Thinking about getting a new truck...

[ohanacreek]

I had a an 07 5.3 as a work truck. Wife has the 5.3 in a 13 Yukon. They’re not bad. But not as strong as the 3.5. And there are some issues with the 5.3 and the active fuel management. You’ll want to buy a programmer that shuts that off. About $200. And as you’re buying used.. you’ll want to pray the damage hasn’t already been done.

The 5.3 is WEAK as a tow vehicle and that Cylinder Deactivation is crap I sold mine before the problems showed up but my buddy at work who kept his has started to have issues right at 100k, along with 4 AC coils replaced.

Joey and I “drag raced”, him with his First gen 3.5EB, his heavy TALL enclosed trailer with all his tools and his modded pioneer vs me with my 5.3 2014 Chevy with a CHEAP 6x12 utility trailer and a base pioneer.

He took me to Gapplebees spinning the tires on the Ford....

Having service done on the company car, they won’t even let us change a flat tire (liability/risk management)

So I am perusing the F series today.

Not a Mustang guy but this Bullitt version looks neat.

 

[Admin]

 

[jwfirebird]

forgot to put my mileage, i know a few people with the ford and dodge, they are always dissapointed that its no where near the claim real world, my avalanche pre cyl deactive is 18 local with stops, 20-22 all hwy. it has the towing gears and high option powerboost breaks, i get 12-14 towing either my 33 ft camper or the pioneer(ton of hills highway keeping up to the cars), also has no problem hauling my 30h compact NH with the 1k+ brush mower on my open trailer, the brakes you can get the power steering boost and big disk options on any of the full size trucks. my old man has had two the newer ones with the 6spd and cyl deactive, he gets a little more than me both local and towing

 

[jwfirebird]

the fords have way more issues that stop you and have to get it towed, the chevies have things like a coil, cluster, exhaust gaskets, but they are designed so you get where you need to go,and those fixes are about a hundred bucks, wheel bearings and stuff, they are about a third of the cost of the ford and dodge 100-200k speaking from someone who has had them all, and way less headache you schedule the maintenance when you need on a chev unlike the others that left me stranded a ton.

who cares how fast it is, a truck is a tool, it needs to get your crap to where it needs to go reliably. it will go the speed limit whether im towing the tractor or my 7500 dry camper, all that matters, and gets good mileage doing it

 

[Tommyp]

Have a 2016 Chevy 1500 Z71 with 5.3 and tow package. Gets 21 - 22 on highway at 72. Hook 12x7 trailer with Pioneer and it drops to 12 - 13 at 70. Pulls great, but mileage sucks. Pioneer and trailer weight about 3000 lbs. Most trips have been to Arkansas and Tennessee.

 

[Chooglin]

Just remember this when shopping for a truck " dont ask a 1/2 ton truck to do a 3/4 tons job.........this is a lesson I learned and it cost me $$$$

 

[Mudder]

How are they on fuel mileage?

Hemi 5.7 1500-Average 15-17 around town, around 20 at 75-80 mph, and 9-10 pulling a large 8x18- 7 ft tall enclosed trailer. A little heavy footed driver. But zero regrets as don’t mind the few extra $ at the gas pump, and its like riding in a limo, excellent voice GPS/controls interface. I drive for fun and not gas mileage. LOL

 

[Chooglin]

Any truck that is over 8,500# GVWR is not regulated by the EPA , so alot of the 3/4 ton truck manufacturer's concentrate on tow rating vs MPG. I personally prefer tow rating over MPG.

 

[Adam490]

Thanks everybody, good info here. I really just need to go drive some now.

 

[Adam490]

Any truck that is over 8,500# GVWR is not regulated by the EPA , so alot of the 3/4 ton truck manufacturer's concentrate on tow rating vs MPG. I personally prefer tow rating over MPG.

Not interested in a 3/4 but thanks for the info!

 

[ehart814]

Anybody know anything about the Ram Eco-Diesels? I know they weren't well received when they first came out because the engines were s***ting the bed, but that was 2014 or 2015 I think.

That's what I bought. Mine is a 2016 crew cab 4x4. 67k miles now. Had a weird code for a while that would put the truck in limp mode. They towed it out of my driveway twice. Long story short, I received an 8 year 120000 mile bumper to bumper warranty ($100 deductible per visit), and a check for $4000. Then, my truck was part of a class action lawsuit and I received another check a year later for $3000. So I obviously got pretty lucky. Put a tune in the truck and no more problems at all. Didn't have to tune it, because they finally came out with a software update to fix the issue but the tune improves everything with even better reliability and it's the truck isn't deleted.

3" lift and 10 ply 35" mud tires and the truck still gets 20 mpg in the summer driving short trips. And it will hold 8th gear in cruise control on the highway. Highway mpg before the tires and tune was 26-28 mpg. Many folks do better than that.

There definitely was a rash of engine issues, but luckily I got a good one. I was never a brand loyal type of guy, but after the way they took care of me, I'm a ram guy now. I would be willing to bet that any of the new trucks would be great, but Ram is giving the best deals. Check out Falls Motor City in Ohio. Their online prices are the actual prices that everyone qualifies for.

 

[ehart814]

There is a big issue right now with the eco-diesel‘s something to do with a re-tune in loss of mile per gallon and power.

Here's how it goes. If you bought a new 14, 15, or 16, you go to dealer and get reflash. Then send paperwork to FCA. Then wait a month or two and get a check for $3000. Then take $800 and buy GDE tune for truck. Truck runs better and gets better MPG and you've got cash in your pocket. Not a bad deal.

