Dodge or Toyota

We are looking at a new truck and have narrowed it down to the 2011 ram 1500 with the 5.7 hemi and the Tundra Crew Max with the 5.7. The price is less for the Dodge but the Toyota seems to be a little better built. Can anyone tell me their luck with either of these trucks

and let the Chevy and ford comments commence

not even fair....the Toyota is a no brainer! Better built by leaps and bounds. Better reliability. Better Resale. If you have driven them both they're not even comparable. Even though the Toyota costs more initially, you'll get it all back when you sell it and then some. Not to mention a more pleasant ownership experience.

+1 tundra

i went through this exact same thing in the beginning of the year. I owned an 06 tundra and was very happy with, I sold it to my brother with the intent of purchasing another tundra 4x4 crewmax. I started shopping for the truck I wanted and was pretty disappointed in toyota's service in our area (i have owned four toyotas and I reached out to at least 7 dealerships in the LA area) so I test drove the 4x4 crew cab dodge and was very happy with it. I ended up buying the dodge (never owned a dodge product before) and have been very glad I purchased the truck. I saved some cash by going with dodge, the hemi has tons of power. it gets about 14 mph in traffic and about 18 on the freeway and about 11 when we tow. If pricing and service was the same I would have went with Toyota (because of my past history with them) but do not regret my decision at all.

go with the toyota, they make a pretty quality product. Doesnt compare to ford tho

I have a 2011 Tundra 4X4 Crewmax 5.7. Love the truck, tons of power, pulls well! Thirsty though. Just like boats nothing is perfect. Sheet metal is thin, google tundra 'air injection pump failure'. I've never been into extended warranties, but man I might have to get one...... lots of info on tundrasolutions.com

Don't have any experience with the Dodge, but it is a bad ass, good looking truck. Can't go wrong with them Hemi. Probably get better gas mileage, too. If I were you I would test drive the Ecoboost, too. See what all the hype is about!

Originally Posted by ilikebeaverandboats

go with the toyota, they make a pretty quality product. Doesnt compare to ford tho

Not a big fan of the tundra, but I have to admit it is roomy. My good friend has pulled my VLX a couple times and it does pretty well. He loves bragging about its awesome braking capabilities (which it has) when I try to teach em down shifting.
BUT doesn't compare to the duramax tho

Thanks for the replies,

Ed, the service at our Toyota dealership is really good, I don't know too much about the dodge dealer.

I know that not every vehicle is perfect and there are gonna be little things that you wish were a little different. We are leaning more for the Tundra right now, gonna go look again tomorrow and get some concrete numbers for prices and stuff

DC, I tow in standard mode and downshift! Going down mountain passes I try to lay off the truck brakes AND the trailer brakes!

Sask, crewmax has a ton of room. Truck is big! A lot bigger than the 1st generation.

Tundra hands down.

I guess I am in the minority. I have an '05 Ram SRT10 that I use to tow with. I have know issues with power or performance. I simply love everything about my truck. I have had no issues what so ever. Trucks are the same as the boats though, everybody likes something a little different.

If it was "hands down" he wouldn't be posting the question.

I can't speak for the Tundra, but I am on my 3rd Dodge. You might look for a 2009 2500. Mine is the previous body style (better looking IMO) but I have the 2010 higher horsepower HEMI. Plus with the 3/4 ton platform you get a solid front axle and better tow/haul capabilities. A lot of it depends on what you will use it for other than boat transport. Both are really nice trucks.

The true question is what is the price difference. If the prices were the same and options are the same then go Toyota for resale and it is a sweet truck. There is obviously a trade off and we are each going to have a different breaking point. It all depends on what the difference in price is. I just had an 09' Dodge Hemi 1500 and it was a sweet truck with tons of power. I really did like the truck, but if it were the same price as a Toyota, I would probably take the Toyota. Fact was it was cheaper and there were more benefits for me to go with the Dodge.

I've got an 04 Ram 1500 Hemi and wouldnt think of getting rid of it. It just rolled over 100k a couple months ago and I have had no issues so far. I never thought I would say it, but I love my Dodge. I was alway a Chevy guy, but this was too good of a price to pass up and it hasn't let me down. I've towed with it from Oregon to Orlando, and back to Oregon and it was great. Dodge will definitely be my next truck as well

I just bought a new truck. If I'm buying a full size truck (1/2 ton or bigger) I just can't bring myself to look at anything other than American. The Tundra just didn't feel right.

