Big Three Comparison
 

Car & Driver did a nice comparison of the 3/4 Ton diesel trucks from Chev, Dodge, and Ford. The test included both empty and performance towing a 12,000 load of gravel. Well written IMO.

I could see this thread start beating the drums.:lolhit:

ill start.


6 cylinder. can't be beat. don't have to take the cab off to do engine work. get 20mpg with my new truck. of course its been "tweaked" a bit. pulls everything I have and then some. 35k miles in 14 months and never misses a beat. integrated exhaust brake with the VGT turbo does wonders slowing me down and have to accelerate down hill at times to gain speed. I am happy. have owned dmax and now dodge. diesel mechanic by trade (recently changed careers into the oil fields) and have worked on all 3. ford has perfected cramming 50lbs of crap in a 1lb box. interiors are nice but engine is a you know what to work on. dmax is a nice truck rides great with the independent suspension but also a you know what to work on. my choices are dodge, gm and couldnt give me a ford! LOL

Yup...no fords here. After working on them all day I know better.:lolhit:

I have the Dmax and hope the only work it needs is oil changes; it is tight under the hood. I loves this truck. :bunnydance:

i have a diesel performance company (actually selling it right now and relaxing finally) and fords, i just don't have words! LOL

when you have to raise the cab or drop the transmission to get the downpipe out, WHY!!!

early dmax are a nightmare with injector issues. they finally fingered that out just in time for more emissions garbage. ditch that stuff and EFI Live and you have a solid truck. I have been GM all my life until my last 2 trucks have been dodge.

my mega was a beast. loved the truck, miss it bad but could not beat the deal i got on the 2011.

in front of my buddies tire/wheel shop.
http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/b...ls/9308012.jpg

new one is a beast. 450hp, 1200 ftlb torque, 160 total gallons of fuel, pulls great.

http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/b...s/racktank.jpg

my parents 24' Karver
http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/b...ket_41093_.jpg

Nice truck.
I have the LBZ so all the later upgrades are in it. That helps with a lot of things and especially service.

the lbz is a good motor. get rid of the emissions and it makes it breath and more efficient.

I have some mods in mind. EGR delete and a few other Banks things. Don't want to over do it but want it to be solid at full rating.

steer clear from banks. over priced for what you get. also edge. they stopped supporting anything that "fooled" ECM for emissions. PPE or EFI Live is your best bet. EFI Live you can get a custom tune for towing, keep EGT's down and also tune the transmission with improved shifting.

Y'all know where I stand lol.

Ford-NEVER

GM-good motor needs live axle for heavy towing. Cannot keep headlights, parking lights, fog lights, taillights from blowing out. Every GM truck and SUV I see has one or more of them blown out. Sad.

Dodge-Cummins nuff said.

Dodge cummings is a pos. go ford if you want a reliable workhorse.

have you worked on a ford lately? :lolhit:

exactly!

really , you may need to go to the local ford dealer and go in the shop and talk to the tech that works on the diesels . Last 3 diesel engines ford has come out with are junk starting with the 6.0 , even the new engine is giving a ton of trouble go ask how many new ones they have seen with dropped valves , which wipes out the engine. The one before that the blocks are coming apart and we all know about the 6.0 problems. And on top of that you can't do anything to them without lifting the cab off the frame. Sorry but i am in the repair business and work on all of them and i like the gm and dodge , ford makes a good truck their diesel not so much.

I saw a post somewhere that a couple of very small changes to the 6.0 makes it a far better motor. I can't remember what they were though. I think Jazzman will know he's had a few of them...

On the International/Ford 6.0 and 6.4..remove all the emmision BS..the trucks do run way better....

We have a a 2011 F250 srw swb 106k
2011 F350 srw lwb 45k
2011 2500 srw swb 41k
2012 3500 dually HO lwb 13k

All these trucks have been great. My personal truck is the F350, but I drive the new Dodge at least twice a week. The Dodge is the most improved overall...but I still prefer the new Fords slightly more. The new 6.7's have been a major improvement..Ford did their homework, and Im glad they got rid of International. Ford has the best stability control when towing, interior, brakes towing and non towing, acceleration just towing, and a slight edge in fuel economy. Their exhaust brake is the weakest, its actually terrible vs the GMC and Dodge...and their looks are not that pleasing to my eye.

All these truck are so close.. Buy the one that you can get the best service on.

Link so future readers dont have to search: http://www.caranddriver.com/comparis...mparison-tests

and for those wondering - GM came out on top in most every category except luxury interior

my main take away is, all three mfg have finally stepped up and put a rear hitch rated for closer to what a true bumper pull might expect in today's world.
I dont know which mfg had the 12k max rating which was probably the unmentioned limiting factor of the test weight but at least it is better than the 7.5k of only even two years ago.

