Dodge has a rear coil design and I dont care what they say thats is not built for towing at all. Plus dodge interior and mechanisms fall apart. My uncle as a dodge 2500 and 1500, both ACs have gone out and the dash and plastics are literaly falling apart. Ford's interior is much more simple and will last! the 5.4 maybe no hemi but it also is built to last, and if you could wait just a couple of months you should be able to get the 6.2L triton engine in an f150 and that will blow away any competition!

 

Good points. I saw that the dodge has a 115 outlet up front with a plastic flip cover over the recepticle and as I think about it now it looks like the cover might be the first thing to break.

I wish I had the time to wait on the 6.2L Triton but my back is against the wall. I've been without a truck since March 1st...I need to get something pronto.

I think the price on the Lariat is more than fair in my area. I had another dealer quote me $500 higher for an XLT with cloth last week!

 

That Lariat to me is just as swanky as the King Ranch and Platinum with the standard heated and cooled seats.

As for Dodges, I've had four in the family since '99. The AC went out in my '02 at 20k miles and the trans went out in the '03 3500. Granted it had 215k when it went, but it had problems shifting into 5th gear from day one. And their build quality and interior parts don't even come close to Ford's. The new 1500 is a flashy truck, I just don't see it lasting like the F150 will. I am amazed at the quality with my truck and it feels more solidly built and more capable than that 3500 Ram ever did.

 

So you can get a much better equipped F-150 that will have higher % resale value for the next 10 years for only $1k more? I'm not sure why you are asking. If you can wait until the fall/winter, you can get a 2011 model with one of the new engines that will accelerate better than the Dodge Hemi.

 

You sorta answered your own question. You said that you need it for towing and hauling and that the F150 has a higher towing and payload capacity.

 

It doesn't really matter what we think, you have to live with the decision. Of course we are going to tell you to buy the Ford on a Ford forum. I think the Ford's are better looking and a better built truck. I have owned and ridden in various Ford, GM, and Chrysler products over my lifetime. I would rank them in order of quality starting with Ford and ending with Chrysler. Don't let them sell you on 0-60 times, and if you want to be swayed towards the Ford, just go to their website and click on the "truth about trucks" videos.

 

I'd go with the Ford, but hey, you have to drive it and be happy.

Here are my thoughts:

I've had several Ford trucks and cars and I've had no mechanical issues with any of them. Before I bought my 2010 XLT, I drove a Dodge because I was thinking of getting the Hemi. The build quality of the Dodge and the drive just doesn't compare. The interior was very cheap looking and feeling, which is typical of Dodge. The base 4.7L is junk (based on the experience of friends owning them). The hemi is fast though

The Ford is much more refined and will get the job done from a power standpoint. I think it will hold together better as well. Case in point: My wife has a Chrysler 300 that is a nice car and has lasted for 5 years with only a few issues, although replacing tie rods at 56K is a little scary. The build quality is still subpar to the competition in that price range. When I was purchasing my Lariat last night, I had a chance to check out the now Taurus SHO. Wow! Both the interior and exterior build quality rival european imports. That is one nice car and the 300 simply cannot compete any longer.

 

I got a "canned" Hypertech tune off the classifieds on this site (got a great deal or I would have gotten a Gryphon) but now I have the same HP as a Hemi and much more torque, and get a few more MPGs. Not to mention, the 5.4 and 4.6 modular motors are incredibly robust and reliable. On another front, when you choose Ford, you are not supporting government bailouts...

 

Ford hands down
Dodge's structure is weak, check out the crash tests
www.nhtsa.dot.gov
www.iihs.org

Ford is a far sturdier truck. Far better transmission IMO. 5.4 may not have the hemi grunt but more than adequate for a non race truck. Interior package is fantastic, it does not have the floor storage but who really cares, the F150 crew has a huge cab.
Most people I have talked to about the hemi complain they only get 10-12 mpg.

I like the look of the Ram, but I like the f150 better, personal opinion. Ford will be here in 10 years, I am not so sure about Dodge.

Obviously I am a little biased.

 

The arguments I'm getting on this site in favor of Ford are much better than those on the Dodge forum for the Ram.

At this point I'm at 95% probability for Ford. All this talk about getting a tune afterward is great...I had completely overlooked that option. I've got an acquaintance that owns a very good speed shop here in town. I've been trying to send some business his way lately and this might be a good opportunity to help him...and help me.

 

If you want the most HP, but the Dodge.

If you want the best all-around truck, buy the Ford.

Look at your first post. The only positive you had about the Dodge was the power and better interior storage. If those two things outweigh all the positives of the Ford, then buy the Dodge. If not, then buy the Ford.

 

For starters I like the F150 better so it makes the rest moot, BUT.. In my opinion Ford deserves your money. Ford handled their own business and adjusted to the market and economy admirably. They didn't take government bailout funds and they didn't declare bankruptcy. Ford didn't count on TAXPAYERS to pay the price for their horrible decisions. Ford simply designed a product that was in demand and capable of supporting itself.

Dodge is still in the experimental stage with Fiat. Will it work? Will they be sold off? No one knows at this point. Ford always has been and remains an AMERICAN company.

I considered heavily a 2008 SLT (before the disaster) and just couldn't do it. For starters the HEMI recommends at least 89 octane fuel, with today's fuel prices that was a turn off. The Ford runs recommended on 87. The Ford RECOMMENDS oil drain intervals of 7500 miles. They're not trying to rip you off with the Dodge 3k mile oil drain to satisfy the already too rich oil industry.

So you want reasons to buy the Ford. Overlook the vehicle which IMHO is superior to the Dodge and focus on the cost of ownership and the support of a company that knows how to support itself.

The Dodge is nice, I'm not claiming otherwise, it simply doesn't stack up to the Ford. That's opinion with some solid facts thrown in as well.

Good luck with whichever direction you take and sorry about your bad luck with the Chevy.

 

Chevys suck,Dodges blow...Ford all the way!!

 

Just out of curiousity, what made the Chevy a "lemon"?

 

It had a "shimmy" at all speeds that nobody could get to the bottom of. When driving down the highway it would just kind of buck/jerk/shake a bit...all the time.