Best new 3/4 ton gasser?

[mthillrunner]

I had a 15 tradesman with the 6.4. Tranny went at 125k miles. Never liked the ride quality, especially off road! Started looking in late January for a new rig. I wanted a 2500 bighorn with the off road package. I live in western MT. I searched from Bismarck to Seattle to Denver. Was never more than 5-6 in that area at one time. I finally found one in northeastern WY with a what I wanted & a couple options I didn’t care about. They gave me 4K over book for my old rig & were better price wise than any other dealership. I wish I would have gotten rid of the old one a year sooner. The 8 speed tranny & ride quality in the new one is night & day different. Very happy with the decision.

 

[Mudranger1]

hell with 'em. A few months I can understand. Eight months crossed my threshold of irritation.

Well they are based in California

 

[SFC B]

Don't freak out at the distance......but I bought my F150 from Fairway Ford in Canfield, OH at the end of January and it was a great experience. I had my finance taken care of ahead of time so I took a one way flight into Cleveland, they picked me up at the airport, and I was out of the dealership in my new truck in about a half an hour. I paid about 22% below sticker and had a nice relaxing, get to know you, 1400 miles ride home. Something to check out if Ford comes up on your radar. https://www.fairwayfordohio.com/

 

[turbobrick]

Thanks, all. Great info all through here. I will keep checking out options. You're not kidding about trade-in value if kbb is to be believed. I really like my Ram and figured I'd keep it for years more, probably won't write off a new Ram just yet. Those power wagons are indeed purdy. But, honestly, the prospect of dealing any more with the local Chrysler dealership's shop is a huge negative. I might call the Chev dealer in Glenwood Springs...they're cut off from the beautiful people and their checkbooks up Vail valley right now and for the foreseeable future. A guy can hope, anyway.

@marksjeep Yeah we drug the camper up to the YMCA of the Rockies resort near Fraser to camp with a bunch of family. I had no idea how nice that place was. We all had a blast. Rabbit Ears Pass is no joke pulling anything. There's always at least one rig on either side either smoking out of the engine or the brakes. Steamboat was fun with that chip seal project and no lines...just kind of a free-for-all all the way through town. Am I in a turn lane? Am I in a through lane? Nobody really knew. And the number of gas stations in Craig set up for long trailers is exactly zero.

I'm bummed about the lack of Carli parts, I was really looking forward to how that would ride.

Did you talk with Thuren or Synergy Mfg for Ram parts? I'd buy Thuren over Carli anyway.

 

[jryoung]

I keep shopping for trucks, but plan b just seems to make more sense. I have a 3rd car that makes me want to sell my truck at a premium right now and then buy in 6 month or so.

I keep coming back to the thought that the industry is a shit show right now and I'd rather try and make it 18-24 months in holes of a deal and if not at least I made it 18-24 months without and increase in monthly payments.

 

[Tiohunter]

I would go with plan b for now. My theory, which may be wrong, is all these manufacturers have lots full of 2021 trucks with no chips. The 2022 models will start coming out shortly, so once the chip shortage is corrected they will be giving away the older vehicles.

 

[Mallardsx2]

Fix the truck and keep driving it until it is 100% useless.

 

[FlatlanderAZ]

For a 3/4 ton gasser I’d be looking for a Ford with the 6.2 or maybe the new 7.3. Both tow like a beast and the 7.3 is getting about 15 mpg without towing which is about the same as the 6.2.

 

[.270]

I switched over from diesels to gas a couple of years ago, I never tow anything just a welder in the bed. I have 153K on my 19' ford 6.2L with no major problems. I had a fuel relay go out but that was under warranty. I have two others with just around 100K on them with no problems. I get 12-13 mpg which was about the same as I got with the 6.7 diesel.

 

[npaden]

Plan B would be my choice, mostly because I am cheap.... not that the new shoes aren't expensive but the idea of buying new right now just won't pay off in the long run.

Not sure if you need a crew cab, but Chevy/ GM are super hard to get out of the back seat unless you are a kid. Not sure if that is even an issue for you but it sticks in my craw every time I ride in my buddies Chevy.

Not sure what year model Chevy you are riding in. I think for the 2020 and newer HD models the back seat leg room is the best of any of the major brands. I'm 6'2" and with the front seat all the way back I still have plenty of legroom in the backseat. Probably 3" - 4" from my knee to the back of the seat in front of me.

I super lucked out buying my truck when I did back in December. I would still be driving my 1/2 ton otherwise because I don't think I could stomach paying the full sticker price like they are going for now.

