08/05/2026
Battle of the half ton trucks:
When it comes to mechanical work I seem to work on trucks/suv's more than anything which makes sense considering the area I'm in and well...that's what many use for daily drivers in the Rocky Mountains. Although much of my expertise is gasoline engines, I do work on Diesel engine equipped vehicles too. I keep track of all my business metrics religiously. I can tell you for 6 years in a row Ford F-150 Ecoboost trucks have been the #1 truck I have worked on, followed by Ram 2500 diesels, then Chevy 1500's. One thing to note is that obviously things change throughout the years. Engines, transmissions, options, bodies you name it. Surprisingly I don't see Toyota's too much. But that will change considering Toyota's recent troubles with their 3.4L twin turbo engine notorious for all sorts of issues, same with GM's woes with lock pins shearing, lifters collapsing causing pushrods to bend or break(Active fuel management 5.3L ecotec engines). Do your research if you are looking into a new truck especially the new 2026 Toyota Tundra. Toyota continues to deal with lingering consumer anxieties and technical scrutiny surrounding its 3.4-liter twin-turbo V6 engine, persistent electronic and infotainment glitches, and cabin build quality complaints. The main issue was the extensive recalls from 2022-2024 concerning manufacturing debris left in engines. So perhaps putting a little money into your older rig to keep it going isn't such a bad idea. Especially considering prices anymore to get into a brand new truck are well...exceedingly high.
Keeping track of data allows me to see what's in store for me, and also so I can add new tools and obtain info so I'm prepared to tackle issues right away. People ask me alot if I were going to buy a 1/2 ton truck what would I go with? My answer is simple but it needs understanding too. It really depends if you plan on keeping your truck a long time. If you intend to do just that I honestly recommend a 2010-2018 Ram 1500 5.7L with MDS deleted and preferably the older 5 speed automatic transmission. Overall parts are inexpensive and they are reliable if taken care of. Resale value may not be as good as the others, but if you plan on keeping it a long time you will be pleasantly surprised. They are not the best for towing, but overall they are kind of the working man's truck. I highly recommend using 5W-30 oil and not 5W-20. It is worth noting Ram brought back their 5.7L Hemi due to popular demand and the 3.0L TT engine has it's issues. Hopefully Toyota will as well with their V8 option considering their latest problems.
What's your take on 1/2 ton trucks? GM, Ram, Ford F-150 or neither?
