GMC Sierra 1500, RAM 1500 or who is the best?

[Bamaman1]

Re: GMC Sierra 1500, RAM 1500 or who is the best?

I can't say I have seen many 1970 diesels on the road. What do we mean by MEGA miles and many years? Other than torque, why?


Thanks for everyones input.

The reason you've never seen any 1970 diesel pickups on the road was because they didn't make them back then. Ford's SuperDuty came in 1999, and Chevy's C2500HD came after that.

Diesel pickups have a realistic 400-500K mile lifespan. There are a few fleet users pushing 1,000,000 miles on the original engine. My local wrecker service has a conventional Holmes wrecker on a 03 F550, and his engine went out at 550K miles--after heavy use.

If you find a 10 year old diesel pickup with 100K miles, it has more life left in it than a brand new gas pickup. And it'll pull circles around any gas engine made. Many of these trucks were bought by older people for RV towing, and many have low miles.

My 03 Ford F250 Lariat PowerStroke diesel has 107K miles. It never had a warranty claim, and has just required brakes and 2 batteries.
I bought this truck at age 52, and it may be the only truck I'll ever have to buy. I may be able to pass it on to my 5 year old grandson.
If I put it on the retail market, my phone would be ringing off the cradle.

What I'm saying is that if someone tows all the time or if they pull some heavy loads, diesels are great long term values in trucks.

 

[agallant80]

Re: GMC Sierra 1500, RAM 1500 or who is the best?

If you are only pulling 4500lbs than I would not really worry. I like GM better and I have a Silverado. As for RAM. I have some friends that have one, they are not bad but the biggest complaint that I hear from them is that the RAM 6 speed tranny is always looking for a gear. It shifts all the time. I have a 6 speed on my Silverado and it does not search much at least not as much as when I am in a RAM with one of my friends. With that said my Avalanch had the 5 speed and I did notce more shifting going to the 6 speed but I don't notice it much now. The silverado will have better MPG if you get an 2007+ I got 21.5 with the CC set at 65-70 going back home from the boat yesterday. That included a bit of city driving too.

One word of caution is that Chevy changed the motor design in 07 and the 07 have allot of oil consumption issue. The GM dealer rebuild my motor at 72K miles because of this and it did not help. my 2012 burns no oil. It was just 07. If you get an 07 GM see if the motor has been fixed. You may end up getting a GM with very few miles on the motor if it was rebuilt.

As for an Avalanche it should have the 3.08 rear end in it. Not very good for towing but at 4500lbs you will be fine. My Silverado with 3.08 and a 6 speed does much better then the 5 speed with 3.08

The lower the ratio the better MPG when not towing, keep that in mind. If you get something with 4.10 you are going to pay for it at the pump when you are just driving to work.

 

[WIMUSKY]

Re: GMC Sierra 1500, RAM 1500 or who is the best?

You don't need a diesel for what you're towing. You'll pay more for the truck and will be molested at the pump. I can only speak for RAM. I've had 4 3/4 tons since 2000. First one I bought used and traded it in at 80K. No tranny issues. Had a V-10 which was a stump puller but had terrible mileage. The last one I traded in was an '07. Nice truck, no tranny problems at 50k miles. The only bad thing I have to say about RAM is they don't have greasable front ends. Had to replace the '07's at just over 40k. Chrysler covered it. If you look at used RAMs, see if the frontends were replaced with greasable parts......

I've always run 3.73 gears. I can get around 18/19mpg on the highway with my current truck, 2012 2500 crew cab. 1500 RAMs will even shut down 1/2 the cylinders when cruising down the highway... Not sure what year that was first available....

 

[sweet addiction]

Re: GMC Sierra 1500, RAM 1500 or who is the best?

A lot of farmers in my area bought RAM because they were so much cheaper. The down side, they ended up having to rebuild / replace the tranny if they pull heavy loads. It's always been a weak link with Dodge trucks.

But do you know why??? There is a check valve in one of the lines going to or from the tranny cooler. Those things liked to get gummed up and either stick closed or open. If it got stuck closed you would cook your torque converter and possibly some bands and drums. It happened to me. So it is not Dodges tranny...Its the check valve manufacturer!

 

[Leardriver]

Re: GMC Sierra 1500, RAM 1500 or who is the best?

Your rig isn't heavy enough to waste too much time worrying about. All modern trucks can tow it effortlessly.

A 2500 with a diesel is overkill.

