I've always been a Chevy guy, especially when it come to racing. I have to buy a new truck before today is up, and I'm having 2nd thoughts. I want to buy a new extended cab 1/2 ton truck that will last 200,000 miles, and the ride, the steering, and the brakes work good. I'm having trouble deciding. The only Ford I can buy is a STX extended cab 2WD truck with a 4.6 V8 engine. I like the looks of the truck, and my parents have ford vehicles, and they last. I don't know much about the 4.6 except it runs well, but not very fast, which is ok I guess. It rides great. Will this engine be around for the long haul? I will occassionally pull a trailor with a racecar, and that wieghs around 5000 pounds. A 5.4 Ford is out of the question due to cost. I can get a Chevy extended cab 2WD truck with a 4.8 for the same price as the Ford. A Chevy 5.3 maybe possible. I don't know anything about the 4.8. Here are my choices. Please Help!!! I want whatever truck I get not to rattle very much when it gets around 100,000 miles.

Ford 1/2 ton 2WD extended cab 4.6 V8 3.55 rear gears

Chevy 1/2 ton 2WD extended cab 4.8 V8 possibly 5.3 3.23 rear gears

I won't be racing this truck, but maybe pulling with it every now an then. I can't find any specs on the 4.6. Any help would be appreciated! This isn't about Ford or Chevy to me. I'm always gonna like sbc chevy's. I want this truck to be maintenance free, and last, regardless of it being Ford or Chevy.

Opinions are like *** holes everybody has one. I say if you like the GM brand buy it, if you like Ford get it. Your the one paying for it dont let anybody steer you in any dirrection. Get the one you want.
There all about the same now days, maintenance is the key to the longevity.

I'm a parts department manager in a GMC dealership and I personally like the GMC over the Chevy due to the exterior looks, but the running gear is all the same. I've liked GM since I started driving and not because it was my first car, I had a VW bug first.
What I've believed for years is that the Ford trucks worked better off road and the GM trucks worked better on road but now they have pretty much the same suspension in the front and rear that they're pretty even. Ford trucks out sells GM trucks in Texas but I've always felt it was the price that was doing it because the GM trucks were a little to expensive for most truck owners.
I know our local Ford dealer parts department is always buzzin and there service drive is always full where ours is a slower pace. That would lead me to believe that there breaking down more often but the Ford guys would say thats because there's more Ford trucks on the road. I do know one thing for a fact, our warranty part sales are down for the 2005 year about 4.6% but our new truck sales are up 17%.
So like I say buy what you like and dont listen to anybody else, unless of coarse your parents make that decission for you.

I own a auto repair shop and I see both trucks on a regular basis, and they both have the same type of troubles. Buy what you can afford and what you like. Either truck will be good. The key to 100,000+ miles is MAINTENANCE, without it you can run either into the ground.

Steve

If it's even money, more cubes is always better!

Have to agree with Steve on the maintnance issue. I have a 97 Tahoe with 210,000 on it. Change the oil regularly and a intake manifold gasket about 50,000 miles ago, but I did have to get the transmission rebuilt about 60,000 miles ago because the radiator failed and filled the tranny up with water!!!!!!!!! A word of advice if anyone has a Vortec chevy that has over 100,000 miles on it, spring for a new radiator!I just bought a new Nissan Titan it is real strong and rated at 9600# towing capacity. For the money it was a better deal than the big three had to offer.

Either will do what you want, I have the 4.8 and it pulls my racecar just fine,however my brothers F150 with the 4.6 did just as well no trouble from either one of them yet, mine has 70,000 miles on it his about the same.Pick the one you like,maintain it and it will live a long life.

so far i think everyone has made very good points! I `am a chevy guy myself and really like my 93 suburban, it is a 350 4x4 automatic with almost 199000 and does not use any oil. one thing i do NOT like about ford is it seams like they are constantly trying to re invent the wheel? also if you buy a 2005 ford? don`t you think you should get a 2005 ford?? sounds like a crazy question i know? but a friend of mine bought a 2000 ford van, he wanted to change the fluid and filter in the transmission as it was time and was making some noise" not to hard right?? so we go to the parts store and get the filter/gasket and fluid, when we get under the van we discover that the pan shape does not look like the gasket we have! we go back to the parts store to find we do have the right kit for that year! no other is listed for that vehicle! we resorted to looking at a haynes manual on the shelf to find out what actually was in the van was a tranny for a 1999!

