Time for a new truck

There are a lot of really good used trucks out there. Many with low miles.

A lot of folks buy trucks and then realize it's not for them. You may be able to find one equipped like you need for a more reasonable price.

Now days there are some good extended warranty companies so you don't have to worry about big expenses in case of problems

Sounds like it's time to go for some test drives. I work with a guy who has the 2.7 and he loves it, and it seems to get pretty good mileage. It's very fast too. I don't think they're rated to tow all that much, though, so make sure it has enough capability for what you're wanting to pull.

If you end up liking the Ram be sure to check out Dennis Dillon's pricing in Caldwell. You're not too far away and it may save you thousands. I worked on five dealerships including the famous Dave Smith up in Kellogg and wasn't able to get very close to Dillon's advertised "Sale Price", which they'll give you without any negotiating.

You will soon find a sad fact. 1500 series trucks can be and often are more expensive than a decently equipped 2500 series.

donn0128 wrote:
You will soon find a sad fact. 1500 series trucks can be and often are more expensive than a decently equipped 2500 series.

The co-worker I mentioned above paid $4k less for his truck than I did for my CTD Ram, and they're equipped with roughly the same level of amenities. He doesn't pull anything and has only hauled his family around so his truck probably fits his needs better, but I got a far more capable truck for just a little more money. I don't think it's any less comfortable to drive it around on a daily basis, either. I suppose the main negatives are slightly poorer fuel economy and more expensive maintenance (bigger tires, two batteries, fuel filters, etc).

My F150 is a 2010 model. Not a huge change from the current model, but I do have the last of the 5.4L V8s.

I bought mine new, but had all the goodies I wanted. The max tow package included a hitch, flat and round trailer plug, relay with heavy wire to charge the trailer's battery while towing, backup camera system, transmission cooler, an integrated brake controller WITH built-in sway control (see video), much larger - extendable towing mirrors, longer rear springs for better load handling, and a tighter turn ratio steering system. Quite a few things.

Ford integrated sway control system.

The 1/2 ton term doesn't mean anything anymore. Mine is called a 1/2 ton, yet has a 11,100 lb towing capacity, and a 1810 lb payload capacity. The hitch has a 5000 lb tongue capacity when using a W/D hitch.

If you're considering a Dodge, please do some research on them, and read reports on how they perform with coil springs while towing. If you want a truck, buy one with a truck suspension. A close friend learned this le$$on the hard way.

I paid $8K below sticker price. I went to Edmund's website, built the truck of my dreams, then selected a number of dealerships to contact me with what they had, and their "internet price". This assumes the buyer is savvy enough to have done their homework, and know what the truck is really worth. No haggle price. It was a good deal for me, and still love my truck 6 years later.

Good luck on your purchase!

Take a look at this video.

5.3 vs 6.2 GM gas

When towing a smaller engine does not always give better mpg.

In fact I think you will find the 6.2 GM will give as good if not better mpg than any of the competition in gas engines.

RCMAN46 wrote:
Take a look at this video.

5.3 vs 6.2 GM gas

When towing a smaller engine does not always give better mpg.

In fact I think you will find the 6.2 GM will give as good if not better mpg than any of the competition in gas engines.

Good luck finding a 6.2 from GM without paying an arm or leg. GM needs to put this engine in lower trim models like Ford does with its 3.5 EB. I second the opinion that you could find a 3/4 ton with more capability for a similar price if you look around. It will have all the features you're looking for and if you ever upgrade your trailer, you'll have plenty of truck. All three brands make great heavy duty trucks.

patriotgrunt wrote:

RCMAN46 wrote:
Take a look at this video.

5.3 vs 6.2 GM gas

When towing a smaller engine does not always give better mpg.

In fact I think you will find the 6.2 GM will give as good if not better mpg than any of the competition in gas engines.

Good luck finding a 6.2 from GM without paying an arm or leg.

I did a search on inventory of 6.2 l Chevy trucks at my local dealers. I found 10 trucks in stock that with the same trim level were going for about 3,000 more than the 5.3 l. With a $50,000 truck I do not consider $3,000 an arm and leg more.

The 6.2 is a $2,600 option.

The ecoboost is about a $2,500 option in the Ford F150.

RCMAN46 wrote:

patriotgrunt wrote:

RCMAN46 wrote:
Take a look at this video.

5.3 vs 6.2 GM gas

When towing a smaller engine does not always give better mpg.

In fact I think you will find the 6.2 GM will give as good if not better mpg than any of the competition in gas engines.

Good luck finding a 6.2 from GM without paying an arm or leg.

I did a search on inventory of 6.2 l Chevy trucks at my local dealers. I found 10 trucks in stock that with the same trim level were going for about 3,000 more than the 5.3 l. With a $50,000 truck I do not consider $3,000 an arm and leg more.

The 6.2 is a $2,600 option.

The ecoboost is about a $2,500 option in the Ford F150.

Yeah but you can get the Ecoboost in a $35,000 F150. On the GMs you have to be at a much higher trim level to have the privilege of paying an extra $2600 for the 6.2.

IdaD wrote:

RCMAN46 wrote:

patriotgrunt wrote:

RCMAN46 wrote:
Take a look at this video.

5.3 vs 6.2 GM gas

When towing a smaller engine does not always give better mpg.

In fact I think you will find the 6.2 GM will give as good if not better mpg than any of the competition in gas engines.

Good luck finding a 6.2 from GM without paying an arm or leg.

I did a search on inventory of 6.2 l Chevy trucks at my local dealers. I found 10 trucks in stock that with the same trim level were going for about 3,000 more than the 5.3 l. With a $50,000 truck I do not consider $3,000 an arm and leg more.

The 6.2 is a $2,600 option.

The ecoboost is about a $2,500 option in the Ford F150.

Yeah but you can get the Ecoboost in a $35,000 F150. On the GMs you have to be at a much higher trim level to have the privilege of paying an extra $2600 for the 6.2.

Exactly. $50K is still an expensive truck and I can find a nicely equipped 3/4 ton for that price with a diesel. However, a nicely equipped XLT with a 3.5 EB is more bang for your buck.