Hemi/power wagon or silverado/ F-150? need opinions

[pomoco]

The OP isn't going to tow anything though. You failed to mention the added costs of owing a diesel too. The $10k plus initial purchase price over a gasser, the DEF, the added wear and tear due to a heavier motor, more costly oil changes, etc etc.... Plus, gassers have caught up in terms of fuel mileage too. Where I live diesel is also more expensive them gas too...

My reply was based on "if cost is no issue". I love my big expensive diesel. But my daily driver is a tundra with 268000 miles. Great truck.

[ba10]

All the newer diesels have so much emissions crap on them, and problems from it, it will make you puke.  Unless your just towing heavy shit all day everyday, then the newer gassers have more than enough power, and are 1000 times cheaper to buy, run, and maintain.

 

If you want "All-American" then it has to be the F-150, its the most American out of all of them, including the jap trucks.  The jap trucks are just as much, if not more American than the Rams and GMs.  The jap trucks have been built in America for a long time, while GM and Ram have been building trucks in Canada and Mexico for years.  I think GM and Ram are starting to build more stuff in America again, but saying the Jap trucks are un-American these days is just ignorant.

 

My 2000 Tacoma was built in America, I bet the vast majority of any Ram you look at from the last 20-30 years was built in Mexico, or maybe Canada.

 

As said before, none of the trucks are perfect, they all have their quirks and they all have their good points, it really just comes down to which one you personally like the best.

 

If I had to choose a new half ton thou, it would be an F-150.  Thats comming from a Toyota guy who is a diesel mechanic and prefers working on Dodge/Cummins, so take it how you wish.

Just for clarification:  Ford F150 is out of MI, 250/350 out of KY, GM 1500: IN, TX and Ontario, heavy stuff out of MI, Dodge 1500 out of MI, 2500/3500 Mexico, Nissan is TN and  Toyota is MS.

[zotis777]

My reply was based on "if cost is no issue". I love my big expensive diesel. But my daily driver is a tundra with 268000 miles. Great truck.

I too love my big expensive diesel, but my daily is an ek civic.

My favorite is when I get to use my diesel to rip in half the truck of the kid who just made fun of he Honda?

To the OP, I'm a ford guy but wouldn't want one of their gas engines, sad you won't go earlier than 09, the early 00's 7.3s were monsters. 09+ don't do chevy, it won't take your "occasional off-roading"

Within your parameters you'll like a hemi ram.

And lift and tires is fun but not on the street, a good proposed solution is 2 trucks, one tall old ass shitbox, and one new daily

[rharr]

I promise you, you will be to scared to take your new truck on anything that really requires 4wd. If you really need 4wd on a trail you will more then likely be bitching something up. there are always rocks branches what ever out there ready to mess something up. 4x4ing is not for shinny show trucks.

 

Let some one else buy a power wagon run it on the street for a few years then sell it for cheap for you to buy. You are still in the army with no expenses so keep it that way. Buy a decent used truck that doesn't look like crap and enjoy that, that way when you get sent somewhere else it's not a big deal and you can just unload the thing and not take a hit. I drive past bases here in AZ and there is always a ton of used car lots right next to the base of soldiers unloading there stuff when they over bought or get shipped out and don't want to pay storage.

 

 Save your money dump it into a simple or ROTH (I can't remember, what ever one lets you pull it back out before retirement without penalty.) IRA or something that will let you pull out what you put in later on without penalty and use that money to buy something nice when life is stable. If you have money to burn then invest it and let it work for you while you don't need it. 

Edited October 15, 2014 by rharr

[YZX]

I promise you, you will be to scared to take your new truck on anything that really requires 4wd. If you really need 4wd on a trail you will more then likely be bitching something up. there are always rocks branches what ever out there ready to mess something up. 4x4ing is not for shinny show trucks.

Let some one else buy a power wagon run it on the street for a few years then sell it for cheap for you to buy. You are still in the army with no expenses so keep it that way. Buy a decent used truck that doesn't look like crap and enjoy that, that way when you get sent somewhere else it's not a big deal and you can just unload the thing and not take a hit. I drive past bases here in AZ and there is always a ton of used car lots right next to the base of soldiers unloading there stuff when they over bought or get shipped out and don't want to pay storage.

Save your money dump it into a simple or ROTH (I can't remember, what ever one lets you pull it back out before retirement without penalty.) IRA or something that will let you pull out what you put in later on without penalty and use that money to buy something nice when life is stable. If you have money to burn then invest it and let it work for you while you don't need it.

you're so right. I wash and wax my truck every weekend. I'd rather bring out the zr2 since that thing isn't in the greatest shape.

[zotis777]

you're so right. I wash and wax my truck every weekend. I'd rather bring out the zr2 since that thing isn't in the greatest shape.

Lol washing and waxing my truck

[95jersey]

Ram 1500 Hemi with 8 speed is a thing of beauty.  I checked out all the big 3 and the Dodge was the nicest at the best price and had most power.  It won truck of year 2 years in a row. 

