The head is always smarter than the heart. Just sayin...

We can't make your decision for you. Drive them both, but which one you like the best, which seems to be the RAM. $3500 isn't chump change either. You can buy a lot of fuel for that.

My preference would be the Ford...it's worth the extra $3500, and you will more than likely see most of that at trade-in time down the road. But hey, I'm biased. I haven't even test driven a RAM....I thought I was going to break the door handle off just trying to get in it.

 

If you're not in a hurry wait for May/June/July...maybe some aggressive deals from Ford will come your way. Up here in Ontario the Ford dealers can't come close to the dodge guys right now. Ford sales guys I know are pisst off, having previous F150 buyers walk next door to the dodge dealer. I have to think dodge is making little to nothing on their rams right now.

None of this matters if you've fallen in love with the ram. Maybe pricing out the extended warranty on the ram would even the table a bit?

 

They always have. Their thinking is just like GM. Build em cheap sell them deep. They think cranking out 100+ day supply of trucks and making a few dollars on each is good buisness? It's the same lame brain thinking that got them into bailout situations a few yaers ago, nothing has really changed for them. Ford has really leaned up supply, reduced incentives and are making a handsome profit. From Ford's standpoint it's SMART business. We as consumers are a little bummed, but Ford won't let the same thing happen to them. Ford gave up on being #1 in the world a while back. Profit beats sales titles any day. GM's current profit records are a joke. I too would sock some nice cash away if taxpayers paid off my credit cards, mortgage and any other debts

 

I just couldn't buy something from a company that is so poorly run they needed a handout, but that is just the social darwinist (and capitalist) in me... Call me self righteous, but I just couldn't do it.

I really like the looks of the RAM, but would you buy a truck from a company that had to ditch (or dodge) its brand name?....

 

Double post....

 

If you can't see value in the the F150 over the Ram, then I think you will be happier choosing the Ram. Just go for it, then later, you can get your Ford.

 

Posts like this kinda **** me off. What concrete reasons make the Ford better than the Dodge? Please stop keeping it a secret.

I am coming into this with no brand loyalty.

If it's perceived comments about reliability, well my experiences with the super reliable Toyotas have taught me that every company has failures.

So please educate me. Just give me real world examples, not stuff you've read on the internet. I'm on a Ford forum and you guys are not really definding your truck at all. If anything else this is highly pushing me towards the Dodge.

I wanna buy an American truck made in America. So give me some reason.

 

What reasons do you want?

That the Ford has better fuel economy? That it is built to tow and haul more for longer periods of time? Do you want the fact that it has better reliability? (oh, sorry, you said you don't want that one). Do you want the one that Ford outsells Ram several times over, and we know it isn't because Ford costs less, so there must be something to it? Do you want the one where Ford is built tougher than Dodge? Ford is built to work it's a$$ off day in and day out, and come out in just as good a shape as it went in? Do you want the one where the interior of comparably equipped trucks is better in the Ford? What about the one about Ford having better resale value (I stated that one earlier)? What about the point I made about the Ford feeling more solid?

In all actuality, BlueJay's post was the best one. If you yourself can't find a reason to buy the Ford for $3500 more, then buy the Ram. Nothing we can tell you should change your mind. You are buying the truck, not us. Pretty simple, really.

 

Simply put, we are not here to sell you a truck. Sorry if that pisses you off. Anything we say would be with a bias (except for the few that had the unfortunate luck to buy a lemon). I just do not feel the need to defend my purchase of my truck. I was able to see the difference in quality when I switched from a Silverado to the Ford back in 2005. The Silverado was a good truck, the Ford is a better truck.

 

The biggest advantages I'd see for the Ford are these:

1. Future resale value. No one can totally predict the future, but Ford trucks have historically held their value better than Dodge. However if there's an initial $3500 savings this may be a wash.

2. Ford's six speed tranny is truly a six speed. Dodge is calling their tranny a six speed this year, but it is an adapted 5 speed from years past. They are going to an 8 speed next year.... if you want the Dodge it might be worth the wait. Again history says Ford trannys are less prone to problems.

3. Locking rear diffs in my opinion are the best things going in the world of trucks. For years GM ruled the factory locker world with it's G80. When Ford came out with the e-locker its only shortcoming in my opinion was that it only worked in 4wd (at least in most trucks) but now that the e-locker works in 2wd on the 2012's this seems to be the best option out there.

Look at your local dealers. Who takes care of their customer best? The Ford place...the Dodge place.

Ultimately you have to like what you choose. YOU are the one paying for the vehicle. Not a single one of us on this board will make one payment for you. Trucks aren't political either. Your truck won't know if you like Democrats or Republicans or neither, so in my opinion politics doesn't figure into the decision. (If others disagree I respect your difference of opinion) If you're happy with the Ram go for it and you'll probably be happy. If it's the Ford you'll probably be happy there too. Truth is all manufacturers build good products, but all manufacturers have their share of lemons too. Its a gamble whenever you buy a vehicle, but good luck with whatever you choose.

 

Perhaps. The Silverados aren't even in the running though.

As far as seeing the quality. The interiors of the Ford's just seem really cheap, hard plastic that'll scratch easily. And for a part of the truck that you touch and feel everyday, this is important to me.

 

While i havent driven the dodge, i find there interior to still look like something from 1970. Yes the truck is faster, only because it has a hemi 5.7 plus the truck is lighter, well lighter means weaker as well. There's a reason why Ford F150 is the #1 selling vehicle in the US for the last "think were up like 30yrs now or something"

If your concerned with speed either get a sports car or get the Raptor and then you can ROMP all over that Dodge.

Good luck with your purchase in the end!

 

Resale after 5 years is $14,849 versus $12,374

Depreciation estimation numbers were taken from Edmunds.com. Kbb.com for five year old similar trucks is very close.

Total cost of ownership including gasoline (and assuming a steadily increasing gasoline cost to $6) and insurance, and taking into account the Ford guys are giving me more for my trade, and then subtracting the above resale values comes out to be...

21,789 versus 21,188

Virtually identical over a 5 year period. That's what, $10 a month difference?



Don't know what to say about Transmissions. This will be the first automatic vehicle I have picked out for myself and spending my own real hard earned cash on.

For this judgement I will totally defer to the guys that have owned them. And for the most part yes, Ford has the superior transmission, from what I have read.


It is a HUGE plus in the Ford favor to offer this.
This aftermarket would cost $1800 installed.
so - $400 cost makes it a $1400 bonus.

The Ram does come with a Torsen LSD though. Not as good as a locker, but better than nothing




Yep, I do have to make the decision. But I am looking for the opinions and real world experiences of the guys that've owned the truck. Hopefully those that've owned both, before I make my decision.

Thanks for sharing your opinion.

 

Wish I could afford the Raptor.

No I'm looking at $25,000 trucks, not $55,000 trucks.

 

If I recall, some Rams are made in Mexico, too lazy to look it up. F150's are Dearborn, MI or Kentucky.