Pickuptrucks.com test of 2013 light duty pickups

[Flys Lo]

Eco-Boost is marketing hype, it is good for power, but the 5.0 will get the nearly same mpg's. A lot more to fail with the eco though.

It certainly won't get the same milage unloaded.
Similarly equipped trucks seem to get 2mpg better with the Ecoboost. Worth the price difference? Maybe not, but it seems to be for a lot of people (I think about ~40% of F-150's are sold with EcoBoost)

Towing heavy its about the same (although the Ecoboost's flat torque curve seems to tow easier)

I'd argue strongly against the "more to break" with the Ecoboost. Yes, it has turbochargers and Direct Injection - but neither is "new" technology, the 5.0l motor has just as much to prove in the field when it comes to reliability. The EcoBoost also comes with Forged internals and 6 bolt main caps so it is built to handle the higher stress of larger combustion pressure.

 

[Clutch]

It certainly won't get the same milage unloaded.
Similarly equipped trucks seem to get 2mpg better with the Ecoboost. Worth the price difference? Maybe not, but it seems to be for a lot of people (I think about ~40% of F-150's are sold with EcoBoost)

I have dirt bike riding buddy's with both, the 5-O averages 18.5 and the Eco is 17 with real world drivng...splitting hairs yes. the Eco is a hell of a lot more fun to drive though.

Two turbos are certainly more to go wrong with it, and I'll bet they aren't cheap to fix out of warranty. Not too worried about the bottom ends
on either engine...it is those turbos that concern me. Of course, 'Muricans get bored quick, most will be traded in before the warranty runs out...(only guessing tho')

What it comes down to is over-all cost of ownership, guessing the 5-O is cheaper in the long run...say 10-15 years down the road.

 

[Buliwyf]

What do you know about the new 2014 GM trucks? Have you ever seen one in real life? Sat in one? Drove one?

If not, that's all the info I need to discredit you

Sitting in one right now. It's a turd.
Allready:
-the rear view mirror fell off (actually a good thing, but whatever)
-TPS failed
-passenger side mirror is walleye vision and terrible for backing trailers, impossible at night.
-DEF tank is on the ground
-TC and Stabilitrac can't be defeated above 20mph.
-controls and interior ergos are all f'd up.
-I need to find a job with better trucks.
-square wheel wells
(might be a 13, have to check later)

Save your brand loyalty for someone who cares. The Avelanche and my 2012 Express are the worst vehicles I've ever driven.

 

[Buliwyf]

Deos the ECO have the 4.6/5.0's cam phaser rattle/knock. That's the only thing I really don't like about the 4.6/5.0/5.4.

 

[skruface]

Not sure why Toyota can't get with it on fuel economy.

It's the transmissions, combined with cylinder deactivation. You can't put an 8-speed + cyl deact up against a 5-speed without cyl deact and expect similar results. If Toyota were to develop a rugged 8 or 10-speed transmission combined with cylinder deactivation, their numbers would go way up.

FWIW I have a 2011 Ram 1500CC 4X4 with the 4.7 (no cyl deact), 5-speed automatic with 3.55 gears, and a lot of mods (34" E-rated off-road tires, massive bumper, lights, etc) and I only get 12 mpg around town if I'm lucky, about 17-18 on the highway. I can't even come close to the numbers my buddy gets in his 2013 Ram 1500 with Pentastar, 3.55 gears, stock tires, and 8-speed...he's close to 5-6 mpg better across the board. Oh, and he can tow #1000 more than I can, to boot.

I'm holding on until the 2014 ram diesels with 8-speeds come out. Then I can let go of this one:

 

[Larry]

Sitting in one right now. It's a turd.
Allready:
-the rear view mirror fell off (actually a good thing, but whatever)
-TPS failed
-passenger side mirror is walleye vision and terrible for backing trailers, impossible at night.
-DEF tank is on the ground
-TC and Stabilitrac can't be defeated above 20mph.
-controls and interior ergos are all f'd up.
-I need to find a job with better trucks.
-square wheel wells
(might be a 13, have to check later)

Save your brand loyalty for someone who cares. The Avelanche and my 2012 Express are the worst vehicles I've ever driven.