[YZX]

Ram 1500 Hemi with 8 speed is a thing of beauty. I checked out all the big 3 and the Dodge was the nicest at the best price and had most power. It won truck of year 2 years in a row.

yeah, they sure are. I wish they had the 8sp in the heavy duty trucks.

[MarioThePlumber]

I don't have much experience with newer trucks but I've spent a lot of time in a Ford Flex with the 3.5 ecoboost. It's an awesome engine, and probably has more torque in the F150. It's lighter and has fewer moving parts than a V8 and manages similar power output. If I purchased a new half-ton, that is probably what I'd get (although the new ecodiesel from Ram sounds pretty cool, too).

 

If I had to do a V8, I'd either do a Hemi or a Tundra.

 

Edited to change it from 3.6 to 3.5.

Edited October 17, 2014 by CincoBoy

[Texas2Smoker]

I too love my big expensive diesel, but my daily is an ek civic.

My favorite is when I get to use my diesel to rip in half the truck of the kid who just made fun of he Honda?

To the OP, I'm a ford guy but wouldn't want one of their gas engines, sad you won't go earlier than 09, the early 00's 7.3s were monsters. 09+ don't do chevy, it won't take your "occasional off-roading"

Within your parameters you'll like a hemi ram.

And lift and tires is fun but not on the street, a good proposed solution is 2 trucks, one tall old ass shitbox, and one new daily

09+ Chevy's won't take "occasional off-roading" what are you smoking

[zotis777]

09+ Chevy's won't take "occasional off-roading" what are you smoking

I don't know man, we go off roading a lot and they seem to break most often. In general IFS trucks lack the ability to take a beating and they're a prime example.

Drive one if you want but all the ones I know of used for off road don't like it

[D4N63R]

If you keep the tire size reasonable and you're easy on the skinny peddle they're okay.

You start mashing the gas on 37's in the rocks..... You're gonna have a bad time, just need to treat it like a D30.

Edited October 17, 2014 by D4N63R

[zotis777]

If you keep the tire size reasonable and you're easy on the skinny peddle they're okay.

You start mashing the gas on 37's in the rocks..... You're gonna have a bad time, just need to treat it like a D30.

Yeah we're definitely not gentle on them. I have a buddy with an IFS 150 on 37s. While not suspension problems per se, he blows his front diff what seems like once a month.

[Texas2Smoker]

I don't know man, we go off roading a lot and they seem to break most often. In general IFS trucks lack the ability to take a beating and they're a prime example.

Drive one if you want but all the ones I know of used for off road don't like it

Ok. My experience is he opposite. We got tired of pulling out people that break crap all the time so we assembled an all- GM group, no Fords Dodges or jap trucks allowed, never had a problem since. And as you can see we have a couple 09+ trucks. These are almost all in stock trim I need an updated pic, almost everyone now is on 37".

[Texas2Smoker]

And just in case you say we don't play hard enough to break anything

[zotis777]

Ok. My experience is he opposite. We got tired of pulling out people that break crap all the time so we assembled an all- GM group, no Fords Dodges or jap trucks allowed, never had a problem since. And as you can see we have a couple 09+ trucks. These are almost all in stock trim I need an updated pic, almost everyone now is on 37". 📎ImageUploadedByThumper Talk1413570884.123034.jpg

I'm impressed you guys don't break anything really.

Terrain might be different as well...

I do have a couple friends with GM trucks and yes they're they ones that are often broken or stuck, I've yet to have a ford or dodge get beat up so bad it had to be pulled out.

Side by side we had two ford guys hit the same mud hole then it had a whoop from a quad rider a few feet down that guys were hammering up to and catchin air. After a few fords the chevy was the one that broke, it still drove but the frame bent,

We've had them lose tie rods in trails, power steering pumps&belts, had one mash a ball joint to where the rubber separated and almost fell out...

No problems like that from solid axles (so far)

Edited October 17, 2014 by zotis777

[redhurricane]

And just in case you say we don't play hard enough to break anything

📎ImageUploadedByThumper Talk1413570946.389551.jpg

📎ImageUploadedByThumper Talk1413570970.572768.jpg

Word to the wise-

Don't but lightly used trucks from Texas.

[redhurricane]

previous trail toy

[D4N63R]

Pffffft I can do all that chevy crap in my ifs s15 on 31x10.5 hahaha.

[Texas2Smoker]

I'm impressed you guys don't break anything really.

Terrain might be different as well...

I do have a couple friends with GM trucks and yes they're they ones that are often broken or stuck, I've yet to have a ford or dodge get beat up so bad it had to be pulled out.

Side by side we had two ford guys hit the same mud hole then it had a whoop from a quad rider a few feet down that guys were hammering up to and catchin air. After a few fords the chevy was the one that broke, it still drove but the frame bent,

We've had them lose tie rods in trails, power steering pumps&belts, had one mash a ball joint to where the rubber separated and almost fell out...

No problems like that from solid axles (so far)

Solid axles have their problems too.. Seen plenty of snapped Furd axles, some Dodge too