Over the past 2 years, I have been surfing the Dodge, GM & Ford forums, reading all the posts and researching everything I could find about Diesel pickups. It's now decision time on which new Diesel pickup to buy. All my research has boiled down to this: All of the big 3 are now making very good Diesel pickups and all are VERY close in reliability, quality and performance. But none of them is perfect and all of them still make some lemons from time to time. GM seems to have the least number of problems (per 1000 units sold) while Dodge seems to have the most with Ford being about in the middle. But again, all three are very close and these rankings swap around from time to time. Here is my thought process in arriving to my final decision:<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>

The Cummins engine appears to be the best engine ever put in a pickup truck but Dodge seems to have a problem designing an automatic transmission. It doesn't do much good to have a million mile engine in a 100K mile truck with a 50K mile transmission. Also, the Dodges are all built in Mexico. That just doesn't sit well with me! Anyway you slice it, I don’t like American jobs shipped out of the country!<o></o>

The GM DuraMax set up is pretty damn good and I was hard pressed to find any fault here. There were only a few things that fell into the negative category:<o></o>

1. Alum heads on a Diesel engine. I know it hasn't turned out to be the problem everyone feared but I live in the SW desert areas and it only takes one time over heating to cause serious trouble. Alum heads on a Diesel just make me nervous! <o></o>

2. I don't care for the look of the body above the frame (side view 4X4) and overall the trucks are little too soft looking for me. (I'm speaking about the GMC, the Chevy version just looks too weird for me). 3. They are on the high end price wise and for some reason all the dealers I spoke to seemed very unwilling to deal with me. They all act like their product is fixed "full-pop" price. I will not pay full window sticker, no matter what! <o></o>

That brings me to Ford. For the most part, Ford seems to have gotten most of it's kinks worked out and would appear to be offering the best product at this time. However, it is a very difficult decision for me to return to Ford after getting stuck with a lemon (F-150) back in 1973. But I am trying to be completely logical about this and make my decision based solely on the facts and not my previous prejudices. <o></o>

So, it looks like I'm probably going to go with the new 2005 F250 Diesel 4X4. Now if I can just sort through all the option packages available and get it exactly the way I want it. <o></o>

I assume just about everyone on this forum would buy a Ford but, do any of you have any other thoughts or comments about these new trucks before I plunk down my hard earned $45K? Am I overlooking anything? <o></o>

My apologizes for such a long post but this is a big decision for me. <o></o>

Thanks, Diesel Don

 

What are you gonna be using the truck for there, Don? That'll help us formulate our comments.........

 

Right on. What will you do with the truck? That will help dictate the options. And with respect to your choice of a Ford: well done. You won't be sorry.

 

I basically went through a similar process in determining which truck to go with and I am very pleased with the Ford 6.0 PSD. With that said, I have seen several posts/threads complaining about the steering "wandering on the freeway". Mine has never done this at all (39,230 miles) and in fact the steering is very tight. A couple of more technical FTE members have commented that having the FX4 option makes a difference in the steering (those raising the concern didn't have it). I have the FX4 and highly recommend it. Good luck and you are going to really enjoy the PSD!

 

That pretty much says it all......

It makes me nervous, too. GM has never had good luck with diesels, I don't care what they call 'em.

In 1973.............Richard Nixon was president, gas was 42 cents a gallon, and this thing I'm typing away on right now was just a future fantasy. A lot of things have changed in the past 30 years, my friend. If you had a 2003 Ford lemon, or even a 1993, I could understand your hesitation. BUT A 1973?!?! GIVE US A BREAK HERE!!!

 

Don, Welcome to FTE!

Of course you realize every one of use here is very biased so don't expect many to steer you towards the competition.

If your choice is for a diesel truck to work and keep working, and perhaps to include 4X4 capability you need look no further.

Pound for pound the choices between the three in 4x2 are hard to really pick a clear best deal. But when it comes to a 4x4 work truck, and you don't need a soft Cadilac ride, then Ford is the hands down best choice. Built Ford Tough may be a neat catch phrase in advertising but there is more than a little truth in it.

We all can build a Chevy or Dodge with specific options and challenge a Ford "standard" build and come away with good results for either competitor.

But if you build the Ford with the right combination of options for your specific use, I can easily say that it will be a great choice.

Your note about GM not wanting to deal, is a very telling truth, and I have noted for several years now that Ford dealers are more savy about internet sales and the tendency for new buyers to want to be at, or below, invoice. GM and Dodge just don't get it.

Sure a GM HD Duramax with allison will out do my F350 LB 4X4 V10 but at what cost. Mine does more than I need, and I left the lot with $10,000 less in financed end cost.

For the record, and not to stir any Gasser vs. Diesel war, My V10 out pulls every Dodge Cummings and Hemi between here and Sierra Vista easily!

I run a side business and have a small fleet of trucks (8 V8 and 3 V10). We had to get a large loan to go with our up front money. Of course we did many hours of cost benifit maintenance analysis. Final bid was fleet sales at Ford. Our Banker was very impressed with the background data we provided to support the Ford purchases.

In small to medium fleets there are more than 13,000 companies that use Ford for reliability and maintence. In a small to medium company the tendency for employees to abuse the "company" truck is very high. It is imperative to procure vehicles that will live and be productive under those circumstances.

