I see people on here sometimes saying they want to switch brands. I had Ford since 2008, 5 different super duties. When 2021 rolled around I ordered another 450. Ford had, and still does, issues building trucks. Nothing new to you guys. I waited and waited and truck didn't come in. So I finally switched to a 2024 3500gmc Denali ultimate dually. Absolutely beautiful truck and served me well. It just wasn't a Ford. Turning radius, small fuel tank. Couple other things in there as well.

450 finally came in and I switched back in a heartbeat. What I'm saying is, the grass isn't greener. Think long and hard before jumping.

 

cool story bro

 

Each brand has their pro's and con's just like Ford. GM and Ram forums are full of die-hard brand lovers just like FTE who say the same thing about greener grass.

I came from 2 newer Dodges and a Ram (among many older '70's-'90's Fords). Haven't been around the 5th Gen Ram's yet...

 

They aren't that different from the 4th gens, really, aside from the gasser getting an 8 speed in I think 19? May have been 18, I don't recall which. I haven't had any issues with mine in 26k (which I only picked up because I couldn't get a SD I liked and I needed a truck) but I don't put tunes on my trucks anymore and I follow a set maintenance schedule (one I'm comfortable with). My biggest issue is that there are a few features that I really enjoy on this Bighorn that I'm pretty sure I'd lose going to a comparable XLT, like my heated wheel and dual climate zones. I believe I'm going to be truck shopping after the new year but it's going to be hard giving up some of those features I really enjoy.

 

I recently came from a 2016 Ram 2500 diesel to a Ford F350. I really like the Ford, but the primary reason I even considered Ford is the financial troubles with Stellantis and concerns about long term viability of the Mopar brands.

 

Ram never moved the 5th Gen cab and architecture to the HD line. They did update the interior slightly, but overall the HD trucks are still the same 4th Gen trucks they've sold for over a decade.

The true 5th Gen Rams are SOOOOOOOOOOOOO much nicer than any other truck on the market. Gorgeous exterior lines, larger and more functional interior with a flat rear load floor, larger rear seat, better sound deadening throughout, more safety, etc. etc. Even the sound you hear when you close the doors is different. I have no idea why they never moved that to the HD trucks. Well, I guess I do... Stellantis is run by idiots.

If they had moved the 5th Gen to the HD line, and had left the hydraulic lifters off the Cummins engine, the Ram would have been the best HD truck in the segment by a long shot. Oh well.....

 

I just moved from a 15 3500 Laramie to a 24 F350. Didn't take long for the Europeans to drive a great American auto company straight into the ground and me back to Ford.

 

No kidding, Fiat (FCA) was no great shakes, but Stellantis has been unbelievably bad.

 

I've had all three brands of truck in both diesel and gas and still have 8 trucks currently, five of which are Dodge/Ram. I'm not loyal to any one brand and buy what I think is the best truck available at the time.....for several reasons the last two have been Super Duty trucks and I remain pleased with my decision. I almost went with a Cummins/Ram again before buying my 2022 but I'm glad I went with Ford.

2 cents,
Dave

 

At the place I worked for over twenty-five years, when the budget was good, they would purchase twenty to twenty-five heavy duty gasser trucks each year, and always rotated each year buying GM, Dodge, and Ford. Starting in 2008, they switched to getting only Ford. I knew the headquarters logistics and finance guy, and I eventually asked him why did they switch to getting only Ford. He told me their long term fleet analysis was the maintenance and repair costs over the life of the truck turned out to be less expensive with the Fords.

 

And we all thought Sergio was a bad CEO 🤯

 

That has been my experience up until the 2020 and newer Fords I purchased. Been handling the fleet purchase and maintenance for my company since 2010. Prior to 2010 our company was a pretty mixed bag of Dodge, Ford, and GM. Going through the records Ford was clearly making the more dependable trucks so every new truck needed since then has been a Ford and we had a good run for about a decade with the 6.2L and 6.8L powertrains in everything up to class 6.

2021 came and the old man wanted one more new truck for himself until he retires. Purchased an F600 with the 7.3L and it made it a little past 30k before the engine lost compression on multiple cylinders. Ok no big deal, **** does happen. Last year I purchased a 2022 F250 with a 6.2L and 6R100 transmission. Transmission has issues and the truck is being sold once its 2024 Ram 2500 replacement arrives. This year I took delivery of a 2024 F250 with 6.8L and 10R100 transmission, this truck also had transmission issues and was traded in with 13k miles for a 2024 Ram 2500. I also took delivery of two 2024 F600 with 7.3L and one F650 with 7.3L. Not really impressed with build quality compared to the new Rams we have and the 10R140 transmissions are starting to exhibit the clunky behaviors reported many times on these forums. The F650 has the 6R140 and its the best driving truck out of the six newer Fords in the fleet.

Grass is definitely greener for me with the 2024 Ram I have and looking forward to the 2025 Ram updates and the 8spd being available in the chassis cab so I can replace the newer Fords I have.

 

Enjoy the F450. Great truck if you can get past the ride. How is it doing on fuel economy compared to the older engine and transmission? I considered upgrading to a new 450 but there were NONE around that I could even test drive. While the 350 is a bear to park and get around in, it sure is a nicer ride. I have owned several of the big 3, and a few Foreign brands. All I can say is a Ford NEVER left me stranded. I have been stranded by GM, Toyota and Chrysler, but never a Ford. Other than a run down cheap RAV 4, all our cars are Ford. The oldest is a 1995 Grand Marquis that still runs great and still looks good too. I have a 2014 Flex Ecoboost with 186K miles on it, due for a timing chain as the tensioners bleed down, but thats a pretty much average time to replace one, but the engine and transmission are rock solid, all original (except fluid of course).

Welcome back to the Dark Side!

 

The 2021 450 i had was a rough ride. Just tried to swerve around the rough spots, Lol. I thought the gmc would be a nicer ride but it really wasn't. I only have 400 miles on it so no guess on mileage. I think it will be better than the gmc. That drank the fuel and with a36 gallon tank i had to fill up a lot. Also, with the gmc i had to plan how to turn in parking lots and such. The 450 still a little but that turning radius is nice. I had a 2017 350 dually and loved it but like the F450 as well. I have a lot of customers I have tight spaces when delivering and it makes a difference

 

Yep, thats the real difference, the F450 comes from the commercial truck line, meant for tight locations for delivering and picking up good. It is a real commercial truck, and thats the downside of it, it comes with a real commercial truck ride! LOL