 

[noharleyyet]

I keep shopping for trucks, but plan b just seems to make more sense. I have a 3rd car that makes me want to sell my truck at a premium right now and then buy in 6 month or so.

I keep coming back to the thought that the industry is a shit show right now and I'd rather try and make it 18-24 months in holes of a deal and if not at least I made it 18-24 months without and increase in monthly payments.

Were I hankering, this is where my gut would be.

 

[wolfpup]

Not sure what year model Chevy you are riding in. I think for the 2020 and newer HD models the back seat leg room is the best of any of the major brands. I'm 6'2" and with the front seat all the way back I still have plenty of legroom in the backseat. Probably 3" - 4" from my knee to the back of the seat in front of me.

I super lucked out buying my truck when I did back in December. I would still be driving my 1/2 ton otherwise because I don't think I could stomach paying the full sticker price like they are going for now.

The room once you get in it great. I am referring to the door panel that is in the way when you are swinging your legs in and out. The only reason I bring this up is because my niece has a physical handicap that does not allow her to bend her knees normally. She had plenty of room once she was in the back seat, but it was a challenge to get her in. Her parents went with a Ram Mega Cab to help alleviate this issue. She did much better getting in my Ram crew cab also but I have no experience in the Ford department.

 

[PublicLandXperience]

If your not dead set on a 3/4 ton, I just picked up a 2017 F150 EcoBoost with the max towing package and I love it, tows great rides great 6.5’ bed and SuperCrew Cab has more than enough room. Towed my 7x16x7’ enclosed trailer with it through western Nebraska and the Black Hills and was surprised by the performance, ride was great doesnt hunt for gears on inclines or down hill grades and fuel mileage wasn’t terrible. I’d estimate the total weight of truck trailer cargo and people to been right around 9k lbs

 

[pre6422hornet]

So I have had a 2003 F250 with a 7.3, a 2008 with the 6.4 and in 2013 I ordered a 6.2 with the 4.30 rear end as we owned a 13,500 pound fiver. I was done with all the fuel filter changes, the DPF regens ( I did delete the 6.4 but it was a pain to go back to stock for warranty work) so I went with the gas.

I sold that truck last year with 30,000 miles on it. We basically hauled the fiver with it and it went hunting. I am fortunate enough to have a company car so it basically sat in the driveway and guarded the house when we weren't camping or hunting.

I pulled that fiver from KC to Wyoming, Wyoming to ABQ, ABQ to St. Louis, St. Louis to Chicago, all fully loaded not to mention all the camping trips in between those big moves. From St. Louis to ABQ for hunting twice. The 4.30 was great for pulling, and yes in the hills it does downshift and runs at high RPMS to maintain speed, but I have/had zero complaints. She got between 10-12 pulling that camper all day long at 70 mph or slightly above. Non towing was 15-16 on the highway at 78mph.

I was never disappointed with that truck. Only reason I sold it was we sold the fiver.
I did install adjustable air bags and that helped with trailer sag but other than that it was stock.

 

[yotehuntersd]

I purchased a 7.3 gas f250 tremor in 4/21 it has been on a tow dolly 3 times now for melted spark plug wires with 6k miles. One more problem and I'm getting a power wagon.

 

[F250]

We bought my wife a 2020 F250 with the 7.3 gas engine. Awesome pulling power. She has a two horse gooseneck with living quarters. We won't be buying another diesel.

 

[HowieNH]

I have a 2022 superduty with the 7.3 s gas wow. Was pulled over and weighed 32k truck trailer and hay,opps. Point is this truck's a work horse for 50k

 

[EKYHunter]

Don't freak out at the distance......but I bought my F150 from Fairway Ford in Canfield, OH at the end of January and it was a great experience. I had my finance taken care of ahead of time so I took a one way flight into Cleveland, they picked me up at the airport, and I was out of the dealership in my new truck in about a half an hour. I paid about 22% below sticker and had a nice relaxing, get to know you, 1400 miles ride home. Something to check out if Ford comes up on your radar. https://www.fairwayfordohio.com/

This is becoming more and more common. My neighbor did this on a new Suburban not long ago.

 

[EKYHunter]

We bought my wife a 2020 F250 with the 7.3 gas engine. Awesome pulling power. She has a two horse gooseneck with living quarters. We won't be buying another diesel.

Just my opinion, but there is no better looking truck than a F250. Congrats.

 

[gburk]

We bought my wife a 2020 F250 with the 7.3 gas engine. Awesome pulling power. She has a two horse gooseneck with living quarters. We won't be buying another diesel.

What kind of mileage do you get on the godzilla pulling that trailer, I made the mistake of test driving the 6.7 and I’m about ready to shell out.