First Impressions/ Planned Upgrades

TNTSierra · June 21, 2020

1 hour ago, topgear1224 said:

Silverado 6.2 is 420 hp/ 460 LB-FT on 93 non-ethanol. No other V8 comes close.

Well except for the TRD supercharged 5.7 tundra but since they won't let you buy that kit anymore.

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Agreed, but every year ford ups their power ratings to stay above the competition. Now, I am not a Ford guy what so ever, but I do like how they keep tweaking their motors for maximum HP/TQ. GM is the best at making small block V8s. They have a plethora of them at their disposal. They can bring their A game and destroy the competition with the small block V8 crate motors available in their performance division. Make it available to buy from factory! I like the quote from Field of Dreams, "If you build it, they will come"! I just tweak it a bit and say, "If you build it, they will buy it"!!

topgear1224 · June 21, 2020

Agreed, but every year ford ups their power ratings to stay above the competition. Now, I am not a Ford guy what so ever, but I do like how they keep tweaking their motors for maximum HP/TQ. GM is the best at making small block V8s. They have a plethora of them at their disposal. They can bring their A game and destroy the competition with the small block V8 crate motors available in their performance division. Make it available to buy from factory! I like the quote from Field of Dreams, "If you build it, they will come"! I just tweak it a bit and say, "If you build it, they will buy it"!!

Ford 5.0 has basically been the same rating for a few years now. two generations ago Ford was going to drop it and then they heard a bunch of resistance from their customers so they decided to go ahead and carry it forward with minimal updates. I will point out I drove a 6-speed 5.0 and I was actually very impressed with the acceleration. can't imagine the monster that a 373 10-speed 5.0 would be. ultimately I went with GM because Ford wasn't throwing any cash on the hood of any model with heated seats.

some argue that the 3.5 EB is the real competitor to the 6.2, on paper maybe, but they're taking two radically different approaches. NA vs boosted, v6 vs V8.

for me I really think it depends on how you're going to use the vehicle. if you regularly tow heavy (10k+) with it and load it up a lot, a boosted engine could see oil degradation due to the increased oil temperatures. and those constant higher cylinder pressures could create a situation where you have excessive wear over time.

the big issue is when you go to elevation, although turbos will really assist you, if you're pulling really heavy you are creating a ton of heat (more power means more fuel means more heat) that has to be dissipated and as you increase in elevation it's harder and harder for the air itself to actually absorb the heat in the radiator because the air is thinner and the molecules are further apart.

for me I prefer my engines to actually make horsepower in the top-end. Because when you're pulling a grade that's really what you're going to need to hold speed. If the engines built properly high RPM isn't going to hurt it and I typically choose engines that sound good so it's a win-win. yes I know technically when pulling a grade in gear torque rise matters more(as RPM falls, torque increases), but horsepower being dependent on the amount of torque available at that RPM means that at the horsepower peak the 6.2 is making more torque then the 3.5 at its horsepower peak.

now if we're being more realistic about where the majority of pickup trucks do, which is just drive around empty all day and are treated like massive 70 sedans with huge trunks. The EcoBoost could be a very fun engine that coupled with the extreme lightweight, that actually in my personal experience has been a slight liability when towing heavy, makes for what truly is a very fast pickup truck.

having owned a 2019 Ram 1500 I can successfully say that at least from an engineering standpoint they aren't even in the same ballpark as neither GM not Ford. Nice interior but unlike the others that got completely redone chassis in recent history the Rams is simply refreshed and it really shows, particularly and how the suspension behaves.

this creates a nasty situation where you're paying a premium for the interior versus the mechanicals. when you're paying a premium for an interior, that interior has to be perfect and although the 2019 Ram has a very nice interior it's build quality as far from perfect. I noticed numerous assembly deficiencies.

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Dunn · June 21, 2020

On 6/19/2020 at 5:44 AM, Jim E said:

I keep having that debate with myself as well. My last truck was the short bed, and 99% of the time I was perfectly happy. But any time that I really needed to haul something I'd gripe about the bed not being long enough. Those times are typically few and far between, but I don't want to end up griping about it again, especially for what these trucks now cost.

they sell more shortbeds than anything and for life of me cant see how anyone wouldn't want a standard bed.....why wouldn't you want an extra foot of space......at some point everyone with shortbox has needed a longer bed, not a lot and maybe only a few times but for sure there are times when you just need a bigger bed.....I need it a lot but even grocery getters need it at some point I would think....

