I recognize there is some danger in posting such a thread topic -- but I am doing a similar one over on a Tundra board.

I was pretty set on a Tundra Crewmax (and to be clear, I do think they're pretty impressive), but all the press about the F-150 has caused me to pause a bit before moving forward.

One potential issue (and to be clear, this is a relatiely minor one) is whether my 7-foot fishing rods will fit inside (diagonally) the smaller bed of the CrewMax. I don't want to have to bend my rods or risk breaking rod tips, etc to get it to lay inside the bed.

Any anglers on here who can testify one way or the other on this? I would go with the smaller bed size in the F-150 (which still appears to be larger than the small Tundra option on its CrewMax models.

I'd love to hear any other comparisons/insights this board has to offer.

 

I have been tugging around the 22' Blue Wave in the pic above for about 4 years now, I now own an '09 FX4 and my father-in-law owns an '07 Tundra CrewMax. Both trucks are great vehicles. The beds are actually both capable of holding 7' rods diagonally, but that's not real convenient when you have a family worth of luggage and a dog/crate in the bed. It's doable, but neither truck holds an advantage there. My father-in-law loves his Tundra, I like it too... the back seat is cavernous, the engine can really sprint, and the thing can tow a house and not break a sweat. Some of the things he gripes about are the stereo and the interior's plastic. The leather in the Tundra is really nice, but everything inside just has a very utilitarian feel.

I really like my '09 F150, it cannot race with the Tundra, but can tow a boat just as well and has more gadgets... and I am a huge gadget guy. I personally like the interior on the F150 and the Sony audio is awesome. Riding in them both will show that the F150 is quieter on the road than the Tundra and smoother in the rough stuff. I have also noticed that the engine in his Tundra doesn't sound very good any more. It definitely runs rougher than it used to, but he can't hear very well so he doesn't notice. There is no way that we have found to disable the seat belt reminder in the Tundra, which can be annoying if you own a ranch or spend time off road. My best recommendation is to drive them both... I don't like how LARGE the front end of the Tundra is while driving. I struggled to park it without the front bumper getting in the way, bumped a gate once... oops. The manual feature on the Tundra's transmission is really helpful when towing.

 

Well if the fishing poles are an issue (minor I know), what are your major questions and concerns as compared to the Toyota? I would say most people on here are honest and will tell you straight up what they like and don't like about the truck. I do not own an '09 but the number one downer most magazines and some people says is the power that the 5.4 puts out on the F-150. What I have also read is that the 6 speed tranny really helps on the bottom end and top end as it is basically the same ratios (gears 2-5) as the 04-08 tranny but has a better bottom gear and a better top gear (new 1st and 6th). Also, after the truck breaks in and after a few thousand miles the truck seems ot shift better, become a bit more powerful, and get better mileage.

What are you looking for in the truck and what is important?

 

I forgot to mention that I get about 19.5 MPG HWY in my F150 and my father-in-law's Tundra gets about 16. I am sure that gasoline will eventually head back up, so this might be a good point of info. Both have a six speed, but the Tundra has a different rear end ratio.

Both trucks are good fisherman vehicles for sure... if you get an F, don't go King Ranch due to the leather being difficult to maintain for fishermen. My '08 was a King Ranch and I really struggled with that... hence the FX4 now. Good luck!

 

tundra or F-150?? do you want your truck to last or not? I have never seen any tow anything with a toyota and there's probably a reason for that

 

Thanks for the insights. johnyb777, you could not have guessed my needs better. I have a 22 ft Kenner that I will be dragging around (nice Bluewave, by the way -- let's go fishin').

I know the Toyota will sprint and beat anything on a track -- but that's not my need. I am looking for a versatile towing truck, that also has everyday driver functionality.

I will say that I do have some concerns over Ford reliablity/quality issues. Full disclosure: I used to own some Ford vehicles about 10 years ago, and swore I wouldn't buy Ford again. That said, they were cars, not the new truck lineup that's been in place for a while (and from what I can tell, pretty successfully).

