My current 01 F-250 CC LB 4x4 with the V10 has been in the shop for two weeks getting new paint and some other work after an altercation with a tree in the road. During this time I have had two rentals while I wait for my beast to be done.
The first week I had an 05 extended cab Silverado 4x4, now I am currently driving an 05 F-150 extended cab. The following are my thoughts on these two back to back rentals. Also of note the F-150 only had 8 miles on it when I picked it up. Just some quick thoughts on both.

Appearance: The Ford takes it hands down, the look of course is very big and tough. The Chevy is simply the ugliest truck out on the market, the Nissan Titan looks 100 times better.

Interior: The Ford is also a hands down winner here. The fit and finnish and the styling are top notch. There is plenty of room and visibility is as good as in my Superduty. The Chevy is small and the interior is dated. The hand grab on the passenger side dash drives me nuts. I have never been able to figure out why they have had this thing on their dash. Visibility is very poor, I felt like I was in a small car and had some bad blind spots. The only thing I liked is the split temperature control. The seats in the Chevy by the end of the week were very uncomfortable for me, I am 6'1" and 250 lbs. I commute 100 miles round trip each day. The Ford is nicer here as well.

Ride: The Ford once again outperforms. The ride is firm, still truck like, but does not punish you. Feels very confident and capable. The Chevy was a nice ride, if you want a "car" like ride. Very soft and didn't give me a "capable truck" feel at all. I haven't hauled or towed anything with either of these but my initial feeling is that towing with the Chevy would be like towing with a car. Again I didn't feel like I was in a truck at all.

Performance: Closer here as the Ford is still breaking in. I can feel a difference in the motor as it breaks in. Both motors are the smaller V-8's. The Chevy does motor on down the road from a standstill. The Ford seems to have more on the top end. Including cornering and breaking in this the Ford is nicer once again as the Chevy is once again to car like in this aspect. More time will tell as the Ford continues to break in.

Odds & Ends. The Fords transfer case shifter on the floor is very smooth, moves in and out of place with minimal finger pressure, very nice. The Fords ext cab windows are full functioning up and down, I didn't pay attention to the Chevy's. I thought this was a nice touch.

I must say that I really like this little 1/2 ton Ford. My current crop of Fords have been nice but have been plaqued by some serious mechanical concerns that have left me feeling unimpressed by their quality. Transmissions, front ends, rear ends, if it weren't for my extended warranties I would have spent some serious coin to keep them on the road. I am not the die hard Ford fan at all costs and have looked at trying the other brands but have not been able to due to losing out to much on a trade in.
Driving the new F-150 has given me hope that Ford is still the one to stay with. Now all I need is to get me an 05 F-350 CC V10 and I'll be set.

 

Having owned owned a 2001 Chevy Silverado and drive a new Ford f150 for work at times I feel I can add to this post.

Points of agreement
1) The truck design itself is a little dated.
2) The exterior styling is conservative and yes maybe a little ugly
3) Exterior styling of the Ford is appealing.
4) New Fords a little roomier - comforatble

Points of Disagreement.
1) You gave the Ford a better ride yet stated
'ride is firm, still truck like'
The Chevy rides nicer and handles better - bottom line.

2)Can't speak of the towing capacity of the Ford. But I live in Central WI and hauled a 7800# trailer to North-Western Montana and back twice - no problems, handled great. Engine worked a little more through the plains against the West winds and the mtns - but overall a good performer.

3) Interior styling in the Chevy and Ford are pretty equal. Fit & Finish both pretty good - Fords come a long way in this dept. The split temp zone in the Chevy is better then sliced bread. I typically like it quite abit cooler then my wife.

4) In my opinion the 5.3 is a stronger motor and gets better milage to boot.

5) If you'd ever driven with me you'd know what the passanger grap handle is for.

6) Chevy seats seem to fit me better and are very versitile- This is completely subjective.

7) You also stated 'Visibility is very poor' in the Chevy yet most independent tests prove conclusivle that the Chevy/GM product provides the most visibity because of the lower-slung front hood. Of domestics it ranks Chevy, Ford, Dodge for visibilty.


You also made mention 'like a car' Remember a car typically rides and handles better. So with the Chevy your kinda getting your cake and eating it too.

 

I think that rugby likes the stiff ride since he is use to the 250's ride, thats why he may have said it rode better when the chevy is softer. Some of us prefer feeling the bumps. Can't go wrong with either one tho.

 

DMAX-HD I've got the keys to a new '05 Lariat SC 4X4 sitting on my desk that I'm going to drive for a few days (FFA function, and they're all Ford people. go figure ). Should be interesting.

 

the chevy truck is [SNIP]!! it is car like and if you want something that rides like a car, go buy a car then. these are trucks and people buy them because they are trucks. the ford rides stiffer because it is a tougher truck hands down. you sould look at the website called "The Truth About Trucks" where they actually take the trucks apart and compare them. you should see the frame on the F150 compared to every other brand, the ford frame section is huge and beefy and not sissy lookin.

 

I get real tired of statements like the one above. Who said a truck as to ride stiff to be a truck. I don't like the Chevy but not because of the ride. It is possible today to have both and have a smooth ride does not means its not a truck. If only they would use active suspensing we could have a caddy ride and still load up the house.

 

I don't think you'll be disappointed - just trying to keep things in perspective...

 

That Chevy you just bashed stock to stock to your truck hauls more, tows more, has a faster 1/4 mile time, has better gas milage, handles better, and rides better. Those are all facts ....

 

um nooooooooooooooooo, the F150 tows and hauls more, lew powerful 5.3L and if you want to go to the super duty we can and it will haul a chevy 1 ton in the back of it with no problem, seen it and been there. and if you got a trailer with a 10,000lb GVWR then you would have to have a CDL to pull it with a super duty, cause the super duty with the trailer tow package can tow OVER 17,000 POUNDS. so if you are such a hard core chev guy go to the chev site and [SNIPPED BY FL55]. when they build a truck that can compare then lets talk. the only thing chevy can advertise right now that sounds even good is that they have more STANDARD POWER in the crew cab trucks ONLY because ford offers the 4.6L V8 as the standard motor in the super crew, thats all i hear on their commercials anymore. who gives a crap about the 1/4 mile time, i need the power where i need it most for towning and hauling and thats low end torque and mid to high range RPM, its not a darn race car its a TRUCK. plus look at all the magazines they place the chevy and dodge below the ford trucks every time. so just [SNIPPED BY FL55] admit that ford puts out the best trucks on the road. if you need me to pull numbers and post them i can do that to make your truck look really really bad.

 

i sorry but i would like to see your f150 numbers verse the competition. besure to put 05 to 05 and 04 to 04 btw i have seen the tough truck post and i would like to see numbers.

 

I drive a Ford but if you prefer a Ford over a Chevrolet because it rides stiffer, then you'll love the Dodge. When you ride in a Dodge, there is no doubt that you're in a truck.

 

I drive a Ford but if you prefer a Ford over a Chevrolet because it rides stiffer, then you'll love the Dodge.

 

One thing that's striking is the size difference of the '05 to the old '93. They're parked side-by-side in the driveway, and the '05 is quite a bit taller and longer. Seems a bit narrower though.

 

Please keep the brand bashing and flaming of others reserved for the "other" boards. Need I say more?

 

Public anouncement:

You don't need a CDL unless you are pulling commercially. A few states have a non-commercial equavelent but not many.