Recently bought an 08 E350 that's a drive by wire steering, can't say as I like it but to late it's mine now. Best pick up I've ever owned was a 91 Dodge Dakota v6 5 spd. Bought an 03 Dodge Ram and 800 lbs damn near bottoms it out. Quit driving it and with the saved gas money bought an 04 Toy Taco gas ins reg and 78 bucks in my pocket and carries 1200lbs easy.Have a totally abused 78 Chevy Stakebed good truck. also a 90 Ford crap for paint bu it's never seen a roof over it.Trucks are like screwdrivers ya need a variety of them to have the right one for the job.For shear grace and beauty 1950 Studebaker gets my vote, but 36 Dodge is right up there.
I will only buy Fords from now on. Why? Because I wont buy one from Goverment Motors or Chrysler, both owned by uncle sam and the unions! Thats the same as turning the assylum over to the crazy folks.
Ford has the best work product in the 3/4 and 1 ton pickups. Chevy has the best trany, and Dodge the best motor. If you maintain a fleet of work heavy vehicles Fords are less expensive to buy and maintain. If you pull heavy trailers you CAN NOT pull with a Dodge as the transmissions WILL fail. If you say otherwise then obviously you dont work in the industry or pull many trailers. If your one of those people that think you need a 40 thousand dollar dual wheel one tone extended cab diesel pickup to drive to your job at the university and play offroad on weekends then Chevy or Dodge is THE way to go. The Chevy and Dodge motors have tons of aftermarket goodies for power and a huge following with offroaders and racers.
Half ton pickups? It dont really believe there is much of a difference. If you maintain them well and drive responsibly they are all fine vehicles. Ford seems to have a better marketing strategy and sells many more vehicles. I have owned them all and aside from Chevy fuel pumps they all have performed well.
80 chev Blazer - 150,000 miles, rebuilt the 350 at 120,000, hard to beat in the woods, but body rotted away - relegated to snowplow duty then junked
91 Jeep Commanche - 110,000 miles - gave it to daughter who killed and junked it. Good little truck for the money
88 Jeep Wagoneer - bought 10 years ago for snowplow duty. Does this job like a champ.
89 Ford F-150 - bought used with unknown miles, drove as commute vehicle, good solid TRUCK. Sold later for lack of use
95 Chevy C2500 ext cab - Nice ride, 210,000 trouble-free miles. USELESS for hauling. (The F-150 carried a truck camper better)
04 Ford F350 Diesel Crew cab - Nice ride, 130,000 trouble-free so far, Pulls 12,000 lb trailer or carries a yard of gravel like its not even there. Has the same turning radius as a Greyhound Bus (actually, the Greyhound MIGHT be a little better), but I gotta say this is the most solid TRUCK out of the whole bunch.
86 1/2 ton dodge short bed with a cummins and 1 ton under carriage i built it it has winchs fornt and rear 100 gallons it is the best truck i have ever seen.
Been driving Ford pickups for over 40 years and always had good luck with them.
But my 2001 has been a big let down, it started rusting away after 3-4 years old.