Okay, we get it. You are not a GM fan but Kaisen specifically asked if you sat in a 2014 SILVERADO. Not a 2013, 2012, 1975 or even a 1917. He clearly asked if you ever seen one in real life, sat in or drove a 2014 Silverado. As of tonight there are less than 1800 retail and fleet delivers in the US and Canada of the new 2014 GM twins. You were not sitting in a 2014 earlier today, you were stirring the pot to prove your love and brand loyalty for Ford. Your list is nothing more than provoking a brand bashing war.

Contrary to your experience, my experience with twisting wrenches on a fleet of Ford FedEx and Sante Fe Railroad trucks during college, experience with working with Ford suppliers in my career field and campfire talk with college alumni who for Ford Motor Company I could fill up pages of reasons why I would not own any Ford product but I am not going to itemize them and be the one to turn this into a full blown brand war thread.

It's the transmissions, combined with cylinder deactivation. You can't put an 8-speed + cyl deact up against a 5-speed without cyl deact and expect similar results. If Toyota were to develop a rugged 8 or 10-speed transmission combined with cylinder deactivation, their numbers would go way up.

FWIW I have a 2011 Ram 1500CC 4X4 with the 4.7 (no cyl deact), 5-speed automatic with 3.55 gears, and a lot of mods (34" E-rated off-road tires, massive bumper, lights, etc) and I only get 12 mpg around town if I'm lucky, about 17-18 on the highway. I can't even come close to the numbers my buddy gets in his 2013 Ram 1500 with Pentastar, 3.55 gears, stock tires, and 8-speed...he's close to 5-6 mpg better across the board. Oh, and he can tow #1000 more than I can, to boot.

I'm holding on until the 2014 ram diesels with 8-speeds come out. Then I can let go of this one:

Yeah, the 4.7L has always been pretty disappointing. It is an engine with the fuel economy of a much bigger V8 while having the power of an old tech V6. It is a neat sounding engine though. Even the stock exhaust is chambered nicely. I doubt the 4.7L will be missed now that RAM has dropped it.

 

[Kaisen]

The fact that the GM didn't come in dead last is all the info I need to discredit that review.

What do you know about the new 2014 GM trucks? Have you ever seen one in real life? Sat in one? Drove one?

Sitting in one right now. It's a turd.
Allready:
....
-DEF tank is on the ground

Well, we know it's not a 2014 then. Because DEF tank = diesel, and the new diesels are not out yet (and won't be out for quite a while). The only all-new trucks are half tons, and they've only been for sale for a couple weeks.

Save your brand loyalty for someone who cares. The Avelanche and my 2012 Express are the worst vehicles I've ever driven.

It's not brand loyalty. I like lots of different trucks. I owned a 2007 Super Duty Diesel that I liked just fine. It may not be that you're loyal to just one brand, but we know which one you have a blanket hatred for....

Deos the ECO have the 4.6/5.0's cam phaser rattle/knock. That's the only thing I really don't like about the 4.6/5.0/5.4.

The GM cam-in-block pushrod motors use a different type of variable valve timing from Ford's SOHC design. The Ford's knocking phasers are almost exclusively a Ford thing. My 2006 Lincoln Navigator sounded like a diesel at idle from those dumb things. Didn't hurt anything, so I didn't bother replacing them when they failed a second time out of warranty. Still, I really liked that truck.

Okay, we get it. You are not a GM fan but Kaisen specifically asked if you sat in a 2014 SILVERADO. Not a 2013, 2012, 1975 or even a 1917. He clearly asked if you ever seen one in real life, sat in or drove a 2014 Silverado. As of tonight there are less than 1800 retail and fleet delivers in the US and Canada of the new 2014 GM twins. You were not sitting in a 2014 earlier today, you were stirring the pot to prove your love and brand loyalty for Ford. Your list is nothing more than provoking a brand bashing war.

