get a tuner, air induction, and an exhaust system. you will regret getting a gmc once it leaves the warranty. the dex-cool antifreeze eats the coolant system alive. the 6.0 is a junk block. the 5.3 has oil pickup tube o-ring issues and causes the engine to tap and eventually go up. the 4.8 also has the o-ring issue. the only engine worth buying buy gm is the 6.6 duramax. the worst part is isuzu isthe one to make that engine. all the new dodges have an issue where if you hit the breaks the engine revs and wants to launch. and the 4.7 cant take any abbuse what so ever. and toyota and nissan are just flat out junk. fords may be seen in alot of shops but its for cheap repairs for the most part. everyone else has poorly designed engines, wiring harness, and electrical issues. ford is the way to go. and its like they say the only way to tell a difference between an engine is towing.

 

I had the opportunity to rent a Chevrolet 1500 with the 5.3L engine. Essentially, the truck was comparable when tested side by side with my F150 SuperCrew: Same trim level, crew cab, same interior & exterior color. Yes, it was a rental - But I went into the situation with a positive attitude and a genuine desire to objectively compare my Ford with the Chevy. My primary motivation for this was that I purchased my Ford without even test driving another brand - I just liked the looks of the Ford & am loyal to the brand. Overall my Ford felt much more smooth and solid, definitely had more torque, and was comparable in hp (even with the Ford's 6" lift & 35" tires). I did not care for the interior of the Chevy (texture of the dash & gauges). I did however prefer the upholstry & seats over the Ford. Overall, the Chevy seemed dated and it rattled a whole lot. The engine wrapped tight, the tranny shifted hard, and the truck rode rough compared to the F-150 (yes, even with the Ford's 6" lift and 35" tires).

My 2

 

My friend has had several issues with his titan. Broken rear end, broken swaybar link, lots of exhaust leak problems........

 

There's a lot more to a truck than the raw horsepower.

 

So true!

Ford does not play the high horsepower race game like others. Ever notice the ford commercials focusing on payload? Thats because thats what the F-150 is made for, hauling and towing and being a WORK truck. Thats what its designed for and fits very well. Toyota is like a 5 year old in the fact that they think that being faster is better.

You wanna race get a toy, you wanna move some stuff and actually use a truck for its intended purpose, keep the Ford.

 

True that... -Great Post! - Yep! ~ U know she's a keeper when she does a good job down low.

Also, getting up to speed @ 1/2 throttle in know time is nice as well.

 

i agree trucks are for work. im on my second ford truck and im impressed with the build quality and reliability. ive owned chevy and dodge and the ford is the best by far. im not concerned about 0-60 times i care about relibility..thats whats gonna get me to work so i can pay my bills.

 

I think its kind of funny how the market for trucks has seemed to have changed so much over the past few years. I am only 22 so I may have a wrong perception of this, so please correct me if I am wrong.

But the other day at work I ran across an old magazine (about 10 years old or so). I saw a truck advertisement ( i think dodge). And they were boasting about the big power of their trucks and the listed numbers in the big motor 1/2 tons were just over 200hp and 200ft/ibs. Now today the 5.4L f150 at 300hp is kinda known as the weak motor in 1/2 tons.

Is it just that today we are demanding a much bigger, stronger, more efficient motor than before? I mean as far as towing goes, the F150 is the highest in its class (last i heard), yet it has a smaller powerplant especially when compared to the Tundra. Just helps you to remember that there is much more than just hp and torque. For example, The strength and rigidity of the frame has to be a big reason the F150 tows more than the Tundra.

Don't get me wrong though. I love all this competition in the truck market. Hopefully it means better trucks for all of us (regardless of brand).

Well thats just my random thoughts and 2 cents.

