My family loves Toyota so I will vote 2015 Tundra SR5 4.6L V8 for you. One of my siblings just took delivery of one in the TRD Pro trim (Toyota's version of the Ford Raptor) and I gotta tell you it's incredible. You may opt for the CrewMax for extra room since all of y'all are so big, and it doesn't seem like you'd miss the one-foot longer bed. I own a Hilux model myself overseas, and although it's very old with a few minor repairs, it's still going strongly at over 200,000 miles on the odometer.
Good info in this thread, Haymitch. I'm also in the market for a truck. Never considered Chevy but I might sniff around a few dealerships. I'll rep when I spread.
By far the most reliable gasoline powered trucks are the Silverados. You can't break a Vortec chevy motor. I would stick with domestic here anyway, it's all about preference and taste. The new F150s look great, but I'm not sold on their eco-boost engines just yet. And the new aluminum bodies have been shown to only bump fuel mileage by a single mile per gallon with any v8 model trucks. Not that significant. I've currently got a 1996 C2500 Silverado packaged extended cab. Currently has 303k miles on the original engine and transmission. I still smoke most of the newer model trucks with my L31 Vortec. Beast of an engine, best gasoline truck engine ever built. I don't baby it either. I should probably chill on how I drive, but I beat the living hell out of it and it doesn't quit. I'm constantly towing with it for my father's business. He by the way, uses a 03 Tahoe with the newer LS based Vortec engines, and those damn things are just as tough.
And if you want to doubt the Vortec engines, Just check under the hood of most of your Toyota built Forklifts that would lift anything of significance. All Chevy Vortecs in them. Don't even trust the strength of their own engineering for industrial use applications.
I would go with a Toyo because of reliability. My old man had a Silverado and now a Ford Truck. When I installed the side steps (whatever they're called), I was surprised at how poor the welding is on the Silverado and how thin/flimsy the sheet metal was. Nothing like Japanese or German cars.
Yes camrys are very reliable. So are tacomas, but they use gas like a full size truck and are not spacious. Tundra are gas guzzlers and they far from being related to camrys.
I'm also buying a new truck after my last on got wrecked. I'm pretty sure I will pick a Ram 1500 again. I've done some research on GM's and Fords offerings but I'm just not into their trucks. I don't like GM'S boxy looking trucks. I don't like the F150's grilles, it's like they tried too hard to make it stylish and failed IMO. The upcoming 2015 looks to be a Tundras' and F150s b*stard child.
Now the Ram 1500 offers best in class horspower (5.7 Hemi V8, 395hp) an 8 speed tranny, smooth ride, and i think the body styling looks the best among all 1/2 tons. Not to mention dual exhaust from the factory. Why havent the other guys taken note and added dual exhausts to their own trucks? To me, it just does't look right that Fords and GM' have a measly little pipe sticking out to the side.
That's because they are newest in terms of redesign. I expect Ford to be the number 1 truck of 2015, and when Chevy refreshes their line, they will be and so on. The truck market is so competitive and profitable that the Big 3 can't afford to miss a step. That is why Toyota hasn't been able to put a dent in it.
They are nuts. Rated best at what? At adding fancy compartments? They been making the crappiest trucks since I could remember and not they take the throne because some biased paid reviewer said so? Oh hell no. The 2003 ram looks identical to the 2015 btw. Great renovation.
They've made minor face lifts since 03. But you know what they say, if it ain't broke. Rams are just sexy. I personally think that the F-150 looked very good in the 04-08 model years. I'm not feeling the current generation and the upcoming 2015 looks like a Tundra.
If you and K LoLo are looking at mid-size trucks and aren't in a hurry, it might be worth waiting a year. The Tacoma will be redesigned in 2016 (I think) and the Colorado is rumored to roll out an 8 speed automatic gasser, a diesel, and a ZR2 next year.
Buick and GMC are doing a 20% off on all vehicles sale right now (only for the next 2 days). I have no idea of the quality of the trucks, but you can get a Sierra Denali for about 40k with that sale (10k off msrp)
