Checked out the new truck at the dealer yesterday. I'll admit the performance numbers are very impressive. And the interior sure looks a lot nicer than the interior in my 2007 truck. Although, with six months worth of field dust, I am not certain it would make much difference- but it does look nice new.

Then I noticed that the doors have the same low-quality stampings that my truck has. And the same poor mouldings and seals.

The new motor is as refined as a Duramax. Points for that, if you care about that kind of thing. It does make mine feel like a 1963 D5 Cat. Good thing I like 1963 D5 Ag Cats...

The troubling thing about the new motor is the complexity. Two cooling systems? Seriously? And is it a good idea to mount that intercooler down low where frozen corn stalks will take it out next fall?

And how about all that foil-wrapping between the turbo and the firewall? Bet that area gets hot with the reversed heads. How about during harvest?

I really like the 59k sticker price. For a pickup? Certainly not a working truck.

In the end, while I like my 2007 F350- I got done looking at the new truck feeling like I appreciated my truck even more. First time I ever came across a new model relieved that I didn't need one. And if my 2007 should burn or wreck tomorrow?

Dodge. Hands down.

It has a proven drivetrain and you can work on the motor. And that is enough to make up for the rest of Dodge's weaknesses.

-mike

 

I've told you in a different post before that the two Dodge's that we have at work are junk. One is an 06' reg. cab/chassis with a 6 speed and the other is an 08' reg. cab/chassis with an auto. The 06' isn't that bad of a truck but does have it's quirks but does have 120,000 miles. The 08' is a piece of junk. It has 65,000 miles on it and it has been in the shop more times then you can count on your hands and toes. No joke. I wouldn't take the 08' if they give it to me. JUNK
Just for the record they usually have 30 ft. or 40 ft. gooseneck trailers behind them 95% of the time.
Before this particulate filter crap, I would have loved to have a Cummins in a Ford truck. Not anymore.

 

Cummin's arent as rock hard as every believes....... remember wether its a durge cheby or ford they are massed produced, i belive ford makes good quality trucks, go look at new durges and chebys while your out at dealerships.

 

I agree. But we have been running irrigation mainline for the past week or so, running these trucks hard and the Dodge's- while there are things I do not like about them, are servicable. The Ford is a heavier truckl and I believe they last longer in the field. I like mine a lot.

But I picked up parts for one of the Dodge trucks last week and talked to the RV deliverly guys. All they have been through are universals and control arms. Not bad. One had some codes with an 08 truck. Annoying, sure. But we can service the control arms. For the glorified and leveled SUVs I see posted, I am sure the new motor will be fine. But for a work truck? In the fields? I am skeptical.

I believe Ford deserves points for going clean sheet on their own motor- but I am not sure that work trucks are better off with 400 hp (factory) than they are with reliability and servicability.

Others may argue that there is no trade-off and that you can pull 400 hp from small diesel motor with no drawbacks.

Time will tell. And it will be interesting to see how Cummins responds to the new Ford / Isuzu hp war.

-mike

 

Good points. I do check them out. Others in the field are running both. The GM still feels light for fiedl work, but the new interiors are impressive and the build quality has come a long way. The Dodge truck seems really well assembled, but still not as heavy as the Ford.

I still prefer the Ford for heavy work in the field, I'm just skeptical about the new motor and not impressed with the build quality because I see the same problems in my truck- problems that would be easy to correct.

But I sure agree- like you, I like the way my truck runs and sounds- end of an era.

-mike

 

[quote=skinner quote]

I think you are correct- the 08 Cummins, like the 03-04 Ford, had a lot of issues.

-Mike

 

I am sorry but I would have to argue the Dodge request. I have a 2006 Ram and although the motor is OK the rest of the truck is junk! I have had failed injectors, failed clutches, poor interior quality, front suspension wobble, a limited slip that is very limited in the availabilty catagory.

I wish I never bought the thing. It beats me up on long drives. The only plus is the power the motor gives. I will give credit where due. The motor is easy to work on. It is very simple. It is a shame I am driving a 100k mile truck with 500k mile motor.

 

The whole reason Ford designed their own diesel is to improve reliability and serviceability. Something my 05 6.0 never had. I drive V10's now, for those 2 reasons. Reliability and serviceability.

 

No it wasn't, at least not directly.

Ford wanted to get rid of Navistar. Lots of bad blood there.

Ford insists that the warranty claims on the 2007 6.0's were lower than the 2002 7.3's. So as far as Ford is admitted publicly, the 6.0 was very reliable.

 

I find Ford saying that the 6.0L was a very reliable engine, a joke. I know of four people that have owned Super Duty pickups with the 6.0L diesel (one 05' and three 06's) and three of them have had problems. Two of them have had injector issues more then once. One of those had turbo problems. The third one had blown head gaskets at 90,000 miles. All three of them had FICM issues at least once. That's just three of the thousands of 6.0L on the road today.
I'm pretty sure Ford wanted to part ways with Navistar because they couldn't handle another bad showing with a Navistar motor. Of course that is just my opinion.
As far as the 7.3L goes, I know of two people that haved owned them. One is a 99' and the other was a 02'. They only went to the shop for the cruise control recall and normal maintenance.
Statistics don't lie.

 

Unfortunately, Ford will never make public the warranty repair rates, so lie or not, we will never see the statistics.

I have no doubt that Navistar can and does build very good engines. But after a years long, contentious lawsuit (during which, at one point, Navistar stopping shipping engines and Ford stopping paying Navistar invoices), working together becomes almost impossible. Ford had to go somewhere else.

Navistar is out.

Cummins is tied up (Dodge and Nissan).

Whatta ya gonna do?

 

The only Navistar motor I would want is the 7.3L.
The only Cummins motor that I would want is the 5.9L.
I am really excited about Ford building there own motor. I would think that they have done their homework on this one, as they can't handle another motor that has poor reliability issues and horrible fuel mileage. JMO
I am a guy that would buy this truck to haul a boat and trailers every once in a while. If the reliability and fuel mileage aren't any better then the previous years then it doesn't help offset the cost of owning a diesel. Yes, I know that you can never totally offset the cost of a diesel (i.e. fuel, oil and maintenance) but I can get a new F-150 and just suffer thru the horrible towing mpg and save $10,000.
But I sure do want one of them there 6.7L diesels pretty bad now. Guess I'll just have to wait and see how they do this first year.

 

U have the same problems with cars also, In my area the 7.3L are great and limited problems, the first 2 years of the 6.OL were nasty and the 04 and up good, but u had a 50/50 chance of something going wrong if u modified or chipped,ect.... The 08 and newer are good, no problems yet, but horrable fuel mileage.

P.S.
Did u know that ford motor company was the only auto manufactor to NOT take any bail out money from the gov.

 

Born and raised on that Blue Oval. Glad to see that they were the only American auto maker to NOT take a bailout from the government.
Wonder if the government will bail me out if I get Billions of dollars in debt.

 

Well as a 2005 Ford F350 PSD,DRW,Super cab, 8 foot bed, Tow boss (4.30 gears) owner who had his ordered and picked it up with 3 miles on it I am very happy with mine. Bone stock, regular maintenance, only brought to the Ford dealer for work. I now have 105,900 miles on mine and couldn't be happier. This was my first Ford truck (used to be a Chevy guy) but needed more towing capability, that is why I went with Ford. I have a heavy 2005 Excel 36RDE fifthwheel wich it tows and stops wonderfully. This is my first Ford truck and will absalutely not be my last now. Oh and I average 16.1 mpg hand calculated (not towing) and I run Power service Diesel Kleen sumer and winter.