2015 Chevy 3500 vs Ford 350 diesels

2015 Duramax 397hp/765tq
2015 Powerstroke 440hp/860tq

Big difference.

Buy the one you like best, it's your money.

Well, this looks like a classic case of getting your priorities straight. Both trucks will pull your trailer to the top of the hill. One will do it faster than the other, but could you live with going just a little bit slower up the hill? Or taking just a little longer to climb that steep grade? Looking at all the latest videos from pickuptrucks.com, when loaded for bare, all the vehicles make it up the hill just fine. It just seems like some will take longer than the others (see the latest RAM vs. Ike and Chevy vs. Ike where they both double tow). Personally, if I found the Chevy more comfy than the RAM for driving and preferred the styling, then I would go with the Chevy because their performance aren't so far apart. When I bought my RAM, I bought it knowing that a Ford Superduty (which I cross shopped) would beat me in any drag race. but in the end, for my needs, it had the payload rating I needed, serviceability I wanted, and styling that my wife preferred and a great deal for my dollar. In my case, I can easily live with needing an extra minute or so to make it up a grade if I ever was tapped out on capacity (which I doubt I'll ever hit) as long as the ride is comfy and the vehicle is convenient for me to use on a daily basis.

So in your case, what's your priority?
>Need to be king of the hill? Fly up the mountain faster?
>Which exhaust/grade braking feature do you prefer? Ford? or Chevy?
>How about foundation brakes? Were you happy with both?
>Is power more important than comfort? Interior usability? Intuitiveness of any systems you use (radio, 4x4, trailer brake setup, etc...).
>Would both vehicles meet your needs?
>Is serviceability a priority to you? Which one could you work on personally if it is? or at least do routine maintenance on easily?
>Are the mechanical quirks of the Chevy something you can live with since its powertrain has been out for a while (haven't researched the quirks personally).
>The Ford is a heavily revised powertrain for 2015, so no real history on that. Even the fuel system has improvements and it'll take a while to see if the pump is still as delicate. Are you fine with a powertrain that's kinda unknown? I wouldn't worry about it since the Scorpion seems to have only a few flaws that affect a small number of engines.
>Which interior features suit you better, as it has to be ergonomic to your body. Gauges need to be pleasing to the eyes, touch screen and dash interfaces need to be intuitive to you, cup holder need to hold your cup-o-joe as well, whether it's your contigo thermost or the big bubba gulp.
>Which vehicle could you live with on a daily basis since you're going to be putting quite a bit of money into this?
>Which vehicle can you get the best deal for your dollar?

So sort through those questions and hopefully you'll find your answer.

At 7 years old (back in 2011) you should have purged all the old brake fluid out. If not, then the brake problems are not mileage related, but more that you allowed the moisture laden brake fluid to stay in the lines and rot out things.

The first time I heard a F-350 tow truck with a 6.7L engine in it, I was impressed with how quiet it was.

I am surprised that you are looking at 3/4 ton trucks. Well at least you test drove those. The 1 ton trucks might have lower rear axle ratio, and that will make seat of the pants take off from a red light much faster with a 4.10 rear axle than a 3.73:1 rear axle or 3.52:1. While engine noise will be less at 65 MPH with the 3.52:1 rear axle ratio, and it's much slower engine RPM's, that also provide higher MPG's.

Make sure that you are checking the towing capacity, It sounds like your 16,000 pound trailer might have a 3,000 pound weight rating, thus need a 1 ton SRW at least.

Good luck in your shopping. I probably can not help much. I would select a Ford diesel if I wanted a new one. Yours should still have a big trade in value, as many are looking for the slightly older low mileage trucks without DEF fluid requirements.

Fred.

Have you been happy with the "performance" of your current GMC? From what I found, you have 310hp/520tq, so if it's yes you should be happy with either new tow beast!

The times we have truck shopped we felt the Fords just didn't seem to ride as well or have the comfort of the GM trucks. We made our choice more so based on the comfort than the motor.

Good luck deciding!

Out of those two I would say Chevy because it seems more reliable. In my opinion, I know you don't like the styling, nobody beats the Cummins motor in the diesel world. Fast is one thing but reliability and quality is another and I think Cummins wins that battle hands down. Buy what you like. I don't think you can lose.

This may not help you much as I didn't do any test drives of the other brands because of the local dealerships the GMC one is by far the best and the owner is a friend of mine. So, I can't offer any comparisons. The only comparison I had was with the 2012 Duramax single rear wheel 3500 we had prior to the 2015 and it had plenty of oomph to pull our trailer. It just did not have the capacity I needed. Our loaded trailer weighs in at 15,600 with a 3100 pound hitch weight.

The pulling part is very similar to the 2012 in terms of getting up to speed and maintaining it, which I think is very good. Ride while towing is where the big difference comes to play with the 2015 being much more smooth, of course it should be being a long wheelbase dually. The quietness of the interior is just amazing and I really like the layout of the gauges with the customizable, lcd instrument panel. The seats are very firm, which I appreciate, and the cabin on my crew cab is more roomy than the 2012.

I've only had the truck a couple of months and have yet to take any long trips but I will say it has met all my expectations as I am sure the Ram and Ford would have also. If you do wind up with GM and are a credit union member you can get supplier pricing I think through September. Mine came in at several hundred dollars below invoice, plus you get whatever incentives are available.

If your old truck looks good, people will fight to get it. I would keep it if it ain't a rust bucket.

Thanks everyone, good responses here.

Golden: brake fluid was changed at normal intervals, the failure was where the lines sit between the body and frame, and seems to be due to corrosion from salt. Also, I test drove 3/4 tons because there were no Ford 1 tons in the immediate area, and I wanted an apples to apples comparison (a full size dually is what I'm in the market for). The Ford I drove had the taller rear, too, which further surprised me on how quick it was. The Chevys felt no faster than my GMC which is rated at 310hp/605tq. The retail market seems to be the place to sell my current ride, as trade in would be several thousand less, and it may test upper $20k range.

Jus2shy: I like your point by point break down. Brakes felt the same between the two trucks, and they both have the engine brake option. Are there other major mechanical differences or concerns that may help level the playing field more? Seems that the fuel pump issues are over for Ford, which would have put them out of the running for me in 2011-12. I'm a sucker for power, so I'd need more than just interior styling and ergonomics superiority to seal the deal on the GM products... What quirks are you referring to with the Duramax?

Need-a-vacation: my current truck would be a little slow out of the hole when pulling my fully weighted trailer, like when merging onto a busy hiway. Also, steep grades would drop my speed to barely speed limit with the pedal floored. None were major issues, but I imagine the power of the Ford would completely eliminate that struggle.

Lynnmor: the body is rust-free, but the underside isn't as pretty. And I think sitting around for long periods has taken its toll. I can't trust it now to get me through a long tow.

Thanks again for the responses.

both Dodge and Ford still offer a solid front axle, this in my mind is the reason why they ride slightly rougher BUT they are also much more stable while towing than anything with an IFS in my experience. Worthwhile trade off.

You really can't buy a bad truck from the big three, pick the one you like best.

They are all so close it comes down to details and personal opinions. What works best for you is the right one.