Ford or Chevy?

[bigred44]

Looking at buying a new truck within the next couple weeks. I've got my search narrowed down to either a 04 or newer f150 w/ the 5.4 triton or a 02-06 silverado/ sierra w/ the 5.3. Wondering what everyones opinion is on these trucks.

I like the looks of the fords better and they also just seem like a more solid truck and i like the gas mileage of the chevy's better and the smoother ride. I don't do a lot of towing, just a 5x8 utility trailer on the weekends so either truck will do what i need as far as power. I don't put a lot of miles on either, maybe around 10,000 a year if im lucky.

[thestud25]

Ford. There is a reason they have been the number 1 selling pick up for over 25 years.

[hoosierlogger]

I have a 06 Silverado Z-71 and it is a POS and has been since the day I got it. The thing I dont like about the Ford is the bed sides are ridiculously high. Try to stand beside the truck and reach in to get something out of the bed. You almost have to get in it every time unless you are really tall.

[hang&rattle]

^ I hafta agree. I was raised on Chevy, I know better now. Chevy is the lowest on the totem pole (junk). I've had the best luck with Dodge, but that's when they were built in America. The Ford is actually the last P.U. built in the U.S., not that it matters where it's built anymore. But Ford will survive, where as GM and the Dodge products are in serious financial instability. Ford is the best bet, they have everything dialed in at this point, could change the next 6 mo. thought, lol.

[Bretmd94]

Sorry guys, Ford is poo. Dodge isn't even an option in the gas motor department. I have an 07 Chevy half ton with the 5.3. It's great.

I can't stand dodge because of the cheap interior and for F150s are so uncomfortable I would hate to do any long distance driving in one.

My parents did blow a transmission on their 06 GMC half ton, but they were pulling really heavy loads often.

[JayBone]

If your all about only buying American then "Ford". (I use to be a Chevy guy in my youth) IMO Today.. I'm going to take a lot of heat for this, but i'd buy a Toyota Tundra hands down.

[Xpress]

Toyota :lol:

No seriously, some of the longest lasting vehicles out there.

but i'd pick the FORD.

[bigred44]

The tundras are really nice but a little out of my price range. (Keeping it under 15k).

I'm leaning more towards the Fords as thats what i have always drove and have had pretty good luck with them. I'm waiting on a call back for a quote on the insurance for an 04 f150 now. Will see how things go there. I have been 3 years now without a ticket or accident so hopefully it wont be too bad.

[hillbilly 200x]

I have heard a few bad things about the new fords if it was the new triton you have to pull the spark plugs out every 20 000km, because they use a really small plug and the hall of the cylinder head is very thin. The cab and box do not line up a 100% there is a 1'' gape on the driver side between the cab and the box on the other side it was a 2'' gape all the ford I have seen all have this. They are having problem with the streeing and front end alignment to.

[Slingblade]

I love the 04 up Fords. But I've heard it described like this, "Ford builds a great truck, then puts a turd of a motor in it." Ask a mechanic which one he works on more and which is the hardest, (ask about changing plugs in a 5.4 with some miles on it).

There is a reason Ford came out with a new line of engines, their worst deal was the 7.3 to 6.0 diesel change in 03, but that's not the issue.

I know a man who has 150k on a 5.4 with no issues, another had to replace an engine at 70k, so??? If I bought a Ford I would certainly want to know the history of maintenence, I've been told, "You don't skip oil changes on these new modular's and get away with it, like you do in an old push rod engine"

A perfect truck in my book would be a Lariat with a Chevy 5.3 or 6.0 for a powerplant. I love the LS motors.

Edit: I forgot to mention the Ford cam phaser issues, I believe on the 04-05 5.4's, not sure though. If you don't tow much, you might want to consider a 4.6 Ford, might even get a few more mpg's.

[95UTShee]

I have an '01 Silverado with the 5.3. 140,000 miles and nothing major so far. I have heard of the issue with the Ford 5.4's from several people in the automotive repair industry, but have heard of no real issues with the Chev 5.3.

[300rman]

Just make sure that motor had been taken care of. They run great if they are maintained well.

As for the 7.3 changeover to the 6.0 and then the 6.4, that is navistar's fault...they F*&*ED Ford over hard on that one.

