the others.

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Gee no way. You like your NEW truck better than your OLD ones.

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Owned (3) ford trucks and (2) chevy trucks, then bought a Ram 1500 and by far my favorite truck to date over the others.



Gee no way. You like your NEW truck better than your OLD ones.

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Simplify much?

I was mostly joking.

If it was between a new Ram or new Ford no question I'd go with the Ram. They are pretty nice and the fit and finish overall seems to be better. Plus in my opinion (yep means nothing) the Ram looks far nicer.

No clue as to how they are holding up though but as someone mentioned there are a few reliability issues with the Fords (especially the boosts).

If it was me and between the two of those I'd grab a Ram with a 5.7 Hemi and enjoy the hell out of it.

But if you expand the selection to include Yotas and Chebbies I'd probably grab a Tundra or a 13 Silverado. They have ridiculously good deals on the remaining 13 Silverados and despite being a Chevy guy I'm really starting to dig the Tundras.

My dad picked up a loaded Z71 back in July for under 30K (only thing it didnt have was heated seats and a sunroof).

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Whiskey Tango... Someone should alert CR they were testing a truck.

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considering 99% of them function as kid haulers and grocery getters, i'd say they are right on!

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CR is doing its best turn every vehicle into a ****ing crossover. They absolutely do not understand form and function.

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Not sure why you think this. Do you actually read CR reviews or just scan the headlines? CR isn't an offroad focused magazine nor a fan magazine for truck buyers. But a truck should be reliable, reasonably comfortable, stop well, and have good brakes, shouldn't it?

CR says about the F150 driving:

The Driving Experience
Ride comfort and noise: The chassis absorbs road bumps nicely but the body tends to jiggle at both low and high speeds, especially when the cargo bed is empty. Interior noise is well suppressed, with only a bit of road and wind noise. The 5.0-liter V8 has a muscular growl that's more satisfying than the EcoBoost's turbo whine.

Handling: Despite having relatively little body lean, the F-150 feels ungainly rounding corners and agility is hurt by numb, fairly sluggish steering. At our track, both F-150s reached their handling limits early and posted only a low speed through our avoidance maneuver. Electronic stability control helped keep them on course.

Powertrain: Both engines are strong and get decent fuel economy. The optional 365-hp, 3.5-liter EcoBoost twin-turbocharged V6 engine provides more torque than the 360-hp V8, which gives it a more effortless feel in the midrange, especially when hauling a load. It was also a mite quicker accelerating from 45 to60 mph. We recorded the same 15-mpg overall fuel economy with both engines. Both are mated to a smooth six-speed automatic transmission and provide similarly strong acceleration. 2011 EcoBoost-equipped trucks had 10 gallons less fuel capacity, but later models offer the same size tank.

Towing capacities vary by wheelbase, axle ratio, and drivetrain. But with most variations, the EcoBoost V6 is rated to tow several hundred pounds more than the 5.0-liter V8. The V6 is rated for 8,200 pounds while the V8 maxes out at 7,700 pounds. While pulling our 7,500-pound test trailer, the V6 took 16.2 seconds to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph, which is competitive for this class; the V8 required 17.8 seconds. The optional integrated trailer-brake control works well.

Braking: Overall performance was fairly good. Stops in the wet and dry were reasonably short for a big truck.

Headlights: The low beams provide very good forward illumination and good levels of sideward light and intensity. The high beams have only adequate levels of forward illumination and do not improve on the low beam's intensity. There's also a sharp cutoff at the top of the low-beam pattern.

They measure acceleration while towing 7500 lbs. The don't do that when they test a Ford Escape.

Yes I have been a subscriber in the past. Not just headlines. Again CR is crap.

For comparison for the Tundra:

The Driving Experience
The Tundra is a very able off-roader, despite its low-hanging running boards. It pulled our 7,400-pound trailer to 60 mph in a very quick 16.1 seconds. The 381-hp, 5.7-liter V8 delivers very strong performance, making the Tundra notably quicker than other competing trucks. It is mated with a six-speed transmission that shifts quite smoothly. The transmission also has Sport and Tow modes, which reprogram the shift points. Our truck averaged 15 mpg overall -- about on par for the class.

With the optional TRD package, the Tundra's ride is stiff and jittery even on the highway. We test-drove a short-bed CrewMax model without TRD and found it rode better. Cabin noise is mostly well-suppressed. The Tundra handles well in normal driving, but steering lacks feel. The rear wheels spin easily, even on dry surfaces. In our emergency-handling tests the Tundra reached its limits of tire adhesion early on, and its top speed navigating our emergency avoidance maneuver was quite low. Standard electronic stability control helped keep it on course. A 49-foot turning circle is a hindrance when parking.