TNTSierra · June 21, 2020

1 hour ago, topgear1224 said:

Ford 5.0 has basically been the same rating for a few years now. two generations ago Ford was going to drop it and then they heard a bunch of resistance from their customers so they decided to go ahead and carry it forward with minimal updates. I will point out I drove a 6-speed 5.0 and I was actually very impressed with the acceleration. can't imagine the monster that a 373 10-speed 5.0 would be. ultimately I went with GM because Ford wasn't throwing any cash on the hood of any model with heated seats.

some argue that the 3.5 EB is the real competitor to the 6.2, on paper maybe, but they're taking two radically different approaches. NA vs boosted, v6 vs V8.

for me I really think it depends on how you're going to use the vehicle. if you regularly tow heavy (10k+) with it and load it up a lot, a boosted engine could see oil degradation due to the increased oil temperatures. and those constant higher cylinder pressures could create a situation where you have excessive wear over time.

the big issue is when you go to elevation, although turbos will really assist you, if you're pulling really heavy you are creating a ton of heat (more power means more fuel means more heat) that has to be dissipated and as you increase in elevation it's harder and harder for the air itself to actually absorb the heat in the radiator because the air is thinner and the molecules are further apart.

for me I prefer my engines to actually make horsepower in the top-end. Because when you're pulling a grade that's really what you're going to need to hold speed. If the engines built properly high RPM isn't going to hurt it and I typically choose engines that sound good so it's a win-win. yes I know technically when pulling a grade in gear torque rise matters more(as RPM falls, torque increases), but horsepower being dependent on the amount of torque available at that RPM means that at the horsepower peak the 6.2 is making more torque then the 3.5 at its horsepower peak.

now if we're being more realistic about where the majority of pickup trucks do, which is just drive around empty all day and are treated like massive 70 sedans with huge trunks. The EcoBoost could be a very fun engine that coupled with the extreme lightweight, that actually in my personal experience has been a slight liability when towing heavy, makes for what truly is a very fast pickup truck.

having owned a 2019 Ram 1500 I can successfully say that at least from an engineering standpoint they aren't even in the same ballpark as neither GM not Ford. Nice interior but unlike the others that got completely redone chassis in recent history the Rams is simply refreshed and it really shows, particularly and how the suspension behaves.

this creates a nasty situation where you're paying a premium for the interior versus the mechanicals. when you're paying a premium for an interior, that interior has to be perfect and although the 2019 Ram has a very nice interior it's build quality as far from perfect. I noticed numerous assembly deficiencies.

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When the 5.0L debut in 2011 in the F150 it was rated at 360HP, its been updated 2 times and is rated at 395 HP. GM could have easily done this to the 5.3L. I think its an all around better and more reliable motor. I have driven a new 5.0L with a 10 spd and they are no slouch. They can move.

I totally agree that comparing a 6.2L to an 3.5L ecoboost isn't comparing apples to apples. If you want to compare them, then slap a supercharger or turbo on the 6.2L and then we can talk. My stepdad has an ecoboost, and he can't ever get over 18 mpgs with it, no matter how he drives it. It's a 2013, so I have heard they have made the newer one's a bit more FE, but they still don't get the MPGs of GM's 2 small block V8's.

I am not a Ram guy. They do make a nice interior, my uncle has a brand new limited and while it looks very nice, it just doesn't feel like it's built the way a GM or Ford truck is. Also I have read many articles that talks about their reliability being skeptical. They have tons of issues with their air ride suspensions, and they are always being recalled for something.

TNTSierra · June 21, 2020

1 hour ago, Dunn said:

they sell more shortbeds than anything and for life of me cant see how anyone wouldn't want a standard bed.....why wouldn't you want an extra foot of space......at some point everyone with shortbox has needed a longer bed, not a lot and maybe only a few times but for sure there are times when you just need a bigger bed.....I need it a lot but even grocery getters need it at some point I would think....

My new 2019 High Country has the standard bed, and now that I have it, I will never go back to the short bed. It is so convenient when your loading simple things like fishing poles. You know how nice it was to just lay it straight down flat in the bed of the truck instead of having to put it in at an angle. Then you have to try and mix and match the rest of your things, trying not to damage the poles that are laying sideways in the bed of the truck. I'm totally sold on this standard bed.

texas4ever · June 22, 2020

On 6/20/2020 at 8:54 PM, Dunn said:

they sell more shortbeds than anything and for life of me cant see how anyone wouldn't want a standard bed.....why wouldn't you want an extra foot of space......at some point everyone with shortbox has needed a longer bed, not a lot and maybe only a few times but for sure there are times when you just need a bigger bed.....I need it a lot but even grocery getters need it at some point I would think....

Unfortunately they don't fit in standard size garages...

topgear1224 · June 22, 2020

Unfortunately they don't fit in standard size garages...

Mine does! Width is more the issue for me. I have to reach out and fold in one of the mirrors to pull in. About 8 inches to spare from the front. If I back it into where I can't get past the nose and the door, the tailgate will only go to about a 45° angle.

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