I also have to park in a downtown parking garage -- neither of these trucks seem overly conducive to that constraint... so Johnyb's comment about parking is also informative.

Again, I appreciate the insights.

 

watch these they tell all.

http://www.fordvehicles.com/2009f150/

 

^^^^

Buy American.

 

[QUOTE=baylorbrad;3698942]
I know the Toyota will sprint and beat anything on a track -- but that's not my need. I am looking for a versatile towing truck, that also has everyday driver functionality.
Ever heard the saying "Your toyota may be faster, but my ford can go anywhere", screw toyota, i think they suck, plus if you have to get new parts for it which i'm sure you will cause some little 10 year old boy built the truck in the sweat shops, they are expensive as hell, plus ford is known for there trucks, i can see if maybe you wanted to know what would be better a camry or a fusion, but come on everyone knows ford is the vehicle if your wanting a truck

 

Sort of a loaded question. Most of us are on this site because we like the product. I am biased toward the F150 because it lasts and holds up to the abuse of actually using it.
This is a good site for honest answers about the F150. There are so many different opinions here but most of us love ford trucks.

 

Best way to decide is to drive both, test them for your needs and make a choice.

 

Hey BaylorBrad, first off, let's fish man... I assume you're in Texas. I fish Port A as often as I can. Maybe we can hit the water sometime, or at least swap some good fishing spots.

I fully understand your quality concerns with Fords. My 08 was bought back by Ford because of front end issues. My wife thinks I am insane for purchasing another one. "Trying the same thing over and over, expecting a different result." With that said, I believe the major quality issues have been worked out of this revision. The front end is all new, and I haven't seen anyone on the '09 forum complain about the infamous "vibe" that my last two had. I have had a couple fit/finish issues, wind noise from the factory was insane, but I pointed it out in the test drive and it was fixed before delivery. The new Tundras can tow... my father-in-law tows a 10,000 lb. bobcat/trailer combo all the time (he is a builder), but they are missing the trailer sway control feature. I haven't needed it yet, but it's nice to know it's there. Neither truck is especially fun in a parking lot, but they are manageable after a while. If you are like me, you will want to park far away from everyone else anyway.

Well, good luck on your choice, probably can't make a bad one... no matter what us Ford guys try to tell ya. Welcome to the forum and let us know what you decide!

 

[QUOTE=IORf150;3698964]


where are these kids? i need them to teach my 10 yr old to mow, much easier than building trucks.

to the OP.. if you want an answer, drive them. i think you would be happy in an 08 honestly. but the 09 is a great looking truck. too many 150's on the road for it to a POS. good luck

 

Depends in what you want from the truck. If you want the most best all round truck then withdoubt it's the f150. If you want a truck to beat other from the light then the toyota is the way to go. Im sure the Toyota guys are gonna say Tundra over all else but to be honest it really only shines in one area. It's fast. The interior laks big time, Quality is below par, Nothing great to mention in the gadget/Creature comfort area and they have numerous problems from bad design and build quality. But for sure drive both but everyone who does ends up with a F150. Also dont be disapointed by the strnage gear changes and power as these sre just running in problems and after 2000 miles they are gone. Make sure you check out the Sync/Nav system also. Thats a mjor selling point on it's own.

 

I was in the same situation recently when I was looking around for something new. I've always liked the new style of Tundras and am semi sold on the 09 150's. Personally, I liked the feel of the Tundra better than when I was driving the 150. The 150 had more gadgets but when everything was said and done, I bought the CrewMax.

On the other end, I think Toyota, at least in my experience, has the better customer service and were more willing to make a sale. Ford wouldn't budge off of their rebate only price and was just lying through their teeth when they told me how much their invoice was. I even asked to see it and they wouldn't show it to me.

All in all, I'm very happy with my purchase. I know there is no love for the Tundra on this forum but that is to be expected on a Ford site. I would do what the others have said, drive both of them and have the truck make your decision.