Having a hard time deciding on a new truck
10-24-2016, 02:29 PM
#1
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Thread Starter
Having a hard time deciding on a new truck
Hey guys, I've got a supercharged 2008 extended cab LT Silverado and am looking to get a newer ride, something with a crew cab, leather, bluetooth, backup camera, sunroof, etc. Just looking to upgrade to a nicer, bigger truck. I've got a few options on the table, haven't gotten numbers or talked to any dealers yet, just need to narrow down my options. As my truck sits right now, it gets 13.5 mpg if I baby it and low 12s if I drive it how I really want to, so I'm looking to improve upon that as well.
As far as needs go, I'll be buying a 20ft bay boat in the next few months and plan to tow it fairly often to lakes around where I live, so towing mileage is somewhat of a concern but it definitely won't be a camper or anything that heavy, probably close to 4k total weight. I put roughly 15,000 miles a year on my truck with probably 75% of that being on the highway unloaded.
With that said, I'm looking at 3 trucks, a 2013+ Ram 2500 diesel, 2016+ GMC Sierra 6.2, or 2015+ F150 3.5 ecoboost.
I really like the Ram's styling, capability, interior, and diesels are just badass. I drove a 2016 cummins and was showing 23 mpg on the highway at 70mph, impressive for such a huge truck.
I really like the technology in the Fords, LED headlamps and tail lights, sun roof, adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring, rear air vents, however the center console shifter kills the storage for wallet, cell phone, keys, etc. Another concern is the ecoboost having to be in boost the whole time while pulling the boat and getting terrible fuel mileage.
The GMC doesn't have all of the bells and whistles of the Ford, but I know the 6.2 is an animal with the 8 speed, and the interior is still nice and will be an upgrade from what I have today, but don't feel like I'm getting all that much from a technology standpoint.
What are your experiences with the newer trucks, actual fuel mileage, technology, ride quality?
As far as needs go, I'll be buying a 20ft bay boat in the next few months and plan to tow it fairly often to lakes around where I live, so towing mileage is somewhat of a concern but it definitely won't be a camper or anything that heavy, probably close to 4k total weight. I put roughly 15,000 miles a year on my truck with probably 75% of that being on the highway unloaded.
With that said, I'm looking at 3 trucks, a 2013+ Ram 2500 diesel, 2016+ GMC Sierra 6.2, or 2015+ F150 3.5 ecoboost.
I really like the Ram's styling, capability, interior, and diesels are just badass. I drove a 2016 cummins and was showing 23 mpg on the highway at 70mph, impressive for such a huge truck.
I really like the technology in the Fords, LED headlamps and tail lights, sun roof, adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring, rear air vents, however the center console shifter kills the storage for wallet, cell phone, keys, etc. Another concern is the ecoboost having to be in boost the whole time while pulling the boat and getting terrible fuel mileage.
The GMC doesn't have all of the bells and whistles of the Ford, but I know the 6.2 is an animal with the 8 speed, and the interior is still nice and will be an upgrade from what I have today, but don't feel like I'm getting all that much from a technology standpoint.
What are your experiences with the newer trucks, actual fuel mileage, technology, ride quality?
10-24-2016, 02:39 PM
#2
On The Tree
Join Date: Jul 2012
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Well if we take a look at the 3 trucks discussed I would break it down like this.
The Ram 2500 with a Cummins is a whole different beast then the other two. You are paying for a giant (and heavy) diesel and tons of pulling power. They can be very nicely equipped but IMHO its a much bigger truck then the others. If you are ok with that its fine, but just know its not apples to apples.
Between the GMC and the Ford you get better features with the ford, but a traditional small block with the GMC. The turbos are fun, and provide better cruising fuel eco than the 6.2 can. However with turbo - if you are in the boost - the fuel eco lags, and they are a failure point.
I think the GMC is the best looking, but they tend to be pricy for what you are getting. If you need the capacity of the RAM its a no brainer - the other trucks can't compete. However if you don't need that capacity my money would probably be on the ford for the driving that you have described.
The Ram 2500 with a Cummins is a whole different beast then the other two. You are paying for a giant (and heavy) diesel and tons of pulling power. They can be very nicely equipped but IMHO its a much bigger truck then the others. If you are ok with that its fine, but just know its not apples to apples.
Between the GMC and the Ford you get better features with the ford, but a traditional small block with the GMC. The turbos are fun, and provide better cruising fuel eco than the 6.2 can. However with turbo - if you are in the boost - the fuel eco lags, and they are a failure point.
I think the GMC is the best looking, but they tend to be pricy for what you are getting. If you need the capacity of the RAM its a no brainer - the other trucks can't compete. However if you don't need that capacity my money would probably be on the ford for the driving that you have described.