If I keep this Tahoe long enough I will L8T swap it in 10+ years.
New Trucks Gas
- Thread starter mbacfp
- Start date
We sold our 2018 Ford F-150 4x4 with a 2.7L Ecoboost in March, with 88,000 trouble free miles. Mostly used for road trips, and usually towing a trailer with a motorcycle or two. Never pulled more than 5,000 pounds, and not often.
This new one is that F-150 4x4 3.5L Ecoboost, because they didn't have any of the 2.7L on the lot. Way more power than I need, but it's what they had and it was a reasonable color. My son has a 2019 model like this in blue, and pulls a 24ft aluminum enclosed trailer with a track car, and accessories. Ford replaced the cam phasers on his truck under warranty, but otherwise it's been trouble free.
This new one is that F-150 4x4 3.5L Ecoboost, because they didn't have any of the 2.7L on the lot. Way more power than I need, but it's what they had and it was a reasonable color. My son has a 2019 model like this in blue, and pulls a 24ft aluminum enclosed trailer with a track car, and accessories. Ford replaced the cam phasers on his truck under warranty, but otherwise it's been trouble free.
I'm amazed by manufacturers playing around with trucks. Heck, fleet sales alone will make you a goldmine. Why not make 2 engine/trans combos (gas) and PERFECT them. STOP trying new trannies, new engines, etc. People just want a reliable pickup. Chevy could've just stuck with the 5.3/6.0 and perfected them. Ford could've stuck with the 4.6/5.0 and perfected them. Learn what fails over 5 year period, modify that, and PERFECT it. Then offer the perfected truck. Stop the nonsense of 15 speed trans and 4 bangers in a FS truck. And STOP with the 45k+ mid-size offerings.
you're forgetting an ever increasing bureaucracy that continues to require more and more. from tailpipe emission standards to efficiency to safety. that's all cost money and development. and it you that pays for it.
Hate to spoil the party but my 07 Ram Hemi has been GREAT. I have gotten over 50k on it and it had 182K when I bought it. NO rattles goes stait, pulls our 5th wheel gets over 20mpg on the highway. It is a Laramie. We have taken our family of 5 on summer vacation with it with no complains. We have no Hemi tick and it uses no oil between changes. Maybe I just got the luck of the draw but I have a Roadtrek with a 5.2 Magnum that has been very good too. I have owned 7 dodges over the years and never had a bad one. Three Ford trucks and all were problems.
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What are you intending to tow, haul, and drive over?
Translation: Buy a Corolla.
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Not necessarily, but the desired use case should dictate the vehicle choice.
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I was just browsing the local dealers site yesterday. Ford F250, basic, has a 6.8 standard, the new V8. That would be something I would buy because I like the simplicity. But even at 39k, msrp 47k, too much right now.
Old squarebody with A/C a 350
The F150 should have the CDF drum and other issues fixed on their 10 Speed. They also reprogrammed the shift strategy to not skip gears. I really am a fan of the aluminum body and find it to have a slight edge over other brands in the rust belt. I am a ford guy and i am disappointed in some of the quality issues, but in PA the fords seem to hold up the best with regard to rust. A 2.7L ecoboost can also be very robust when properly cared for.
Although I am not a fan of buying a brand new model year redesign, with their new hurricane inline six, I would not discount the ram 2500 tradesman off your list/ You can get a stripped down tradesman package with the 6.4L hemi and the good old tried and true ZF8 spd. The quality issues seem to follow the high trim level packages significantly and with the lower specs seem to be fairly stout. It is a very stout design overall and everyone who has one has had very minimal issues to speak of. They seem to age pretty well.
GMC / Chevy, while I have grown to like their styles, and find their interiors comfortable, I watch way to many repair videos on youtube, and their engineers are really at a rock bottom level of dumbness. They locate a ABS pump on the frame rail directly behind the drivers side front tire so it gets hydro washed with salt water, grit, and road debris. They also have a plethora of electrical issues pertaining to stability control, abs, lane change assist, and many other really annoying things. Their 10spd tranny does seem better than the fords however in terms of failures. Lastly of the big three, in the rust belt, the GMC / Chevy rust and rot out the fastest, especially the frame.
