F150 seems to have the edge over Tundra, but how significant of an edge?
Sunday, May 2nd, 2010 at
6:25 am
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Only you know the answer to this question. How important is fuel economy to you? Even if the F-150 costs more up front, it’ll save you money at the pump, and even that depends on which engine you get, and if you buy a 2wd or 4wd truck. How important is a smooth ride? Have you tried negotiating with a dealer for a better offer?
To answer your question about dependability: there are several organizations that have their own rating systems, but JDPower is regarded as THE source, and they categorize their tests two different ways: Initial quality (problems reported in first 90 days) and Dependability (first 3 years). Dependability is usually a better indicator as to how well a vehicle holds up over it’s life, but in reality, after about that much time has occurred, a vehicles dependability really depends on how it’s maintained, and a number of other factors, such as environment. Toyota has issued a recall on it’s trucks because of problems with corrosion on the frames, which is relegated to states with snow and the use of road salt (this was not apparent in the first 3 years, and Ford’s do not have corrosion problems that compromise safety). Also, the newer Tundras are so new that good long term data is really not available yet, and it’s kind of pointless, because there’s really no scientific basis for comparison of longevity: it has a lot to do with how well you maintain the vehicle. Most service vehicles like Taxis, Police cars, ambulances, and contractor trucks are Fords, so they’re a safe choice if dependability is important. Beware of marketers: they’ll emphasize certain ratings, but they won’t specify if it’s average fuel economy, or just the highway economy. They often won’t mention who did the reliability survey, or the width of their margin of victory.
It’s a shame you’re not considering the Dodge Ram: it’s been ranked best by Car & Driver magazine, because it’s even smoother than the F-150 (the Ram has rear coil springs) and the 5.7 Hemi is probably THE most advanced engine, making 390 hp, but has great fuel economy (by truck standards) because it has cylinder deactivation, which Ford and Toyota don’t have. Take the Ram challenge!
The F150 (and GM 1/2 tons) are a far superior truck to the Tundra and Titan. They get better mileage, tow more, haul more, and are every bit as reliable as the Toyota and more so than the Nissan.
Some people (Consumer Reports) blindly rate Toyota as the most reliable thing every built.