 

[joeymt33]

Thanks, good info. I'm definitely going to drive a bunch of them before I settle on anything. Trying to be brand neutral when looking but damn the internet makes that hard to do! If I wasn't worried about MPG I'd already be in a Tundra.

I'll never drive Nissan. I've got two buddies that bought the 1st Gen Titans and both spent significant time in the shop. Good looking trucks but not for me. I've heard horror stories about the new ones.

The Rams looking more appealing , I just don't know anybody who has one. Definitely going to drive a few.

What issues did the 1st Gen EB have? I see a ton of 2011-2016 for sale hovering around 100k miles and not a lot of higher mileage units.

I'm staying away from the small diesels. The more I read about them the less appealing they are.

The 1st gen EB has a complex valve train timing set that consists of 4 cams, 4 cam phasers, three timing chains, etc. I think the replacement parts are better but some of those trucks had issues. With that said, I drove a ‘14 model past 100k with no issues and my brother drove a ‘11 model past 100k. I just don’t think the chances of going 200k plus are that good.

Then combine that with the fact that 1st gen EB we’re direct injected and like all direct injected engines they have coking problems on the intake valves. The gen 2 has direct and port injection.

Trucks behave so different when towing so as you are getting close to choosing and have eliminated most others, take the final couple trucks on an extended test drive and go hook up to that JD tractor.

 

[Tigermark]

I'll never buy another chevy truck. I'll say the ford eco boost is pretty damn impressive at towing power.

Drive em all, buy what you like.

Eventually this will turn into a Cummins guys vs. The world thread lol.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

Them Cummins guys are crazy sumb****es!

 

[Plumber32]

I'll never buy another chevy truck. I'll say the ford eco boost is pretty damn impressive at towing power.

Drive em all, buy what you like.

Eventually this will turn into a Cummins guys vs. The world thread lol.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

No Cummins in a 1500 since Nissan quit. Buying used is a crapshoot buy a tundra.

 

[Adam490]

No Cummins in a 1500 since Nissan quit. Buying used is a crapshoot buy a tundra.

I'd love to, but the MPG is total s***. If I only needed it to tow stuff around I wouldn't be too worried, but I need to use it to commute back and forth to work as well.

 

[Adam490]

I hope Toyota does something great with the next Tundra drivetrain, but seeing what they did with the 3rd gen Tacoma isn't too promising. I test drove one (3rd Gen Taco) and the powerband on that new 3.5L sucks. Have to rev the s*** out of it and then it hunts for gears when pulling just my small trailer with ATV around town. The manual solves the transmission issue but I sit in stop and go traffic daily in New Orleans to and from work, which makes the M6 a no go for my sanity. That and the wife would never drive it, which could be a plus...

 

[JimmyA]

I'll never buy another chevy truck. I'll say the ford eco boost is pretty damn impressive at towing power.

Drive em all, buy what you like.

Eventually this will turn into a Cummins guys vs. The world thread lol.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

2018 Ram 3500 6.7 Cummins 217,042 miles/ 2 recalls no problems. 13-15mpg highway, 9-11 towing up to 12,000lbs in my case.

 

[CumminsPusher]

What about a clean older full size just for towing and then commute with more economical or something you already have?
I do have to agree on the Toyota part. Overall there’s no doubt in my mind it’s the best 1/2 ton but mileage along with a couple other things are lacking. They are dated. Safest bet used though.

 

[Adam490]

What about a clean older full size just for towing and then commute with more economical or something you already have?
I do have to agree on the Toyota part. Overall there’s no doubt in my mind it’s the best 1/2 ton but mileage along with a couple other things are lacking. They are dated. Safest bet used though.

Trying to get away from having an extra insurance payment but it's looking like a better idea the more I read and look at used truck prices.

 

[TimG]

had them all for a number of years and had them for work trucks that get beat everyday all day, the chevies last the longest under this kind of use, ford develop a ton of issues after 100k as do dodge, dodge are very expensive to keep after 60k, when electrics and cams and crap start going. the 5.3 is the engine o get they have the best real world milage and towing if you intend on driving it everyday. the only things that are bad about them is the rust but i always look for one thats been under coated and drive it to 200k+ the least costly issues doing this kind of mileage of the 3

forgot to put my mileage, i know a few people with the ford and dodge, they are always dissapointed that its no where near the claim real world, my avalanche pre cyl deactive is 18 local with stops, 20-22 all hwy. it has the towing gears and high option powerboost breaks, i get 12-14 towing either my 33 ft camper or the pioneer(ton of hills highway keeping up to the cars), also has no problem hauling my 30h compact NH with the 1k+ brush mower on my open trailer, the brakes you can get the power steering boost and big disk options on any of the full size trucks. my old man has had two the newer ones with the 6spd and cyl deactive, he gets a little more than me both local and towing

Have a 2016 Chevy 1500 Z71 with 5.3 and tow package. Gets 21 - 22 on highway at 72. Hook 12x7 trailer with Pioneer and it drops to 12 - 13 at 70. Pulls great, but mileage sucks. Pioneer and trailer weight about 3000 lbs. Most trips have been to Arkansas and Tennessee.

Spot on info here. I've owned Chevy trucks exclusively my entire life. I just don't have any problems with them so why change ? My current ride is a 2016 Silverado 1500 double cab 5.3L, 6spd. auto with tow package. 20-22 mpg, hwy empty, 13 mpg towing my sxs @ 75 MPH about 4000 miles last year. I used to have a 2500 that had the 6.0 gas,great truck but 13 mpg empty, 7-9 mpg towing.