Has always chapped me, the huge tow ratings they brag about then mount a crappy hitch with a caveat "weight distributing" value before it even gets close to real world weights.
In the meantime, after market mfg have 16-18k non-WD hitches. Come on OEM's put 10# more steel in there and a day's autocad work. Save everyone the time and money of replacing with an aftermarket hitch and make the roads safer with a hitch properly designed for the weights Joe Average is going to hook on and tow because that is what the advertising said, duh.
(and what the dumb azz sales guy told the buyer because all he did was read the sales brochure)

I haven't driven the GM, so I cant really comment on the '12, but if you actually DRIVE the Dodge and DRIVE the Ford there is ZERO comparison with regard to which truck drives better or is built better. I understand the Cummins is dead nuts reliable, but I'd be interested in hearing TRUTHFUL, first hand accounts regarding the 6.7Powerstroke issues, if there are any. The techs I have spoken with before and after buying mine are VERY complimentary of the new engine. I owned a
6.Blow Powerstroke for 6 years and was skeptical of going back to a Ford, but the Dodge just didn't do it for me. After 44k on the new 6.7, I haven't had any issues and LOVE the truck.

I drove the new ford and the dodge and ended up with a 2012 cummins laramie, I love the inline 6.

go drive a 12 GM i had a 04 duramax2500hd and i just picked up my 2012 gmc2500hd duramax and it blows ford and dodge out of the water!!

Ford is the number 1 selling truck forever for a reason, the new ford diesel is a real truck unlike the other 2 wanna bees.

I've got 38k on my 2011 F450 and couldn't be happier with it.

Fort Mill ford in SC had 3 6.7's with dropped valves that is all i can tell you, had a friend over there with his 6.0 and the tech told him get a gas truck if you want a ford or go GM for the diesel and he told my friend it hurt him to tell him that because he was die hard ford. Oh and my friend sent me pics of the trucks with the cabs off. I hope you get great service out of yours and never have a problem. I like the ford truck i am just not sold on their engines, although i think they are moving in the right direction

I had the 6.4 and two buds have them with a combined 200k on all of them and no issues. They suck diesel but what post 2008 diesel doesnt. If you dont need a diesel dont get one, they are big, cool, loud and smelly, but keeping them on the road is not as fun as one thinks.

And to put a bunch of money into an engine just to make it right doesnt seem like a viable option to me.

I have a Ford but I think that number one selling comes more from branding and blind followership than actual quality at times. Late 90's early 2000 F150s were junk and that non turbod 7.3 was reliable but weak.

lets face it we all have our prefrences and usually it is what you currently own, they all like anything else have good and bad!! if we all liked the same thing the world would be fkd up so good luck with whatever you drive,, getting the boat to the water is what it is all about.:evilb:

True and competiton drives innovation and lowers prices. what irriatetes me to this day on trucks(sorry for the rant) Is 90% of us have Garmins GPS why cant somebody build something into the dash with a plug so we dont have to stick to winshield or drill holes. I know a lot of GPS are different but you would think they could come up with a common design.:lolhit:

Also chevy has been out with the side doors on extended cabs that open all the way for what 6 years now and dodge has actual doors on their extended cabs yet Ford still has the dumb ace doors that open half way. My guess its an attempt to have you spend 4 grand on two doors and another foot of sheet metal on the cab.

I might add though if you combine silverado and sierra together since they are the same truck minus grill and cup holders their number is pretty close to ford.

and I have 106k on our 11 F250.. Its all relative...one radiator change out when I went in for a oil change..and I did not notice a thing even under our strict maintenance program . Been an awesome truck and the best Ford diesel that I have ever owned...I even prefer it over our 96 7.3 Powerstroke......The other thing is I dont really read what these mags put down on paper..its all about the advertising dollars. They all have different results depending on where they are tested to expose the other trucks weakness's...The GM's do have the most wins, but when used in the real world, I feel finish's last when taxed to the max. For driving around as a grocery getter and within close to it's limits it is fine..but nothing like the mags boast about. We do use these trucks, and personally Im not brand loyal. The Dodge dually is a car/truck hauler..The F250 is now a hotshot delivery truck...The F350 (personal truck) and GM 2500 are in the construction business. I say drive them all...but do it back to back, sticker for sticker and see what works best for your application. Jeff

alot of it is in the eye of the beholder. I think if one were to be un biased and own all three in the exact same trim levels, I dont think you would hear much complaining. And there are lemons out there. But a lot of it comes down to how its used and how its maintained. Ive seen far to many people treat their cars or trucks like high performane vehicles but yet maintain them like you would a golf cart. What it comes down to is what you need and like and does it fit your budget. Personally I think its foolish to just look at one brand before buying.

Agreed 100%

I just got thru test driving all three and researched all three very in detail. To me the ford was head over heels better than the other two. Talked to dealers and mechanics and was told the 6.7 is a great hard pulling engine. I bought the ford and so far love it.

