ford f250 vs chevy 2500

[boatflounder]

I am new to towing having just bought our first boat ion february, but after bringing it home I realized my 98 f150 wasnt up to the task of an app. 5000 lb load. Am looking to get a new truck once I get thrusome temporary health issues and am not even considering a 1/2 ton anymore. While the newer trucks are more powerful than my old one, I just dont feel comfortable being outsized by my trailer. I want a 3/4 ton just for the size and mass in front of the load to feel more in control.

I am leaning towards a f250 as have been pleased with my 150 and if we hadnt bought the boat would of kept it forever. however just found out my uncle can still get employee pricing for gm products so might be able to get a deal.

I work offshore and fly to work so the truck is only used for pleasure and running errands, so mileage isnt as big an issue as comfort and convenience. We keeep the boat at a storage sghed with a ramp onsite so we normally only tow a couple hundred feet, but would like the ability to travel up and down the coast and explore some different areas.

Any input on convenience and comfort of these trucks will e appreciated.

 

[JB]

Re: ford f250 vs chevy 2500

Both are good trucks. The range of options in the drivetrain and interior include everything from a bare bones work vehicle for well under $30K to a rolling 4 door clubroom for well over $50K.

I personally have always been a Ford man and have never had a bad Ford truck, but I am sure there are many who feel the same way about Chebbys and even (gasp!!) Dodges. There are currently a F350 Diesel, Dodge "Dooley" Diesel and a Tundra in the family. I think I like traveling in the Ford better than the others, but it is a fully blinged out King Ranch edition and the others are more work vehicles.

 

[mrfixitman40]

Re: ford f250 vs chevy 2500

i agree with jb . i won't own anything but a ford but i also work on fords for a living ,although i might go to GM they seem to have more work there, but will always be a ford man myself. you should drive te 2 and see which is more to your liking . i have a 98 f150 that i wouldn't be afraid to tow 5000 behind any day of the week but my dad has a 2004 150 with the 7700 tow capacity that definately handles the weight of anything we ever will pull. next decide whether you want diesel or gas.

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: ford f250 vs chevy 2500

I have been test driving new ones myself and we have Fords,Chevys and Dodges at work.
Out of the 3 The new Chevys with the 6 speed Allison tranny impressed me the most.They have the best ride and most comfortable interior too.
The Fords are great trucks also but i like the Chevys the best.
The Dodges with the Cummins engine is a pulling beast also but the tranny shifts kind of hard on the Dodges.
If money was not a factor a new Chevy would be my choice.
All of our company trucks are diesel duallys so they do ride i little stiff compared to a 2500.

 

[SpinnerBait_Nut]

Re: ford f250 vs chevy 2500

Having just bought a new Dodge 2500 SLT Quad Cab 4X4 with the new 6.7L Cummins diesel and 6 speed auto, I have to say that so far it has impressed me.
With the new engine brake it has, slowing down a load is very easy and don't even have to touch the brakes.
Mine is the Thunder Road edition and has everything on it but sunroof.
Your talking in the mid 40K's though.
Lots of room both front and back.
Just my .02 worth.

 

[roozterdvx]

Re: ford f250 vs chevy 2500

Personally, I like the Ford diesel powertrain, I lean toward the Chevy for gas motors.

My personal truck is a Ford F-350 XLT, diesel, dually, 2wd, extended cab which I use for towing. It's a six speed manual and the "granny" low gear is great on the ramps.
My company truck is a Chevy 2500HD with 6.0 gas engine and std. cab.
I find the Chevy to have a more comfortable interior. The Ford seats are somewhat stiff and even though the Chevy is std. cab, the seat is split 40/20/40 with the driver and passenger sides fully independant for front to rear and reclining. The Chevy seats are also softer and have a better form in my opinion.
My advice would be to try them both and see which you'd like to live with for the long haul. All three manufactures, Chevy/GMC, Ford and Dodge make a quality truck which will provide years of service and safety towing a heavy load.
Edit: Argumentive words. Sorry

I better shut-up or I could go all day on this and possibly start something ugly here.
Sorry

"One nation under God"
God bless the United States of America!

