New Work Truck--VOTE

[CATNHAT]

Getting a new work truck for the techs. This will be a long term hold--until its DEAD and will get abused and will be used for misc lawn maintenance, snow, ponds, fertilzing, towing trailers (no bob cats or anything too heavy) etc. The shit will be beaten out of this truck.

Specs: 1/2 ton, crew or supercab (4 doors), 4x4, windows, locks, etc.. Nothing to fancy.
Dodge vs Ford vs GMC

Lets hear it!

[LEWETHETIGER73]

You work on ponds?

[LEWETHETIGER73]

I drive a chevy and have had a ford. Maintaining them I don't know the costs but driving the chevy is a better ride and handles MUCH better at free way speeds. Just DON'T get the barnd doors on the side. BIG problems with the hinges. The sliding door is better.

[brotherbenn83]

I drive a chevy and have had a ford. Maintaining them I don't know the costs but driving the chevy is a better ride and handles MUCH better at free way speeds. Just DON'T get the barnd doors on the side. BIG problems with the hinges. The sliding door is better.

I have yet to see a pickup truck with a sliding door.

[Prince Valiant]

Get the one you can get the best deal on? If their all priced similarly, get the ones you/your staff are already familiar with it's maintenance or mechanicals or perhaps already stock parts on.

[Waver]

I have been told by customers in the construction industry that if you want a good work truck, you get a Ford, and if you want a good cruiser/comfortable truck, you get a Chevy/GMC.......

[Car Guy]

if you want a good work truck, you get a Ford, and if you want a good cruiser/comfortable truck, you get a Chevy/GMC.......

This is spot on. I could not have said it any better.

[CATNHAT]

You work on ponds?

You would be suprised how much debris accumulates in these detention ponds. The maintenance techs have to clean them out. Plus the storm sewer discharge pipes get clogged--techs clean em out. They also install and remove fountains and aerators and sometimes add a coloring agent. And cat tail removal is a HUGE pain in the ass.

So, yes, they work on ponds.

[-stew-]

I have yet to see a pickup truck with a sliding door.

Its all ball bearings these days.

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[Waver]

Cat, Clean out your PM's

[Prince Valiant]

There should be "don't leave major business expense decision up to online forums" option on this poll :D

[BoosTT]

Most likely whatever truck had the most recent redesign would be best. I would avoid the ram, becasue of the low payload (and poorer preformance being over payload with respect to the others).

[CATNHAT]

There should be "don't leave major business expense decision up to online forums" option on this poll :D next poll i do I will try to remember.:thumbsup

[Wagonbacker9]

There should be "don't leave major business expense decision up to online forums" option on this poll :D

Pfft. You're just pissed because dodge isn't even a remote contender in the discussion.

[nismodave]

Ive worked out of many Vans since 1992.....GMC was by far the best.

Ford next......Dodge = Garbage.

[73MACH]

I have been told by customers in the construction industry that if you want a good work truck, you get a Ford, and if you want a good cruiser/comfortable truck, you get a Chevy/GMC.......

I have the only ford at the concrete construction company I work for, 2003 F250 Powerstroke. It is THE ONLY truck out of 13 that hasn't had anything somewhat major happen to it(other than battery & alt) in the 5 years Ive been there. Mine is also the oldest of the fleet. I love it, but I do wish I had the X-cab simply for room for my job blueprints and other crap that I have that can't get wet....gets cramped in there. These trucks do get the shit beat out of them on a daily basis. I have somewhere around 800 5ft x 1in steel rods in my bed 365 days a year and it still has the original shocks and struts, ball joints, and 1 tie rod. It's been with the company since '04 so I don't know how much lower maintinence you can get.......

I've been in the heavy/highway industry for 13 years, driven all makes,
Ford gets my vote........

[spooln30]

I would say a Toyota Tundra BuT they're too nice to be used for a work truck. I voted Ford.

[CATNHAT]

I have had all of them. My summation:

dodge--driveline failure--good looking--great power--low reliability long term
gmc--electrical issues--decent looking-good power-decent long term reliability
ford--minor mechanical issues in driveline-decent looking-excellent long term.

toyota=not an option. may be a good truck but not american nameplate.

[Rocket Power]

I would say a Toyota Tundra BuT they're too much of a dainty truck to be used for a work truck. I voted Ford.

