Ford or Chevy....age old question?

[John Barron]

GMC is out of the running Lance so save your key strokes. I was out looking to refine my ideas of what I want in my truck. You can look all you want on the internet but I want to see it, touch it, hear it and sit in it. If I left it to the dealers that I visited today Ford would not get my business.

While I'm not ready to buy just yet I am like a fish not quite locked on a bed. You put the right bait in front of me and I will bite. I walked on to the Ford Dealer in San Dimas and they just couldn't care less. Yeah a salesman came up and asked if I needed some help and I asked for a fleet guy because they generally know more about trucks.

I talked with him for a few minutes told him what I was looking for and they had no trucks to show me. He made zero effort to get me in a Ford. Again I'm not quite ready to buy yet and maybe it showed but this guy had no interest whatsoever.

180 degrees was the local Chevy dealer. As a matter of fact this salesman was too anxious. He was all over it and had several trucks to show me. But when I started asking questions about the truck he had no answers so I asked for the fleet guy. He brought me his manager. He was knowledgable about trucks and while they did not have the truck equipped the way I wanted it he assured me he could locate one and have it there for me to look at in a very short time.

I know what I want the truck to be equipped with. I have been a Ford guy for the last 6 trucks I really like the Duramax/Allison combo and I don't know enough about the new 6.4 Powerstroke Ford has. I do know that I have the 7.3 Powerstroke now and it's been a great truck.

I may keep it for another year but most likely will not. I want a little more creature comforts than my truck has at this point in my life. I want to travel to a few more lakes next year and I want to be comfortable doing it.

So what will it be Ford F350 Powerstroke or Chevy 3500 Silverado HD? I'm not sold either way yet.
jb

[scottsweet]

Hi John,

Here is my take so far. The Duramax/Allison is a proven combo and has been for years. Ford is now on its 3rd diesel engine in 5 years. The 6.0L I have was plaqued with problems, though mine has been fine. (2003 F350 Dually crew Cab King Ranch with 6L Diesel.)

Personally, I really like the comfort of the King Ranch seats. I have sat in the seats of the Chevy and liked them, BUT, my parents have the same seats in a 3 year Envoy and the seats are breaking down with only 40,000 miles on it.

I say sit in all the trucks with the different seats and pick the one you are most comfortable sitting in. Ask Lance about my seats, he has had multiple long drives as a passenger and he can speak to the comfort.

The interior/exterior features are very similar, though the integrated trailer brake of the Ford is nice and clean if you need that.

Personally, I am pretty pissed at Ford for their poor dealer (Kemp) customer service. I was ready to sell my Ford just because of that alone. After only 1.5 years and 42,000 miles, my doors rattled like crazy. I took it in and they said " the weather stripping is deteriorated and it is out of warranty...$450 to replace them." I argued for an hour with them to no avail. Of course if it had been under 36,000 miles, it would not have been "deteriorated" as the service writer claimed but "defective" as the repair technician stated in front of the service manager.

Both have the 100,000 mile warranty on the drive train so there is no difference there.

I don't know if GMC has the backup alert sensors on their trucks yet, but Ford does and it is nice. The mileage on the Chevy is probably going to be a little less (as it is compared to the Ford 6.0L), but with the new Ford diesel still unproven, it is hard to know.

SO..pick comfort and creature features as #1.

Hope this helps a little.

[CharlieS.]

I know what you mean..its the most agonizing thing to me to buy cars/trucks...etc..been treated like dog crap ,and the same day else where salesbozo tried to convince me that I was looking for something I didnt want..but he knew what I needed ...hopefully..Im done with that ,atleast for me..wife...who the heck knows,lol....by the DuraMax,,,hehe - Charlie

[RichThiel]

John,

I have a 97 Chevy Sierra 1500 with the Vortex 350 engine. 220,000 miles on it and still the doors don't rattle yet. Just change the oil and put gas in it is all I've done.... Owned two Fords, both made it to 140-160,000 and had to replace parts around the engine.

Ford finally replaced their front end problem, so I don't know....Just the same, the next truck will be a GMC with the 327.

Rich

[FISHorDIE]

I guess the Dodge with the Cummins is out of the picture huh John?

[John Barron]

It's just not the tuck for me.
jb

[John Barron]

They match up well. But Ford seems to fit me better as far as the truck itself. That may sound a little funny but Mrs jb bought a Chevy Silverado 1500 recently. It's loaded and a nice truck but I liked my old F150 a lot better. I am leaning more to the Ford side but like I said I'm not locked on yet and if you put the right bait in front of me and I will bite.
jb

[mark poulson]

John,
Isn't there a San Diego Ford dealer who is a major tournament sponsor?
Maybe you can get the angler's discount?

