Part of my task of testing the Rescue 21 system has been to trailer my 28’ Vessel Assist Zodiac all over the country.  In doing so I have been able to use three different diesel trucks.

1. 2006 2wd Dodge 2500 Mega Cab
2. 2008 4wd Ford F-250 Crew Cab
3. 2009 4wd Chevy 3500 crew Cab

To be fair the dodge is only a two wheel drive and is not equipped with the Smog restraints that the Ford and Chevy are, but I did come up with a point system that through my own personal experience, felt was fair. Three points for first, two for second, and one for third.
 
All of these trucks are loaded to the hilt and I am lucky to have owned any of them. Problems that I may have encountered with any of these trucks are on my own vehicle and I would argue that they are isolated incidents. I feel that if I would have picked out a different truck  instead of any of the three I bought there would be a good chance I would not have had any problems.  Also, this is my independent study and I have zero influence from any sources from or from any company.

Test one (Noise level)

This was a very tough test since all of the truck have been mistaken for Gas trucks by friends of mine who have driven them.  After 20 years of running Vessel Assist boats my hearing is not as acute as most peoples’ so this is merely my opinion.

Ford 3 points, Dodge,2 points and the Chevy 1 point

I say this only because the Chevy is a little noisier on city streets and the ford with road tires is ultra quiet.  The difference is almost unnoticeable and would not be noticed if I were simply test driving any of the trucks looking for noise.

Test 2 (looks)

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder I am impartial to looks but according to ALL of my friends the Ford has a better look than the others.  This was before I put 35” rock star wheels with Pro Comp tires and a $6000.00 front bumper with winch on it.

Ford 3 points, Chevy 2 points, Dodge 1 point

Test 3 (Inside Space)

We did a lot of cross country driving on a very tight schedule with a three man crew driving; one person drives, one rides in the passenger seat, and one rests in the back.  They call it a Mega Cab for a reason: hands down, the most room by far. With the seats folded down you can fit a full sized foam mattress with ease. In the Chevy you can squeeze a twin mattress in and with the Ford you’re stuck sleeping on the seats because they don’t fold well. The Dodge and the Ford passenger seats recline about the same but the Chevy’s reclines farther making resting in the front seat substantially more comfortable.

Dodge 3 points, Chevy 2 points, Ford 1 point

Test 4 (bluetooth)

The Dodge and the Chevy come equipped with bluetooth but in the Ford I needed to install an after market system. Only because of technology the Chevy wins over the Dodge.

Chevy 3 points, Dodge 2 Ford 1

Test 5 (fuel economy)

To be fair the Dodge runs with less smog and it is 2wd but 18-20 mph towing was awesome. The Chevy is still new and has not been broken in but it still gets a respectable 12 miles per gallon. The ford is a Fuel HOG!!! 7mph on a good day while towing.  We found because we could only get 190 – 220 miles before the fuel light turns on we were stopping more costing us more money in ill-advised snacks, not to mention fuel. And when the 50 miles till empty light turns on stop immediately the gauge is not accurate and you WILL run out of fuel.  There are two areas on I- 10 in Texas where if you miss your fuel stop you will never get to the next one.

Dodge 3 points, Chevy 2 points, Ford 1 point

Test 5 (Mirrors)

The Ford stands alone in this field with electric extending and folding mirrors it has a better driving view than both the Chevy and the Dodge. The Chevy and the Dodge aren’t bad, the Ford is simply much better.

Ford 3 points, Chevy 2 Dodge 1

Test 6 (towing power)

This was tough to determine. The Dodge and Chevy have “throw you back in your seat” power where the Ford has more of a “roll-on” power. The ford is a distant third and at times seemed gutless, but the Chevy even with all the smog junk added to it has more power while towing than the Dodge and the Ford.

Chevy 3 points, Dodge 2 Ford 1

Test 6 ( the grapevine test)

I have made several trips over the infamous I-5 Grapevine. This is where the true colors come out in these trucks. In all cases I left San Diego with a full tank of fuel and the boat was loaded the same.

The Chevy is, overall, the better of the trucks with a half tank of fuel left after going over and back down the other side. The motor runs as fast as you can push it with the ability to increase speed even on the steepest parts. The Dodge also had plenty of fuel and could make any speed necessary to get up the grade but the transmission got a little warmer than I would expect. The ford was a dog and I needed to fuel at Magic Mountain or half way up the grade. The truck just feels restricted and is flat once it hits the grade making it almost impossible to pass.

Chevy 3 points, Dodge,2 points the Ford 1 points

The tally:

Chevy 18 points, Dodge 16 points, and the Ford 14 points.

I did not grade the reliability or the warranty service because I only have 10,000 miles on the Chevy.

I blew up the transmission on the Dodge towing over the Continental Divide during the summer (as well as the air conditioning).

The Ford blew out a radiator in the middle of Texas and again in San Diego.

All repairs were performed without issues and would not affect my choice if I were to buy another truck.