All this excitement over all the reading I had been doing had me excited to drive the all new 2017 Ford F-250. Test Drove a 2017 F-250 Super Cab with 8ft bed, 6.2 V8 gasser, 6sp Auto tranny, and 4x4 with 3.73 rear axle ratio at my local dealer. Trim line was XL with the STX optional package upgrade. The window sticker price was $44690. Truck was nice and I liked the feel of the power train real well. I would personally need to jump one trimline to the XLT so as to be able to get the optional height adjustable seat though if I was to end up buying (I am tall - 6'5") but otherwise the XL package would have been more than nice enough with features for me if it only had a height adjustable seat available as an option.
Cabin was quite which I liked real well, but I found the ride absolutely punishing. Thank goodness I did not have the wife with me as she would have not been happy at all with the harsh ride and her health problems. Also, at times the steering did not have a natural feel when turning and then returning to straightline. Basically it did not want to return to straightline sometimes and I would have to force fight it to make it to come back to straightline when in tight city street traffic. Other times it was great. Did not like the random weird steering feel at all. I am totally used used to driving a long truck (2003 GMC Ext cab, 8 foot bed, 1500 series 4x4) which never exhibits this issue and will easily return to straightline on its own by simply letting go of the wheel. I am confident it is not the length of the truck or length of the wheelbase causing my discomfort. My guess is it has to be Ford's solid front axle over the independant suspension on the front of my 14 year old GMC.
If I had to buy a brand new 3/4 ton today then I guess for me it would have to be the Ram with 6.4 Hemi which I drove a few months ago. I do Like the 6.0 gasser motor from GM for its bulletproofness but their low roofline on their newest body styles on them has taken a tall guy like me totally out of even considering one of the GM trucks altogether. I simply can not get comfortable in the new GM cabs even with the seat lowered to full down. All I see is the sun visor unless I scrunch my body down or recline the seat way back to an unnatural driving position.
Anyway, not necessarily praising the Ram as I have not bought one yet but I did like the ride and handling okay enough(and the wife did too back when we drove it). That said, I wish Ram would come out with a better suited tranny for their gasser. Overall, I loved the feel of that Ford 6.2 powertrain and tranny combo much better than the Ram 6.4 powertrain and tranny combo. Otherwise I liked like the Ram better in every other way imaginable otherwise - especially in the ride and handling dept.
Hate the insane heights they keep rasing all brands of trucks to whether 1500 or 2500 series as well. I actually use my bed for hauling and I really hate lifting heavy stuff way up in the air to get it in the bed (and I am taller than average so I can only imagine how a shorter than average person must struggle to get stuff in the bed). I certainly am not getting any younger so this problem is only going to get worse as one ages. Do not like the high prices either but half tons are no cheaper.
