How good is the 2nd Generation Dodge quality. I know they have a good engine, but what about the rest of the truck. I am considering the ford or the dodge. They way a hear the ford has a nice engine and an exelent suspension. Also a kick *** interitor. Dodge has an absolutely awesome engine, *****ty transmission, good interior and good suspension. Chevy is a decent engine, good tranny, fair suspension, NICE interior. So how does to dodge compare to the ford or Chev? What should I buy? What will last longest? What gets the best MPG? What is the most durable? Thanks.

 

Wait till the Ford 08's come out about March. Dodge has a good motor. Poorest chassis of the Big three. When you mount a big camper on a Dodge. The local Lance camper dealer told me the first thing They do is Advise the DODGE boys to put after market suspension sway bar etc. on the truck. They sway....chev is better suspension than dodge. Ford....by far has the best frame axel payload brakes etc. haulin a heavy load. Dodge don't have an automatic worth talking about in the heavy duty range. Chevy has a great transmssion in the Allison, Ford Torque flite is also an excellent choice. Cummins motors are great. The current Chevy Duramax and the Ford power stroke are going to be all new after the first of the year. I bet Fords new engine will be as good as any with more power. But you can't get it till March or so. If you really need to haul a big camper...etc....Fords BRAND NEW and ONLY one in class f-450 pickup is the way to go. Massive payload....but you can't buy one till 07,,,maybe March. Manual trans missions....Dodge...is the weakest...chevy's are good....Ford has a great 6 speed manual...bullet proof is you choose to go manual. But remember. ....Ford also has the factory trailer brake controll. NOBODY else has em. Every article I read and person I talk too with the factory trailer brake controll says its the best they have every used by far. And its cheaper than an add on one from a trailer dealer.

 

DFord79 covered a lot of it, though a few things I'd add to or change in his post is it's Dodge and Ford that get all new motors next year, while the Dmax is the same with just the new emissions added on. The Auto trans in the Dodge hasn't been a problem since about '04, but it's still a world apart from the Torqshift or Allison, and it's the current Chevy suspension that's junk (the 4x4 IFS in particular), tho that's due to change next year. The Dodge and Chevy share AAM rear axles, tho Dodge has a better limited slip in theirs.

I think they all can be plenty reliable and get similar mileage if configured the same, but hands down the Ford takes it with it's strength and load capacity -- my SRW F350 is equal in capacity to Chevy or Dodge's DRW...

I'd buy another Ford in a second, if I was making the choice, and I just had an '05 Dmax to compare to...

 

A friend of mine has a Dmax and he says he wished he had gotten a ford. One thing he didn't realize until too late. If you pull a 5th wheel with chevy you have to change the front end alignment. he didn't realize this until he had gone 1000 miles and his front tires was shot. This was in the chevy owners manual and he said this is stupid to change alignment every time you want to tow or not tow. He has gone thru tires and mine look like new. same mileage just different vehicles. Ford rules.

 

Whatever you do stay away from the Ford 6.0L. Ford has even said that that thing has been nothing but trouble.

 

It seems you are selective on your posts and using every opportunity to bust the 6.0.

You may be more suited to play in your own sand box.

 

I've owned a '96 Dodge/Cummins an '02 Ford 7.3 and now an '06 Ford 6.0 ... I'll personally never own anything but a Ford.

 

Chevy is comming out with a new heavy duty truck too. New frame ground up new. Dodge is putting a new frame under thier heavy duty trucks. All you have to do is go to the local camper dealer and ask them what truck the like to work with when installing a 5000 camper. Ford is the only one with a frame to handel it. That will probably change.

The 06 and 05 6.0s have not had troubles like the 03s had. The put new injector design in them and some new electronics and fixed the injector problems. They are good from what the mechanics tell me. They don't see them in the shop like they did when the 03s were new.