jas67,
True, but actually this thread has been pretty good, all in all. For example, I do not agree with Dargo's assessment this time, but he and I usually do agree and I know he has some good points. Each brand, truth is and I know you know already, has its own advantages and disadvantages. Each also has components that suit a given buyer at a certain time. For example, the type truck for which I was looking most recently is very different from that which I might have needed two or three years ago. I would probably still be driving my Ford 2008 250 if I had not changed jobs. This promoted a chance to look at something different, and I am glad I did. I could not be more pleased with my purchase. You will like your purchase. Much of what has been maligned about the 6.0L engine in the Ford of your generation truck was based on the 2003 and 2004 model years and the fact that Ford handled warranty work poorly by blaming the customer and not conceding that it was due to engine design and manufacturing issues of which they knew. Sure, we will always have someone pop up saying that they had an '05 or '06 truck that had the worst engine ever or that they had a 2003 model that was perfect, but these are rare examples at best and usually make "print time." Your truck will be fine and I am glad you asked this opinion of the group. I think you bought a fine truck that will serve you well.
Chris, I agree with you about Fords populating jobsites, etc. I have always been a Ford man and was nearly disowned when I bought a "non-Ford." (My dad still cannot bring himself to say the actual brand name of what I bought). I will look at Fords again when time to buy another truck, but I would say the popularity of Ford trucks is based on many things, some of which I do not understand fully. I will, though, say there are many people out there like me who just knew it was time to get another Ford when it was time to buy another truck. They simply had never driven anything else. Even my local Ford dealer, a family friend, said "You don't want to buy a GM truck. The transmission is OK but with that J-- C--- engine and the rest of it, you won't be happy." When I finally bought one and not a Ford this time, he admitted to me later that he liked the GMC truck look and that he had actually never DRIVEN one to compare, only read manufacturer promotion literature and through his customers' feedback. I let him drive my new truck and he said not to tell anyone how well it drove and performed when he returned. We see this a lot here and I am sure you do as well in your locale. I looked in a different direction this time and am glad I did. I loved my 250 and have owned over 10 Ford P/u's in my driving life personally, plus have been exposed to many more with my dad's business, etc. Save one, they have been good trucks with little to complain about. One big reason I and others have gone with Ford over the years is the ability to find a truck often without having to resort to ordering it and being able to find a configuration platform one needs quickly. Ford just simply does a better job in stocking trucks than do GM or Dodge--in multiple permutations. This is but one of many reasons Ford is so popular; but interestingly, does not have much to do with their quality or performance. I like my Fords but now realize taking a serious look at each brand when buying is probably the smarter idea. The truth is all the big three make really good trucks now and one would have to try pretty hard to be unhappy with his or HER choice in a truck (this is in an attempt to be gender-friendly and is in honor of one of my other co-workers--a 4'11" fine female physician with whom I work who is from Aberdeen, Scotland originally and now wheels into the lot in her new Dodge 2500 P/U--with the Cummins I might add--which she bought to replace her--------Audi Coupe TT. Go figure. She was asking me about the Jacobs brake just last week.
John M