Braking was the best among competing models but was still mediocre, with long stops on both wet and dry pavement. The halogen headlights have very good intensity forward and to the sides, but also a sharp cutoff which might pose glare for oncoming drivers.

They use the same people that rate toasters and washing machines?

I bet they LOVE the Camry...

If you haven't looked at the 2014 GMCs, do yourself a favor and go drive one. Love mine. Great mileage, lots of power, and lots of cool features. It's my first GM truck, and I'm glad I made the switch.

What sort of mileage does it get?

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I bet they LOVE the Camry...

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None of these rating services can rate taste. Its designed to give you the information to make a good decision (whether it does that well or not is a different story), but not to make you fall in love with a design of the vehicle. Since that's the easiest part of deciding which model to buy, as I assume you aren't going to get something you don't like the looks of, you aren't at a loss by reading a glowing review of the mechanics of a car.

Now, if your point is that CR or whoever doesn't know a cam shaft from Cam Newton, then your criticism of them is valid. Writing a good review of a car you think is boring isn't.

20+ at 65. 18 at 75. I drove a Titan before this, so it's a huge improvement on fuel economy.

Always wondered how that Titan worked out.

Gas mileage on the Titan is awful.

I was averaging around 12 with the Titan. I am averaging close to 15 with the Sierra, and that's a lot of stop and go city driving. Not bad for a truck.

Paul, the Titan worked out great. It gave me 4 good years, and I was sad to see it go. Even with my new truck I still miss it. 3 pretty significant repairs in one month's time made the decision for me. Got a good trade in on it, and with 80K miles of driving it like I stole it, I think it was a good deal for what I paid for it. It will probably give another guy another few years of good service with some TLC.

Thanks. I did like that exhaust and it was the most "tossible" full size pick up I've driven.

Also, let me add... the air conditioned seats are AWESOME! Love that feature. MasterAggie is a buddy of mine and he got his back in August or September when the 2014's first came out. After riding and driving his a bit, it was a no-brainer for me on what truck I wanted. I have lots of family and friend with GMCs, and they've all been super reliable and tough. I see other brands fall apart with real ranch use, and the GMCs and Fords seem to hold together best. There's a reason most of the oilfield trucks I see in S TX are either Ford or GM. They're tough. A few Dodges, but they're all HDs.

The Ram has gotten Motor Trend Truck of The Year 2 years in a row now. That's pretty impressive, especially considering Chevy/GMC was the favorite with the completely redesigned models.

I think anyone with a brain would wait until this summer/fall when the new F-150's come out so you're comparing apples to apples. The current F-150 is quite dated.

The last dodge I owned was a 1996 model with a 5.9L and 4WD. I thought it was the best thing since sliced bread. Then I went back to Ford. Honestly, I like ford. I have two trucks now, one with 250K.

Now, my last dodge test drive was the 2005 2500 ram Diesel....vs. the F250 6.0L. It wasn't a contest, I got the Ford. After having them, i don't even test drive anything else. I would honest to God take a 5 year old Ford over a new Ram any day of the week. I don't trust them and I think build quality has always been behind Chevrolet, which to me is quite an accomplishment. Maybe that perception is not reality, but Id drive a Titan or Tundra before GM or Dodge.

Wouldn't expect any other opinion from you, BD02!

Good info all around. I'm close to pulling the trigger on a Limited Tundra 4x4 or a F150 Lariat 4x4... I'm leaning toward the Tundra (about the only thing I don't like about it is the fuel economy).

They're both solid choices.

Funny I've had the exact opposite. With the trucks I have either owned or driven the Chevy build quality was hands down better than the Fords. At my last job for the company truck I took the one significantly older and higher mileage Silverado instead of the newer F150s in the fleet. The Silverado was 10 years old with 190K miles compared to 4 year old F150s which ranged from 90-130k. All of the Fords were literally falling apart and actually were traded in for new Silverados about a month before my Silverado was. They finally traded mine in at almost 250K.

Same with the National Forest Service and National Park Service trucks that I used in my internships. The Chevy trucks were always in far better condition (running and appearances inside and out) than the Fords.

All the Chevys I've owned made it easily past 250k with only minor issues. I've got an uncle with a little over 350k on his and a buddy about to roll over 500k. All gas engines.

My sister's Ford never saw 150K and was falling apart inside and out.



All this said though I know people with the complete opposite experiences. Me personally though I'll never buy a half ton Ford.