We currently pull a Flagstaff 26RLWS, 30' and 7500lbs or so, with a 2002 Chevy 1500HD. Ole Red is getting a little long in the tooth and it's time to consider a new tow vehicle. Looking at Ford, Chevy and Ram 250/2500 trucks. When/if we upgrade the RV, it won't be with anything considerably bigger than what we have. Have been very happy with the 1500HD. It's basically a 3/4 ton truck in disguise. 3080lb payload, 6.0, 4L80 transmission, 8 lug wheels and 373 rear end. Tows very well. Anyway, I would like owners impressions of the differences between the manufacturers. Not just ratings but, having lived with a truck for a few years, what are your impressions and experiences? Reliability? There doesn't seem to be a major cost difference between any of them of any significance and the capabilities are very similar for what we'll be dealing with. Not considering a diesel, just doesn't work for us. Greatly appreciate everyone's input.

Any of them would work. I will say the park rangers where we camp host have one of the aluminum bed Fords and absolutely HATE it. After less than one year the bed already had holes in it. Lots of dents too from putting stuff in there. So if you actually use your truck for more than a grocery getter, think carefully. As for which one? Go drive them all. Ram, folowed by Ford probably have the most polished interiors. GM follows third. When you finally decide, check places like Dennis Dillon, and Dave Smith motors for their best fly/drive price.

donn0128 wrote:Any of them would work. I will say the park rangers where we camp host have one of the aluminum bed Fords and absolutely HATE it. After less than one year the bed already had holes in it. Lots of dents too from putting stuff in there. So if you actually use your truck for more than a grocery getter, think carefully. As for which one? Go drive them all. Ram, folowed by Ford probably have the most polished interiors. GM follows third. When you finally decide, check places like Dennis Dillon, and Dave Smith motors for their best fly/drive price.This is a very good summary and is what I saw as I was searching for a new rig. Ended up with the Ram but bigger since I have a larger trailer. I have an 04 Chevy truck for work and it doesn’t seem like GM has improved as much as Ram has since I first owned one 12 years ago.

If you're looking at new trucks and considering the possibility of a future RV upgrade, skip the 3/4-ton trucks and go straight to a SRW 1-ton. In the same configuration and option package, the price difference is very small but the payload differences are big. There are lots of people who are sorry they bought a 2500/F250 (including me in the past) but I've never met anyone who was sorry they bought a 3500/F350. All three brands will do the job.Rob

I hardly consider how an employee treats a company vehicle a fair comparison to how someone would treat their own. I know several people that drive aluminum box F150's. Not one of them has dents or a hole in their's, or even scratchd paint. I see it everyday on construction sites. People abusing the trucks that the company owns compared to how they treat their own truck. I've seen 2500 series and 3500 series Chevy, Ford and Ram's beat to shiiit in 3 months. That's the difference between someone that bought and paid for their $50,000.00 truck and someone that drives a truck they didn't have to pay for.Show me someone's personal vehicle that has holes in it and then we'll talk.Or how about any of you Chevy or Ram owners that would let me dump a load of blocks into your $50,000.00 truck with a loader raise your hand.

troubledwaters wrote:Show me someone's personal vehicle that has holes in it and then we'll talk.Or how about any of you Chevy or Ram owners that would let me dump a load of blocks into your $50,000.00 truck with a loader raise your hand.OK, I just unloaded 5000 pounds of inch and a half minus rock out of the bed of my Ram. No scratches or dents. Could you say the same for an aluminum bed? I doubt it. BTW this is my personal truck bought specifically for hauling my fiver, not a work truck. I like many people buy and use their trucks for everything. Not garage queens.Buy what floats your boat, and if that happens to be an aluminum Ford glad for you. All I did was point out how unhappy the park rangers were with the choice thrust upon them by the powers to be at the State motor pool. The truck is driven by only a few employees, and while it is used for work they do take pride in their equipment.

Starting the new truck hunt | Good Sam Community

The_Owl
Explorer
Feb 05, 2018
donn0128 wrote:
Any of them would work. I will say the park rangers where we camp host have one of the aluminum bed Fords and absolutely HATE it. After less than one year the bed already had holes in it. Lots of dents too from putting stuff in there. So if you actually use your truck for more than a grocery getter, think carefully. As for which one? Go drive them all. Ram, folowed by Ford probably have the most polished interiors. GM follows third. When you finally decide, check places like Dennis Dillon, and Dave Smith motors for their best fly/drive price.

This is a very good summary and is what I saw as I was searching for a new rig. Ended up with the Ram but bigger since I have a larger trailer. I have an 04 Chevy truck for work and it doesn’t seem like GM has improved as much as Ram has since I first owned one 12 years ago.
donn0128
Explorer II
Feb 05, 2018
Any of them would work. I will say the park rangers where we camp host have one of the aluminum bed Fords and absolutely HATE it. After less than one year the bed already had holes in it. Lots of dents too from putting stuff in there. So if you actually use your truck for more than a grocery getter, think carefully. As for which one? Go drive them all. Ram, folowed by Ford probably have the most polished interiors. GM follows third. When you finally decide, check places like Dennis Dillon, and Dave Smith motors for their best fly/drive price.

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