Go Toyota... the transmission is amazing, I can go down steep mountain passes towing my boat and hold the same speed without manually shifting or using the brakes. The traction control is great in slippery conditions where you are not really needing to use four wheel drive. No need to use four wheel drive on a slippery boata ramp. And the the interior fit and finish is great. I've put almost 25k miles on in a year and am really happy with mine. The mileage and power should be comparible to all 1/2 ton trucks. Had a Nissan Titan before and the power and torque are similar but the tansmission and traction control make driving a much better experience on a daily basis and towing the boat.

Disagree with the Tundra interior. Too much plastic and cheap feeling.......

Ford Ecoboost.... Can't be touched. Sorry, had to.

I can't wait for my current ride to be paid off so I can pick up the new Ford. As far as I'm concerned, they're the only ones in the game with the turbo 6. You can't beat a turbo for low RPM grunt and high altitude pulling power. All the same reasons the diesels kill it, but in a 1/2 ton package that gets upward of 22mpg on the highway.

Of the two listed.... I like the looks of the Tundra better, but the interior feels cheap.

Neither. I'd go the GM route. 6.0L Silverado or 5.3L Avalanche (looks like the 6.0 option was short lived on the Avalanche). Or pony up a few extra bucks for the 6.2L Escalade EXT. I've had my Avalanche for almost 6 years (bought it used), has been very reliable, and the only thing it will get replaced with is a newer Avalanche or an Escalade EXT (more likely the Escalade). Tows great, coil springs in the rear = better ride quality yet still handles heavy payloads/tounge weight well. Mid-gate that you can't get in any other truck made, side stoage bins that are VERY useful for a boater.

Thanks for all the input and knowledge. We just pulled the trigger on the hemi. The price was right, over 10K cheaper with the same options. In the end if money wasn't a factor we probably would have went Toyota but for the price it is a very nice vehicle. We hope that we have good luck with it

I think you will be very happy with your decision.

Originally Posted by saskrider

Thanks for all the input and knowledge. We just pulled the trigger on the hemi. The price was right, over 10K cheaper with the same options. In the end if money wasn't a factor we probably would have went Toyota but for the price it is a very nice vehicle. We hope that we have good luck with it

Congrats I don't think you would get $10k more for the Toyota when resale time comes.

Originally Posted by saskrider

Thanks for all the input and knowledge. We just pulled the trigger on the hemi. The price was right, over 10K cheaper with the same options. In the end if money wasn't a factor we probably would have went Toyota but for the price it is a very nice vehicle. We hope that we have good luck with it

Congrats on the new truck - This was pretty similar to my situation earlier in the year. A very similar 4x4 crewmax was about 8k more then we paid for our dodge crew, hemi. I have towed about 2k miles since we got it in jan and am very happy with the overall performance of the truck.

Originally Posted by saskrider

The price was right, over 10K cheaper with the same options

Wow! I wouldn't have thought it would be that much less. I have an '04 1500 Hemi Quad Cab that I bought used a little over a year ago. It's been pretty good but only has about 50k on it. It meets all of my needs and tows my 23' boat without issue. I couldn't afford a comparable used Toyota and the Dodge was a little more appealing since my price point only included 1st generation Tundras with the 4.7L and the smaller cab.

The only issue I've had is a bad thermostat gasket that dripped coolant slowly on cold nights. I ended up replacing the thermostat at the same time since it was only like $11.

Put that $10k in the bank for a new transmission. Every single person I know that had pulled with a Dodge had to replace the tranny. They may have fixed it now, but I know it was bad for a long time.
I have the 5.7L Tundra TRD and love it. Best truck I have ever owned.

Tundra....

i vote for tundra... but the sheet metal in incredibly thin so don't park it somewhere you can get door dings... also the stock rims are junk if you live somewhere that salt the roads.... I am at 72k on my 2007 Tundra DC... love the truck but the rims were corroding after 65k and dings are hard to keep out of the truck...

I have the a 2011 ram 1500 with a hemi and could not be happier, I tow the boat only 20% of the time, so 80% of the time I am enjoying getting 20 mpg. You toyota guys just think you are getting a better truck, but it is all perception. No problems with the Dodge, great truck.

