Hi Skiffer,

You're going to get a million different opinions on this. But you asked, so here's mine:

That's true. It may do a little better job with your trailer, but it would be MUCH worse as a daily driver. What about your Ram is making you want a bigger truck? I've never towed with a Ram 1500, but I'd put 8,000 lbs behind this or my previous F150 without a second thought. I had as much as 16,000 lbs behind my last F150 for a brief period and it did a fine job. I couldn't imagine stepping up to a 3/4 ton truck for an 8,000 lb trailer unless I was pulling it almost every day.

I've had two Super Duties and an Excursion, and they all served their purpose well. But there's no reason I would buy one for the kind of towing you do. You'll be burning at least 30% more fuel every day while dealing with all the sacrifices that come with a heavy duty pickup. Those include sloppier steering, substantially worse ride, more difficult parking, and more expensive maintenance. That truck requires a transmission service every 30,000 miles.

If you're that unhappy with the Ram I'd suggest taking a look at an EcoBoost F150 for your use. Much better tool for the job IMHO.

 

If you're at sea level with no hills, I'd keep the Dodge. If you bought the Dodge new, I would think you'd take a beating on the trade-in value. I consider my '01 F350 to be a terrible daily driver, so it sits in the garage until needed for its capabilities.

You could ask the dealer to run an OASIS report on the F250, in case it has low miles due to frequent/long repairs at the dealer.

 

I share the same feelings too.

My f350 is used for a landscape business so the towing and especially the hauling capabilities are needed. But I have a different vehicle for daily travel. My truck is a V10 but with lots of short trips unloaded I'll be in the 5-8mpg range. Commuting 40mi/one way never got me more than 10mpg. The 05 F150 I had was good for 14-15. Gotta pay to play as they say.

If you like the HD platform then go get it. Just realize what comes with it and accept that you can't change these things. I read way too many threads that are titled:

"What mod for better mpg"

"What mod for a better ride"

"Where to find cheaper parts"

"Why do I keep burning through brakes"

Etc.......

The answer to all of them is nothing, or something that will cost a ridiculous amount of money, but usually nothing.

 

I have a 06 F350 V10 that I love and would try to talk you in to buying one also but.... towing a max weight of 8k is well within your current trucks ratings and the only upgrade I would suggest would be an F150 with the 3.5EB.

The 05 F250 is a very good truck for what it's designed to do but not necessarily the best for what you're describing.

Edit, what gears does your RAM have?