 

[luckyinkentucky]

Re: ford f250 vs chevy 2500

If you are going Diesel get a Dodge with the Cummins . If you are going Gasoline then get a Chevy or Dodge with the Hemi. I'm a die hard Jeep/ Dodge guy, but Chevys are good, and I HATE Fords. I owned a new Ford F150 6 years ago, and I ended up sending it back to the dealer within a month of buying it. You might find some good Chevys on sale right now with their year end clearance event. I was looking at a Chevy 2500HD a month ago. It was an '07 Base Model, and I was pleased with it. They were asking $18500 for it, and I was seriously thinking about it until I realized Winter was around the corner. When I say it was a base model I mean it had cloth seats, rubber floors, etc... I like my trucks this way since I put them through a lot anyway. Who needs a DVD player for the kids when you're pulling a boat? Also, the rubber floors are good when you have to get wet, and don't want to ruin your carpet.

 

[DaveM]

Re: ford f250 vs chevy 2500

Both are great trucks. I looked at Ford and Chevy versions of the 2006 1 ton crew cab diesel and found the Chevy to be more comfortable. The 6 speed Alison transmission is really a bonus for towing with its ability to manually select gears and engine breaking in the tow/haul mode. It can be teamed up with either gas or diesel.

Both Ford and Chevy have been redesigned for '07 and I'm sure you will be happy with either choice. You will find a 3/4 ton to be a way more capable truck.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: ford f250 vs chevy 2500

As usual, when someone asks about tow vehicles the typical response is get a Cummins, PowerStroke or Duramax diesel. A 5000 pound load does not require that kind of investment, especially in this case where the truck is used for short commutes and occasional towing. Any of the 250/2500 series trucks with mid-size HP engines will work just fine. Any of the current crop of trucks with the proper axle ratio will tug that load just fine. Diesels have some advantages but they also have disadvantages. They stink up your garage (if it even fits in there), there are weather related issues in cold climates and they don't like being used for short trips. If you are a contractor or have 7500# load or higher to tug around on a regular basis, by all means consider a diesel.

 

[OhWellcraft]

Re: ford f250 vs chevy 2500

I would have to agree with silvertip on the gas or diesel issue, a good sized gas would handle that boat no problem. If however you want to buy a truck that you could pull pretty much anything and not have to worry about then go the diesel that is what they are made for plus I personally think they will outlive there gas brothers in the long run. Fords and Dodges generally sit higher than the Chevs do but the Chev will offer a better ride and generally better creature comforts. The new dodges have a super warantee on them, but all three are good trucks. Test all of them and pick the one you like the best and you can get the best price on. My .02

 

[penst8grad]

Re: ford f250 vs chevy 2500

I'm holding out for either the F150 Diesel or the Nissan Titan Diesel, both due out next year. My F150 with a 4.6L can do it, but isn't happy about it.

 

[boatflounder]

Re: ford f250 vs chevy 2500

Thanks for the input. Went and sat in the chevy 2500 and it didnt have as much room as my current150. the one with the bench seat i couldnt even get into, the bucket seat model was better but still seemed a little tight. That probably pushes me back towards the ford unless they have shrunk their cabs drastically in the last ten years, plus they do look to sit higher which being 6'6" tall I Find to be an advantage.

Does anyone have any experience with the gas V10 gford, I would like the extra power of the ford but the gas is more convenient. In addition to the boat I am looking at having my motorcycle and a large load in the bed when we have to evacuate for the next hurricane.

 

[JCMINIS]

Re: ford f250 vs chevy 2500

Does anyone have any experience with the gas V10 gford, .

As long as you know where ALL the gas stations are you will be fine.My brothers is a guzzler.Its in a passenger van though,unsure if there different.

