1/2 ton pickup opinions???

[Z-Michigan]

I guess I might as well throw my 2 cents in.

I've got a '99 Silverado 1500 4x4 w/ almost 100k on it. Lets see, tires only lasted until 77k miles. I had a squeak so I replaced the rear brake pads at 60k - $40, turns out it was u-joints that cost a grand total of $12 to replace. Front pads look good yet, might have to replace them at 150k. Darn GM crappy brakes. Had to replace a handle on the seat because of always using it to get my son in and out of car seat. $6. Also replaced the power mirror switch and the 4wd switch. I think about the pws was $30 and the 4wd was $45. Had to put a battery in it because I had put some electric steps on that kept draining the battery and killed it so I killed the steps.

I throw 2500+ lbs in the bed and pull another 3000 in a little trailer behind. I also pull campers and tractors with it. Also had a 13k behind it a couple times.

Yep, that sure is a bad truck. It it were any better, I might just be stuck driving the thing forever, the way it is now, I might at least be able to justify a new one in 3 - 5 years.

Sounds like total junk. I just might have to get one.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

My 92's box rusted only above the rear wheel wells on the outer skin. The inside of the box was fine. They were fun trucks to drive. I really do miss my 92 as far as how it drove compared to the 98, 02 and 06. It was just a fun truck to drive and was comfortable with the vinyl bench seat. These 60/40 split benches are not very comfortable

I sold the 92 when we bought the 02 F-250. The main problems when I sold it was the one fuel tank started to leak and the windshield washer pump died which made things fun during the winter.

 

[cp1969]

A lot of people who criticize one brand or the other have only owned the one brand that they are intensely loyal to.

I have owned all three (no foreign...yet.). More Ford's than anything, but nonetheless, I have seen the good and bad they all have to offer. Well over a million miles of pickup ownership in Big three brands leads me to the conclusion that...

I can't tell much, if any, difference.

 

[RayH]

A lot of people who criticize one brand or the other have only owned the one brand that they are intensely loyal to.

I have owned all three (no foreign...yet.). More Ford's than anything, but nonetheless, I have seen the good and bad they all have to offer. Well over a million miles of pickup ownership in Big three brands leads me to the conclusion that...

I can't tell much, if any, difference.

I think it mostly depends on what generation you are talking about. Every manufacturer has bad years and they all occationally have good years. Thats why I started off my thread with "2000-2004". instead of simply "who likes what truck". Theres been several people post their experiences with earlier years, and I do appreciate their input and the conversation is always entertaining, but I actually consider it pretty worthless as far as comparisons between brands within the five year range that I originally mentioned. For instance, when Chevy had issues with there trucks blowing up, I guarantee thay fixed that issue when they redesigned. More recently Ford had electrical issues when their 6.0PSD first came out. It cost them alot of customers and money, Its a fair bet that any PSD made today will not suffer from the same problem.

 

[Crash101]

Had to laugh when I read all the "Dodge" experts warning you of the Hemi being a gas hog. I had one Hemi, a 3/4 ton with automatic transmission. I put over 40,000 miles on it from driving empty to towing my fifth wheel camper It was by a far margin the best gas powered truck I've owned, and the hemi certainly qualified as the best gas engine I've owned in a pickup. I owned a Ford 150 a few short years ago powered by the famous "300" six. Under ALL (note the word all) conditions the Hemi in the 3/4 ton with automatic transmission burned less fuel than the manual transmission 6 cylinder Ford half ton. Power difference? Well that's like comparing a Cessna 150 to a Jumbo jet. I've owned many, many trucks and cars in the 40 years I've been buying them and would find it very difficult to recommend anything over the current generation Dodge tuck with the Hemi engine. To suggest the body and remaining powertrain is somehow inferior to Chevy or Ford is silly and proof of not knowing what one is talking about. I make no such recommendation for the 4.7 and would walk away from those. Fuel consumption about the same or more than the Hemi and with far less useable power.

 

[RollingsFarms]

Had to laugh when I read all the "Dodge" experts warning you of the Hemi being a gas hog. I had one Hemi, a 3/4 ton with automatic transmission. I put over 40,000 miles on it from driving empty to towing my fifth wheel camper It was by a far margin the best gas powered truck I've owned, and the hemi certainly qualified as the best gas engine I've owned in a pickup. I owned a Ford 150 a few short years ago powered by the famous "300" six. Under ALL (note the word all) conditions the Hemi in the 3/4 ton with automatic transmission burned less fuel than the manual transmission 6 cylinder Ford half ton. Power difference? Well that's like comparing a Cessna 150 to a Jumbo jet. I've owned many, many trucks and cars in the 40 years I've been buying them and would find it very difficult to recommend anything over the current generation Dodge tuck with the Hemi engine. To suggest the body and remaining powertrain is somehow inferior to Chevy or Ford is silly and proof of not knowing what one is talking about. I make no such recommendation for the 4.7 and would walk away from those. Fuel consumption about the same or more than the Hemi and with far less useable power.

