New Pick em up Trucks

yooperdave · Dec 12, 2008

I am thinking about selling my 2001 F150 4x4 off road for something newer and maybe bigger.

I would like opinions of what is good out there in the market place now.

I like Toyota, Nissan and Ford. Ford's employee pricing is looking pretty good right now.

I am leaning towards a 2008 F250 XLT super duty with the trailer towing package.

I have not heard much about the Titan. The Tundra is nice but way more expensive than a super duty. Super duty should be pretty tough.

I am open to suggestions. Hoping to buy yet this year.

TIA

Yooper Dave

Diamondpilot · Dec 12, 2008

Do not make the mistake I made. Get a F-350. I had 2 3/4 tons, a F-250 PSD and a Dodge with the Hemi. I was disappointed in them both when it came to load hauling. The new 1/2 tons are right in line with the 3/4's for 6 or 7 years ago. A new F-150 for example has twice the capability as your 2001. If you are after a F-350 it is only $600 more than a F-250 with the same options.

What engine are you after in the Superduty? I would shy away from the 5.4 and get the V-10. The 5.4 in a F-150 can tow more than a 5.4 in a Superduty. Again, the V10 is only $600 more than the 5.4. If you want to really go all out get the PSD.

The Titan is a great truck but running near the end of its run on this body style. If you get one you may be wanting to trade it in a year for the new body. I have not driven a Titan so can't really say much but I was disapointed in the last body style for V8 power and towing.

If you want a nice truck with some great deals now, about $8000 off sticker, look at the new F-150. The specs are amazing. It is twice the truck you currently have and will perform to nearly the level of a F-250 from the early 2000's like your current F-150.

Check the specs and compare. You need to do your home work and do not listen to the salesman. I know Fords inside and out and currently own 3 trucks. 2 Superdutys (2004 and a 2006) and a F-150 (2007). I get a call about every two weeks when my buddy salesman can not answer a question.

Chris

dodge man · Dec 12, 2008

I bought a 2007 1/2 ton Dodge with the Hemi. I am now wishing I had bought a 3/4 ton with a Cummins so a could pull a dump trailer. It all depends on what you want to do with it. When I bought my truck, basically got a $10,000 discount. At the time the Cummins was maybe a $5000 discount, plus the truck cost maybe another $10,000. $15,000 is a big difference. I'm still not sure if I made the right choice or not. At the time I thought I would never need anything bigger.

RollingsFarms · Dec 12, 2008

Ford dealership in my area is taking $14,000 off ALL f-250's and f-350's! too bad this dealership has a terrible reputation with alot of people around here. if i were looking i would seriously look at the new f-150's. i'm not a Ford guy, but they seem to be one awesome truck. from my research and little calculating i've done, rebates on 08 Fords are better then GM's, at least in my area.

capt_met · Dec 12, 2008

i'll speak up for the GM side. the 1 tons with the duramax/allison are amazing. if you don't want dual rear wheels the 2500HD with the duramax/allison would be the route i would take. i had a 3500 and ran it very hard towing heavy for 3 years. when i traded it it was still the nicest truck i have owned. upgraded to the 4500 for heavier weights and a dump bed.
good luck,

Diamondpilot · Dec 12, 2008

You can get a 1 ton F-350, or 3500 as some call it, in single rear wheel from all three manufactures. I really prefer a SRW for a driver and would only own a dually if all I did was tow. I drove a dually at work for awhile and it could not make it trough most banks, fast food drive ups, had trouble in parking spaces, about took the fenders off with tree branches plus did not track good in snow and mud.

Chris

yooperdave · Dec 12, 2008

You got me thinking about the current Ford pricing scheme...
My discounts ranged only from $8,000 to $11,000 - not $14,000 (about 21-22% discount).
Maybe I will try Milwaukee and see if I can save a couple thousand more.

I noticed the F150 has a heavy duty suspension package, but no one seems to have them available. Maybe it is cheaper to just go with the F250.

Yooper Dave

Builder · Dec 12, 2008

Yep, go with FORD. I wouldn't even consider looking at anything else.

