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[RedDevil]

Depends on what you're looking for.  I'd recommend the Motor Trend Truck of the year, the Dodge Ram series, with either the extended crew or the mega cab.  I have a 2500 with the Cummins Turbo Diesel and you can't beat that engine.  I get around 20-21 mpg on the highway and about 14-16 around town.  Towing my 36ft 5th wheel, I get 11 mpg, no matter what.  I've looked at the new Rams for 2010 and I'm sorely tempted to trade in my 2006 Mega Cab 2500 for a 3500 extended crew with 8 ft bed and dualies.  Awesome truck.  If you want gas get the 1500 with the hemi.  The fit and quality is really top notch....JMO.

[VaEagle]

VaEagle,

Any problems with the weather stripping on that back door/window? any tranny problems?

I have a neighbor who has gone through 3 trannies.  Might be his year

I have not had any water leaks or transmission problems on either Avalanche. You should check out this website for owners/fans of the Avalanche it has 40,411 members as of today. There are members post pro and con about the Avalanche. The members have lots of local get togethers and they will talk honestly about the mods they have done too.
http://www.chevyavalanchefanclub.com/cafcna/index.php

They even put out a yearly calendar for charity showing modified Avalanches owned and driven by the female members. Shot from an old calendar :

[Wheelsnkeels]

Have had the Fords and like the looks was even considering the Harley 250. My neighbor has the Chevy 3500 diesel dually and hauls RV's for a living. I thought he was $hittin me until I checked his mileage computer he gets over 30 mpg with it?

I'm leaning towards the 2500 Sierra
Crew Cab GMC Duramax for what that's worth?

[49445CVO]

I have not had any water leaks or transmission problems on either Avalanche. You should check out this website for owners/fans of the Avalanche it has 40,411 members as of today. There are members post pro and con about the Avalanche. The members have lots of local get togethers and they will talk honestly about the mods they have done too.
http://www.chevyavalanchefanclub.com/cafcna/index.php

They even put out a yearly calendar for charity showing modified Avalanches owned and driven by the female members. Shot from an old calendar :

WOW..... It makes me want to belong now.  Good stuff! I now have a bit of reading to do...LOL

[49445CVO]

Have had the Fords and like the looks was even considering the Harley 250. My neighbor has the Chevy 3500 diesel dually and hauls RV's for a living. I thought he was $hittin me until I checked his mileage computer he gets over 30 mpg with it?

I'm leaning towards the 2500 Sierra
Crew Cab GMC Duramax for what that's worth?

Is he running with a chip and the larger exhaust?

[Wheelsnkeels]

Is he running with a chip and the larger exhaust?

I do not know but I will ask

[49445CVO]

 

I do not know but I will ask

[GC_Super]

I've had most of the big three thru the years. All were good trucks with no major problems. When diesel reached almost $5 gal, I traded my chevy 2500 4X4  for a Toyota crew max 4X4. It's the biggest back seat I ve seen in a truck. It's been the best truck I've ever had. We make an annual trip from Texas to Colorado towing a trailer which weighs around 4500 lbs. The Toyota tows it better than the diesel. Plus, Toyota's have an advantage most trucks don't.  If you're in a hurry, you just put your flashers on and haul ass. Everybody moves out of you way thinking the gas pedal is stuck.   

[Gank]

In my circle of friends 5 have Avalanche.  Some are on their second.  My brother uses his to commute, loves the hwy mileage.  Gets nearly 28 on the hwy so long as he does not goose the pedal.  he uses it for transport, and hauling his 24 ft trailer, and loves it.  My friend is an electrical contractor and uses his for work.  Loves the lockable cargo area and likes he can take clients out in it and haul is skidoo trailer and boat trailer.  My mechanic friend has a 2004, it has 475,000 km on it.  Oil, Tires, Brakes Battery and a serpentine belt have been it.  Carries tools in it for remote work, and travels around the province.  He is very happy.

Sounds like thats the type of truck your wife... and by extension... you... are looking for

[J-Carr]

The best and second worse vehicles I've owned have been Fords.  The best is my current ride, an '06 F-150 Triton V-8 Gas.  I only get 17 mpg but understand I live in what passes for mountains in PA and I have a heavy foot and jack rabbit starts are the norm for me.  This Super Crew cab has plenty of room, is quiet, and laid out well.  It's also hauled a 30+' camper and is used pretty hard with my other hobby of wood working.  We loved it so much we bought another Ford for my wife and it's the best vehicle she's owned.   The bad Fords I had where back in the late 70s and early 80s so it's not fair to judge the current crop on something that old.

