F-150 vs Sierra: advice needed

Check out f150online.com I used to post on there and they know what they are talking about. The last time I looked I felt f150s were a little cheaper or at least had cheaper packages where as the gmc basically comes pretty loaded standard. Also, check and see if your company has any sort of discounts with each one, the ford x plan gives basically the best price you are going to get with no hassle.

Much better than the 5.3? How so?

There are a ton of 5.3's rolling around with 300,000+ miles on them with no maintenance other than lube jobs and some new spark plugs. I would call that extremely reliable. 4 years of real world testing doesn't merit the tag of "extremely reliable", especially given the fact that there have been multiple widespread defects in the engines.

I'm open to listening to you, but it seems like you have a horse in this race.

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I'm going to be buying one of these in the next two months. I'm looking at the Lariat and SLT trim packages, respectively. I really like the look of the new F-150, but I'm not feeling great about any of the engine options. I was very impressed by the interior on the new GMCs (I think they have closed most of the gap on the fords) and the 5.3's hve proven themselves to be virtually bulletproof.

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I figured you'd be buying a carefully researched used vehicle. I think the prices of full sized trucks are becoming a little stratospheric, but they at least seem to be very good, durable vehicles.

I agree on your assessment of the 5.3L V8. I put a lot of miles on that silver Chevrolet 4x4 that I had in grad school (5.3L V8 engine). I used it a lot for construction before I went back to LSU in 09-11. It's definitely the best vehicle I've ever owned, and has given me no problems whatsoever. I follow manufacturer's suggested maintenance schedule very carefully though.

My only regrets were that I wish I had gotten the bigger 4 door cab instead of the "cab and a half" model. I definitely recommend the larger crew cabs if they are in the budget. With four wheel drive, mine got around 21 on the highway, 18 overall.

I don't know much about the new model GMC trucks. I've noticed that they have a vastly more substantial rear axle than my 2007 model did, and they look very nice. They appear to be very popular. They also have a slightly smaller version called the Canyon that is out right now. They look really cool IMO. I noticed that they have a pretty good V6 motor that GM uses in their larger Buicks and some of their SUVs. I may buy one of these in a year or two.

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Does anyone have any insight on the longevity of the ecoboost? When paired with the new aluminum body, will this make significantly better mileage?

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I think the Ford 5.0L V8 is a decent motor. It might be worth trying to get a really good deal on a 2014 model F-150 if you can find one you like. As a general rule, I try to avoid brand new vehicle designs for at least the first 6-10 months they are on the market.

I really can't tell you much about the boosted V6 models. They are still fairly new, and most of the folks I know who have them use them as commuter cars. I'd honestly get the V8 model. I believe Ford's engine warranty is only 70,000 miles, where GM's warranty was 100,000 miles. I'm sure you can get an extended warranty on the Ford though.

I imagine the aluminum body will help save weight and thus aid in fuel efficiency, but it likely adds additional costs to repair or replace if it were ever damaged. I don't think you'd have to worry about corrosion in south Louisiana either way.

Ford, like other truck makers, have been pushed to offer more fuel efficient vehicles to meet CAFE regulatory standards. I am not yet sure if the aluminum body in the F150 is as beneficial to Ford customers as it is to the Ford company in that respect. Fuel efficiency is important, but I also see a lot of pickup trucks from all makes lifted and altered in ways that likely increase fuel consumption. I also imagine that truck buyers are a price conscious market segment that will have a very pragmatic approach to costly fuel saving technology, especially as fuel prices drop.

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Does anyone have any insight on the longevity of the ecoboost?

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I don't think the Ecoboost engines have been out long enough to have a full grasp on their longevity. Wasn't it the 2011 or 2012 models that first had them? I know they had issues with them in their Escape and Fusion models, but haven't heard of any in the bigger engines.

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When paired with the new aluminum body, will this make significantly better mileage?

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I would think so, as the aluminum body provides pretty significant gas mileage improvement, at least that's what Ford is saying. They're just now hitting the dealerships so may take a few months to truly see.


You can probably get a much better deal on the Sierra right now. I don't see Ford budging on their prices with the new aluminum ones just hitting the dealerships. I've heard the aluminum ones are going to be more expensive as it is.

I'm a Ford loyalist, but if I was buying a truck in the near future I'd probably stay away from the F-150 until there's more feedback on the new ones.

the 5.0 is truck pimped version of the mustang 5.0

So far this appears to be a good design and runs like a scalded dog.

Both are good trucks- I don't think the engine is the issue- You may want to look at Tranny's- and the bigger question is what are you going to use it for?

Drive them both- pay attention to interior trim and fit- this is what you are going to be looking at most of the time- comfort and fit for you

Ford. All Day.

Dewster, I had always intended on getting a used truck, but the values are simply not there. It's not even a close decision in my mind. The cost to own on a new truck is WAY lower with a lot fewer question marks involved.

If I could short the used truck market, I would.

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Ford. All Day

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correct answer

Ram is a surprisingly good truck....I have just had really good luck with GM and Toyota trucks.

The last Ford I had was a real dud, but I might try a Ram product next. Their half ton diesel looks interesting.

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I don't think the Ecoboost engines have been out long enough to have a full grasp on their longevity

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The main reason I went with a Silverado at the time from driving an F150. I went through this in 2012 when I purchased a new truck.

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Does anyone have any insight on the actual price difference between the two vehicles (not just sticker).

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I felt the price points of the packages or options I wanted were better with the Chevy at the time. But I I didn't need a Lariat level truck. I was comparing the FX2/XLT vs the LT. This was 2012 though.