jcmseven
Veteran Member
Everyone,
I have been busy as a bee at work recently. Little time to post, but have to ask the panel its thoughts on a potential truck purchase. My 2008 F250 SD has 56,000 miles on it; still runs great and I have had no trouble with it. My neighbor, who runs a pallet company, is wanting to buy it for his personal use. He has always liked the truck and has offered me what I consider a solid price for it. I usually like to trade about every 2-3 years (this is year three) and my wife and I fortunately had a good year (people still get sick when the economy is down) and I feel I can financially consider a trade. I love my truck but it does not easily fit in the parking deck at work. Though I still drive it, it is a challenge to park it and impossible to get out of the deck without backtracking due to its lack of clearance. This is my only issue with the truck; it is not a truck, it is a bus.
My situation: I drive about 25,000 miles per year currently, maybe a bit more. I have two tractors, one of which is technically my dad's. It is a JD 4000 series and weighes about 6500 pounds with loader and BB. My trailer is a 14K hitch pulled 20' utility which weighes 2400 pounds. I also have a small JD 2320 which I use personally which weighes total about 3000 pounds, with attachments. I pull the big load (about 9000-9500 pounds) about five times a year, from the folks house and back--about a three hour drive one way over steep ups and downs. I pull the small load almost weekly over similar terrain or the same terrain, about 5500-6000 pounds load, with occasionally more on the trailer). Most of my other use is daily driving. I rarely haul heavy loads in the bed (though sometimes).
My choices: 1. Another F250--they have some additional features now mine does not, but essentially are the same. One can also NOT get a factory rear DVD and a sunroof in a 250. Both these are features I would like and can be had in the other three choices. 2. A Chevrolet 2500 loaded LTZ Duramax with all the extras in white (not my favorite color). 3. A GMC 2500, black, similar features to the Chevy (see below) and 4. An F150 Ford Platinum 5.4L, black, loaded.
My impressions (minus the Ford 250 which I know):
Chevy/GMC: (have driven both--kept one two days)- Things I like: the powertrain is solid, trucks have quicker takeoff than my 250, but about the same high end, though seemingly not as powerful in the mid range. The seats, not as fancy as the KR in mine but more comfortable. The interior trim is nice. Both trucks sit much lower than my 250 and would easily fit in the parking deck at work (my primary reason for looking at them). They also handle better at slow speeds, but do not have as solid a brake feel as my Ford. The things I did not like: the lack of stock bed cap rail covers, some of the body panels did not match well, and the hood, especially on the GMC buffeted, making me think the body panels were "chinsy". I like the look of the GMC better--and the color--but it does not have a built in DVD nav, which I would like. The dealer said it would install at the dealer a factory replacement. The GMC also had a small scratch on the fender, disappointing given that it had six miles on it when I drove it. The Chevy was perfect to my needs, just white and I do not like the Chevy grill as well. The price was within $100.00 and very fair at both dealerships. Both these trucks were only $5000 more than the F150 am am looking at, and $3000.00 CHEAPER than a 2009 F250. I do worry about the future of GM a bit, though.
Ford 150: Things I like: built like a rock. Very solid with no flaws--at all. Extremely quiet and the largest back seat of all the trucks. Some nice features such as cooled seats in front, Sony stereo, etc. It has the tailgate step and TBC also. Looks sharp. Things I do not like: it has a gas engine, very hard to go from diesel to gas. The gas engine is not bad but struggles to motivate a very heavy truck, even empty. Any of the other three would leave it far behind either empty or pulling. Towing mileage when I towed my small load for 30 miles during my test drive was 7 mpg. It shifted a lot to pull the load but felt stable doing it, really even more stable than my 250 does pulling the same load. My bigger load is RIGHT at the limit for the particular truck (9700 pounds). Does not pull like a diesel from the power standpoint, though. Dealer is more local and well-known. Gives me the "X-plan" deal, which I am not sure is all that great. He is a pleasure to do business with, though.
I would appreciate opinions, even Builder's. I know he specifically has said I am one of the "blind brand loyal" buyers of Ford products, but by looking at these three choices to potentially replace my 250, I think (hope) I have absolved myself of that stereotype. I want the best truck for me. I like diesel, but do I really need one with my current towing needs?? Would I be disappointed going gas?? Any other things I should be thinking about along the way?? Let the advice begin... thanks for the help in advance. I plan to sell my truck (my neighbor wanted it today) and get something within the next week or two. The dealer might fall through, but I doubt it will.