Fixed :goof

[spooln30]

They are better built than any of the trucks listed above, they will last much longer and you will spend a fraction on repairs verses its American competitors. Some people just don't get it. I would never buy any vehicle from Ford, GM or Chrysler. When you work at a repair shop that services every brand, you learn what is crap and what isn't. Toyota trucks aren't crap but you like what you like. Most of my family drives either Toyota or Japanese brand vehicles and the ones that don't pay for it in repair bills. Hey if you like wasting money on things like that, good luck. ;)

[UnderPSI]

You see more repairs on the US trucks because they get used as trucks. You don't see Toyota trucks in for any major repair because bumping up on a parking stopper at your kids soccer game isn't going off-road.

[Prince Valiant]

meh...all the trucks are damn nice trucks, even something like a Nissan Titan, the oldest design out there. The difference b/w the most reliable and the least reliable amounts to roughly expecting the most reliable truck to having on average 1 problem per vehicle and the worst will have on average a whopping 2 problems on average...because when you look at the reliability rankings, you'll often see a "reliability index" of say 80...which means that out of 100 trucks, there will be 80 problems. A higher index, such as the lowest rated range rovers is 191, meaning each vehicle on average will suffer two problems.

To say it's tedious to argue "reliability" of today's cars and trucks would be an understatement. They're all pretty reliable.

Toughness is a fair argument...but again, most all the trucks should have few issues there. Maybe if you were doing a ton of heavy towing, I'd stay away from the titan, as it's problematic rear axle (the strong for a jeep, but weak for a truck dana 44) is a known issue. Otherwise every half-ton truck will make the 3/4 and one tons of the 90's seem like toys almost.

Far be it from me to tell someone how to run a business...but I'd think of upmost importance would be looking at per unit cost, expected fuel cost, maintenance and insurance cost, depreciation and the tax implications, cost and availability of replacement parts (look at obvious things like brakes, but less obvious like wheel bearings, etc)...and even though you're going to run them to the ground, resell might be some consideration as well. Which has the most available and cost effective accessories for carrying the tools/etc that you'll need?

That would be but a few of the considerations I'd imagine.

If you want to listen to brand-loyalty arguments that's fine; If I were you, just get the one you like and live with it.

[Rocket Power]

you see more repairs on the us trucks because they get used as trucks. You don't see toyota trucks in for any major repair because bumping up on a parking stopper at your kids soccer game isn't going off-road.



^win

[BAD LS1]

This is one of the most constructive discussions ive seen on this board in a long time! Everyone respects eachothers opinions and provides useful real world feed back. Damn! Well aside from the tundra stuff... Personaly i dont think its been in the trenches long enough to prove its self viable against the other well known work horses.

[Moparjim]

They are better built than any of the trucks listed above, they will last much longer and you will spend a fraction on repairs verses its American competitors. Some people just don't get it. I would never buy any vehicle from Ford, GM or Chrysler. When you work at a repair shop that services every brand, you learn what is crap and what isn't. Toyota trucks aren't crap but you like what you like. Most of my family drives either Toyota or Japanese brand vehicles and the ones that don't pay for it in repair bills. Hey if you like wasting money on things like that, good luck. ;)

This is funny to read. When the Tundra came out, brand new San Antonio plant I was offered a job there in 06 or 07. Shortly after launch they expected to sell a few hundred thousand a year and sold only like 80k. They were so bad, had engine problems, camshafts, transmission problems it was nicknamed the rumble strip transmission thats what it sounded like, boxes beds were bending out of square tailgates breaking off, you name it. It was so bad they pulled it and shut the plant down for like 6 months to redesign the stuuff like the entire truck lol. Remember the ad blitz with it driving through ramps on fire etc. it all quietly dissappeared. If I had taken the job id have been stranded in san antonio unemployed most likely. How about recent years worth of Tacomas rusting in half frames so bad they bought em all back?

Not everything Toyota makes is good carte blanche, particularly trucks.

[Moparjim]

On my phone, heres a small example.

http://i.autoblog.com/2007/10/22/toyota-tundra-hit-with-two-more-quality-issues/

[Car Guy]

This is one of the most constructive discussions ive seen on this board in a long time! Everyone respects eachothers opinions and provides useful real world feed back. Damn!

Must be the weather :thumbsup

[wrath]

I'd get an Ecoboost F150 if I wanted a truck now or wait until GM is slashing prices when the new trucks come out. For a fleet vehicle, the Ram is out due to exceptionally poor fuel economy (as compared to the Ecoboost and 5.3L). However, at any given time you can probably get a Ram for less than a GM or Ford.

I'd get a Ridgeline before I got a Tundra. Wrinkled C-pillars are cool as opposed to a POS that was designed to haul kayaks to the lake.

