Ive been reading about how great the new F150 is suppose to be, I havent been near the new F150, but just recently my brother and I spent a couple days doing a road test comparison from the big 3. The trucks:

2003 Ford F150 5.4

2003 Chevy Silverado 5.3

2003 Dodge Ram 5.2

The results? well, for starters my brother is a diehard Dodge man, so naturally he was biased going in. Me, I drive an S-10, so he could say that about me. For me, all 3 were good driving vehicles, although the Dodge did have a little road wander. Handling wise Id have to say the Chevy was best, it just felt better at all highway speeds. The Ford got the nod for leg room, otherwise interiors were, to me very close. Power wise, I thought the Chevy and Ford felt the same, the Dodge seemed to strain some on hillls. As for looks, I think Chevy shot itself in the foot with the 03 front end, reminds me of a mad alien. Ive never cared for Dodges "road tractor" look, and the F150 looks too much like a car, it just doesnt give the appearance of being "tough" (I will say the 04 does look like a truck, a great improvement)

Our conclusion? Overall its comparing apples to oranges. All had positive and negative points, none topping the other to amount much. Just a shoppers opnion.

 

MAD ALIEN!

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!

i work with these mad aliens every day./...i work for the enemy.

 

hey gmonlyplease, was the Dodge you drove the new body style? I don't think it was the 5.2 you drove, but the 4.7. Good comparison nontheless.

 

After driving an S10, any truck seems incredible, huh?

 

Dodge Rams were not available withthe 5.2 in 2003.

 

Actually I traded a Ranger for the S-10, one of the best moves I ever made. No more jap mini trucks for me!

 

It may have been a 4.7, I honestly couldnt remember, but anyway the Dodge was not near the truck the Chevy was, so it came in last.

 

not starting a flame fest here, but you compared Dodge's base V8 engine to the best engines available for the other trucks. Glad you liked the 5.3 but you should've tried out the HEMI to make it an even comparison.

 

Good point big blue

 

Ah, I see. And that's why the S10 didn't survive and was finally cancelled due to terrible sales...like some other GM vehicles I know of.

Anyway, yeah I think these guys have a point about the comparisons. You have to compare apples to apples to be fair.

 

i agree, you can't compare the best engines available for other trucks to the bottom of the barrel v8 in one truck. well you can but its not a fair comparison. like wise i can compare the 5.7 L hemi dodge 1500 to an f 150 with a v6 and say the f150 is the weakest truck. apples to oranges. 5.4 3valve triton compared to 5.7 hemi is a fair comparison.

 

They need to bring back an overheadcam 5.8 Windsor. After all seems to me that the Dodge 5.7 is just flat out larger than it's competition. I know that they can get good mileage mine has.(before I lifted it)

 

Yea! whatever happened to the 5.8's? Instead Ford wants to put in a smaller engine to compete with larger ones? IE 5.7 Hemi I'd put a 5.8 against a 5.7 anyday. Just think of a 5.8 400 with the technology that a 5.4? has that! would be an engine!

 

5.8 400 ???

whats that?

also, the mod kills the pushrod ford v8's.... they just dont have carbs and distributors....so people get SKEERED!

 

While the numbers say so, it doesn't feel that way. My 2003 F250 feels no stronger than a 1994 F250 with a 5.8. I agree that if the technology was applied to the 5.8, it would be the better engine. GM can do it with pushrods, and they seem to be a far more relyable way to go. Don't get me wrong, I love my 250SD, but I have a plastic intake manifold, and aluminum heads moving my 6000 pound truck. I would be more than willing to gain a few more pounds and have a much better cast iron head, and aluminum intake, maybee then I wouldn't constantly worry about when I am going to launch a sparkplug.