Zastava_101

Commanding over 40 percent of the 2011 F-150 pickup's sales, Ford is making huge waves on both the sales floor and in the garages of the truck-buying and trailer-towing masses with its EcoBoost-powered models. Having driven several examples of the turbocharged and direct-injected V6, it's easy to see why – excellent performance and good fuel economy go hand-in-hand with refinement and a price that's rather easy to swallow.

So, is General Motors worried that it doesn't have a competing technology in its full-size pickups? Not according to Chris Perry, Vice President of Global Marketing for Chevrolet. In a new Ward's Auto article, Perry claims that GM can beat the F-150's fuel mileage performance with the suite of technologies in The General's arsenal when the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra are given their next major redesigns.

"(Ford has) done a good job of marketing the EcoBoost, and that's a challenge on our side to make sure that consumers understand you can get similar mpg out of a V8 Silverado without sacrifice," Perry says. "Without sacrifice" isn't really a sentiment we can agree with, however. In point of fact, the V8 engine GM offers that posts fuel mileage figures close to the EcoBoost's is the 5.3-liter V8, and that engine's power levels (315 horsepower and 335 pound-feet of torque) pale in comparison to the 365 horsepower and 420 lb-ft delivered by the Ford.

http://www.autoblog.com/2011/09/07/g...boost-success/

Moosetang

Hey Mr. Perry, can I buy some Pot from you? Or whatever it is you're smoking?

AlsCobra

I'm sure I'll get some crap for this but: GM builds a better truck. Ford has always built a very good truck but truck and full size SUV, GM wins. And has been winning for years.

Zastava_101

How is GM winning? Based on what? Not sales, that's for sure.

AlsCobra

It's a better quality truck. It just is. Maybe not as up to date on technologies but just built better. And will outlast the ford trucks. I've worked for GM Ford and Dodge dealers. Just stating my honest opinion but it is only my opinion. The pushrod is still strong.

Zastava_101

Since Silverado's base engine is still 4.3L V6 rated at only 190 hp (compared to F-150's 3.7L V6 rated at 305 hp) ... Silverado is really outdated.

AlsCobra

Yeah. I'm still not sold on the ecoboost. Let's see how long that thing lasts. I'm not foreseeing 200k miles out of them. We will see. And the GM 4.3 should be scrapped. It takes more fuel just to make them move in the full size p/u. Time will tell I'm sure.

hahnsolo78

Base on the torture test( I know it was conducted by ford but whatever) I'd say the ecoboost is good for the long haul, I've had a lot of trucks in my day and they were ford dodge and chevy. Based on my truck history I'd say ford is by far a better truck class for class, my trucks all took abuse and none stood up to it like my 78 f150 or my 96 f150

stupidgenius36

They're not worried? Why?...Because they've always been a step behind in the truck market? I have no doubt that they'll try to even the playing field by the next major redesign. But doing so by building a perfect V8 "without sacrifice"?...bull****. There's always a compromise. Whether it's performance/price/etc. You can't have everything.

cdynaco

No way Al. True GM has owned the Suburban market over Ford for many years. But not pickups.
Not only my own experience in commercial use (which was street use), but Weyco and other large logging companies where they used everything from 2 door F150's, to 4 door F350 "crummy's" - lashed and beat the crap out of in the woods - have held up way better than GM trucks. Dodge is a distant 3rd in quality.
My bud worked in Weyerhaeuser truck shop for years and he told of the difference. And over the years you saw their fleet become 90% plus Ford trucks because of the dependability. We're not talking some Mississippi valley farm stuff or sissy city trucks. We're talking serious rugged mountain use throughout the NW.

AlsCobra

Yeah but it all the same with GM. Truck, SUV all on the truck platform. The explorer and expedition are really sorry compared to the Tahoe.
HD diesel trucks I'll go with Ford if I needed one. But I'll still prefer sitting in a chevy.
I'm pretty much basing this on half ton trucks. Really the better truck IMO.

Zastava_101

True, but buyers of SUVs and pickups are not looking for the same thing out of their vehicles.

Explorer was never in the same class as Tahoe. Blazer and Trail Blazer were ... and we all know how good they were. So good that Chevy killed them a while ago.

AlsCobra

I'm really not tied to one brand myself. IMO ford made the mustang, crown Vic, and trucks. They can flush everything else. GM has put out some real garbage also. Chrysler still failing but getting a little better.

cdynaco

I can't speak to the diesels. Most of Weyco's fleet were 350 gassers in F150/F250's. Same with Pacific Power utility fleet. Almost all Fords.
As for me, 300k over 10 yrs with strictly Fords - absolutely zero fails from 350's in stretch vans and cube vans, 460 & 414 V10 in F450 super duty cube trucks. Cut my own path across 5k passes many a winter hauling countless tons of coffee, dry goods, coffee & hot chocolate machines, and espresso equip. My company ran a huge fleet across 13 western/mountain states. They tried a few Chev's, Isuzu's, always came back to Ford.
My personal F150 I6 is at 253k with only regular maintenance and wear and tear (new engine at 218 from broken ring). Got my $9600 out of that baby many times over and its still pullin.
My Jimmy 2ton cattle truck has a 350 with 100k on it. Not running from broken manifold.
My truck money is staying with Ford.

AlsCobra

I hear ya. My 99 Tahoe has at least 250k and my 03 suburban is pushing 200. That GM LS motor is really hard to beat. Just will never be comfortable in a ford truck except maybe a lightning or raptor.

2k7gtcs

My 2001 Suburban was a flaming pile of elephant dung. I will never buy another GM vehicle and doubly so in the Government Motors era.

I've had a Toyota since that was only slightly better than the Suburban but the last few years have been spent in Ford trucks and an Expedition.

If you don't feel right in a Ford truck then maybe you're not doing it right.

2k7gtcs

And Chevy interiors are abysmal. Looks like they were designed by mental patients.

hahnsolo78

My 78 had about 378000 on it before drivetrain upgrade, was a 351 and now it's a 390
They don't build them like that anymore

Kona Blur

Totally agree... My 08 silverado LT had a crap interior. Even in the z06s the interior looks cheap


But the expedition/explorer have sucked since the dawn of time. I drove a new king ranch f150 the other day and was quite impressed. The ecoboost looks promising IMO

Zastava_101

What's wrong with Expedition and Explorer?

My brother's best friend has a '98 Explorer with over 170,000 miles on the odometer. Still running very strong.