The Tundra is an absolute beast. I've towed heavy weight with the big three, and the Tundra, who is the only actual American made 1/2 ton, strangely enough, is noticeably better than any of them. That drivetrain is amazing.

 

[98Shabah]

Re: GMC Sierra 1500, RAM 1500 or who is the best?

I just bought an off lease '09 RAM SLT quad cab short box 4.7l 2wd, 41k miles for $16k.. Love the truck, '09 was the first year of the coil rear suspension (it rides like a luxo-barge on the highway), the '09+ also has the 310hp 4.7L (plenty for this kind of weight), as well as traction control, stability control, and trailer sway control.. It's a 6spd auto with 2 transmission filters and tow/haul mode in which it doesn't hunt for gears. It's also got hill assist so on an incline with a load it will hold the brakes while you move your foot from the brake pedal to the gas pedal. Nifty features.

 

[agallant80]

Re: GMC Sierra 1500, RAM 1500 or who is the best?

Tundra, who is the only actual American made 1/2 ton, strangely enough, is noticeably better than any of them. That drivetrain is amazing.

Not true. My 2012 Silverado has a huge sticker on the inside of the drivers door saying it was built in Flint. Also GM does the hold the break until you touch the gas thing.

 

[98Shabah]

Re: GMC Sierra 1500, RAM 1500 or who is the best?

And my Ram was built in Warren Michigan.

 

[briangcc]

Re: GMC Sierra 1500, RAM 1500 or who is the best?

Here's a quick find out on the net...

What is the most American-made half-ton truck? - Ask.cars.com


There are others out there as well. I had heard a couple years ago that Toyota held the lead all by itself. In this article, Ford & Toyota tied and they gave the nod to Ford just due to sales numbers. Notice where the rest of your favorites rank. US owned doesn't necessarily mean made in the US any longer...

 

[H20Rat]

Re: GMC Sierra 1500, RAM 1500 or who is the best?

If you find a 10 year old diesel pickup with 100K miles, it has more life left in it than a brand new gas pickup.

I may be able to pass it on to my 5 year old grandson.

Yes and no... If you are talking engine blocks only, yes, the diesel will last longer. Transmissions are somewhat along the same lines, the transmissions on a diesel are usually much heavier and will last longer, although that isn't always the case.

The big problem that the diesel guys won't own up to is that maintenance will get expensive at those miles, and although the engine is perfectly fine, every other piece of the truck is aging, just like a gas vehicle. You still have a collection of belts, hoses, balljoints, exhaust, brakes, fuel pump, injectors, steering, bushings, shocks, etc... Most diesels also have a turbo or two, which are $$$$. All of those things wear out just as fast on a diesel as on a gas engine, but they tend to be far more expensive. In most cases, you don't even have to drive it. Rubber parts will 'age out', just from oxygen in the atmosphere. (old rubber gets brittle and cracks)

And even if the engine lasts longer, gas short blocks are relatively cheap... If you run the numbers, diesels are poor economic choices for the vast majority of people. A gas would be cheaper in the long run no matter what.


(but in true iboats fashion, the guy needs a diesel duelly for a 19' bayliner...)

 

[WIMUSKY]

Re: GMC Sierra 1500, RAM 1500 or who is the best?

And my Ram was built in Warren Michigan.

Well my RAM was built in Mexico. It is a 2500, however. It is my understanding 3/4 tons were either built in Mexico or Canada.....

 

[littlerayray]

Re: GMC Sierra 1500, RAM 1500 or who is the best?

like its been said your rig isnt that heavy im a gm guy
if you want tons of power go with ram. but you will be paying big bucks at the pumps.
if you want fuel economy go with either gm or ford.
gm 5.3litre v8's shut down four cylinders when not underload.
and the f150 eco boost is great on gas but you are stuck with 6 cylinders.
my boat weighs in at just under 3000lbs, with the trailer and i dont even notice it behind the truck when im pulling
and i have a 2008 gmc sierra slt with the 5.3litre.

 

[WIMUSKY]

Re: GMC Sierra 1500, RAM 1500 or who is the best?

gm 5.3litre v8's shut down four cylinders when not underload.

So does RAM with their 1500 Hemis............

 

[98Shabah]

Re: GMC Sierra 1500, RAM 1500 or who is the best?

So does RAM with their 1500 Hemis............

This is true, a friend of mine bought the same truck except a 5.7 hemi and 4wd, he gets the same 20-21mpg that I get with my non-displacement on demand 4.7l Ram, his city mileage is around 13-14 and mine is 15-16.