And the A#1 advantage I see for it is that the government don't own any of it.  No political party bashing here.  I just don't trust the government not to screw things up and so GM makes me nervous right now.

Dodge's are great if the tranny holds together.  My understanding is that the new ones are better at this then the ealry 2000s where.  But I'm still concerned about Chryslers longevity.

The worse vehicles I ever owned where a pair of Subarus.  After listening to everyone tell me how wonderful they where we bought a couple.  The expense of fixing those crappy Japanese cars has assured me that I will never by a foreign vehicle as long as there's an American alternative.

Ride Safe,
J-Carr

[Puzzled]

Staying with the Ford brand.....

The new 150's are nice. The only down side when I went looking was I couldn't get an 8' bed and a crew cab. If you can live with a 6' bed than it is a nice truck. Tons of creature comforts compared to my Super Duty

I have an 08 350 diesel CC now and pull 13-14 around town at 10k pounds empty. I looked into the 2011 diesel but could not get crap out of mine trade wise so I'll keep it. The other brands of trucks are tempting but the Fords have been good to me for work. Having previously owned 5 GM's I couldn't keep front ends under them for more than a year. The GM's ride better with the car like suspension under them but squat like a little girl when you hang a 9' plow on the front of it. The older Fords didn't do any better with front ends either. Since the change over to a Dodge style suspension in 06 the Ford front ends have been holding up well. The Cummins in a Dodge is nice. However Dodge does not offer a Mega Cab with an 8' bed. They have what they call a crew cab but it is small compared to the Ford and Chevy. I will admit though the Dodge has to be the best riding 1/2 ton I have ever ridden in, car like smooth. For a persoanl truck I'd say the Ford 150 or Dodge half ton. For a little more truck still on a personal level the GM. For all out work a Ford 350 or Dodge 3500 with a diesel.

Mielage...there are way to many determining factors, gearing, 2wd, 4wd, motor choice, region where you live, year of the truck, etc. The trucks prior to the DPF Regen models netted the best mileage (diesels) 07 Dodge, 07 Ford, 0? GM. The Regen system dumps raw fuel into the exhaust to clean the system. The system put in place to keep them clean uses more fuel! The DPF delete kits while not for road use (emission tampering, blah, blah blah) will net better mileage. However if you live in an emissions area this may not fly.

[Indenial]

Also thinking of a new truck. Have a 2001 Chevy 1/2 Ton with 210,000 miles and runs great. Rode in a friends Ford Lariat 150 and the seats were hard and uncomfortable. Otherwise nice truck. Liked the room in the back seat and the ability to move the foot pedals forward and back. But still want a Chevy.

[Wheelsnkeels]

Is he running with a chip and the larger exhaust?

He added an Air cleaner and a chip but no change to the exhaust. says it added 100 hp and improved mileage.

He is getting around 16 to 18 towing large 5th wheels and around 25 on average when empty.
Has over 150,000 miles on the truck .

[arcticdude]

He added an Air cleaner and a chip but no change to the exhaust. says it added 100 hp and improved mileage.

He is getting around 16 to 18 towing large 5th wheels and around 25 on average when empty.
Has over 150,000 miles on the truck .

I'll bet this guy's eyes are brown.  He's certainly full of chit!  You won't get ONE HUNDRED hp from a chip and cleaner WITHOUT an exhaust change.  Head over the one of the various Chevy forums to see what they're really getting.  The smaller Cummins did pretty well on fuel, but since the 6.7 came out, everybody is now getting someplace close to 15 around town and maybe 17-18 out on the road.  If you drive it like a granny, you can squeak a little better out of one, but you won't be going anyplace in a hurry either.  6000# and the air flow of a brick ain't built for fuel mileage.  Especially since they're all fighting HP /TQ wars right now.

[mjb765]

Just a quick point--if you are looking at the F150--wait until 2011--the truck is supposed to get the new V8 that the came out with. Much more power and better fuel economy. Just my $.02