Originally Posted by joeshmoe

I have the a 2011 ram 1500 with a hemi and could not be happier, I tow the boat only 20% of the time, so 80% of the time I am enjoying getting 20 mpg. You toyota guys just think you are getting a better truck, but it is all perception. No problems with the Dodge, great truck.

Yup ^
I've never had a bad thing to say about 'Yodas and still don't, but anymore, the big 3 all make good pickups (even Ford, gulp....hard to say).
For $10k difference for a comparable truck you're getting a better deal on the Dodge for sure.

Originally Posted by pickle311

Put that $10k in the bank for a new transmission. Every single person I know that had pulled with a Dodge had to replace the tranny. They may have fixed it now, but I know it was bad for a long time.
I have the 5.7L Tundra TRD and love it. Best truck I have ever owned.

With the automatic diesels it has been a problem in the past. The 1500 Hemi I have heard little about the tranny. I have towed with it about 8k miles in just over a year and never had the slightest issue.

Originally Posted by pickle311

Every single person I know that had pulled with a Dodge had to replace the tranny.

Like slax303 I've never heard of the transmission on the Hemi 1500 being a weak point. The rear end w/ LSD on 3rd gens was a bit failure prone due to some fragile clips but I've never heard of consistently bad transmissions on any generation of Hemi 1500.

Yeah- I wouldn't worry about the tranny. I've got a couple of friends that have 1/2 ton Rams - both drive them like they stole them and one tows a lot. Neither has had any issues at all with the trucks and both are near the 5 year old mark I'd say.

Congrats - now how about some pics!?

Tundra Crew Max owner here...I had a dodge previously. Started having transmission problems after 3 years and 40,000 miles. Heaviest load it pulled was a Waverunner. I traded it in on the CrewMax and its a Night and day difference! The Toyota 5.7 has the most HP and Torque of any Gasser available. Not to mention the interior is SOOO much better. It's more comfortable and just nicer. The resale and trade in on the Dodge is crap! Toyota ALL THE WAY! You will not be disappointed.

www.tundratalk.net

Originally Posted by 4Nash

The Toyota 5.7 has the most HP and Torque of any Gasser available.

]

Not that it matters but just to clarify.

second generation 5.7 Hemi - 390 horsepower and 407 lb-ft of torque
toyota 5.7 381 hp Torque: 401 lb.-ft.

lol elc

Right now some men in long coats are on their way to you with a large glass of coolaid.



Please drink it and fix your previous post to read something like:

Toyota's pull as hard as diesels, will last well over a million miles and get over 100miles per gallon. Not that it matters...hahaha

The Toyota 5.7 has the most HP and Torque of any Gasser available

We (Ford) have two gas motors that make more. The EccoBoost at 385hp/420TQ and the 6.2 at 411HP/434TQ

GM also has a 6.2 offering that makes more at 403HP/417TQ

Originally Posted by lifetimewarranty

lol elc

right now some men in long coats are on their way to you with a large glass of coolaid.



Please drink it and fix your previous post to read something like:

Toyota's pull as hard as diesels, will last well over a million miles and get over 100miles per gallon. Not that it matters...hahaha

lol

I'd love to trade in my Sequoia for an ECO boost F150 right now. Towing to Bull Shoals I avg'ed about 9 towing and I get about 13 overall in the Sequoia. I'd love the Ford just for the mileage! Only problem is third row seating is something I need.

Given that the Toyota hasn't come out with a new BIG engine since the model change in 2007 and has for 3 years led this segment I suppose it is about time that Ford, Dodge, and Chevy have FINALLY come out with something bigger. I'm sure the next engine that Toyota comes out with will put these posers back where they belong...in the rear view!

Toyota is just a better made vehicle...PERIOD. Spare me the references to the recent gas pedal issue. Every manufacturer has their issues here and there. But overall...down the entire model line Toyota's are just made better. Just my $.02 and IMHO

I love my 2007 DC Tundra!

My truck is lifted on 35's with 45k miles. Ihave never had a problem. It is a great truck. It tows by boat without a problem and has just about every creature comfort you could ever want in a luxury SUV wrapped into a trucks body.

Did you guys miss the part where he bought the Dodge?

Hey Hate, are you speaking of 2012 numbers for the ecoboost? 2011 is 365hp and 420trq. I love my Ecoboost. I finally was able to tow my boat to a different lake about 2 hours away with lots of hills and passing lanes and was actually passing people pulling the hills, the best was the 7 mile 7% grade coming home, there were a couple times i caught my self doing 70mph, 4th gear around 2800-3000 rpm.