The TBI 5.7L in the Square Body at the end was very solid. Unfortunately without updates the 700R4 wasn't.
This is Texas. State law, you gotta have a truck.
Been a hot minute since they made one, and the ones left are better left behind, or you pay dearly.
But I sure would like one. Watching Dalton bring one back on Pole Barn Garage was a nice treat this weekend (although it sure looked like that 2WD truck was struggling quite badly on otherwise flat ground).
Should be cheap to replace/rebuild these days. Heck you could try to figure out how many new truck payments would pay for it. Cheap is something of a relative thing and all. [But I'm sure back in the day it was a different story.]
@mbacfp - I’d have to cast my vote for a 3.5L NA F150 with the 6 speed transmission. Avoid the 10 unless you just want to roll the dice. That truck is probably the sweet spot with a great chassis and body and utility without the complexity of the EB motors and the risk of the 10 speed.
I’d also second that with a used Tacoma. They are pricey when you buy them, and you get your money back either with longevity or at trade.
We just traded in an ‘18 F150 XL 2.7 4x4 with 36 gal fuel tank. My fussing with it has been well-known here - I think I didn’t get a good copy of the truck. Transmission issues from 18,000 miles on, HVAC failure in its 2nd year requiring full dash removal. Squeaks and rattles inside after that. Sync 3 would switch screens if you hit a bump while turning left. After 60k miles we started to have simple nuisance issues like pressure sensors and coil packs. It weeped coolant at the rear block turbo coolant fittings while towing. The drivers seat started sagging and i thought it was the foam - it wasn’t - there are half a dozen plastic braces that broke, and replacing them with threaded pipe clamps restored it to factory new. Whoever came up with that design option should be flogged. I weigh 195-205. At 70k it started making cold start noises and at 80k there were the tiniest metal flakes in the oil filter. That’s the bad. The good? Best tow vehicle I’ve owned. 2.7 ecoboost is a fun engine, drives like a dream, and I did get factory mpg, between 21-22 most of its time with us. Rear sway bar, adjustable shocks, found a good set of brake pads, and it was quiet on the interstate, blended in well, and handled like an accord. XL cloth seats were excellent for my frame, steering was superb. Drive time in the truck was great. I’d be so hesitant of a used F150 with the 10 speed transmission.
I had a used gen1 tundra and it was solid, basic, and dead nuts reliable. Just thirsty on gas. It reminded me of an 80’s domestic in sound and handling. If it had been a 4x4 I would probably still have it. It had a hard life of 3 owners who all towed and aside from wheel bearings, nuisance oil weeps and driveshaft bearings, it was as solid as they come. We towed a heavy camper and the high school JROTC trailer all over the place. Great truck. Oh, poor brakes. I paid 12,500 for it, drove it 5 years and received 11,500 on trade. The Toyotas hold their value.
A friend of mine recently traded his GMC 1500 AT4 (2018? 2019?). Same transmission - torque converter took a dump and sent shrapnel through the trans. They offered a $3600 torque converter replacement with no warranty due to the risk of the debris from the old one, or 11,500 for a new transmission.
I just bought a Tacoma, and have never had one. I can see why these things have a cult status. It is a unique and fun truck. It’s kinda like a Japanese Jeep. I like this little truck more than one should. I’ll say this, if you buy a used one, they hold their value.
I looked hard at the canyon/colorado twins. Best looking midsize of the bunch IMO, and the 4T engine seems good. Software problems everywhere, and I didn’t like that the driver gets more safety bracing than the passenger. I love my wife and haven’t purchased cars with that cheat on principal.
A friend of mine has a late model ranger. It’s a great looking vehicle and I’m a fan of the engine. This was a strong contender for us while considering the F150 replacement. It has a really difficult time shifting gears on an incline, with lots of banging and drama. Nope.
I recently volunteered to repair headlights on 2 gen 1 Nissan Titans. Both were luxury trims with auto-moving electric seats and all that jazz. Both had north of 300k on them, missing paint and road wear, and both ran and drove like a Swiss watch. I gotta admit, if you can find a low miles copy that might be a good second vote from me, and I’m not a fan of Nissan.