The guys here that use trucks here almost all drive FORDS, so that means they're the best!!!

radman1 · Dec 12, 2008

I just purchased a job 3, diesel, 2008 F250 Lariat for about 13K off list 1 month ago. If possible, I would go with the F350, but aren't as many around. I still have my 1999 F250 gasser and the rear springs on the newer trucks are just too soft when pulling trailers. My 1999 F250 at that time had the same rear end axle and springs as a F350 except the F350's had a 2" riser block on the axle. My old F250 just stayed level despite the loads on the bumper. I have the camper package on the new truck with the extra springs, but it still sags too much. The newer F250 does ride smoother which is the trade off. I did drive a few of the newer F350s and the ride still seemed very good and not a significant difference from a new F250.
Fuel mileage on the 2008 diesel is better than I expected. Pulling 10-11,000 lb loads with diesel is about 12.5gpm on flat roads at 65mph. F250 gasser around 9-10 gpm. (My all time low with the gasser was 5-6 gpm in a heavy head wind and 14K, tall load) The 2008 diesel was just over 18 gpm unloaded at 65 mph. Unloaded the F250 gasser was about 12 mph. If I travel with either truck at 70-75mph, the fuel economy really starts to fall. Tough to push a big brick through the air.
I bought my new truck at $1000 below invoice and $8000 in rebates. Also had them add mud flaps and first 3 oil changes. The truck had a bedliner in place. Told them I didn't want it and wasn't going to pay for it. They left it in. The trade-in allowance for my old truck was pitiful. $6000 for an excellent 1999 F250 Lariat with CC, 84,000 miles and most options. I will sell the old truck myself or just keep it as a pure work truck.

Jeff244 · Dec 13, 2008

I don't know what the laws for safety inspections are in WI, but in Illinois a 1 ton truck (D plate) has to go thru a safety inspection every 6 months. It costs about $20.00. It wasn't so bad when I lived in Northern IL, but where I live now, the closest inspection station is about 50 miles away. Something to check into if you are thinking about getting a 1 ton.

Jeff

Diamondpilot · Dec 13, 2008

Builder said:
Yep, go with FORD. I wouldn't even consider looking at anything else.

The guys here that use trucks here almost all drive FORDS, so that means they're the best!!!

Funny!!!! I was just leading him that way because he already owns and is happy with his Ford truck. He also excluded the offerings from GM and Dodge from his original post. He stated he had narrowed it down to Nissan, Toyota, and Ford.

Chris

Diamondpilot · Dec 13, 2008

Jeff244 said:
I don't know what the laws for safety inspections are in WI, but in Illinois a 1 ton truck (D plate) has to go thru a safety inspection every 6 months. It costs about $20.00. It wasn't so bad when I lived in Northern IL, but where I live now, the closest inspection station is about 50 miles away. Something to check into if you are thinking about getting a 1 ton.

Jeff

Move 100 miles east. No inspections what so ever here in Indiana on any vehicles.

Chris

yooperdave · Dec 13, 2008

To adress some of the posts:

My first car was a Dodge and it was the literal opposite of a high quality vehicle.

When I bought my F150, I also test drove a Dodge with the salesman with me. The new truck died twice during the test drive. The salesman told me that 'my' new Dodge would not die like the test drive. I told the salesman that our test drive did not help his sale.

GM is not currently dicounting their vehicles around me hardly at all. Savings of up to $4,000 off MSRP can be realized - such a deal. Otherwise, I can just hang on to what I have.

My mechanic of all people wants to buy my 2001 truck. He has serviced it for its entire life. I hope the deal works out.

Question regarding the Titan: what is objectionable to the body?

Question regarding the Tundra: many satisfied customers out there?

TIA

Yooper Dave

cjputzier · Dec 13, 2008

I will tell you the same thing I tell everyone who comes in the body shop and asks what truck to buy. I say I would buy the Super Duty Ford. But you have to pay for it and have to drive it, so buy what you want. One thing I will say is get a extra cab or crew cab not a lot more in price but it will hold value better in the NADA book. The Power stroke cost you 4000 or so more and get you one and half as much mileage as a gas. If you live in a cold area like I do in Northern Vermont we see maybe 90 in the summer but see weeks of 20 to 40 below zero in the winter. Modern gas will start no need to plug in to warm up and a camp 4 mile of the main road and no power, snowmobiling the truck will sit for days. Oh and gas at half the price and every store has it. I pull a 2 car trailer with my 02 SD crew cab V10 and plow snow with a 9 Fisher V-Blade 111,000 miles on truck and never had a single road side problem, Worsts thing I have had go wrong dome light stuck on Switch bad in door. Chris Putzier

