Most RELIABLE? Chevy 2500 vs Ford F250

This would be more to the point of getting an F350 over an F250 or 3500 over a 2500, in case I go over the payload.


I saw a lot of companies jump back and forth with their fleets here depending on the model year issues. A construction company I’ve welded for got all new Chevys when the new Fords were giving them too many issues. I’m sure many companies over the years flip flop between for their fleet of work trucks.

More reliable is more reliable, I’d take a Tundra with a 3,500+ lb payload over either but I simply need the truck with the lowest probability of issues and all stats seem to point to Ford F-250/350 with 6.2 having a little more downtime and problems than Chevy 2500/3500. It’s all a numbers game. Could still end up with a lemon. But I don’t need what construction companies need in a truck, you know? Just highest probability of least downtime is all.

I’m more than happy to look at any and all data though. What I have so far isn’t exactly the most concrete companies I’d take stats from. You’d think Work Truck Reliability Statistics would be a far more broken down and detailed (and lucrative) thing to write about over the years, considering how much companies spend on whole fleets of the things.

 

I'd buy the F250 with the 7.3 gas engine if I needed a HD truck right now. Diesel is another $10,000 and the minuses outweigh the plusses unless you're using it for commercial work. The GVWR is the same on all 3/4 tons, but the diesel engine is about 800 lbs heavier than the gas engine. Which means 800 lbs less payload. There is some overlap in payload between some F150's and some F250's with a diesel engine. You really need to go to the F350 if you want diesel power.

From what I've seen the 7.3 gas engine comes close to matching the 6.7 diesel in real world towing. I have 2 friends with nearly identical 2020 F250's. One has the 6.2, the other the 7.3. They report exactly the same fuel mileage at 15 overall. That is a mix of highway and rural everyday driving.

 

Hey, similar gas mileage and more oomph sounds great to me. It’s a little less proven than the 6.2 as far as track record and working the kinks out but I’m not going to lie, just having the 7.3 would be a cool factor, even if it didn’t change the payload much

Don’t you tempt me like that

 

Every F250/350 I have been in rides like brick. My dirt bike buddy with the F350 can’t hang with my Tacoma on FS roads since it rides so rough. Last time I was in it over the summer, going down a dirt road with a bunch of pot holes…asked him if I could get out and walk. lol!

 

They’re a much harsher ride from my experience as well. Reminds me of anything I’ve owned or ridden in all the way from our old 59 GMC to a few 80s beaters along the way ha. I don’t mind it, but death wobble I do.

 

Unless you do a full Carli kit they aren’t bad…though that is not why you buy a 3/4-1 Ton, buy ‘em to haul stuff.

 

EDIT: added a poll. Forgot to mention.


2011-2016 F250 with 6.2
vs.
2011-2019 2500HD with 6.0

Which would you consider most RELIABLE and confidence inspiring, no other parameters.

 

Ford, solid front axle wins it for me. Splitting hairs with the drive-train.

 

All that being said you have narrowed it down to only these two?

My boss drives a 2015 3500hd LTZ duramax single wheel. The LTZ trim level is nice and the truck has 100,000 miles on it and still not too many squeaking parts. He’s gone through 4 sets of tires though! It’s as smooth as my F150 at all speeds up to 90mph.

 

I’d gladly buy a 3500 single wheel if it popped up. Or the Sierra twins. Just wrote down one model rather than all four ha they’re the same thing with maybe 2-3 minor differences


But yes, those are the years and models I’ve narrowed it down to.

 

For posterity:

Well, boys. Verdict is in.

First facts first, my wife is amazing.
She saw that I have been researching this subject for some time and without prompt or me even mentioning it she took off from work early for the day and said she had a three part surprise date for me today to show her appreciation. My guys, get you a good wife.

She picks me up and doesn’t say where we’re going. First stop, Chevy/Ford dealerships! She wanted me to be able to test drive what I’ve been researching because she knows how I am! I was genuinely moved!


Long story short, we test drive a 2013 Chevy 2500 LTZ and a 2017 GMC 3500 LTZ. That covers all the bases of old body style, new body style, Silverado, Sierra, etc.

They were pretty identical. You floated down the road in the 2500. Could barely feel it at all. Didn’t mind the older features/interior. We actually greatly preferred it. The 3500 had ever so slightly more road feel. Notable, but not significant enough that I wouldn’t just buy either one interchangeably, personally. We didn’t actually like the touch screen and fancier interior at all. What we did love was the lumbar support. The lumbar support in her 4Runner just feels odd. We don’t use it. The lumbar support in the GMC was phenomenal. We both felt like we left a massage chair after a long highway test ride (they let us go for about 20-30 min in each). The heated steering wheel (I’ve never experienced one before) actually felt amazing for my injured arthritic hands as well. I’ve never had anything but work beaters and made fun of luxuries like this my whole life but man did I feel comfortable and happy driving that thing. Spoiler alert, a 2500/3500 will be our next truck, sometime in Summer 2023 most likely.

The 2012 and 2018 F250/350… well, the engine is way more peppy. Had to wait for power to slowly build in the Chevy. The Ford ripped you back hard right away (albeit a little too touchy). Night and day difference there. Steering felt better. The Chevy was flighty and too light. The Ford felt happy medium/just right. But our spine and heads felt fatigued and wanting to get away within 5 minutes. We completed the test drive route we planned to be thorough, but reluctantly. I felt every concussion and TBI I ever had coming back to me and my wife and I both felt kind of sick and tired 5 minutes in. [EDIT: I should note that I have no problem with a truck driving like a truck and prefer it. I never had an issue with my 90s Mazda, Chevy, Toyota Pickups, 99 4Runner, my 06 Tundra or even the 80s beaters I’ve owned. This F250 was on another level haha.] I tried to find the good, and could 100% see how if someone wanted a heavy duty tank of a truck to do farm work and/or construction work how this thing was just more utilitarian and beefy and ready to work with its solid front axle and manual locking hubs, etc.

But at the end of the day, between the numbers pointing to the Chevy 6.0 models being more reliable and then riding in them, we are no longer in contestation and the verdict is in for us, and our needs/lifestyle, specifically.

Now, off to part 2 and 3, the gym which my wife knows I always want her to come lift with me, and my favorite sushi place, her treat


This concludes our broadcast day. Goodbye

 

Always had superduties for work trucks, had a 04’, 09’, 13’ f350 srw and a 19’ drw. Great work trucks that can really take a beating, but boy do they ride like SHIT

 

Titan XD with the 5.6L V8 is worth a look. A bit less capacity than a 3/4 ton but far more comfortable.

 

Hey, thanks for that input. While it does have a slightly better payload than a Tundra, it’s still a thousand or more short of a 3/4 or 1 ton. Great in between option though for someone who needs more than a 1/2 ton and not quite as much as a 3/4, or someone who is fine with a little less than Yota reliability but perhaps better than the GM/Ford offerings (I wouldn’t know, I haven’t researched them much). More options is a good thing!

The biggest selling point would be not buying from the big 3 who still owe you and me and every tax payer billions of our dollars back cheers!