John M
I have been busy as a bee at work recently. Little time to post, but have to ask the panel its thoughts on a potential truck purchase. My 2008 F250 SD has 56,000 miles on it; still runs great and I have had no trouble with it. My neighbor, who runs a pallet company, is wanting to buy it for his personal use. He has always liked the truck and has offered me what I consider a solid price for it. I usually like to trade about every 2-3 years (this is year three) and my wife and I fortunately had a good year (people still get sick when the economy is down) and I feel I can financially consider a trade. I love my truck but it does not easily fit in the parking deck at work. Though I still drive it, it is a challenge to park it and impossible to get out of the deck without backtracking due to its lack of clearance. This is my only issue with the truck; it is not a truck, it is a bus.
My situation: I drive about 25,000 miles per year currently, maybe a bit more. I have two tractors, one of which is technically my dad's. It is a JD 4000 series and weighes about 6500 pounds with loader and BB. My trailer is a 14K hitch pulled 20' utility which weighes 2400 pounds. I also have a small JD 2320 which I use personally which weighes total about 3000 pounds, with attachments. I pull the big load (about 9000-9500 pounds) about five times a year, from the folks house and back--about a three hour drive one way over steep ups and downs. I pull the small load almost weekly over similar terrain or the same terrain, about 5500-6000 pounds load, with occasionally more on the trailer). Most of my other use is daily driving. I rarely haul heavy loads in the bed (though sometimes).
My choices: 1. Another F250--they have some additional features now mine does not, but essentially are the same. One can also NOT get a factory rear DVD and a sunroof in a 250. Both these are features I would like and can be had in the other three choices. 2. A Chevrolet 2500 loaded LTZ Duramax with all the extras in white (not my favorite color). 3. A GMC 2500, black, similar features to the Chevy (see below) and 4. An F150 Ford Platinum 5.4L, black, loaded.
My impressions (minus the Ford 250 which I know):
Chevy/GMC: (have driven both--kept one two days)- Things I like: the powertrain is solid, trucks have quicker takeoff than my 250, but about the same high end, though seemingly not as powerful in the mid range. The seats, not as fancy as the KR in mine but more comfortable. The interior trim is nice. Both trucks sit much lower than my 250 and would easily fit in the parking deck at work (my primary reason for looking at them). They also handle better at slow speeds, but do not have as solid a brake feel as my Ford. The things I did not like: the lack of stock bed cap rail covers, some of the body panels did not match well, and the hood, especially on the GMC buffeted, making me think the body panels were "chinsy". I like the look of the GMC better--and the color--but it does not have a built in DVD nav, which I would like. The dealer said it would install at the dealer a factory replacement. The GMC also had a small scratch on the fender, disappointing given that it had six miles on it when I drove it. The Chevy was perfect to my needs, just white and I do not like the Chevy grill as well. The price was within $100.00 and very fair at both dealerships. Both these trucks were only $5000 more than the F150 am am looking at, and $3000.00 CHEAPER than a 2009 F250. I do worry about the future of GM a bit, though.
Ford 150: Things I like: built like a rock. Very solid with no flaws--at all. Extremely quiet and the largest back seat of all the trucks. Some nice features such as cooled seats in front, Sony stereo, etc. It has the tailgate step and TBC also. Looks sharp. Things I do not like: it has a gas engine, very hard to go from diesel to gas. The gas engine is not bad but struggles to motivate a very heavy truck, even empty. Any of the other three would leave it far behind either empty or pulling. Towing mileage when I towed my small load for 30 miles during my test drive was 7 mpg. It shifted a lot to pull the load but felt stable doing it, really even more stable than my 250 does pulling the same load. My bigger load is RIGHT at the limit for the particular truck (9700 pounds). Does not pull like a diesel from the power standpoint, though. Dealer is more local and well-known. Gives me the "X-plan" deal, which I am not sure is all that great. He is a pleasure to do business with, though.
I would appreciate opinions, even Builder's. I know he specifically has said I am one of the "blind brand loyal" buyers of Ford products, but by looking at these three choices to potentially replace my 250, I think (hope) I have absolved myself of that stereotype. I want the best truck for me. I like diesel, but do I really need one with my current towing needs?? Would I be disappointed going gas?? Any other things I should be thinking about along the way?? Let the advice begin... thanks for the help in advance. I plan to sell my truck (my neighbor wanted it today) and get something within the next week or two. The dealer might fall through, but I doubt it will.
John M