I’d consider a dodge - there are good ones and bad ones. They are the best driving of the bunch but have more nit-n-noid electronics and switch nuisances than the others. If it were for my son - pentastar all the way.
I’d also second that with a used Tacoma. They are pricey when you buy them, and you get your money back either with longevity or at trade.
We just traded in an ‘18 F150 XL 2.7 4x4 with 36 gal fuel tank. My fussing with it has been well-known here - I think I didn’t get a good copy of the truck. Transmission issues from 18,000 miles on, HVAC failure in its 2nd year requiring full dash removal. Squeaks and rattles inside after that. Sync 3 would switch screens if you hit a bump while turning left. After 60k miles we started to have simple nuisance issues like pressure sensors and coil packs. It weeped coolant at the rear block turbo coolant fittings while towing. The drivers seat started sagging and i thought it was the foam - it wasn’t - there are half a dozen plastic braces that broke, and replacing them with threaded pipe clamps restored it to factory new. Whoever came up with that design option should be flogged. I weigh 195-205. At 70k it started making cold start noises and at 80k there were the tiniest metal flakes in the oil filter. That’s the bad. The good? Best tow vehicle I’ve owned. 2.7 ecoboost is a fun engine, drives like a dream, and I did get factory mpg, between 21-22 most of its time with us. Rear sway bar, adjustable shocks, found a good set of brake pads, and it was quiet on the interstate, blended in well, and handled like an accord. XL cloth seats were excellent for my frame, steering was superb. Drive time in the truck was great. I’d be so hesitant of a used F150 with the 10 speed transmission.
I had a used gen1 tundra and it was solid, basic, and dead nuts reliable. Just thirsty on gas. It reminded me of an 80’s domestic in sound and handling. If it had been a 4x4 I would probably still have it. It had a hard life of 3 owners who all towed and aside from wheel bearings, nuisance oil weeps and driveshaft bearings, it was as solid as they come. We towed a heavy camper and the high school JROTC trailer all over the place. Great truck. Oh, poor brakes. I paid 12,500 for it, drove it 5 years and received 11,500 on trade. The Toyotas hold their value.
A friend of mine recently traded his GMC 1500 AT4 (2018? 2019?). Same transmission - torque converter took a dump and sent shrapnel through the trans. They offered a $3600 torque converter replacement with no warranty due to the risk of the debris from the old one, or 11,500 for a new transmission.
I just bought a Tacoma, and have never had one. I can see why these things have a cult status. It is a unique and fun truck. It’s kinda like a Japanese Jeep. I like this little truck more than one should. I’ll say this, if you buy a used one, they hold their value.
I looked hard at the canyon/colorado twins. Best looking midsize of the bunch IMO, and the 4T engine seems good. Software problems everywhere, and I didn’t like that the driver gets more safety bracing than the passenger. I love my wife and haven’t purchased cars with that cheat on principal.
A friend of mine has a late model ranger. It’s a great looking vehicle and I’m a fan of the engine. This was a strong contender for us while considering the F150 replacement. It has a really difficult time shifting gears on an incline, with lots of banging and drama. Nope.
I recently volunteered to repair headlights on 2 gen 1 Nissan Titans. Both were luxury trims with auto-moving electric seats and all that jazz. Both had north of 300k on them, missing paint and road wear, and both ran and drove like a Swiss watch. I gotta admit, if you can find a low miles copy that might be a good second vote from me, and I’m not a fan of Nissan.
I’d consider a dodge - there are good ones and bad ones. They are the best driving of the bunch but have more nit-n-noid electronics and switch nuisances than the others. If it were for my son - pentastar all the way.
Frontier, Tacoma, Ridgeline, would you also consider a Maverick or Santa Cruz? 
I'm not up on didge- but what's wrong with there new inline six?
Wasn't this version called the 'super 44', whatever that means. My old '78 blazer had the dana 44 in the front
I know the early ones had a overheating issue- marginal oil capacity combined with smaller sized diff??Similar threads