Steve you are correct its 365, my bad.

Eric, your opinion is not humble. Can you please elaborate on how Toyota's are so much better and please feel free to cloud your points with facts.


Ian, I got your message and ill get back with you.

Originally Posted by hatepain

Steve you are correct its 365, my bad.

Eric, your opinion is not humble. Can you please elaborate on how Toyota's are so much better and please feel free to cloud your points with facts.


Ian, I got your message and ill get back with you.

It isn't? Sure, I can elaborate. isn't that what peoples opinons are made up of just that, OPINIONS. I have had both the Dodge ('07) and the Toyota ('10). In my OPINON the TOYOTA is superior. I have had my truck for only one year and have already put 30,000 miles on it. I have not had one issue AT ALL. By this same mileage in my Dodge I was already noticing the transmission was slipping. Apparently, from other people that I know who have had Dodges, transmissions are not their strong point. Both vehicles got about the same gas mileage (14 - 15 mpg). The interior alone is enough of a gap between the two that would be hard to make up. You spend most of your time behind the wheel of your truck anyway so the interior and the powertrain are the most important pieces of the puzzle in my OPINION. The Dodge I had looked extremely cheap on the inside. I felt like I was inside a Little Tykes toy instead of a truck. I know most vehicle interiors are plastic but they really skimped out on the Dodge. My Toyota rides much nicer and handles much better than the dodge. The turning radius is, I feel, smaller and I have the Crew max Toyota vs. the 4dr Extd cab dodge. The cabin is much quieter on the road than in the Dodge. So much more room in the Toyota vs. the Dodge. I can sit in the back seat of my truck and have PLENTY of room. the seats also recline and move either forward or backward. I have sub boxes behind my seat that probably take up an easy 5 inches of leg room and I still have more room than I could even dream of in the front of my Dodge and I'm 6'2". It just feels and sounds much more solid to me. Again this is MY OPINION. One feature that I love about my toyota is the power rear window which is awesome and very useful...something that was not and IS NOT available on the Dodge. Yeah they may have a "powerslide" window but that is only the middle section. It may seem meaningless to some but once you have it its a nice addition.

My Dad has a 2011 Dodge 2500 Cummins Dually extd cab. Although his truck has a lot of power and is a nice rig I still think that the interior of the Dodge looks cheap, again like riding in one of my kids Little Tykes or Power wheels. I prefer my Toyota over the Dodge but that is just my OPINION.

I hope that was clouded enough for you...

Originally Posted by trio

I love my 2007 DC Tundra!

My truck is lifted on 35's with 45k miles. Ihave never had a problem. It is a great truck. It tows by boat without a problem and has just about every creature comfort you could ever want in a luxury SUV wrapped into a trucks body.

Is that a 3/1 lift? 18's? I have a 3/1 and am trying to decide on wheels and tires. Thinking 33's on 18's not sure if it's worth the extra $500 total for 20's...

Originally Posted by 4Nash

Is that a 3/1 lift? 18's? I have a 3/1 and am trying to decide on wheels and tires. Thinking 33's on 18's not sure if it's worth the extra $500 total for 20's...

Sorry to thread jack...

Yes it's 3/1 Truxxx Lift. Toyo M/T 35 12.50 20. 20" BMF Novakane Wheels. Love it!! A little rubbing on the skid plate taking a hard U turn but nothing major. Other than that no problems at all.

The Dodge is sick too! Good choice.

Originally Posted by 4Nash

Given that the Toyota hasn't come out with a new BIG engine since the model change in 2007 and has for 3 years led this segment I suppose it is about time that Ford, Dodge, and Chevy have FINALLY come out with something bigger.

GM's 6.2L makes a lot more power than the Toyota and came out in 2007. Please explain to me when Toyota was ever the leader of the segment in anything?

If the GM 6.2L you are speaking of has the same ouput of what was previously stated at 403HP/417TQ. That is not really A LOT more power. The Tundra makes 381HP and 401TQ. I misquoted when I said it is the most powerful gasser available. I made the mistake of not researching before quoting. I can admit that. You caught me...thanks for steering me in the right direction though...but still in my OPINION I like the Toyota better and feel it is a superior vehicle.


But really who cares he already bought the Dodge anyway and I'm sure he will enjoy it. Just as we all enjoy our own trucks and I'm sure he will think the Dodge is better. Its no different then Chevy guys thinking their's are better, and Ford thinking their's are and so on. Its a matter of opnion.