I was raised by a GM man, became a Ford convert in my early 20s, and have owned Chryslers and Fords for the last 6 years.. I've rebuilt engines, transmissions, done all sorts of miscellaneous repairs, etc, just get the best deal for your money. Most full size trucks today are very reliable and more than capable of pulling a boat that size. Oh, and my father the GM man, his last few vehicles have been (in order of ownership): 88 Monte SS, 97 thunderbird 4.6v8, 97 F150 4.2v6, 2007 Crown Vic, and now he has a 2006 Dodge Ram and a 2004 Vette, all were outstanding reliable vehicles with little to no repairs outside of regular maintenance. Take it for what it's worth.

 

[Uncle Binky]

Re: GMC Sierra 1500, RAM 1500 or who is the best?

I haven't owned a full size Toyota, but as a contractor I've had all of the diesels and a few gassers. Like it's been said, you don't need much truck to pull your boat. My favorite tow vehicle for my Trophy that regularly crosses the scales at 7500 lbs is my old 02 Duramax 4 door 2500HD. Great braking, long (steady) wheelbase, and comfortable on long trips. I've had the injector woes that you'll hear about, but those are not a problem with the years that you're looking at. If I were going to buy a tow vehicle just to get to the ramp, I'd look for a Suburban with the 6 liter engine. My wife traded hers in at 338,000 miles and going strong. It pulled great, and was a pleasure to ride in. It got 13-14 MPG, but tow vehicles are not Prius's. Additionally, Suburbans can be found cheap due to the mileage issue, but a low purchase price can soften the blow at the pump...

 

[Dustinmc15]

Re: GMC Sierra 1500, RAM 1500 or who is the best?

I tow about the same weight with my 09 Ram 1500 Hemi and have no complaints, with 390 hp and 410 lbs of torque it will have no problem pulling your boat. I also use it as a daily driver so it nice having rear coils instead of leaf springs to smooth out the ride. The 09s are also the first year of the 4th generation Rams with the updated interior which I believe is the best in the market.

 

[sweet addiction]

Re: GMC Sierra 1500, RAM 1500 or who is the best?

I tow about the same weight with my 09 Ram 1500 Hemi and have no complaints, with 390 hp and 410 lbs of torque it will have no problem pulling your boat. I also use it as a daily driver so it nice having rear coils instead of leaf springs to smooth out the ride. The 09s are also the first year of the 4th generation Rams with the updated interior which I believe is the best in the market.

Nice truck and boat!

 

[dan t.]

Re: GMC Sierra 1500, RAM 1500 or who is the best?

GMC of course, Death before Dodge, and Ford spelled backwards means "driver returns on foot" :lol:

 

[ricohman]

Re: GMC Sierra 1500, RAM 1500 or who is the best?

I also agree that you do not need a diesel.
I drove diesel trucks for decades and my 2010 1 ton F350 was ordered with a gasser. The newer diesels can be incredibly expensive to maintain if something busts out of warranty. Up to 18K for a pump and such on the new Fords. I believe that Bosch pump is used in GM as well but I may be wrong.
And I've heard all the blah from guys with 13 year old 7.3's. Been there done that. Do you want a noisy truck with a crappy trans and an old platform?
Get a new 1/2 ton from any of the big three and you will be a happy man.

 

[jkust]

Re: GMC Sierra 1500, RAM 1500 or who is the best?

You say a 19 foot Bayliner? You need very little to tow that boat. I tend to go GM because I like to keep as much money as possible and spend as little as possible. GM's are great for massive depreciation but very capable. My current daily driver GM built SUV with a 5.3 liter v8 with displacement on demand, AWD, 3.73 rear end, LSD rear end (G86 not G80 locker), 2 tone french stitched, heated Leather, Factory Nav, Rear TV plus Factory HID headlights with built in washers, Stabilitrac, Rollover airbags and every other option on the list you could buy retailed at 49k...I got it 4 years old for $13,500 with 55,000 miles as a one owner in perfect shape 2 years ago and haven't spent a red cent on it. It would be newsworthy to get a better deal than that. It looks like I'm living large but I'm just frugal. The equivalent Toyota, Dodge, Ford or whatever would have never been been attainable for such a low price yet it tows just fine. The 5.3 is a sort of mid level engine for HP and TQ but it does the job good. Regardless you could easily get by with a 6 cylinder with a body on frame suv or even several of the crossovers available.