Exactly. If any of you would form an opinion of the all-new 2014 based on whatever experience you have with the last generation (2007-2013) truck, I'd suggest you go drive one. They're quite different trucks.

 

[Buliwyf]

Sorry. It was a '13 afterall. Still, I doubt the 14's will be any better. I've been stuck in GM's for 10+ years with only a few years of others. Hated every one. I'm actually thinking about chaning jobs because our trucks are so bad!

I'm no Ford fan, but I wish I had one for work.

 

[redthies]

I'm no Ford fan.

While I don't wish to become involved in the latest squabble, I will say there is NO DOUBT that you are the biggest proponent of FoMoCo on ExPo, and Larry is the biggest (or at least most experienced) proponent of GMC.

There is nothing wrong with either position, but frankly, I prefer to buy whichever brand fits best for the task. Usually for me it's a Dodge. (The glaring exceptions being an "affordable" crewcab diesel [Ford], and fullsize SUV [any solid axle Suburban]).

I should add that I have only driven the F150 ('13 with 5.0), and 2 of the Dodge 1500s, (Both '12s, one stock, one with 6" lift and 37s.). Biggest grin came from the lifted Dodge, but I felt like an idiot "compensating" after about 5 mins. Of the two stock trucks? I really couldn't care less. They were both "nice", but neither one had any life or soul.

 

[Clutch]

While I don't wish to become involved in the latest squabble, I will say there is NO DOUBT that you are the biggest proponent of FoMoCo on ExPo, and Larry is the biggest (or at least most experienced) proponent of GMC.

There is nothing wrong with either position, but frankly, I prefer to buy whichever brand fits best for the task. Usually for me it's a Dodge. (The glaring exceptions being an "affordable" crewcab diesel [Ford], and fullsize SUV [any solid axle Suburban]).

We have had all 3 major brands for our fleet vehicles when we had our construction company....one thing is for sure. If it has tits or wheels, it is gonna give ya trouble...

 

[redthies]

We have had all 3 major brands for our fleet vehicles when we had our construction company....one thing is for sure. If it has tits or wheels, it is gonna give ya trouble...

Exactly! (See my edit!)

 

[Clutch]

Exactly! (See my edit!)

 

[bdp1978]

I dont really have a lot to add about the performance of the '14's yet having not driven one. But, living in Detroit I have seen them around for quite awhile now and I think they look great. The GMC definitely shines in the looks dept over the Chevy.

 

[redthies]

Clearly, I am not the target demographic for these trucks, as I think both the Chev and GMC are beyond hideous.

 

[Larry]

We have had all 3 major brands for our fleet vehicles when we had our construction company....one thing is for sure. If it has tits or wheels, it is gonna give ya trouble...

Truer works have not been spoken my friend. Really when it comes right down to it, people should just buy what they like. Period. These days every manufacturer builds desirable and dependable vehicles although long term durability can vary among them. Most people do not even retain vehicles long enough to experience the long term durability downfalls of certain vehicles anyway.

If I were in the market for a brand new ½ truck it would really be a difficult decision between a RAM 1500 and '14 Chevrolet 1500. Both are great trucks with great rock solid powertrains. It would even be a harder decision with choosing a mid-size truck. The Frontier, Tacoma, Colorado/Canyon are all great little trucks. If we could get the Mitsubishi Titan and VW Amarok in the US it would even make the decision that much more difficult. Then when it comes to sedan’s it gets even harder as almost every sedan on the market right now is outstanding as far as looks, performance and fit and finish. I am glad we are not in the market for any new vehicles at our house as there would be a lot of vehicles to consider. Everybody has me pegged as a GM only loyalist. That is not the case, I will own practically anything except a Ford or Korean car. Just not fond of their products, engineering, wiring or business practices.