FWIW I like the looks and styling of the Chevy/GMC best of all. Very nice looking. But I won't buy one, they just typically won't last as long as the Toyota.

The Fords just do nothing for me as far as looks. Not a big Dodge fan either.

I just don't think you can beat the resale value of the Toyota, especially the Tacoma.

I'll probably buy a Tundra 4WD extended cab in a couple years to pull a camper for some retirement fun. I really like the look of the Tundra Extended Cab over the Crew Max cab. Or I might get a Sequoia.

Summery, my vote is for the Tacoma.

Good luck to you.

Ditto.

OP, and a couple others since then. Why do you opt for the bench seat?

I had a Sierra with the bench seat, and now have a Silverado with the buckets.

I actually preferred the bench seat in the Sierra, but prefer the console you get with the bucket in the Silverado. I think when I do it again I'd go for the bucket as the seat is 8 way adjustable so I can usually find a spot I like.

So is it the seat that you guys prefer, or is there a reason I'm missing? Do people actually sit in the front middle in trucks anymore for longer than a quick trip?

quote:

So is it the seat that you guys prefer, or is there a reason I'm missing? Do people actually sit in the front middle in trucks anymore for longer than a quick trip?

Good question. With Ford Super Duty trucks, you can only get a manual transfer case with a bench seat. The center console w/buckets doesn't allow room for the transfer case lever so instead, you get an electronic shift on the fly knob on the dash.

Of course your next question is why would someone want a manual transfer case? If you want to tow your truck behind your motor home, you need the manual transfer case to be able to shift it into neutral and prevent the transmission from turning. Electronic shift on the fly doesn't have a neutral position, so you have to disconnect the drive shaft at the differential to tow a truck so equipped.

Edited to fix my mistake. Manual transfer case only on the Super Duty trucks. Looks like Ford dropped the manual transfer cases in the F-150 for 2011 and newer models.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: trapper189,

Ford offers an electronic transfer case with the bench seat, in fact, every Ford 4x4 I've looked at had one, even work trucks.

quote:

Originally posted by sigspecops:
Ford offers an electronic transfer case with the bench seat, in fact, every Ford 4x4 I've looked at had one, even work trucks.

You're right. Looks like Ford dropped the manual transfer case in the F-150 for 2011 and newer models.

Around here they don't drop the price much on the Tundras, guessing they sell all they need to around here.
I got a good deal on my 2011 F150 and it has been solid. I liked that Ford didn't take the bail out money so I did not think about Dodge or Chevy.
I will admit that I don't like the looks of the Tundras enough to have bought one at the prices they were asking when I was looking.
I like the looks of the F150s much more, but I probably place too much importance on Form vs function.
The Tundras are good trucks but not a great fit for me.

HK Ag

I have owned two Tundras. Absolutely love the 2016 I have right now. Might not be most technically advanced pickup but it has the history of being more reliable than another truck. I picked that over technology.
The current downside to the Tundra is the storage. The Ram has it beat hands down. If you want more storage in a Tundra get a 2013. They changed the storage option in the 2014 models and above. I am still able to keep all my emergency stuff in the cab and have anything else I need in a tote in the bed.
I would go forums for each truck and see what the most common issues are. That will give you a good idea on what you can expect to go wrong.
I think the F-150 and the Tundra are tied for truck that is mostly built in the USA.

I was looking at a 2018 Tundra crew cab 4x4 TSS, which has practically everything but leather seats and sunroof. The lowest quote I got was $39,500. The msrp was $48k. Most dealers wanted around $41k.

quote:

Originally posted by x0225095:
Lots of backseat space says Ram 1500.

Looked into the Mega-Cab version of the 1500 when truck shopping. Shouldn't worry about extra space with one of those.

I've got a 2015 F-150 and I've looked at Tundras a couple of times and came away liking the F-150 better. The ergonomics on the F-150 are better, things tend to fall to hand and are easy to reach. The center screen on the infotainment display is larger in the F-150. The F-150 also comes with more equipment standard.

A couple of annoying things on the Tundra. A few years back when they made the larger fuel tank an option, they changed the contour of the floor pan under the rear seats to clear it. The floor comes up damn near the bottom of the lower seat cushions and there is no underseat storage in the rear. On my F-150 the rear floor is totally flat and there's a storage space for work gloves, tow straps, jump box, etc. The tailgate lock on the Tundra is manual and is not linked into the poor door locks for the passenger compartment. The rear diff on the Tundra is not locking, it's a brake operated pseudo limited slip.

My 2015 F-150 is a 4x4 Supercrew with the 3.5 Ecoboost. The fuel mileage sucks. You can have boost or you can have eco, not both. Recent trip out to California, all highway miles with the cruise control set at 80mph and 75mph returned 14mpg. Yes, my truck is leveled and I'm running 33" BFG All-terrains. I can get 20mpg driving highway at 65mph, but any faster and mileage drops rapidly. That said, it's got great power and with the twin turbos it does not lose power in the mountains.

Either truck is a great truck and it will probably come down to personal preference and whichever you're most comfortable with.

Well, our Ford 150's frame was so rotted out at 85,000 miles that it wouldn't pass inspection. A couple of years later, my wife tells me that that our Ford truck has an issue. I guess so, the right front wheel was facing 90 degrees in a different direction from the left wheel. Can you say tie rod let go? Two weeks later we got a mass mailed letter from Ford telling us to check the tie rods they might be defective and, by the way, we aren't covering it or doing anything about it should it occur to you. Thanks. Yet a third Ford truck had the transmission totally croak at 80,000 miles. No more Fords for me!

quote:

Originally posted by bigeinkcmo:

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Originally posted by corsair:
... Before purchasing, I shopped the F150's, they had lots of engine options and the moonroof was nice but, the fit & finish of the interior was much better in the Tundra and the electronics seemed better put together with the Toyota. If it was just a work truck, I could live with some of the F150's short-comings or, lack of refinement but, it's an everyday driver so the Tundra won-out.

I just want to point out the various trim levels in the F150 make a huge difference. A basic XT F150 feels almost comically under-equipped. It really is a base features / work truck level of perks and that's it. My Platinum feels extremely luxurious and almost has too many features. It's got pretty much every option except self parking and adaptive cruise. It made my 2008 nicely-equipped Lexus GX470 seem completely outdated. So really it depends on what you're comparing.

The cowboy-Cadillac interiors never appealed to me. It was pretty absurd the amount of options and levels Ford offered however, the engine options, particularly the eco-boost was what got me interested in them. Ultimately, it's a matter of taste and needs.

I own a 3rd generation Sr5 Tundra. Here are the biggest shortcomings of this truck:

- Gas mileage
- No locking deferential
- Low payload
- OEM trailer brake controller doesn’t work (easy aftermarket fix)
- Terrible sound system
- Outdated headlights unless you go with 2018 models
- Lack of usable storage space in the cab
- Michellin tires it comes with are soft and mushy

What I like about the truck and why I chose Tundra (SR5) over F150 (XLT):

- The iForce V8 engine
- The drive feels more solid and “truck-like”
- Easier to do some of the upgrades by myself (My mechanic skills are minimal)
- Great resale value and reliability ratings

I owned both trucks in the past. Very happy with both. When the time came to buy a new truck, I went with Tundra over F150 because Toyota offered a better deal and financing.

I recently went truck shopping and ordered a 19 Ram 1500. It looks like you have a similar build idea to mine. I went crew cab 4x4 bench seat and needed lots of rear room for my tikes. The rear seat room is dinosauric in the new 1500. Its measured bigger than the Megacab. Seriously check it out. I'm well over 6' and have tons of leg room in the rear.