i would not have made such a bold comment about Dodge's quality compared to Chevrolet or Fords had i not witnessed this one for myself. my friend owns a 1998 Dodge and a 2003 Dodge with the HEMI. the paint on the 1998 began to fade (badly too i might add) on the hood and is now from bumper to bumper. its developing surface rust. this happened after 3 years(THREE) of ownership. he then goes and buys another Dodge(still has the '98). he lives on the same road as i(dirt road with some rocks mixed in). he bought his 2003 used and i bought my 2004 Chevrolet new in 2004 and we have owned our trucks the same length of time. we drive down the same road and if you looked at his paint job you would think someone shot at him with a machine gun because of all the rock chips. but wait, where are they on my truck? i can find MAYBE 3. also, if i had $1 for every light and dinging alarm that has ever come on in his Dodge i would be a very very rich man. not saying my truck is perfect, but ive pulled the same 5,600lb trailer and load that he did and my transmission isnt giving me problems like his is since he pulled it. the HEMI is a good motor, its not a REAL HEMI by any means(marketing ploy by Dodge i guess) but i would take the reliabilty of my Vortec over his HEMI anyday. sure he can run fast, has those pretty 20 inch wheels(why would you want that on a TRUCK?) and all this other stuff, but his truck wouldnt last on my farm like my Chevrolet has. after all, his is already falling apart on him now, not to mention it needs a paint job.

 

[RayH]

i the HEMI is a good motor, its not a REAL HEMI by any means(marketing ploy by Dodge i guess) .

Im not sure what you mean by that. I agree that the 5.7 Hemi is a marketing tool. Its still a nice strong engine but Chrysler is using the popularity of the 60s-70s Hemi to sell the engine. It started with the very first commercial where the guy looks at a Dodge pickup towing a Cuda and said "nice Hemi".
Most people, including Hemi owners, probably have no idea what a Hemi engine is and why its called a Hemi. Most people dont even realize that many little modern economy cars actually have hemi engines. I guess Dodge left that out of their commercial.
Just for reference, hemi (hemispherical head) has to do with the shape of the cylinder head and the placement of the valves and spark plug. Chrysler doesnt have a monopoly on Hemis, several companies use hemi head four cylinder engines and they have for years.

 

[RollingsFarms]

Im not sure what you mean by that. I agree that the 5.7 Hemi is a marketing tool. Its still a nice strong engine but Chrysler is using the popularity of the 60s-70s Hemi to sell the engine. It started with the very first commercial where the guy looks at a Dodge pickup towing a Cuda and said "nice Hemi".
Most people, including Hemi owners, probably have no idea what a Hemi engine is and why its called a Hemi. Most people dont even realize that many little modern economy cars actually have hemi engines. I guess Dodge left that out of their commercial.
Just for reference, hemi (hemispherical head) has to do with the shape of the cylinder head and the placement of the spark plug. Chrysler doesnt have a monopoly on Hemis, several companies use hemi head four cylinder engines and they have for years.

i can see how my post may have confused you. the HEMIS of the 60-70's and the one Dodge is currently using are like night and day. Acctually i beleive the new versions the spark plugs are reversed from what the original HEMIS were? correct? also, dont the new HEMIS only have two valves per cylinder rather then 4? what i was basically trying to get at was anyone that thinks the HEMI of today is ANYTHING like the original versions, have been mistaken. the only thing i can see that is similar between the two is the name. the old motors would generate close to 600hp on ONE carb. and acctually came from the factory with 2, or could come from the factory with 2....not exactly sure. this motor doesnt even come close to making the hp numbers and tourqe that the original design would make.

 

[RayH]

i can see how my post may have confused you. the HEMIS of the 60-70's and the one Dodge is currently using are like night and day. Acctually i beleive the new versions the spark plugs are reversed from what the original HEMIS were? correct? also, dont the new HEMIS only have two valves per cylinder rather then 4? what i was basically trying to get at was anyone that thinks the HEMI of today is ANYTHING like the original versions, have been mistaken. the only thing i can see that is similar between the two is the name. the old motors would generate close to 600hp on ONE carb. and acctually came from the factory with 2, or could come from the factory with 2....not exactly sure. this motor doesnt even come close to making the hp numbers and tourqe that the original design would make.

"Hemi" is simply the name Chrysler gave the hemispherical head engines back in the 60s and 70s. It was based on the hemispherical shape of the combustion chamber. The modern 5.7 Hemi has the same combustion chamber shape, so it is a true Hemi by definition, and so are several Porsche, Mitsubishi, VW, Ford, ect engines, they just dont market them as Hemis. So the one thing that makes it a "Hemi" it does actually have in common with the older "Hemis".
Hemis have traditionally had two large valves instead of four smaller ones, old or new.
You are correct in that comparing the old and new is like comparing apples and oranges. Im just saying that the new hemi is just as much a hemi as the older ones by definition.

 

[RobertN]

And the point? Chevy had major issues of the same problem in the 80's. Had a friend whose Camaro had to be repainted twice. Another friend had a Z71 4x4 1/2 ton with same issue early 90's.

I'm not defending Dodge, but pointing out they are not the only one.

FWIW, the only blemish in the factory paint of my '01 Ram, is on the right rear quarter where a trailer jackknifed. Mechanically, it has been pretty much perfect.

my friend owns a 1998 Dodge and a 2003 Dodge with the HEMI. the paint on the 1998 began to fade (badly too i might add) on the hood and is now from bumper to bumper. its developing surface rust. this happened after 3 years(THREE) of ownership.