Truck/ tow vehicle

[jmz]

Looking for opinions on trucks.

Time to get out of my 2006 6.0 powerstroke. ...becoming unreliable and i dont trust it anymore (only 110k miles)

Needs:
Crew cab
6.5' bed
Towing capabilities (porsche, donzi 22 etc.)
Durability (want to keep for about 10 yrs)
4x4

Wants:
Split bench up front
Excess power (dont like a truck without guts)

Considering
2014 sierra 1500 4x4
Crew cab standard box (6.5 foot)
6.2 litre 420 h.p.
Around $47,000

OR

2014 F250 6.7 powerstroke
Crew cab 4x4
XLT Package
$46,000

Thoughts and opinions are very much appreciated.

[LakeCleElum]

I just rode 1,800 miles in my friends 2011 F350 Diesel.......Wind noise in the cab was really unacceptable.....We averaged 8.5 mpg on this dually with a camper and 7,500 lb 4-place snowmobile trailer. Total weight was 22,000+

[911boost]

My 6.7L Powerstroke has gobs more power than my 6.0L did.

Empty my 2013 F350 XLT crew cab long bed 4x4 gets about 21 mpg on the highway. It can be a little bouncy on rough roads, but it pulls my 30' bumper pull 12,500 pound toy hauler without breaking a sweat, even at altitude.

Bill

[911boost]

I have 22,000 miles on it so far without a problem. Which should be expected.

It sits int he driveway mostly now though and I drive my beater 92 5.0 Mustang more.

Bill

[id10t]

Friends who travel with the Renn Faires use a diesel Chevy dooly, crew cab, tow a very large 5th wheel

[onewhippedpuppy]

How much do you need to tow? I ultimately bought a 2012 F150 SCrew 4x4 5.0, but was impressed in the Ecoboost motor as well. I believe they are rated at up to 11,000 lb, and have a very diesel-like torque curve. I'm very happy with the 5.0, but we only tow around 6000 lb of boat/trailer.

[jmz]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

How much do you need to tow? I ultimately bought a 2012 F150 SCrew 4x4 5.0, but was impressed in the Ecoboost motor as well. I believe they are rated at up to 11,000 lb, and have a very diesel-like torque curve. I'm very happy with the 5.0, but we only tow around 6000 lb of boat/trailer.

I love the ecoboost on paper but won't go that route.

I suspect i could manage with a 5.0 V8 but i dont want the truck to break a sweat climbing while pulling...

Like the f250 but feeling gun shy on diesels not to mention the price tag of a new truck!!!!

[speeder]

Originally Posted by jmz

I love the ecoboost on paper but won't go that route.

I suspect i could manage with a 5.0 V8 but i dont want the truck to break a sweat climbing while pulling...

Like the f250 but feeling gun shy on diesels not to mention the price tag of a new truck!!!!

The Chevy you're looking at is a Duramax, right? I think that either new diesel truck is going to be about the same, full warranty for 100k miles, etc. You can't go wrong with either one, IMO.

I drove a new F-150 4x4 crew ecoboost about 100 miles to pick-up a MC yesterday. It's a nice truck but I'd much rather have a diesel, myself. They are unbeatable as a truck engine.

[chapo]

I have had an 89 f250 extra cab diesel , a 96 f350 crew cab long bed, and a 2006 f250 crew cab shortbed f250, all 4x4, all diesel. Loved them all, no real problems with any of them. That being said, I got tired of the extra $$ for diesel fuel and maintenance and I sold my big toy box trailer. I bought a 2012 f150 crew cab 4x4 with the 5.0 and love it. Quietest, best riding truck I have owned. 18 mpg on the freeway and it tows my 20 ft enclosed with the race car like it's not even there. The integrated trailer brake is really nice.

[jmz]

Originally Posted by speeder

The Chevy you're looking at is a Duramax, right? I think that either new diesel truck is going to be about the same, full warranty for 100k miles, etc. You can't go wrong with either one, IMO.

I drove a new F-150 4x4 crew ecoboost about 100 miles to pick-up a MC yesterday. It's a nice truck but I'd much rather have a diesel, myself. They are unbeatable as a truck engine.

No 1/2 ton gas engine 6.2 litre, 420 h.p,

[theFONZ]

Don't forget about Tundras. I dismissed them in favor of better gas mileage and fancy interiors (Lariat, King Ranch, etc.), but ended up getting one for its simplicity, reliability, and price. The black interior (without getting an overpriced lux model) was a bonus.

[jmz]

Bed is too short in the crew cab I think... Isn't it?

Don't forget about Tundras. I dismissed them in favor of better gas mileage and fancy interiors (Lariat, King Ranch, etc.), but ended up getting one for its simplicity, reliability, and price. The black interior (without getting an overpriced lux model) was a bonus.

[RedCoupe]

Sort of comparing apples to oranges, comparing a 1500 GMC gas engined truck to a diesel Ford F250. But, as a tow vehicle, I sure like the better brakes and stronger drive train of the 3/4 or even one tons. BTW, the Ford 6 liter had a couple of faults, particularly the stretch head bolts, but there are good fixes and once fixed, it's quite a good, powerful engine for pulling. 100k miles doesn't seem very much.

