Thinking about converting to a full size, what are my options now in terms of reliability?

Hey don't kid yourself. If you have money to waste then go for it. Unless you need it to accomplish a task. Everything is more expensive on a HD. They are very heavy, wear out E load tires in 50k kms, ball joints, brakes, tie rods, they seem to be overbuilt but they're not. Oh and on the "reliable" gasser you'll be wishing you can get 12mpg empty! But they will tow! I owned one for 6 years, thought it would pay for itself in reliability vs the halfton market, yeah not so much, and I did need it for a 9500lb travel trailer that pushed around a halfton like a rag doll. Yes it was fun, until I knew every gas station attendant by name!

 

So the 2500HD is easier to park and better on gas than a Tacoma?? I did the same thing, went from a 2500HD to a Tacoma and can honestly say it does most things better than the HD besides hauling and towing.

 

I was in front of a breakfast place with my wife and I watched a guy in a four-door long bed F250 try to back out of a compact parking space for like 15 minutes.

 

From what I heard from others, HDs are pretty reliable. Maybe I should do some more research

Which truck did you have? Dually?

 

I personally wouldn’t bother with a late model diesel unless you absolutely need the towing capacity. Between the DEF, expensive diesel, higher initial+maintenance cost and marginal fuel economy, the juice just ain’t with the squeeze anymore.

fwiw, my current work truck is a 1500 Silveraydo with the small V8 and it gets the same mileage as my Tacoma. Sorry I don’t know year or engine specs off the top of my head because it ain’t mine, lol. I think it’s a 23 though. 47k troubleshoot free miles, so far. I don’t expect it to do 400k+ like my previous 2010 tundra work truck did, but I’d be weary of a late model turbo tundra as well.

 

I had a 2016 Chevy 2500HD Crew Cab 6.5" box LTZ 6.0 gas. Not dually. Reliable as in doesn't breakdown and leave you stranded, yes it was pretty good. Mileage is absolutely horrible with stock tires and no load or trailer, highway at a steady 100kmh is maybe 16mpg. I went up one size to an all terrain and all I could get was 14 on the highway. Tow an 8x10 open landscape trailer and your in the 8 mpg range. 9000lb travel trailer and I was around 5mpg. The break calipers (front and rear) slide pins are allen key head, recessed into a hole with a rubber plug that gets swollen and no longer seals the head, makes disassemble difficult. The rear caliper anchor bolts are impossible to remove (leaf spring is in the way) without special tools. Emergency brake service means removing axles and replacing seals. Front upper ball joint means replacing the whole A arm. I had roof marker lights that leaked by 100k kms, dealer wouldn't help, rear differential pinion bearing started to fail at 140k kms, with regular maintenance. When I sold it there was a noisy bearing up front that nobody could diagnose, I wasn't going to tear into the front diff or transfer case without a solid idea that was where it was. Just for clarity, I am incredibly sensitive to noises and overdo the maintenance, extreme service is a bit too long for me.

 

I upgraded (although I kept my 2011 Tacoma) to a 2021 Tundra for a dedicated work truck (self employed carpenter). Toyota Certified Used coming off a 3 yr lease. Wanted the last/best of the "old tech" as they say. After months of research on models, pricing, etc. I flew to Texas (just south of Dallas) in March and drove it home. Saved thousands by doing so. Zero undercarriage rust.



As it sits now.

 

Dodge is a pretty solid truck .

 

Holy shit the gas mileage and maintenance do sound pretty terrible.

Like I said, I always heard pretty good things about HD trucks from other folks

Dudes I know had Dodges HD and Ferd HDs, were pretty happy with them.

 

Man thats nice.

I wish I could add a 5.7 Tundra and a 2024 4R to my stable, that way I will never have to buy another vehicle again Too bad I am a peasant...

I also run my own home maintenance business now and my Taco is my everything vehicle (Everyday driving, Fishing, camping, soon hunting). Would be nice to have a work only truck...

 

My buddy has a 2017 I believe Dodge Ram with the 3.6L. Man he beats the shit out of that thing and barely does any maintenance. That thing rides super smooth, engine and tranny are very quiet and smooth as well. Zero mechanical issues.

I go fishing with him all the time and I am pretty impressed with the truck to be honest. Gets same or better MPGs than my truck hah.

 

Had my vehicle at work traded out for a hybrid F-150 recently. I don't like everything about it (the tailgate is annoying in that in that the cap has a lip and I can't lay a clipboard on it without it sliding off into the bed) but the range is outstanding. The turning radius is awful, although that's to be expected for a crew cab with a 6.5-foot bed. I can't speak for reliability yet, since it only has a couple thousand miles on it at this point, but if I was buying a full-size for roadtrips, Home Depot use, and didn't need to tow anything too heavy, it's be pretty high on my list.

 

My Tacoma had been my everything vehicle as well (work, fishing, hunting, camping, general outdoor adventures). It's now dedicated to everything but work. I can access places that the Tundra wouldn't fit.

Having a dedicated work truck now simplifies my taxes and has substantial tax advantages.

 

If you are considering a diesel than the best option imo is the 6.7 Powerstroke and unless you need an f350 I would go with the f250. Only big issue with the 6.7 is the CP4 fuel pump which is known to self destruct. But a DCR conversion kit is available and solves the issue.

 

Yeah.

Luckily a good friend of mine does my taxes for me. I just gotta keep a driving log and he does the rest.

But yeah, having a dedicated work truck does make things much easier. One day...