About time for a new truck. Things have changed in the last few years since I have been in the market. Seems like a large crop of turbo 6 cylinders taking over for smallish v8's. How are they working out? Enough power to pull a small camp trailer? or do you have to rev them to 5,000rpm to get any power? Which one is your pick and why? I really have no loyalty to any of them and probably prefer Toyota or Nissan to the domestics due to quality issues.

Toyota Tundra they have good low end power, not great on gas mileage but good power.

The modern twin-turbo sixes make their torque down low and require less revs for pulling than some of the smaller V8 offerings. It sure seems backwards, but that's how they are set up these days. The standard 3.5 EB that Ford puts in the F150 makes 500lbs of torque at 3,100 RPM.

Nissan Frontier. Great vehicle. My brother has the same truck and we were towing a 600 pound airplane in a 4,000 pound trailer, all over the mountains.
I drove my girlfriend out to Yellowstone in the Frontier 2 years ago, she thought it quite comfortable and her car is a Lexus.

I ordered a 2023 Silverado, with 6.2L engine. That motor is constrained, so I have no idea when I’ll get it. I own a 2019 of same vehicle and it’s been very good, as were the two before it. But I essentially use it as my around town vehicle and for hunting.

Just about whatever you like. Everybody's truck is the best.

Define "small camper" - even a rather anemic 3.5 in the Tacoma is rated to tow 6500 lbs and makes more HP than the old Ford 5.0 pushrod did.

1/2 ton would be something GM with a 5.3 for me.

YMMV

Anything, but an obamamobile.

I'm thinking about the 3.0L GMC diesel for my next 1/2 ton and keeping it to 300K.

It sure is a tough time to be in the market for a truck. Prices are obnoxious. My past 2 trucks have been Rams. I have been very happy with them. I normally get better highway economy with my Hemi than I did with either a 4 cylinder Tacoma or a 6 cylinder Frontier. The trucks ride great and are very quiet in the cabin.

F150 5.0. Simplicity. My brother just picked up a 2022, first tank through the cascade mountains was 22 mpg

I get 21.5 in my Frontier. 3.5 liter V6

You dont want a Ford. My kid turns wrenches at a Ford shop. Says he'll never own one. He's currently shopping for a Toyota Tundra.

Not hearing very good reviews on the new Tundra. Turbo issues on the V6. Can't get a V8 in a new Tundra.

Clyde

I am not a ford fan but their ecoboost seems pretty solid. It's doing much better than I thought it would.

That being said, I would want a GM with a 5.3 or bigger V8.

If you're not beating on it around a farm, it's hard to beat a 1/2 ton Chevy with a 5.3. Motors are indestructable.
Get the chip that disables the cylander deactivation and motor shutoff at stops. I like reliable.

I would consider any of the top 3 (Ram, Chevy/GMC, Ford) in todays world. Flip a coin. Just personal preference at this stage of the game.

Lightly used Toyota with the V8. Piss on the UAW!

Well if all he works on is Fords, what did you expect him to say? It's not like people drop off their perfectly reliable cars and trucks just for the hell of it. Toyota dealers are full of Toyotas in for repair, same as ram, GM, Nissan, Honda etc.

Uh where you been?? Toyota dropped the v8

This. I mean for all we know he works at a Ford shop but's only getting 30 hours a week - not enough work. Going to a GM dealer - 70 hours and mandatory OT.

That’s funny my buddy is a mechanic at the Toyota dealer and told us stay away from the new tundras.

I just sold my v8 F150, a really great truck, averaged 14 mpg in town, 16 on the highway. Was going to buy a new F150 but was offered a great family deal on a 2020 Chevy. I did test drive a new Tundra and it was nice, reminded me more of a mimi van on the inside and very modern lines on the outside. I would have bought one if they had a more affordable one on the lot, all they had were high end packages and they were more expensive than the new F150s. I still like the Ford the best as far as looks and drivers seat perspective but I really like this Chevy, LT, leather and the 2.7 turbo 4 cylinder gets 20 in town and my best so far 25 on the highway. I think it's rated at 300+ HP. I am particularly happy with the MPG these days.

Whatever you do, do NOT buy a Ram 1500 with the 6cyl if you plan on taking it off-road anywhere.

My work truck (45,000mi) is one, a co-worker has another one (62,000mi), and between us, the company has spent over $10K having wiring harnesses replaced in just the past 12 months. Both of us had wiring harnesses replaced under warranty before they expired.

They will not handle vibration from running gravel roads and the POS transmissions they put in them are worthless for getting said POS truck out of deep sand. Just when you reach the top of the peak torque curve (roughly 4500rpm) to pull the pig out, it will upshift, killing what little torque was available.

Seem most recent "pickups" are designed by lawyers and built for city girls. Not a "work truck" to be found.

Rant off...

Ed

I would probably stay away from anything with a turbo or MDS, that pretty much leaves the F150 with 5.0 V8. Or get an extended warranty and sell it when it expires.

THIS

My 3.5 ecoboost pulls an enclosed trailer like it isn't even there. I've never been in a 1/2 ton that pulls a trailer like it does.

