Need another truck. Ford or Chevyl?

[okie556]

So we just traded off a 2006 Z71 Silverado Crew Club that we had purchased new and it only had 37,000 miles. We are retired now and needed a nice smaller SUV that would get good gas mileage so traded truck in on 2012 GMC terrain and love the Terrain. Now we need an older truck that we can pull out travel trailer 5 0r 6 times a year to Arkansas and back......only 400+ plus miles round trip. Looking for 3/4 ton as trailer weighs in at 7400lbs dry weight. Want to stay away from diesel due to maintenance cost. I still do all my own oil changes and anything else I can do and have never owned a diesel. Have looked at a few Chevy's with the 6.0L engine and a Ford F350 Super Duty single axle with the V10. I am really learning toward the V10 (it's a 99 model) but a little concerned with the lack of HP. Specs I've found rates at 275HP but good news is the torque is 410 at 2650 RPMs. The 6.0L is 300HP but torque is lower. The truck I traded was rated at 295 HP but I think the torque was only in the 330 range and never pulled the trailer to my satisfaction. Any thoughts on the 6.0 or V10 out there? I only have a limited budget (need to stay under $7500) so this adds to my problem. The F350 I am looking at has 120,000 miles but seems to be well maintained.

 

[ZX9RCAM]

Diesel out of the question?

 

[okie556]

Diesel out of the question?

At this time, yes. Just not comfortable knowing what might be mechanically wrong with a diesel. I'm a pretty fair mechanic but always gas engines.

 

[Stukaman]

Diesel isn't hard my friend I bought my first last year had a rash of problems but was able to work through it.

 

[TxBigfoot]

Diesel isn't hard my friend I bought my first last year had a rash of problems but was able to work through it.

You probably lost him with "a rash of problems" lol.

 

[zembonez]

The 6.0 LS engine will live three times as long as the Ford V10. If kept full of oil and water, the LS will run practically forever. I'd go with a GM truck simply because of that. The 6.0 2500 will tow tons better than the 1/2 ton Z71 ever thought about doing. The 2500 has the correct heavy duty brakes/suspension/gearing to do the job. Neither one will get much gas mileage.

 

[okie556]

You probably lost him with "a rash of problems" lol.

Yep! That's what I'm trying to stay away from is a "Rash of Problems!"

 

[okie556]

The 6.0 LS engine will live three times as long as the Ford V10. If kept full of oil and water, the LS will run practically forever. I'd go with a GM truck simply because of that. The 6.0 2500 will tow tons better than the 1/2 ton Z71 ever thought about doing. The 2500 has the correct heavy duty brakes/suspension/gearing to do the job. Neither one will get much gas mileage.

Thanks for info Zembonez. That was my original choice but just haven't found that right one yet that hasn't been abused my original owner. Have you heard of any one that had the 6.0 Vortex Max? It was available in a 1/2 ton and rated at around 345HP.

 

[alexrex20]

Ford V10 should be completely out of the question. The only vehicles you see them in are fleet vehicles (commercial box trucks, ambulances, RV rentals, etc.) where the driver is not paying the fuel bill. You will kill yourself trying to keep the gas tanks full with a Ford F350 SRW V10. It will tow like a dream as far as stopping and stability, but will leave you wanting when you get to the hills.

The Chevy 2500 with the 6.0 is a great platform. I reckon it tows just as well as an F350 SRW, considering you'll probably be under 10klbs wet. To boot, the LS engine is hugely reliable, easy to work on, and very easy to find parts on a Sunday night in the middle of nowhere, if you have a breakdown to/from Arkansas. with the Ford V10, it will be harder to find common parts at the parts store.

I'm pretty loyal to GM trucks, but even the Ford guys know to stay away from the V10 gasser. Dare I say it has more reliability issues than any Power Stroke or Duramax of the last 20 years?

These days, diesel trucks can and do get better fuel economy than 1/2ton gas trucks. Within their respective category, the diesel 3/4ton will be a better choice than the gas 3/4ton. Your initial cost is higher, but you more than make up for it in fuel economy (especially while towing), reliability, and resale value. I would say the maintenance cost is not appreciably higher in a diesel truck.

For me, I can't imagine towing 10klbs through the mountains with a gasser.

 

[alexrex20]

Thanks for info Zembonez. That was my original choice but just haven't found that right one yet that hasn't been abused my original owner. Have you heard of any one that had the 6.0 Vortex Max? It was available in a 1/2 ton and rated at around 345HP.

I think you should stick to a 3/4ton, if anything. I would rather have a 2500 with the 320hp 6.0 than a 1/2ton with the Vortec Max.

If you still think you want the Ford V10, may I suggest you look for 3/4ton Chevy's with the Vortec 8100? It's a towing beast and my '05 got 12-13mpg empty. With the Ford V10 gasser you'll be hard pressed to break double digits.

 

[alexrex20]

For me, I can't imagine towing 10klbs through the mountains with a gasser.

I take that back. A Chevy/Cadillac/GMC with the 400hp 6.2 would probably tow OK, although they're only available in SWB platforms like the Tahoe/Denali and very hard to find in a non-Denali pickup truck. The only LWB available with the 6.2 is the $75k Escalade ESV.