I find the newer Fords are ridiculously comfortable. I recently drove an 06 F150 and it is one smooth truck.

I wont deny that the Chevy 6.0 is a good motor....cept its a ridiculous fuel hog.

[R-tifacts]

95% of fords sold last year are still on the road today, the other 5% made it home. they are all junk anymore, nothing is built like it was thats why we are all stuck on 25 yr old trikes haha. I would buy chevy

[250r_doverdemon]

your best bet would be a 88-99 style chevy aslongs as it has a solid body and low k's. with the 5.7 or even a 4.8 2x4 youd be gettin 18-20mpg in a lil shortbox. if your going newer id still say stick with the 4.8 since your not pulling anything really and a 3:54 rear end or even 3:73 youd still be gettin decnt fuel mileage, if mileage aint a problem then go find n old straight axle 4x4 hevy with a 350 in it and a 4 spd manual with the granny low and some 3:73s and your golden!

[fabiodriven]

I'm a Ford guy through and through, but the 5.3 beats the 5.4 any day of the week. The 5.4 is not my most favorite of motors.

[thestud25]

I have 192,000 miles on my '03 F-250. Does not burn any oil and still runs good. It is a work truck and has been beat to death, but she is a running beast. My buddy had a '07 Chevy 2500 that had thousands of dollars in repair before the 20k mark. Thank God he had a warranty.

[dcreel]

I've driven an 04 F150 on several long trips to the dunes, and it has been very comfortable. No troubles a very nice truck. The only issues they have had with theirs is at 13K miles the a/c quit working and the dash rattles and creaks like a truck with 130K miles on it. Gas mileage was good with the 5.4 and no troubles pulling a 16' flatbed trailer full of 3 wheelers and quads. I'd own one, but would pick a Honda, Toyota, or Nissan over one. Based solely on cars I have owned in the past.

[playasridebmx]

most brand spanking new vehicles have their problems and the 07 silverado was one of them (a crap ton of transmission problems)... i am generally a chevy guy but ill drive what ever is available. ive seen both ford and chevy run over 200k and never have a problem.. and ive also seen both die before the 100k mark.. just stay away form dodge they're crap from beginning to end

[cr480r]

after driving the '08 f150 and f250 fords at my work i would never own one.. i also rode with a friend in a '05 pulling a small race trailer.. he can keep it.. No low-end power and very soggy throttle response on every triton i've seen. They are very popular and must work fine for many, but its far from what i expect from a truck engine.

[Chazz of Blades]

I don't really beleive in "One Company Over All", as much as comparing the individual vehicles. In my (short, but thorough) experiance, Ford vehicles, while the engines are good, aren't very well made over time, they start squeaking, and fallig apart quicker.

Chevy was awesome in the 60's, early 70's, but they were an absolute trainwreck in the 80s, well, GM in general was.

Toyota has got to be the best bet for a truck in my opinion, i have a friend who has an old hillux with almost 500,000 miles on it.


And watch what Top Gear did to one......


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xnWKz7Cthkk


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Uc4Ksz3nHM&feature=relmfu


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfZDtC9kjVk&feature=related



And it STILL didn't die, that's more punishment than any ford or chevy could take, and be runnable.

[jb2wheels]

I grew up Chevy - took my DL test back in the 80s in a 67 Chevelle I still have. The only new car I every bought was a Chevy K2500 - 1990. Paint peeled right off that thing and the GM a-holes told me, "Too bad." I'll never own another GM. I know they all had paint problems, but GM mgt were jerks.

I don't have a Ford F-series. For what I do, a pickup is almost worthless. I do have a 97 Ford van (Econoline Cargo E250) with 190000 miles on the 5.4. It's towed and hauled most of it's life. The tranny and axle have both been rebuilt once. I'd buy another one tomorrow if I had to.

Great thing about the van is I can put 2 grown up 3-wheelers in it + the 70 or 3 fullsize if I take of the 6pack racks. Always secure and no fenders flying of.

Crappy mileage though - 13/18 best. 14 average. I don't drive it for the mileage. If mileage is an issue and this is just a driver, buy a used Civic and a used 7.3PSD and use the Civic for everything you'd normally drive an empty truck to do.

Buy the Ford - GM can kiss my butt.