The KEY to getting yhe model year right is no longer the build date. It used to be that if a vehicle was built on or after Sept. 1, it became the next model year.
i.e 09/01/70 made it a 1971. On some trucks, it was simply determined by a break in the sequential number of assembly. (i.e. to Y76999 was 1974, from Y77000 was 1975.)

Ever since 1981, with the implementation of a standardized 17 digit VIN number... the year of the vehicle is represented by the 10th digit. B=81, C=82, D=83 ... 1=2001,2=2002, etc)

There are still occasional "carry-overs" of parts (i.e. The catalogs say that a 2000 should use part# DEF2468, but it has the part# ABC1357 which was supposed to fit the 1999 model. It really doesn't seem to happen near as much any more though.

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As far as the Ford / Chevy choice goes ... I'd ask the guys in the independent repair shops.

I worked for Ford in the early 90's, and I can tell you that opening a hood on a Ford truck looked like a plumber's worst nightmare. Some of the newer models with that "cab-forward" design make tune-ups pretty interesting, too, I bet!

I guess what I'm saying is that you need to consider what effect the ease-of-repair factor is going to be after the warranty runs out. If changing plugs is an 8-hour ordeal, it's going to cost you more in labor to maintain it.

I can't tell you how the Ford pulls, but I own a Chevy with the 5.3 and my neighbor has one with the 4.8. My 5.3 pulls better and gets better gas miliage than his. Thats all I can tell you.

I had a 2001 Silverado with a 4.8 and it was ok. I wouldn't call it a powerhouse, but it pulled my 17' boat without a problem on the flat lands.If you are going to pull a trailer with a car on it in the mountains or hilly terrain I would get a truck with a bigger motor. I would also have to agree with the maintenance thing everybody else mentioned. I traded my 2001 Chevy off for a Ranger this summer, I couldn't afford the gas for a V8 commuting to work and school.

I live in the mountains and wouldn't even entertain the idea of pulling a race car on a trailer with a truck that small. If you live in the prairies go for it. I would also look at the weight of the truck. I consider towing a trailer that is heavier than your truck a little dangerous. It is also harder to back up a trailer with a standard tranny. This may help you decide.

had a 99 f150 4.6 towed a 55tbird to casagranda and back no sweat a great engine also deal with a engine core co they tell me that the 4.6s never or very seldum come in with holes in the block taxie guys say they run for ever.

so whats the point???? I dont get it.

not long ago I have read in a rebuilder book that truck 4.6s and car 4.6s are not the same engines and made in different plants too.

"we" have a 2003 5.3 chev extended cab 1/2 ton Z-71 elec 4wd auto trans with 4.10 posi's (2200 rpm at 60 mph) to pull gooseneck horse tailer/camper. Gross weight was 13,500. Does 12 loaded, but got 14 coming back from South Dakota running 75-80 on interstate loaded, and 17 mpg truck only on the road. on 87 octane. Decent power unless you are in heavy mountains. Hard to beat. Chevy beat the GMC price. too much more money for prettier headlights.

New fords are ugly. Hey, if you hate rattles, then buy the Ford. The new Chevys are NOT small blocks they are the LS series. Do yourself a favor. You are a Chevy guy, you will never like a Ford.

Either one will work fine. What I base my decisions on is working on the vehicle. I plan on keeping it until it rusts in half. How hard is it to remove every part of the engine for repair. I also get under the vehicle and do the same thing. The difference is what makes my decision. Some things are a nightmare to work on others not as hard.