New F350/450 vs used F450 or Ram3500
We have triplet 6 year old boys. So we need a bit of room for the kids. Which means we need a trailer that isn't too small. My wife is pre-occupied with safety. She saw that the new Super Duty Ford...
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Wow, thanks for all the great replies. I didn't realize towing 16k lbs wasn't considered "heavy". I figured by the time you add 5 bodies in the tow vehicle, furniture, clothes, toys, food, and all the other stuff we haul around, the GVW gets up there.
MPG is kind of an issue as well. Obviously we all like to save on fuel. But I'm worried that having too low a gear numerically will mean it's tougher to get off the line. I read that ideal is somewhere between 3.73 and 4.1.
I'm very comfortable with technology. My Subaru has the adaptive cruise and I love it especially in heavy traffic. It gives me an extra sense of safety knowing I won't rear end someone. But I never trust technology 100%. I still hover my foot over the brake. Likewise I either look over the shoulder or I'm at least aware of who is in the next lane over. My mirrors are set correctly.
I don't have adaptive cruise or blind spot monitors on my sports car. And I'm ok with that. But I figure with the truck and trailer (especially since I've never owned a trailer before) I want every extra bit of advantage I can get.
Now the F450 vs F350 is an interesting question. From my understanding the difference is the 450 has bigger brakes, 19" wheels, heavier axles, the 4.3 gears, wider track front end for easier turning, and a few other things. The bigger brakes and easier turning appeal to me. The rougher ride and more expensive 19" tires do not. Tough call, but I still remember my 1997 Chevy Tahoe with the crappy undersized GM brakes. I literally ended up in the middle of the intersection multiple times when attempting to stop from no more than 45 mph. That bloody thing was so under-braked it was a hazard on the road. My wife drove that thing once and she swore she'd never ride in it again.
MPG is kind of an issue as well. Obviously we all like to save on fuel. But I'm worried that having too low a gear numerically will mean it's tougher to get off the line. I read that ideal is somewhere between 3.73 and 4.1.
I'm very comfortable with technology. My Subaru has the adaptive cruise and I love it especially in heavy traffic. It gives me an extra sense of safety knowing I won't rear end someone. But I never trust technology 100%. I still hover my foot over the brake. Likewise I either look over the shoulder or I'm at least aware of who is in the next lane over. My mirrors are set correctly.
I don't have adaptive cruise or blind spot monitors on my sports car. And I'm ok with that. But I figure with the truck and trailer (especially since I've never owned a trailer before) I want every extra bit of advantage I can get.
Now the F450 vs F350 is an interesting question. From my understanding the difference is the 450 has bigger brakes, 19" wheels, heavier axles, the 4.3 gears, wider track front end for easier turning, and a few other things. The bigger brakes and easier turning appeal to me. The rougher ride and more expensive 19" tires do not. Tough call, but I still remember my 1997 Chevy Tahoe with the crappy undersized GM brakes. I literally ended up in the middle of the intersection multiple times when attempting to stop from no more than 45 mph. That bloody thing was so under-braked it was a hazard on the road. My wife drove that thing once and she swore she'd never ride in it again.