[UPfreebird]

This question always gets the same answer from me.

CHEVROLET/GMC!!

[jays375]

Like somebody stated before all the new ones are crap.Seems like once the year 2000 rolled around quality really went down hill.Do some research on line.Today it really comes down to HP and GAS MILEAGE.

[fabiodriven]

No low-end power and very soggy throttle response on every triton i've seen.

Totally how I feel about these motors. No sack whatsoever. But I wouldn't own a GM either so....

Motor for motor the 5.3 is better. Is the rest of the truck? Doesn't sound like it from what these other guys are saying.

[Mr_RPM]

friend had a 2006 f-150 with 66k on her and the cylinder 6 cracked.
had the v8

but i have never been a fan of chevy either, it seems like they are all junk (automobiles in general have been disappointing last few years), only sometime you get lucky and if you take care of it religiously. Its more and more I see cars that have catastrophic failure under 5k miles. regardless of brand.
whatever you buy, just take care of it and the results wont be much different rather its ford or chevy.

[250r_doverdemon]

buy a real chevy! 68-72 4x4 and drive it fuel mileage aint great but theyre worth it

[dksix]

I always say Ford, never a Chevy.

[hancadam]

I had a 78 and 79 F-150, both were great running trucks. Have a 86 F-150 now for trash, its a POS. Only has 120k miles on it, just had to replace the ignition coil, ignition control module, distributer due to bad pickup, and ignition relay. Best I can tell is I had a melted plug that took everything out.

Had a 2002 Expedition, it was a POS. Had the mentioned spark plug issue, leaking airbags, and burned oil like crazy. Sold it because the transmission was acting up and was going to be a lot to fix it. Love it otherwise, rode and drove great. Very nice interior. Just got rid of a 2009 Silverado (traded it for my versa due to 110 mile daily commute), power train wise it was perfect. Had some annoying squeaks/rattles, nothing actually broken. Had a 2007 before that, it was a perfect truck until wrecked. Only had 70k miles so not a real test of durability.

Now we have a 2007 Suburban, its been perfect.

I have also had two nissan frontiers, both were good. No serious issues. One had a really bad cold start piston slap knock, my new nissan Versa does the same thing with 10k miles on it. Sounds like a old car when starting cold but runs perfect once warm.

I personally prefer Chevy from previous experience. Easy to fix, and cheap parts. Our first car we bought was a cavalier, bought it new in 2001. Drove it for 8 years, and literally never had to replace anything. It only had 130k miles on it when we sold it though. Also had a Pontiac Sunfire given to me from my parents when I graduated college, drove it until 160k miles, never a issue.

[fabiodriven]

Have a 86 F-150 now, its a POS. Only has 120k miles on it, just had to replace the ignition coil, ignition control module, distributer due to bad pickup, and ignition relay. Best I can tell is I had a melted plug that took everything out.


Go figure. On a 25 year old truck. What a POS.

[hancadam]

Never had any electrical problems with my 78 and 79. Sorry if its a soft spot for you, just real world experience.

One of the tanks also leaks, fuel pump had to be replaced with a inline due to the in-tank one repeatedly going bad. This is a problem for Chevy too.

Also drove a 85 Honda Accord for 4 years while in College until parents gave me the Sunfire, it was a good car. Granted this was 10 years ago.

[atc200xkid]

id have to say the 5.3 my buddy has a 5.4 and it drinks like a fish and has no get up. ive got a 97 chevy 1500 rc/lb with a 350 and i bought it froma concrete company that used to haul their trailer with it, he told me it weighed around 25 to 26 k with it full of forms. it still runs and drives perfect and it never misses a beat. i know the 5.4's were known for bad ignition coils, theyre like 200 a peice and have 8 all together, just my opinion

[HuffieVA]

The simple answer is Mopar...

[dcreel]

The simple answer is Mopar...

God the Ram trucks are fugly though...

[Mr_RPM]

I like the looks of the Rams, just as a Mopar owner, im not a fan. maybe back in the day they were cool, but these days stuff just seems a little under par.

[Thorpe]

122636

DONE... End of thread! jk

[Jerm1179]

Suzuki MiniTruck>?

