sprbxr

I am looking for a new tow vehicle. I have driven the Duramax w/ the Allison trans and the 6.0 Powerstroke with the Torqushift 5 speed. I really like the Duramax/Allison more than the Ford. Any comments/suggestions?

Geoffrey

Duramax/allison all the way.

Julian Allen

I voted with my purchase of a 3500 DRW Dmax/Alli.
Try dieselplace.com

Greg Fishman

I liked the engine in the Ford better, but the interior of the Chevy was more comfortable. Look at the Ford F250 XLT sport group. Makes for a nicer interior than the std. equipment. 2005 will see a major interior redesign on the F250/350 along the lines of the new 150.

Dave

I've put a good number of miles on an '01 powerstroke, truck was 9000 lbs before adding a load and used it under some nasty conditions, it never missed a beat. I have no seat time in an equivilant Chevy but the best GM can hope to do is be equal to the Ford, there is no beating it.

Rick DeMan

I was a Ford 7.3 TD Duallie owner and loved it!! Cant go wrong with one of those!!

http://65.215.66.59/deman/index.php

Geoffrey

In general I dislike GM products, and the 2500 series truck has its issues. However, for me, 2 things about it won me over. First, it has great brakes. Anyone who has ever owned the last generation 1500 series knows the brakes are barely enough to stop the vehicel, let alone with a trailer. Second was the transmission. I'm not a fan of automatics, but this one is great. In trailer towing mode, it downshifts properly, just like a manual. As you are going down a hill and just tap the brakes, it downshifts as you would a manual. It must have a g-sensor that helps it. It also holds the engine in its peak torque area and shifts accordingly. This is not somehing I've found from other automatic/diesel combinations.

The Ford engine is a stronger engine than the Duramax and I think it is larger. However, the Ford turbocharger rotates opposite of the standard which means you can't make a hybrid to pump up the power. Both are quiet by diesel standards.

Rick DeMan

Hello All,

I to dislike the GM products.....


The Ford F350 has fantastic brakes..!! Better than any other I have tested...
My truck was a 99 model year, so the trans was not the Allison and did have a few issues, but I installed an engine and trans upgrade chip set and that made it pretty good, but not as smart as the Allison

I now have the Allison 6 speed auto in my Freightliner FL50 and it is the best there is...

I would suggest buying the best TRANS you can find....all the motors have more than adequate power to haul around 10K pounds, but a lazy or not "smart" trans will drive you nuts on a long trip...

http://65.215.66.59/deman/index.php

Greg Fishman

I used to own a PSD 7.3 and the new 6.0 is a world better. The power is better and so is the 5spd auto tranny. But most impressive is the lack of tappet noise inside the cabin, it is very minimal.

One more thing. My wife has a Yukon Denali and the seats are probably the most comfortable ones I have ever had in a vehicle. They are the same seats they use in the Chevy/GMC Duramax trucks and are great for long hauls. Also get XM radio if you get a GM product, it is great for helping pass the time.

sprbxr

I can get a better deal on a Ford product (about $900 under invoice). I am pulling a tag 28' Pace Shadow GT 3 axle with 1 foot extra height. The trailer has a gross loaded capacity of 15000lbs. I doubt I will ever have it near that weight. I am thinking it will never be more than 11500lbs. My father in law (he drag races) says I am crazy to not get a dually. I have considered it but, it will also be my daily driver. I drove the Duramax again today. It is nice but, the truck doesn't feel as solid as the Ford.

Robert Henriksen

A dualie would definitely be harder to deal with daily, but I have to agree w. your FIL - for the size trailer you're talking about, I'd buy the dualie.

Jeff Curtis

Justin, as you know, I have the 6.0 Powerstroke F250. It is the Sport XLT package as Greg mentioned with the carbon fiber accents, sport seats and color-matched bumper/grille.

I LOVE IT!

Admittedly, I am a BIG Chevy fan and have owned 3 new Chevy trucks in the past. With the purchase of a 24ft. Haulmark, loaded to ~8300lbs, I knew a 1500 series truck wouldn't cut the mustard...and I didn't want to afford the Duramax line at the Keystone price they were commanding, in all their Allison glory.

I bit the bullet and test drove some Fords...needless to say the new 6.0 powerplant, despits it's little "quirks"...really hauls the mail.

With the $$$$$$$$ I saved on the F250, I'm convinced it was a smart decision, and I think I have a better pulling truck. The interior and options aren't as nice as the Duramax, but I'll live with that.

I admit I still eyeball the Chevys - but it's possible I'm a changed man.

LanceK

This is something I've been agonizing over for months now.

Here are my observations:

Chevy:

Engine & Tranny: better than Ford. Much quieter which is better for daily use and also on long trips. I trust Isuzu diesel more than International.

Brakes: Better than Ford. Ford still can't keep brakes on their vehicles.

Interior: Looks '80s still but seats feel more comfortable and supportive than Ford

Looks: Ford wins

Suspension: Nice ride, but independent front worries me some.


Ford:

Engine & Tranny: Felt as strong as the Dmax. Tranny felt comparable to the Allison. Dmax still wins with Isuzu engineering.

Brakes: Need work

Interior: More up to date look than Chevy, but materials are severly lacking and it has a "colder" feel to it.

Looks: The best

Suspension: Good ride and solid front axle is tough.


If I was getting a pickup I would buy the Chevy. However I am more interested in an SUV bodystyle so the Excursion is my only choice if I want diesel power...

Geoffrey

I'd like to see AM General put the duramax/allison combination in their H2 Hummer.

Dave

I'd love to know what you base the brake comments on, my '97 3500 went through a set of brakes every 12-14k miles, the '01 F-350 that replaced it went 25K on the fronts and 35K on the rears with the same loads. Suspension is another story, the Chevy had a nice soft ride that reminded me of the '74 Caddy I used to have but it would wallow with any real weight in the bed or on the bumper. The Ford handled like it was on rails compared to the Chevy and it took a lot of weight to even notice the difference on the road. Fortunately, Ford and Chevy both have new trannys since then, they both sucked.