 

[orion25]

Re: ford f250 vs chevy 2500

If you are buying new then check out the dodge trucks. They now have a lifetime powertrain warranty. I have not read the details of the warranty but lifetime sounds pretty good to me..................

**By the way, I do not own a Dodge and I would prefer a Toyota Tundra if I were the one laying out the $$**

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: ford f250 vs chevy 2500

i personally like the Surburan, we have 2 the 92 that has been retired to a work truck, and the 99 that is now the designated tow vehicle. this week we have been remodeling, my nephew's kitchen, using the 92. it has rained every day. the suburban, has save a lot of material from getting wet, on the trip from lowes, it still has the 8 foot load of a pickup. tall stuff, utility trailer, or uhaul. the 99 we pack up every year, and head to the Fl Keys.

 

[mrfixitman40]

Re: ford f250 vs chevy 2500

I would not recommend a v-10 I don't see enough of a power increase to make it worth the fuel consumption

 

[bigtwin]

Re: ford f250 vs chevy 2500

First off let me tell you as a former mechanic with 20 years experience, you get to see how vehicles are bolted together, taking nothing away from the Chevy, but the Ford is a beter built truck. Especially in the drivetrain, and suspension.

secondly I would advise you to avoid the 6.8L V10 and go with the 5.4L V8, and use the money you save to buy a k&n intake kit and a Gibson exhaust (according to k&n the intake kit alone is worth over 20hp in that application).

That being said neither are bad trucks, in fact they are both great trucks!

Just my 2?

 

[boatflounder]

Re: ford f250 vs chevy 2500

Thanks agasin for the input, guess the V10 isnt a good option. Was hoping to get more power and still be able to siphon gas out of the boat if I got stuck in another evacuation fiasco. Gas consumption isnt a major issue for me as I dont commute every day, guess i need to just swallow the 7grand perice jump for the diesels.

 

[zachespo]

Re: ford f250 vs chevy 2500

I would have to diasagree with the comments about the V10. That is a very strong motor. We have one in one of our works reucks that is running around at 15k lbs everyday and it has no problem cruising down the road at 70mph. As far as the mileage, even if you are are only getting 10 mpg (which I highly doubt with such a light load) you still have a 38 gallon tank so that will get you about 380 miles per tank. And if you really want ease of towing and better fuel economy a diesel would be the best bet. I just picked up an 07 F350 to tow our boat which weighs about 7500lbs and I get about 13-14 mpg towing. And the 5.4 V8 is an awesome motor as well, but in a 3/4 ton truck it really isn't gonna do very well. If you do get a 5.4 you might as well get an F150 and save yourself some cash.

Oh, and if you couldn't tell definetly go with a Ford. Sorry for the long post but I really think you would not have any problem with the V10. But that is just my 2cts

 

[reelfishin]

Re: ford f250 vs chevy 2500

I've been a diehard Ford guy for years, but when Ford changed body styles in 1997, I lost a lot of faith in Ford. The F150 cab in that style wasn't meant for anyone with long legs. Towing wise, there's no reason why it won't tow 5000 lbs. I've towed that much with my Ranger. Traction on a ramp would be your biggest issue if your not 4x4.

I've been looking around for a new truck myself, I've all but ruled out Ford, I'm just not a fan of the new body style and it seems that Ford here doesn't want to make a deal. The best deal I've gotten was on a GMC.
I have considered a new Dodge as well, but I'm a bit cautious of their transmissions. Dodge does have a pretty attractive warranty now though.
( http://www.dodge.com/en/lifetime_powertrain_warranty/ )

I worked for Ford dealers for nearly 20 years, so my normal first choice is Ford, but if they're offering a true lifetime powertrain warranty, that would sway me to a Dodge. I like the overall assembly and component quality of the Ford better, but the GM truck seems to be the most comfortable and a bit quieter.