[bigred44]

Still having a hard time deciding. Lots of good points taken here. I'm considering buying the same truck i have now (99 f150 5spd w/ the 4.2). Going to look at one tonight that is the same as mine but is a flareside with 50k less miles and a lot better condition. Thinking that i can use a lot of parts that i already have and get a couple years out of it before i decide what i really want. And i wont have a 5 year truck payment which sounds really nice.

[fabiodriven]

I personally won't buy a vehicle with an automatic. You get the right guy stirring his own gears and a clutch and tranny can last hundreds of thousands of miles.

[JayBone]

Yahoo news: Stocks rise on strong results from Ford, 3M

Buy stocks in ford and some double stick-um tape. ha ha!!

[Xpress]

122636

DONE... End of thread! jk

Funny... I know a guy who has one of those with 235k some odd miles on it... Never done an engine rebuild, just routine maintenance...

[tecat-z]

Don't think this guy is considering a old truck. Sounds like a new or fairly new vehicle. Everyone has stories about old cars and trucks. Personally for me , Dodge would be my last choice besides a freakin Toyota. They have more probs with Tundras then all of them . Sorry import lovers, but it's true..... Fords and chevy are both good choices. But generally speaking the gm products will give much better mileage comparing the 5.3 and ford 5.4. and are very reliable. If you are wanting a 4x4, ford 1/2 ton trucks have a VERY weakly designed front hub design. Vacuum can with cast gears. They are very prone to failure. 2wd no concern. I have a gmc 1500, and a f150. Both are good, and have strong points. But the gm truck are more econimical to operate in this environment, and handles the road better, and handles tighter. And for the record.... My Sierra WAS built in the US. In fact only 100miles from my house in Fort Wayne, in. But most importantly, BUY AMERICAN! it matters. My .02

[hang&rattle]

Still having a hard time deciding. Lots of good points taken here. I'm considering buying the same truck i have now (99 f150 5spd w/ the 4.2). Going to look at one tonight that is the same as mine but is a flareside with 50k less miles and a lot better condition. Thinking that i can use a lot of parts that i already have and get a couple years out of it before i decide what i really want. And i wont have a 5 year truck payment which sounds really nice.

You're probably right on. Mainly hauling trikes and such? I just thought about it and different needs for different folks. Me being in cowboy country, our rigs are more heavy-duty. It's Ford or Dodge. All the farmers and ranchers (and rodeo cowboys) use them. Chevy's are to light duty, weak. Don't even think about the big Toyota's or Nissan's, they can haul heavy boats, etc., but not tough enough for livestock moving about, tends to tear up their u-joints/rear-ends and ball joints. Only Ford and Dodge have the chassis to do heavy hauling. Ask a tow company about tow chassis, only Ford has a successful boxed frame, and Dodge (thinner metal) may bow (but are reinforced). They won't even touch a Chevy (frames have even snapped with a load of horses). And as for newer P.U.'s, they're all to electronical, which equals to more problems than mechanical. The Ford you spoke of is perfect, good thinkin'.

[bigred44]

Just got back from test driving a few trucks. Definitely like the feel of the GM's over the Ford's. More comfortable, smoother ride, and better acceleration. Going to talk to the bank and insurance company tomorrow and might be getting an 04 sierra- 4x4, SLE package, 5.3 vortec. Little high on the miles at 115k but its a good deal and i like it. Here's a pic. What do ya think?
122657

[bigred44]

You're probably right on. Mainly hauling trikes and such? I just thought about it and different needs for different folks. Me being in cowboy country, our rigs are more heavy-duty. It's Ford or Dodge. All the farmers and ranchers (and rodeo cowboys) use them. Chevy's are to light duty, weak. Don't even think about the big Toyota's or Nissan's, they can haul heavy boats, etc., but not tough enough for livestock moving about, tends to tear up their u-joints/rear-ends and ball joints. Only Ford and Dodge have the chassis to do heavy hauling. Ask a tow company about tow chassis, only Ford has a successful boxed frame, and Dodge (thinner metal) may bow (but are reinforced). They won't even touch a Chevy (frames have even snapped with a load of horses). And as for newer P.U.'s, they're all to electronical, which equals to more problems than mechanical. The Ford you spoke of is perfect, good thinkin'.

I was excited about the Ford but it's not in as good of condition as i thought and the guy wasn't going to budge on his price.