Sure, several of the on-line data bases for consumer reporting put Ford in the middle. Part of those figures are notes from angry personal owners who had some problem that did not get fixed fast enough or to their satisfaction.

These forums are another example of skewed perceptions. The typical poster has a problem. So there are a disproportinate quantity of bad stories vs. good news. Over the four years I have followed this particular site there are many new posters who have gotten the impression that the V10 (plug blow out) or the V8 6.0 PSD are junk.

This could not be farther from the truth. The statistical ratio of totally satisfied owners, and quanitity of long life, no problem, trucks is not going to be found in this venue.

My 2001 Platinum Edition F250 SuperDuty was released as a Ford commeration to the 2 MILLIONTH SuperDuty off the line since 1999.

Here is a challenge for any body. Research every post about any problem at all on these forums from June 1998 to June 2002 and divide every single serious and nit pick piddly *** complaint into 2 MILLION and see how insignificant the problems are statistically.

Don for $40K and change, the odds of you getting a bad SuperDuty are too low to be concerned.

So here it is:

Least expensive
Best dealer satisfaction ratio
Better than average service history
Most towing and hauling capacity
Best looking
Best forum
Best support

Did I forget to mention there are at least three fleet and internet sales guys who are willing to sell you the truck you want with the options you want and all for between $250 to $500 BELOW invoice......

ENOUGH SAID

Welcome to the Family Don let us know whaT COLOR you got!

 

Glad to hear you are going with Ford. Fords trucks are all I have driven all my life. From all over the farm to daily drivers they are amazing. Currently I have a 2004 F-350 6.0 SC SRW LB 4x4 Lariat. What POWER!!!!!! I have several things I tow. The heaviest being about 12,700lbs. It does a great job!! I noticed you weren't to keen on foreign things, just curious if you noticed that the Duramax Cheby engine, sometimes referred to as the Duraless here in this forum, is actually made by ISUZU. I tell ya one thing, if I could go back to the day I ordered my new truck and sold my 2002 F-350 7.3, I would have ordered the King Ranch edition instead of the Lariat.

Best of Luck,
Corey

Let us know what you get..........

 

Good ride - The GM will win this
Working and pulling and the Ford is the answer.
I am not a Dodge fan, I think the Cummins motor is by fay the most work ready but as said it is in a crappy truck. Every Dodge I ever had has given my nothing but trouble, I am not brand loyal so I look for the best buy.
My wifes Surburban has 125,000 miles on it and I just replaced an AC compressor which is the first problem I have had.
I have had many Ford F250's and the first problem was just now with a transmission going out at just under 90,000 miles. So both have IMO very good reliability.

 

Hey Guys,
Thanks for all your comments and inputs. To answer a couple of questions, I plan to use the truck for everything from taking trips to my ranch in Az to towing a 5th wheel. I need a vehicle that is dead nuts reliable that I can use for towing, hauling, traveling and taking me off road (not jeep trails) when needed.
Now, did someone say they know of a place I can order my new Ford at or BELOW invoice?
Thanks, Diesel Man

 

The Ford Super-Duty is made in Louisville and Mexico. With you living in the Southwest, chances are you would end up with a Meican built truck. Philip.

 

Even as the owner of one of the infamous F250 Lemons I would still recommend this truck. I own a 2002 F250 7.3L 4x4 CC Lariat. I traded my 2001 same model V10 in on it. I will start by saying that I am at the high end of the spectrum as far as what I put a vehicle through. My truck is a little over 2 years old and sitting about 56,000 miles. I have buried it in the mud, snow, and sand. Driven it through creeks, pulled all types of 4x4 vehicles out of the mud, pulled 11,000lb boat, pulled travel trailers and just about anything else you can imagine. Knowing I am so very hard on a truck I assume that I am bound to have problems. My theory is make sure my maintenace is exceptional and ride out the problems. Starting on day three it was in the shop for new tranny seals dues to a severe leak, back in later for hydrobooster/ master cylinder/ power sterring pump, back in for wire chafe 4 times, back for cam sensor, back for alternator, and the last time for cam sensor again. Even with the problems I have had on this truck I would recommend one to anyone who was looking for the toughest vehicle on the road. Any test that ford came up with for their stock trucks I have surpassed. Good luck with th truck and welcome to the ford family.

 

Just curious but is there someone that can confirm this?? I've only ever seen them comeout of Louisville. I know some parts are made in Mexico but as far as I know all Superduties are assembled in Louisville.

Thanks,
Corey

 

One way to tell is the VIN #. All vehicles made in Mexico start with a "3" as the first # of the VIN.
Does anyone out there have a SuperDuty with 3 as the first number of your VIN?

 

Corey, do a search on Google and see what comes up. Diesel Man just said how to look at the VIN. All 6.0 PSD engines are made in Indianapolis. Trucks are assembled in Louisville or Mexico. Philip.

 

1986 F250 diesel
4 tons of stone on the bed of a 3/4 ton truck
300,000 miles 19 years of this treatment
It will be going to work at 7 AM tomorrow again, just like it has every day since 1986
Yes I did replace the motor this year, I really like the 7.3 turbo I have now.
I like it enough I think I will drive it for another 300,000
You can have my wife, kid, dog, and house but keep your fingers off my truck, you ain't gitten it.