We didn't hear one person mention a Nissan (Titan) though did we....hmmmm

Originally Posted by trio

Sorry to thread jack...

Yes it's 3/1 Truxxx Lift. Toyo M/T 35 12.50 20. 20" BMF Novakane Wheels. Love it!! A little rubbing on the skid plate taking a hard U turn but nothing major. Other than that no problems at all.

The Dodge is sick too! Good choice.

Looks good man!

Look I own a 2007 Tundra DC.... great truck... but to say its the toughest and most powerful truck out there is ignorant... the numbers dont back it up and if you think its so sturdy look in your side mirror and go down a bumpy road... watch that bed jump all over the place.... will this ever cause a problem? Nah it prolly won't...


Also measure the thickness of the sheet metal of the bed and other places... Toyota's is thinner... which leads to easier dents/dings....

Love my truck but if had the extra cash I would have a GMC plain and simple.... they are the most powerful and toughest truck on the road BAR NONE END OF STORY

Congrats on the new truck! I really like the styling on the 2011's! Dodge did a great job with freshening up the front end. Post some pics!

Toyota's are never the wrong answer.

Sask-

We just went through the same process in May. We narrowed it down to 3 new 1/2 tons

1. Ford, f-150 with the Limited with the 6.2
2. Tundra Crewmax TRD Limited with the 5.7
3. Dodge Ram Laramie with the Hemi

We did test drive the ecoboost and were VERY impressed, however I wanted the Limited package and the Limited only came with the 6.2. You can get the ecoboost in the platinum addition, but I was set on the Limited, I liked the looks of the limited (not as much chrome) as the platinum. Anyways, the ecoboost was very impressive.

Anyways, at the time, the Ram was about 8k less than the Ford and Toyota. The Ford and Toyota were within about $1,500 of each other. Our assessments on what we narrowed it down to-

Plushness and functionality of Interior- Ford was our winner, Dodge and then Toyota
Ride comfort- Dodge & Ford tied as our winner
Reliability/Reputation/Resale Value- Toyota was the winner (based off of perception and reputation)
Exterior Looks- we liked them in this order- Dodge, Toyota, Ford

With anything, boats, trucks, houses, etc. We wish we could take the best of all 3 trucks and mesh them together, but obviously you cant do that.

We ended up going with the Toyota. The thing that put the Toyota over the top for us is, it came with a factory installed Toyota Supercharger and the factory TRD intake/dual exhaust etc. What that translates to...it has STUPID HP and Torque! Toyota made me a deal I couldn't refuse.

I know I am somewhat comparing apples and oranges, but I gave both Ford and Dodge a chance to quote me with superchargers and they both said even if it's factory/dealer installed before time of purchase, it still voids most of my warranty. The Toyota Supercharger doesn't affect the warranty and it has an 8 year warranty on the entire truck including the Supercharger.

That being said...If there was not Supercharger involved, we would have probably bought the Ford, then the Dodge, then the Toyota...I just COULDN'T deny what this Tundra can do when you hit the gas...it's RIDICULOUS! Makes climbing summits with the boat on the back very fun!

Hope this info helps u in your decision???

Here's a picture of her...

A buddy did the TRD blower on his Tundra. It's QUICK! (and expensive) Just over 500hp/500tq isn't it?
Too bad I left him sucking coal dust running up to the Eisenhower tunnel (both towing our boats) with my little 6 cylinder...........................CUMMINS!

Seriously though, bad ass option on the Yodas.

Yeah Thrall...Let me re-phrase that...STUPID HP & Torque (for a gasser)...this things enough for me (for now) :-)

The tundra is ugly with a shortened front end. looks like it comes from the factory wrecked, like a english bull dogs face. The dodge is much better looking. I have a 2006 Ram 1500 HEMI and it pulls better than my dads navigator or my old 3.0 ranger, that's all i have to compare to. If I had more money there would be a ecoboost fx4 in my driveway. oh welllll

Ice-
Thats an awesome looking truck, no doubt that thing would have some power. We didn't really need the super charger and the truck is mostly used for every day commuting with a little bit of towing.

Here is a pic right after we got it. I want to spice it up a bit with some new rims/tires/leveling kit and put a little more stuff on like ram air intake/chip/exhaust when we get the funds to.