Diamondpilot · Dec 13, 2008

Actually the Diesel option in a Superduty is about $8000. I wish it was only $4000, may have been back in the early 2000's. On my 2004 and 2006 it was a $6000 upgrade but that added the Torque Shift tranny. That tranny is now available behind all the engines in the Superduty trucks since 2005 I believe. The most bang for the buck is the $600 upgrade to the V10.

Dodge wants about $8000 for the Cummins over the base engine and so does GM for the Dmax. You have to pay for all the torque.

Chris

jcmseven · Dec 13, 2008

I would go with the V10, unless you are towing heavy almost all the time. I have the 6.4L PSD in mine and it has been trouble free and has lots of power. There are some in the forum who have anticipated its implosion, but it has not happened yet. My only issue to date with the truck is a faulty blendor motor which affected the climate control for the driver's side. It was repaired under warranty and, of course, was unrelated to the powerplant. All this said, any of the diesels are going to be major bucks over the gasoline offerings. Ford has steadily upgraded its V10 engine and it is powerful and much less expensive than the 6.4. With what I tow, despite the fact I like my diesel a lot, I would have strongly considered the V10 if I had to repeat history as it is much less expensive and performs well. It actually gets reasonably close fuel economy numbers and right now gasoline is less expensive than diesel. I had a V10 in a 2001 250 and it had a solid resale, so with these post-emissions diesels I am not so sure just having a diesel would necessarily enhance one's resale v. a V10. This in the past has been a selling point for going diesel. Each of the "big three" have a solid powerplant and they each have pro's and con's, but the truck you are considering--all in all--is really tough to beat. Unless you have your heart set on diesel, go gas.

John M

RichM96067 · Dec 13, 2008

I believe the Dodge Ram w/ Cummins is the only way to go if your pulling a load.
Open the hood and looking at the engine compartments of Ford and Chevy's compared to the Dodge is enough to convince me.

Plenty of deals like this around.

http://medford.craigslist.org/cto/949546806.html

LBrown59 · Dec 13, 2008

Diamondpilot said:
The new 1/2 tons are right in line with the 3/4's of 6 or 7 years ago.
A new F-150 for example has twice the capability as your 2001.
.........................................
Do not make the mistake I made. Get a F-350. I had 2 3/4 tons, a F-250 PSD and a Dodge with the Hemi. I was disappointed in them both when it came to load hauling. The new 1/2 tons are right in line with the 3/4's for 6 or 7 years ago. A new F-150 for example has twice the capability as your 2001. If you are after a F-350 it is only $600 more than a F-250 with the same options.
The Titan is a great truck but running near the end of its run on this body style. If you get one you may be wanting to trade it in a year for the new body. I have not driven a Titan so can't really say much but I was disapointed in the last body style for V8 power and towing.Chris

.........................................
I had a new Ford F 250 3/4 ton Camper Special back in 1971.
I hauled 6000 pounds of gravel on it 1 time.
I will have to admit that was pushing it.
But 3 or 4 thousand pounds was no problem on it.
Some how I can't fathom a 1/2 ton being able to handle that much weight.
Are you saying today's new 1/2 ton would handle towing my BX23
on a 16 foot trailer better easier and safer than the old 71 3/4 ton Ford would have?
That's kinda hard for me to believe.

Dmace · Dec 13, 2008

LBrown59 said:
.........................................
I had a new Ford F 250 3/4 ton Camper Special back in 1971.
I hauled 6000 pounds of gravel on it 1 time.
I will have to admit that was pushing it.
But 3 or 4 thousand pounds was no problem on it.

Sorry but I don't buy it. There is no way you could put 6,000lbs on a 1970's 3/4 ton truck and actually drive it. I have had 5,000lbs in the back of my 94 F-350 dump truck and the rear springs were pretty flat. A 3/4 ton truck would snap in half with that kind of weight.