No, you don’t have to rev them up a lot. Their torque is located in low rpm’s like a diesel. No, it’s not better than a diesel. They suck on mpgs towing. I’m speaking on the Ford 3.5 TT

It's already been deleted on the V-8 powered Silverados. My '22 6.2L doesn't have it.

Anyone made the popcorn yet?

This ^^

I've got a 2018 Tundra with the 5.7 V8. Just turned 101000 miles with no trouble. Looked at the 2023 but wouldn't get one with the V6 and turbos. When/if this one craps out, I may try a rebuilt 5.7 engine. I'm 72 now. If I can get four or five more years out of it I would probably buy a used 2022 or earlier Tundra. I would not buy anything with a V6 or turbo.

The turbos are so you don't have to rev them to 5,000 rpm to make power. How heavy is your trailer? I pull a 4500 pound boat all over the damn place with a ford f-150, 2.7l eco-boost with 150k miles. Runs like a champ. Rides a ton better than a Toyota, has way less road noise that a toyota and isn't $90k to bring home.

I don’t own either- but I asked an independent mechanic if I should be looking for a f150 with the eco boost or 5.0. He said the ecoboosts are good and has worked on em, then that he’s never had to work on a 5.0…. Which spoke volumes to me.

Anything but a RAM. Tundra for me, but not the new one til it’s been out a few years.

That truck will outlast you.

I had a Toyota SALESMAN tell me to hold off on the V-6 Tundras, until they get the bugs worked out. When a salesman who sells Toyotas for a living tells me that, I listen.

I'm in the market for a new pickup, too, but so far, I haven't seen anything l like better than the 2016 Frontier I've driving now, AND, it's paid for, and has nothing seriously wrong with it. I'm doing the brakes in a couple of weeks, but that's just normal stuff. It's been a really great little pickup, perfect for my own needs. I don't tow or haul anything but my shooting gear and hunting stuff, anyway.
The way it's looking now, I'll probably buy an SUV, as I don't hunt much any more.

Turbocharged gas engines have a long history of a short lifespan. The turbos in gas motors are death on oil. Take the manufacturers "suggested" oil change intervals and divide by 2.........

Plus this is still a terrible time to buy a vehicle.

My last two trucks were Ford F-150's 4 doors. The 2014 3.5 EcoBoost was a good truck with minor issues, gas mileage sucked. My 2018 2.7 EcoBoost has been very good, 120K miles in 3 1/2 years (bought as a leftover), I could get 22.5 MPG if I drove 65. Before that I had a 5.7 Tundra, 161K of trouble free miles.

I just saw an article that the 2021 GM's are having big problems and that sucks because I wanted to buy a GMC.

Good Luck...

The CEO of Ford when they introduced the TT (2011) came from aeronautics. I’m not saying they will last as long as a naturally aspirated engine, but they’re a good value. It’s really your personal preference at this point.

So glad

I'm not in the market for a new pick up

This...although it's my clean one owner 2500HD Chebby

Has served me well for 20+ yrs.......138K pampered miles

Youngest daughter gets it when I'm ded

Buy a Tundra that is a couple years old with "lowish" mileage. I'd stay clear of the new version with the twin turbo V6. They have already had some problems, and there's no way a V6 with turbos will out last a normally aspirated V8. That's just me, I keep trucks forever.

A modern half ton truck is a grocery getter. They won’t pull a 3500 pound tractor without sinking in the rear like Houston 2’s reputation .

Does Studebaker still make trucks? Guy at work said he wasgoing to look next time

Even if you are beating on it around the farm the 5.3 is hard to beat.
Yes, they are (nearly) indestructable.

Just got one a month and a half ago. Very impressive so far.

I was always a gm guy and had great luck with 5.3s for several years. In 209 I got a killer deal on a new style ram with the 5.7 and 8 speed. I only averaged about 16 mpg but it was just plain enjoyable to drive. It rode great and the 5.7 hemi and 8 speed worked perfectly together. I miss driving it.

Last year I bought my first Ford f150. It's the powerboost hybrid with the 7.2kwatt generator. It doesn't ride as well as the ram or drive as well but it's got tons of power, gets better mileage than the ram, has comfortable seats and some cool features with more leg room than ram. Always tradeoffs you just got to find the one with the best of the features you value most.

I've had a diesel suburban on order since the first of the year but don't know if I'll ever see it. The 3.0 duramax interests me so I'm trying it in the wife's new ride first.

Bb

I had a 2015 Silverado with a 5.3. Bought a GMC this year with a 5.3. I like them. Plenty of power for my needs and good fuel economy.

I traded a ‘19 F150 3.5 “eco OR boost” for a ‘21 Sierra 6.2L last summer… would do it over in a heartbeat personally. The F150 ran like a scalded ape empty and towed fine except not being able to pass up a gas station. The 6.2L Sierra gets slightly less mpg unloaded, but better mpg towing (same trailer, same weight, same route multiple times. The Sierra also feels better built to me. I looked at the 3.0 Duramax, but wanted something I didn’t need a calendar to measure the 0-60 or quarter mile times. Give me the big V8 any day!

They all have some issues, some trucks more than others. I owned an F350 6.7L, a Toyota Tundra V8, and a Ram 2500 Cummins before these 2 - no blind brand loyalty, etc, here.

Cant beat a Rutabeggar with OD....!