[-stew-]

I'd find a clean low mile Chevy 3/4 ton or clean low mile 96-97 f250. Cheaper buy in and I think modern half ton trucks have become totally pussyfied and have way to much failure prone bullshit and glitter.
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[BOSS LX]

I'd find a clean low mile Chevy 3/4 ton or clean low mile 96-97 f250. Cheaper buy in and I think modern half ton trucks have become totally pussyfied and have way to much failure prone bullshit and glitter.
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You ever towed anything with a new F150? Tows as good as my old 97 F350.

[BAD LS1]

The Ecoboost would be my choice too! They are mildly amusing powerwise in stock trim... just NEVER lop the exhaust off it!

[Nickerz]

2500 4x4 6.0, built like a brick shithouse, tons of parts available.

[-stew-]

You ever towed anything with a new F150? Tows as good as my old 97 F350.


No. I've done very little towing and I'm admittedly talking about something I have little hands on experience with. I guess I'm just taking in what I see in advertising and my experience and time spent around older trucks.


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[Cryptic]

Otherwise every half-ton truck will make the 3/4 and one tons of the 90's seem like toys almost.

I'm going to agree with this 100% from my experience.

My old 98 Chevy 2500 5.7L does not compare to my brother's 07 Tundra 5.7L (1/2 ton) when it comes to PULLING/ACCELERATION, STOPPING, and comfort. That generation of Vortec, however reliable, does not have the mustard the newer generation motors have. (5.3, 6.0, 6.2, etc). I'm sure Ford / GM / Dodge all fall into this category since their all in the same horse race year after year.

That being said, my 11 F250 diesel (or Chevy) is leaps and bounds better than any 90's 3/4 or 1 ton truck. People are pushing 1/2 tons to do a lot more these days. Time will tell if they hold up, or if a heavier duty 3/4 ton would of been a better choice.

[Flicktitty]

my dad recently bought a 2012 F150 FX4 with the 5.0 That truck is put together very well. Drives smooth it's very quiet. makes a ton of power. Just has about 3 or 4 different squeaks and rattles and the truck doesn't even have 2500 miles on it yet. I'll be pulling Liz's 240sx down to chicago with it next week, anxious to see how it performs against the old 05 body style f150.

I've pulled a few times with a 2008 Toyota Seqouia and a 2010 Tundra and the tundras are GREAT at it.

[Cryptic]

I've pulled a few times with a 2008 Toyota Seqouia and a 2010 Tundra and the tundras are GREAT at it.

This ^^^

Pulled my loaded 24' enclosed trailer with no issues. Toyota was one of the first 1/2 tons to have 6 speed transmissions.

[CATNHAT]

Drove the Ford F-150 STX w/ the 5.0. Nice truck great power--a lot more then my 5.4! 3/4 ton trucks overkill for this job description but they are bad ass! Prolly tow an aircraft carrier with one of those!

The dodge 4.7 ws pretty good too--no complaints and more then capable for this job, same with the chevy.

[-stew-]

buy this...


http://milwaukee.craigslist.org/cto/3039534925.html

[bikedad]

Most of our service and install trucks are Ford.
We've been very happy with the maintenance on them. Our oldest is a 2003 and it still looks and runs great.
Our Commercial service truck is an F450 Super Duty (I think a 2003) We had a problem with the trans leaking but was a minor fix really.
We have a couple of 2008 GMC 3500 cargo vans that have worked well but the guys really like the Fords.

[Wagonbacker9]

My OBS (88-98 chevy) 3/4 light duty hauls 1000lbs+ like it is nothing, very happy with it for an old ass truck. I've heard great things about the 6.0l Chevys. I'd love to swap one in but I'll settle for its baby brother.

[Ricky Bobby]

at my work over the last 9yrs have had 3 chevy vans(2 had the v-8s and one even had the 4.3) all where swapped due to mileage nothing major ever went wrong with any of them and these vans are not driven nice by the majority I dont beat the snot outta mine since the new ones we get are fords and I dont want one due to very under powered and cramped in all areas havent driven a dodge in yrs so no input on those

[Korndogg]

Well at least we won't need a thread on work VANS when someone decides to look for one.......

[Prince Valiant]

The dodge 4.7 ws pretty good too--no complaints and more then capable for this job, same with the chevy.Why go with the 4.7 over a hemi? Because both require the same transmission, they are essentially a same cost option over a stock 3.7 v6(there is a few dollars in difference...but not many). You can get Hemi equipped trucks for under 22G, and you get another mile or two to the gallon.

[Ricky Bobby]

thanx captain obvious :P (korndogg)

[Korndogg]

Well apparently people can't figure out that he's looking for TRUCKS not VANS....... (Ricky Bobby) rofl.

[Ricky Bobby]

so whats the diff a bed instead of a closed in cube lol? now if hes looking for 4x4 diesel well then yes its diff lmao