2018 F-150 XL 3.3L GDI vs 2014 Ram 1500 Tradesman 3.6L Pentastar

So yeah.......I wish it were that easy. With both being so close in performance I honestly don't know.

Goes back to these things I guess:

1.) Full cab with shorter bed vs Extended cab with longer bed. = Dodge wins
2.) Total miles = Ford wins
3.) Current condition = Dodge wins
4.) Future Rust issues = Ford wins due to aluminum body.

Im right back at square one as there was no winner for towing.
 
So yeah.......I wish it were that easy. With both being so close in performance I honestly don't know.

Goes back to these things I guess:

1.) Full cab with shorter bed vs Extended cab with longer bed. = Dodge wins
2.) Total miles = Ford wins
3.) Current condition = Dodge wins
4.) Future Rust issues = Ford wins due to aluminum body.

Im right back at square one as there was no winner for towing.

I owned two Ram 1500 classics. A 2017, pentastar, QC, 4x4 and a 2019 hemi CC, 4x4. I loved them both, but I only owned each to ~70K miles.

The Ram 1500 you are considering is 4yrs older and has 50K miles more on it than the F150. I'd take that carefully into consideration.
IMO, that's nearly a lifetime in the rustbelt. I know pentastars can last a long time, but that's a lot of miles. Same with the 8hp45 8spd, front carrier stub-shaft (research that one) and the indefinite back-ordered EPS rack to name a few things.

I haven't followed the aluminum bodied F150s, but I'd imagine those will corrode as well. The underpinnings, electrical connectors and parts of the chassis and drivetrain definitely will.
 
This is honestly a super hard decision to make.

I settled on buying the 2018 F150 and will sell my dodge. There was no trade option or any other way other than to just buy it before the deal dissappeared. Looking over the alumium body and looking over rot buckets at auction with aluminum body there is never corrosion. So I think whatever salt they use in PA doesnt react with the aluminum.

It was such a close call there was not a right or wrong choice. I picked based on miles, and overall long term ownership. Although my dodge is mint underneath the 2013 ~ 2014 at car lots are all rot buckets. So I get mine maybe 3 winters before it starts to show rust and bubbles. The ford I just gotta keep the frame fluid filmed and it should be good for 10+ yrs.
 
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Of the two trucks, I think you made the right call. I would have used the same factors to make a decision, the mileage and potential rust issues are a big deal. As much as I love the eight speed and interior of the RAM I'm sure the Ford will serve you well, enjoy!
 
I haven't followed the aluminum bodied F150s, but I'd imagine those will corrode as well.
Yes.
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Because I made up my mind to sell the dodge i've been driving it more and getting my last drives in with it, and still really like it.

So I have been glued to the aluminum body f150s at auctions for years and just could not afford 15 ~ 22K for something with over 100k, I was not thinking id ever score one. For some reason ford nailed the metal prep only on these as there is no worming, corrosion, peeling, etc, however my fusion has the worming really bad on the hood and all the older exploreres with those hoods corroded as well as the lift hatches.

I guess time will tell........
 
I'm not a fan of either we have a 17 phord and a 20 didge at work, the didges engine is better that the phord but the didge is literally falling apart.
 
Aluminum can corrode. My fiancé's 2007 Mustang GT with only 25,000 miles on it and never drove in snow or bad weather has the underside of the aluminum hood corroding. Her step-mom used to own a 2005 Ford Expedition with the aluminum rear hatch and it was corroding all over the place. My fiancé's 2017 F150 already has paint coming off of the tailgate with only 51,000 miles on it. I'm sure it will eventually corrode if she doesn't get the tailgate re-painted.
 
Our 2018 Grand Caravan does as well…. Same spot as my parents 2004 Grand Caravan.
Interesting! We have a 2007. I presume the hood is steel. No rust there yet - wish I could say the same about the rest of the van.

My friend I mentioned with a 2016 phoned a local wrecker, and found a hood in the correct colour - with the same bubbling under the paint. ☹️

There's lots of discussion about this on the Dodge minivan forums. Seems to be a common problem.
 
Interesting! We have a 2007. I presume the hood is steel. No rust there yet - wish I could say the same about the rest of the van.

My friend I mentioned with a 2016 phoned a local wrecker, and found a hood in the correct colour - with the same bubbling under the paint. ☹️

There's lots of discussion about this on the Dodge minivan forums. Seems to be a common problem.
The edge of the hood is a magnet for things that’ll chip the paint it seems, ours is a family hauler in the salt belt so it was just a matter of time and I ain’t too worried about it, everything else still looks fantastic. My 2011 Durango was the same way, but at the time I really cared and kept a paint pen to fix nicks in the edge of the hood.
 
The edge of the hood is a magnet for things that’ll chip the paint it seems, ours is a family hauler in the salt belt so it was just a matter of time and I ain’t too worried about it, everything else still looks fantastic. My 2011 Durango was the same way, but at the time I really cared and kept a paint pen to fix nicks in the edge of the hood.
Agreed, that's usually the case, but here the paint appears to be unbroken, with the bubbling happening internally. I'll try to get a photo.
 
I concur with Skippy. All of my previous Fords had corrosion issues with the aluminum panels. Doesn't seem to be a significant difference with steel where I'd base a keep/sell decision on

Perhaps they have it all sorted out now.
 
I was going to link the article but now I am unable to find it, but apparently ford was very familiar with the corrosion issues and reached out to alcoa and spent literally millions to perfect the pickling process to ensure this would be a success.

I can only tell you my experiance at my state auction of rot bucket trucks, that the chevys, pre alumimum fords, and dodges are all rotted out. Pre 2015 fords had white paint that would peel by the sheet. Magically the 2015+ aluminum bodys still suffer from frame, brake line, and wiring rot, but the bodys are pristine. White paint still intact in full. Here in pa we pour on the salt by millions and most 7 year trucks are already to be scrapped by their 10th year.
 
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