[theFONZ]

Bed is too short in the crew cab I think... Isn't it

Oh yeah, that's another thing I liked about them. The mid size (extended) cab is easily big enough for 3 adults, has normal doors, the back seat folds up, and has a 6.5ft bed. The Tundra's extended cab is damn near the size of other crew cabs. The huge Tundra "crew cab" with the short bed is way to big in the back seat IMHO, and the seats don't fold, they recline.

It's also one of the only 1/2 ton trucks that you can get a long bed (8ft) and a back seat that fits adults easily.

I'd say take a look at one. It meets all your criteria, as long as one of them isn't luxury or fuel economy. They have, arguably, the best reliability by far.

[ckelly78z]

My 99 F250 4x4 supercab/shortbed powerstroke is rusting out at an alarming rate, and has many minor mechanical and electrical glitches. I love the 7.3L diesel in it and get decent milege with it but not good enough to cover the costs over a gas motor.

I have a 30' bumper pull camper (8000 lbs), a 2 place horse trailer, and occasionaly overload my 16x8 utility trailer with firewood or scrap steel. Ultimately, I only end up towing something about 10% of the miles I drive in it.

This has me thinking that I should get an 05-06 F250 with the 5.4L and a 6 speed automatic (most of the towing is around flat as a pancake, NW Ohio and only get into minor hills more than 100 miles from home).

[onewhippedpuppy]

Originally Posted by theFONZ

Oh yeah, that's another thing I liked about them. The mid size (extended) cab is easily big enough for 3 adults, has normal doors, the back seat folds up, and has a 6.5ft bed. The Tundra's extended cab is damn near the size of other crew cabs. The huge Tundra "crew cab" with the short bed is way to big in the back seat IMHO, and the seats don't fold, they recline.

It's also one of the only 1/2 ton trucks that you can get a long bed (8ft) and a back seat that fits adults easily.

I'd say take a look at one. It meets all your criteria, as long as one of them isn't luxury or fuel economy. They have, arguably, the best reliability by far.

I went into my truck search expecting to buy a Tundra. I ended up with an F150. Bottom line, the Tundra was no nicer, more money, and the 4.7 has far less power but the same MPG as the F150 5.0. It's also impossible to get the split front bench on the Tundra in anything but the base model, with three kids having that extra seat was important to us. I love Toyota trucks, but it's also something that the domestics do very well.

Originally Posted by ckelly78z

This has me thinking that I should get an 05-06 F250 with the 5.4L and a 6 speed automatic (most of the towing is around flat as a pancake, NW Ohio and only get into minor hills more than 100 miles from home).

My father in law has an F150 SCrew 4x4 with the 5.4, it is a dog just pushing that truck around. I wouldn't want to do any real towing with it, especially in the heavier F250. On the upside, it still runs great at 110k. If you don't want to pay the F250 diesel premium the V10 is cheap, the FIL had one of those as a work truck and put 160k on it without even doing spark plugs. Still ran great when he sold it.

jmz, you should look at the new 1/2 ton Ram diesel that they just introduced. A small turbodiesel in a 1/2 ton truck is a match made in heaven.

[David]

Go for the fully pimped out GMC Sierra Denali 1500 4WD with the 6.2. Loaded out with tow package and sunroof for $50K with current discounts.

[berettafan]

Originally Posted by theFONZ

Oh yeah, that's another thing I liked about them. The mid size (extended) cab is easily big enough for 3 adults, has normal doors, the back seat folds up, and has a 6.5ft bed. The Tundra's extended cab is damn near the size of other crew cabs. The huge Tundra "crew cab" with the short bed is way to big in the back seat IMHO, and the seats don't fold, they recline.

It's also one of the only 1/2 ton trucks that you can get a long bed (8ft) and a back seat that fits adults easily.

I'd say take a look at one. It meets all your criteria, as long as one of them isn't luxury or fuel economy. They have, arguably, the best reliability by far.

my prior model Tundra double cab has a 6' bed and plenty of cab room. I think Toyota missed out on the new design.

[VincentVega]

FWIW, I'm very impressed with the latest version of the GM gas motor. Decent MPG, good power and much cheaper to fuel up, with our diesel prices at least. Unless you tow all the time or just love diesel I think the current 'big' gas motors are the way to go.

[theFONZ]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

I went into my truck search expecting to buy a Tundra. I ended up with an F150. Bottom line, the Tundra was no nicer, more money, and the 4.7 has far less power but the same MPG as the F150 5.0. It's also impossible to get the split front bench on the Tundra in anything but the base model, with three kids having that extra seat was important to us. I love Toyota trucks, but it's also something that the domestics do very well.

Funny, I was the opposite. I was dead-set on getting an F-150. I was looking at the FX4/Lariat/King Ranch. I would have liked the XLT, but I couldn't stand the grey or beige interiors. Then I couldn't bring myself to spend $45K on a truck. I ended up getting my 2013 TRD SR5 Tundra for less money than an XLT, $32K vs. $34K for a low optioned XLT. I will say I got an amazing deal though, so that may not be normal. My buddy has the "base" (Tundras don't really have "base") model with the bench seat and I'd say its much nicer and definitely cheaper than the XLTs. When you are talking fancy trucks, the Tundras are far behind. The reliability of the complicated Ford's also scared me away.