2 year old 2011 Ford F-250 6.7, amazing truck. Don't personally know anyone with problems. I would hate to have to work on it though. I can't tell what half of the stuff under the hood is. Would not have a problem owning the Dmax or the Dodge although not a fan of the Dodge interior.

I still don't see how your experience is consistently the opposite of all the reviews out there, and most definitely don't think it's advertising dollars.

The Dodge/Ford are new trucks w/ new interiors, so I grant they have nice ones. The GM interior/exterior is basically from 2006/2007 so it is a handicap. The new trucks launch next year w/ new exterior/interior but the same bad ass powertrain/frame, I don't see what Ford will have up their sleeve to keep up then. They already upped the power on the 6.7 and still can't beat the 6.6.

The ford 6.7 felt like it had more pulling power than the 6.6 duramax to me.

I am not brand loyal what so ever...and to be brand loyal is foolish. If I were to buy a new diesel, it would be a dodge hands down.

Go sit along any interstate and see which brand the "hot shot" haulers are using the most...it will be a dodge. The combination of power, fuel economy and reliability is simply higher than the Ford or GM.

Pull the hood latches on a big rig and see how many V8 diesels you find... Cat tried a v8 with the 3408...but it didn't last long...fuel economy was terrible.

Most of us guys on this forum don't NEED the best diesel truck on the market, so pick the one that makes you the most happy...as long as its not a FORD

Dont count the Dodge interior out. Dont know if MB had any influences when they were involved with the Chrysler Group..but it is nicely done. The seats are not quite as comfortable or is as long where your butt sits, as compared to the Fords..but the overall execution was done extremely well. The GM's interior in our 11 is like my 06 GMC..nothing has changed except the color of the leather..Jeff

I agree with Jassman as well, we have a lot of the big 3 throughout family businesses etc and personal use. None of the 6.7's have had issues and one has over 130k miles already and used hard throughout every week and few others have around 100k. But even with the "personal" trucks i.e King Ranches etc and not just "work trucks"... I don't care what any test says, b/c pulling loads behind all 3 including various boats, the Fords just always feel noticeably better and more solid. Especially with higher miles the Fords always held up to abuse way better, I'm talking everything from parts wear to interior rattles. We never had a problem with the Cummin's trucks, it was the rest of the truck that was crap though the new ones finally got an interior to compete against and ride better . GM's interior looks nice but even the plastics and leather on the Denali feel cheaper. And I don't know what they did with the suspension on the new one but it seems out of wack, the older ones always felt too soft/mushy to me loaded/unloaded, new ones feel like their over sprung and damped which I've noticed others complain about. Not an HD but even my buddy who only owns GM trucks, his pops and I told him he should of at least looked at the F-150 when he bought his 1500 Denali last year, on a whim out of no where he went to the dealer and test, traded his truck in and left in an new F-150. He couldn't believe how much nicer the truck drove and how much more solid it was especially on the rough roads in CO.

All 3 make great HD trucks now imo you really can't go wrong and just depends on which you prefer, I lean more towards the Fords for that solid feel. The main thing holding Dodge back before was the interior and everything else besides the engine lol. Hopefully the new interior holds up which it should, and the little changes (like new body mounts etc) make the trucks more solid long term.

If your a gm guy, great..Like I said, we own all 3. You've know me for at least 10 years...I call it like it is..and all this coming from a die hard GM guy...

The Ford interiors..even from 06 I feel have been slightly nicer..less rattles, better materials, larger knobs for the guys in areas that wear gloves in the winter time, better nav and conviences...etc...In 11 Ford really did a great job in revamping the new interiors.....The frames in the GMs since 11 have been stiffened so much that the articulation when going through a simple ditch with a trailer causes the wheels to come off the ground and loose traction. Yes I will agree..our 11 gmc2500 is closer in handling to a 1/2 ton on steriods...but when used day in and day out, with a load..and not for a article in a magazine..it gets old...too tight is not what you want. You mentioned all the reviews where the Gm has been favored...I did mention that the majority of the rewiews were in favor of the GM truck..but lets break it down..and Im just comparing job 2 and 3trucks. The Ford under load is slightly quicker in a 1/4...How many people jack rabbit there trucks from start to finish in the real world..Not under load the GM is quicker, and better so per the article where all of them are in the Colorado area where the air is thin, and GM's turbo is more effecient...in the real world down here in the South..the heat..they are about dead even when they hit about 75mph...The Ford stops faster with the exception of this article. Has the nicest interior, has the worst exhaust brake, controls the load better with the stability control system, and Im sure there is more..but Its not worth arguing over it. Im just simpling trying to convey..and this is with the new 6.7..Ford has done a great job with this motor. The tranny could shift possibly harder into gear to get the power to the ground better vs the Allison which gets her done..but you feel it..its all give and take..If GM in 14 has the better truck..Im in..Jeff..

The interior in my Dodge truck is fine and the cummins with the 6 speed manual gets great milage.

http://www.allpar.com/corporate/bios/cummins.html