[John Barron]

I fully intend to talk to Paul
jb

[mark poulson]

Off topic, did you get your SI yet?

[DougH]

http://videos.streetfire.net/video/b108 ... 3f4333.htm

[scottsweet]

This video is very compelling. Albeit we don't pull quite the same load, BUT, we do travel when it is that hot if not hotter.

I have pulled my Lance camper (3500 lbs) and my boat in the heat of the summer from Southern Cal to Oregon. I never had a overheating issue in any way.

There is NO reason for a Chevy to have this problem. The reality is that it's not the engine, but the cooling system (engine and transmission) that Chevy has for its trucks. This is a big problem.

John...if I were you...say no to Chevy...I won't now that I have seen this.

[John Barron]

I was told at the end of last week that it is shipping soon. I am looking forward to getting it on my boat. I have been through the simulation but I want to see the real thing.
jb

[L.Mickelson]

That video is on the LLY motor. John would be getting either the current LBZ or the new LBX?. Call me ignorant but I haven't heard of these complaints about the GM's. Come borrow mine for a day John. I don't like to buy anything first year although I did with the Vortec.

[Tom Proffitt]

If you need info on trucks, come over the mountain to Bakersfield and the dealers know about truck. They also have a great selection on hand. No, I am not a salesmen.

[mark poulson]

From what I've seen and heard, it's the bomb. Saving my pennies.

[B Becker]

hey JB,

I have the 7.3 ford and love it!! I also love the comfort of my Ford as well....drove a Chevy from Vegas to Clear Lake last fall, and my back was killing me....it was a brand new Chevy too ('06)....the engine in the Chevy was great ( I don't know what size, but it was gasoline), we had a camper and the boat, and she did really well, not bad on gas either.....I don't know if I'm going diesel again, the prices aren't what it used to be for fuel, and the oil changes are ridiculous.....I don't think I will get rid of this truck to get a new one....I will drive this one to the grave yard before I get a new one.....good luck, and yes, go to Diego and find a better dealer.....I can hook you up with someone in Oregon, but that is a long way to go

[Lance]

JB,

Scotts on the money, the King Ranch seats are the best. Thats all Im saying

[hippie]

What you need to do is talk to mechanics. Salesmen are salesmen they don't know crap usually just the basics my old man was a chevy mechanic for a dealersahip and he steared me right . If you want the chance of a blown up duramax or a caught on fire truck go chevy, your tranny should still hold up. If you want a lasting truck by a dodge with a manual shift, And if your a real man wait for the yota diesel ,cause you can't kill a yota. Id really be scared of the twin turbo the concept makes sense. first years out are always wrong way to go

[Lil T]

Okay, wait, I dont get it, you're looking at the Chevy, but not the GMC? I got a great price on my truck and interest free financing. My last truck was the ford, 7.3 diesel. I LOVED that truck and the new ford engine will just disappoint you if that is what you have now. The Chevy and the GMC are quiet, have the acceleration, but I noticed after driving each that for reasons I can't explain, the GMC handled better. I am sensitive to this since I do performance driving as part of my profession and drive new cars frequently in the craziest of conditions (code 3 ride anyone?) Additionally, I highly recommend driving everything before making up your mind, as everyone has personal preferences and those of us that tow things (for me the heavy horses) handling comfort is key. So I drove everything John, and thats what caused me to buy the Sierra, though I had an asthetic preference for the Ford and the Dodge. Let me just add that the new interior on the GMC and Chevy (which was not available during our shopping spree) is sweet and unless you are willing to pay for the "King Ranch" version of the Ford, that truck is just not going to measure up inside either. Additionally, they have a new engine AGAIN, and until it has been out there awhile, I wouldn't feel that safe with it. Just my two cents, good luck in your search!

Tracy

[Lance]

JB,

I didnt put her up to that.

[John Barron]

No problem Lance. I'm as afraid of her as you are so she can say what she wants!
jb

[diesel dean]

i have been working on the ford diesels for three years the 7.3l was a great motor almost bullet proof 6.0l has had it problems but still is a strong motor after the mistakes were made on the 6.0 ford will not allow the new 6.4 to fail they value the super duty customers. most common problems on the 6.0 were small i would say that the biggest problem was o-rings failing or turbos all the problems experienced on the 6.0 have been elimated on the 6.4
i know that the 6.4 has been tested months before it was released
it was tested with it overloaded on the towing compacity and did not experience problems the 6.4 offers plenty of horse power and torque to met the customer needs i can go further into detail about the compairison of the 2 motors if u so desire the 6.4 diesel is way ahead of chevy and dodge and will not fail to satisfy