New here.... considering a switch from Ford F-350 to GMC 3500

Jason Voorhees · September 17, 2023

On 8/29/2023 at 9:02 AM, gascantx said:

Reliability is definitely important. However, my desire and view point on this topic is rooted in critical operational monitoring. As I said, I tow heavy and I while I don't abuse my trucks, I work them hard especially when we tow through the mountains and in the Texas heat. Knowing exact values of temperature and other sensors allow operators who pay close attention to spot small problems before they become big problems.

My main reason for ditching Ford is a reliability issue...

Note: I don't want to turn this into a Ford Bashing thread but I will share my story....

My 2011 Super Duty was one of the very first trucks to have the CP4 High Pressure Fuel pump failure. Once replaced that truck ran like a rock until I traded it in 2017 for my 2017 (current) Super Duty. I just assumed I had a fluke. Well my 2017 had a CP4 failure 3 weeks ago. Sigh!!! OMG and it has been a nightmare. Ford tried hard to deny the extended warranty claim but my truck is well maintained (never ran it out of fuel, never had def or water in the fuel tank, always changed filters on schedule, etc..). They finally approved after pictures proved to them there was no rust in the high pressure fuel system. Now we are in parts limbo. The parts all backordered with no availability date supplied.... It could be months. Summer and fall travel has been canceled so this has impacted myself and my family. If you do your research on the Bosch CP4, it is inherently a bad design. Ford, GM, Dodge/Cummings have all used it. GM finally went totally away from Bosh in 2017. (Great decision IMO) Cummings used it for two years and then ditched it. Ford - in its infinite wisdom - has used it from 2011 and continues to do so. It is the achilles heel of the 6.7 PowerStroke. Many people put 100's of thousands of miles on Super Duty's and never experience but I have had it hit me twice now. Hence my desire to learn and figure out my transition to GM. I can't bring myself to purchase a Dodge / RAM especially with the latest JD Power Initial Quality results which puts Dodge/RAM at the VERY bottom of the list. (Cummings engine is fine - it is the rest of the truck and systems that are the problem).

Chrysler products are just not what they used to be. Ram and it’s junk 5.7L Hemi engine plus the 2500 and 3500 frames are made of glass. You’ll hardly ever see an ambulance or a tow truck that is a Ram truck and there’s a very good reason for that. One conversion company outright refuses to convert Ram trucks into tow trucks because of the weak frames. You’ve made a fantastic choice by staying away from Ram trucks. My best friend was a field medic and they used the Ford 250 trucks as their ambulances and they also had the fuel pump failure but it was on the gasoline engine, not diesel. I believe that it happened to 2 of their trucks in the fleet and it happened in a mountain pass in British Columbia, which was as you can imagine, an inconvenience. It happened under load going up a mountain so pieces of the fuel pump ended up getting into the fuel system which caused some damage and it was an extremely expensive repair. I can’t remember if it was covered under warranty or not but I’m sure there’s a lot of these stories. That’s too bad because I like the Ford trucks. I’m a plumber and the best company vehicle I ever drove was the E-Series Ford E-350 van. It was an ex-law enforcement vehicle but it was a very solid vehicle, it felt great like I was driving a tank. The engine was a Triton V10. The gas mileage was ok for the engine size but in the 3 years I drove it I never had an issue with it and I put close to 100K Kms on it. I liked it so much that I went out and bought a P71 Crown Victoria. I hadn’t owned a Ford since the 90s when I had a 1979 Ford Mustang with a straight 6. It was an awful car. Any way, good luck with your GM. I drive a 2015 GMC Sierra myself. 249k kms and no issues.

nitro882 · September 19, 2023

On 9/17/2023 at 1:01 PM, Jason Voorhees said:

Chrysler products are just not what they used to be. Ram and it’s junk 5.7L Hemi engine plus the 2500 and 3500 frames are made of glass. You’ll hardly ever see an ambulance or a tow truck that is a Ram truck and there’s a very good reason for that. One conversion company outright refuses to convert Ram trucks into tow trucks because of the weak frames. You’ve made a fantastic choice by staying away from Ram trucks. My best friend was a field medic and they used the Ford 250 trucks as their ambulances and they also had the fuel pump failure but it was on the gasoline engine, not diesel. I believe that it happened to 2 of their trucks in the fleet and it happened in a mountain pass in British Columbia, which was as you can imagine, an inconvenience. It happened under load going up a mountain so pieces of the fuel pump ended up getting into the fuel system which caused some damage and it was an extremely expensive repair. I can’t remember if it was covered under warranty or not but I’m sure there’s a lot of these stories. That’s too bad because I like the Ford trucks. I’m a plumber and the best company vehicle I ever drove was the E-Series Ford E-350 van. It was an ex-law enforcement vehicle but it was a very solid vehicle, it felt great like I was driving a tank. The engine was a Triton V10. The gas mileage was ok for the engine size but in the 3 years I drove it I never had an issue with it and I put close to 100K Kms on it. I liked it so much that I went out and bought a P71 Crown Victoria. I hadn’t owned a Ford since the 90s when I had a 1979 Ford Mustang with a straight 6. It was an awful car. Any way, good luck with your GM. I drive a 2015 GMC Sierra myself. 249k kms and no issues.

I'm guessing your in Canada? I find the commentary on the RAM to be interesting down here where i live in Florida we have lots of tow trucks built on RAM 5500 chassis, they are quite common. It also seems like in the states the RAM is the most popular truck for hotshot truckers who do massive miles with heavy trailers in tow.

the wanderer · September 19, 2023

10 hours ago, nitro882 said:

I'm guessing your in Canada? I find the commentary on the RAM to be interesting down here where i live in Florida we have lots of tow trucks built on RAM 5500 chassis, they are quite common. It also seems like in the states the RAM is the most popular truck for hotshot truckers who do massive miles with heavy trailers in tow.

His post isn't true in my part of Canada either lol. Parks are full of heavy duty rams pullings RVs, I see a ton of older dodges running the cummins though perhaps I see more of them simply because I'm drawn to them myself.

Looking at the tone of his post should be a first clue to ignore it and move on. Truck buyers are the most passionate and brand loyal and some buyers are just incapable of rational criticism.

Dunn · September 22, 2023

On 9/19/2023 at 6:15 AM, the wanderer said:

His post isn't true in my part of Canada either lol. Parks are full of heavy duty rams pullings RVs, I see a ton of older dodges running the cummins though perhaps I see more of them simply because I'm drawn to them myself.

Looking at the tone of his post should be a first clue to ignore it and move on. Truck buyers are the most passionate and brand loyal and some buyers are just incapable of rational criticism.

Very true...

I bought a Ram as loyal GM dude and hardest thing I think ever was to sign for a different brand of truck.....just browsing and convincing yourself us alot different than actually signing papers for one.....

Things I liked and things I didnt...didnt last lone sold it after 6 months....not sure I would buy another....GM does all the important stuff correct (for me) and they make best looking truck as well......

We have a ton of RAM tow trucks, fire trucks, city trucks, etc down here in California

Pryme · September 22, 2023

I like the simple look of the ram hd but I won’t buy a made in Mexico truck so when I was shopping for a truck it was down to the 2500 gm or F250. I didn’t really want to experience death wobble or really care to have a solid front axle so it was down to gm. My first new gm in my life but I’ve had plenty of used models.