 

I agree. Seems like foreign made trucks first went for fuel efficency. ( nissan,toyota) but could pull a dang thing. Then, they decide to jump head long into the full-size line of trucks, this time saying they want to compete in the same line a Ford, and Chevy. I mean are they kidding me or what? Sure they slapped a v-8 in the toyota and nissan truck, made the thing bigger than previous models, but once they did that its just like they said... (in my best Japanese voice) This truck will kick the Americans trucks tails.
I actually test drove a 2007 Titan before I bought my f-150. It handles like junk. I honestly believe there is more stablility in a KITE than there is in the frame of the Titan. Sure I could get the thing to 70mph really fast, but I took it in the mud 1 time and I thought the truck was going to die and go to Nissan heaven out there on the trail.
You know, the foreign car makers all say we (America) are so far behind them on fuel efficency. Well, they are infinetly farther behind us on a serious work truck. Don't get me wrong I am all about fuel economy, but I can't justify to myself sacraficing the ability to use my truck for work just so I can get fuel economy. Besides, from what I hear the Titan and Tundra do horrible on fuel economy too. So, to me there is just no good reason to leave Ford. Sure, just like anything with an engine it sometimes has issues, but American's have been making trucks long enough so that when we say "Built Ford Tough" you better believe it will just about tank to destroy it.

 

the guy that delivers chemicals to my dads shop has a 06 titan he couldnt get over 14 mpg and when he drove to canada the motor went up at 13000 miles. my grandpa bought a brand new tundra a couple months ago (that trader). he cant get over 14 mpg no matter how he drives or where he drives. and the honda ridgeline is suppose to be a truck right? well if you have the bed loaded and you have get a flat your gonna have to unload every last bit of what you have in the bed because tha spare tire is in some kind of compartment in the bed.

 

i have found that when i am out snowmobiling/hunting/fishing/jobsite/anything...that i am the one that crawls up over anything, pulls every one out with newer and faster and more expensive trucks. one thing about my ford, except for the shift linkinge in the 4wd to be a little crappy the thing is an absolute tank in the snow. i can get over the unkept roads with a foot of fresh snow over ice in VT with ease while i pass many other brands

for work and being a truck, ford hands down, the new chevys are like a 4wd maxima. my dad has an 04, it has 147k on it. 2 transmissions, but even going out to get the snowmobliles last winter he couldnt make it out back so he pulled his out with mine and had to finish the job with mine.

they are just built tougher,

 

^^yeah my little 93 f150 just crawls at an idle in drive wether its on the street or in the mud or pretty much everything its been through. my dads shop has a dirt driveway and has many holes in it and it gets real bad when it rains. my truck crawls right through the puddles and a chevrolet with the same type and size tires i got, got stuck so i pulled him out while in 2wd then his son was his ride home, so with a mitsubishi lancer he attempted it but he got a running start and made it through, boy that thing was wound right up, sounded like my dads weed wacker

 

We have a 99 F-150, 4X4 with 5.4 and it has been the best truck we have ever owned. And, we have owned a lot of vehicles, mostly Fords and tend to drive them a lot of miles.

This 99 F-150 is not particularly great at anything. It will haul our 4,000 pound boat where we need it although overdrive is not an option and the resulting 10 mpg is not pleasant. But, it does it without any complaint as long as I don't go much over 65 mph. The automatic tranny is what I have always disliked but it doesn't shift any rougher at 105,000 miles as it did from day one when bought new.

This truck has not had one repair unless you consider brakes at 90,000 miles and two rear shocks at 80,000 miles. It has been dealer serviced it's entire life and everything about it is very close to like new including the paint and interior.

I don't think anyone has ever made a better all-purpose vehicle. And, I guess we'll just keep driving it because no one makes anything I feel much inclined to buy right now. Hard to sell a vehicle that has been so good for so long if there is no particular need.

But, those folks talking about seat of the pants take-off power are probably right. She's not a street racer but is a very good all around truck that to this day still averages about 17 mpg on the highway at high altitude and 80+ mph.

 

prior to my 97 F150 I owned an 87 toy 4wd, bought it new. Biggest POS I ever owned and it was babied.

My 1997 4.6 only lacked for power once. That ws when I was towing at the maximum rated towing capacity. I love the low end torque that is what truck engines are all about. At 179,000 miles uses less than 1/2 qt. between changes, only major repair was a fuel pump.

And the best thing is that my chevy loving buddy drove it when it had a 160,000 on it and asked "does this truck really have that many miles it feels like it only has 60,000 miles"

The only thing I want to rev to the moon to make HP is my wife's 01 Cobra and a 2 stroke dirt bike.

And if you deflate the front tires prior to changing plugs the back two plugs on the passenger side are easy to remove.

 

I've notived stuff like that too. But I THINK that companies now rate their motor's HP at the flywheel right? Did companies do that back in the day? I could be wrong though about the motors being rated at the flywheel, just something I read somewhere.