 

[ZX9RCAM]

I take that back. A Chevy/Cadillac/GMC with the 400hp 6.2 would probably tow OK, although they're only available in SWB platforms like the Tahoe/Denali and very hard to find in a non-Denali pickup truck. The only LWB available with the 6.2 is the $75k Escalade ESV.

There is a member on the board here with a new GM 6.2 crew cab that runs very well & it has 420hp.
If you are refering to earlier year models then I apologize.

 

[AaronP220]

There is a member on the board here with a new GM 6.2 crew cab that runs very well & it has 420hp.
If you are refering to earlier year models then I apologize.

That would be me and it's a 2010. I've only seen a FEW (less than 5) non-Denali trucks (not including Escalade etc) that have this engine and I was lucky to find this truck with this engine and towing package.

Then 6.2 LS engine is hell for tough and with the 3.73 gears and 6-speed trans it really moves (and hauls - two motorcycles, gen, EZ up, fuel, stands, gear, food, water...etc aren't even noticed in the bed).

It was considerably more than your budget though.

 

[okie556]

Ford V10 should be completely out of the question. The only vehicles you see them in are fleet vehicles (commercial box trucks, ambulances, RV rentals, etc.) where the driver is not paying the fuel bill. You will kill yourself trying to keep the gas tanks full with a Ford F350 SRW V10. It will tow like a dream as far as stopping and stability, but will leave you wanting when you get to the hills.

The Chevy 2500 with the 6.0 is a great platform. I reckon it tows just as well as an F350 SRW, considering you'll probably be under 10klbs wet. To boot, the LS engine is hugely reliable, easy to work on, and very easy to find parts on a Sunday night in the middle of nowhere, if you have a breakdown to/from Arkansas. with the Ford V10, it will be harder to find common parts at the parts store.

I'm pretty loyal to GM trucks, but even the Ford guys know to stay away from the V10 gasser. Dare I say it has more reliability issues than any Power Stroke or Duramax of the last 20 years?

These days, diesel trucks can and do get better fuel economy than 1/2ton gas trucks. Within their respective category, the diesel 3/4ton will be a better choice than the gas 3/4ton. Your initial cost is higher, but you more than make up for it in fuel economy (especially while towing), reliability, and resale value. I would say the maintenance cost is not appreciably higher in a diesel truck.

For me, I can't imagine towing 10klbs through the mountains with a gasser.

Thanks for all the good info sir. Will keep looking for that right 2500 with the 6.0. I'm in no hurry! The good news is I never intend to pull 10,000 lbs through the mountains. We just pull to Hot Springs, AR area and would just call them hills not mountains. I can't afford the gas for a long trip to Colorado or New Mexico where real mountains would be and issue. In one of your post you mentioned 320HP 6.0 engine. I am looking at older trucks, 2001 to 2003, and specs I find say 300HP for 6.0.

I did JUST get a lead on a 2003 1500HD, which they only made for one year I think, and it has the 6.0 engine. Going to look at it tomorrow. My trailer is a bumper pull and I have a real high dollar Blue OX equalizer hitch system so if I have the power, I can get by with a 1/2 ton.

 

[alexrex20]

There is a member on the board here with a new GM 6.2 crew cab that runs very well & it has 420hp.
If you are refering to earlier year models then I apologize.

No, you can get them in a pickup truck, just most of them are Denalis. Like I said, the 6.2 is almost impossible to find in a non-Denali.

 

[alexrex20]

Thanks for all the good info sir. Will keep looking for that right 2500 with the 6.0. I'm in no hurry! The good news is I never intend to pull 10,000 lbs through the mountains. We just pull to Hot Springs, AR area and would just call them hills not mountains. I can't afford the gas for a long trip to Colorado or New Mexico where real mountains would be and issue. In one of your post you mentioned 320HP 6.0 engine. I am looking at older trucks, 2001 to 2003, and specs I find say 300HP for 6.0.

I did JUST get a lead on a 2003 1500HD, which they only made for one year I think, and it has the 6.0 engine. Going to look at it tomorrow. My trailer is a bumper pull and I have a real high dollar Blue OX equalizer hitch system so if I have the power, I can get by with a 1/2 ton.

It's the long rolling hills that really bring out the weaknesses of a truck. Anyway, if you have a weight distributing hitch and anti-sway bars, then you're right: There's no issue towing with a 1/2ton as long as you have the power. The 1500HD Chevy trucks are good trucks. Don't pay too much attention to the quoted power/torque figures. The LS engines are notoriously underrated, especially when there is a similar GM product that they don't want to steal sales from. Even the older 6.0 V8s rated at 300hp are very strong motors. I have one in my rock buggy and it put out 330hp on an engine dyno, straight from the salvage yard.

 

[Stukaman]

The rash was cause I didnt know what to look for lol. I do now lol!

 

[Stukaman]

Think they call the 6.2 the Vortec MAX I see them in WT trucks mostly and the high dollar rigs.

 

[alexrex20]

The Vortec Max was just a retuned 6.0. The 6.2 is standard in the Denali/Escalade (and all their versions), and optional on the Tahoe/Suburban and 1/2ton pickup trucks.

 

[Stukaman]

Ah thanks for the info always wanted a 1/2 with the max in it but never could find one. Now I have an 05 Dodge with the Cummins only thing I fear now is tire purchases lmao.