Ford or Ram for heavy highway towing… which one holds up better?

I’ve always had GM trucks, and while they’ve been solid, I just don’t like them, so I’m leaving them out of the conversation.

I’ve owned a few Dodge trucks before, and while I love the power, I’ve always had concerns about their build quality and, of course, the transmission.

Ford has always seemed to build the best overall truck, but I’ve had doubts about their engines since the 7.3 era. I currently drive a 2020 F-250 with a 6.2. It’s been rock solid for 250k miles—until now. It’s in the shop for electrical issues, but overall, it’s been one of the most reliable trucks I’ve ever had. It’s a company vehicle, but my manager just told me they’re swapping us all to F-150s, which is a joke for what I do. They offer an $800/month stipend and a fuel card if we opt out of the company vehicle program, which doesn’t make sense for most employees, but for me, it might. I run a business on the side and could use a truck for personal needs, too.

I rack up a lot of miles—not all hard work truck miles, but not just easy highway cruising either. I’m torn between Ford and Ram. Ford costs more upfront, but it might hold value better in the long run. Is it realistic to get 300k miles out of the new 6.7 without spending a fortune on repairs?

Right now, I’m in a rental Ram with a Cummins, and I’ve fallen in love with the torque and power band for towing. The Cummins reputation is well known, but I don’t know if the rest of the truck will hold up or if the transmission will make it to 300k without a rebuild.

Anyone here have real-world experience with either truck at high mileage? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Honestly, either way, you’re splitting hairs.

They’re pretty close these days. Just go with whatever feels best to you.

Maintenance and how you drive it will make or break either truck. Beat on it, and it’ll fail early. Take care of it, and it’ll last.

Personally, I’d take a newer F-350 with the 6.7, but I have zero interest in emissions-era trucks.

When you say ‘lots of highway towing,’ how much time are you actually in the truck? If it’s 60% or more, I’d say get a Ram 3500 DRW. If it’s less than that, then it’s really just a matter of preference and how big your loads are.

I-6 engines are known for longevity and are great for towing. I’m surprised Ford and GM haven’t put an I-6 or a big inline-4 (like the Isuzu 4HK1 or Detroit DD5) in their work trucks. But most people buying these 3/4 and 1-ton trucks aren’t hardcore haulers—they just want a powerful V8 for occasional towing.

As for transmissions, some of the issues are real, but a lot come from people overloading or running aggressive tunes. Know your truck’s limits before pushing them.

@Bly
I’ve never had a V8 fail just because it was a V8. Cummins’ biggest engines aren’t inline, either.

Chapman said:
@Bly
I’ve never had a V8 fail just because it was a V8. Cummins’ biggest engines aren’t inline, either.

Never said V8s were bad. If they were, nobody would use them. They’re just harder to work on.

I haven’t had to do anything on my 6.7 Cummins yet, but my old F-250 with a gas 300 I-6 was way easier to work on than my old Chevy 350 V8.

And yeah, some of Cummins’ biggest engines aren’t inline, but that doesn’t mean V16s are better than V20s or I-6s. It’s all about trade-offs—size, pressure, wear, cost, and ease of repairs (unless you’re German).

Ford 6.7 all day.

I’ve had four service trucks (F-450s and F-550s) that were run hard, driven all over, and worked like actual trucks. 2018-2023 models. Change the oil and fuel filters regularly, use quality oil, and you’ll be fine.

They’ve all hit 200k+ miles with only a few minor issues—wiring problems, boost hose popping off, DEF issues, and some suspension work. The biggest pain was the upper oil pan gasket leak. When it starts dripping, plan to have it fixed.

Our newer Rams are having weird electrical issues. These are 2023 5500s, though.

I’m a Ford guy, but honestly, both are solid. Just pick what you like and what fits your budget.

If towing is the priority, I’d look at a 2016-2018 Ram 3500 with the G56 manual. Build quality was way better than the older Dodges, and a manual is a no-brainer.

If you don’t want to shift gears, are you really serious about a tow rig?

Also, the CP4 fuel pump on Ford 6.7s and 2019-2020 Rams is a deal-breaker for me.

@Rohan
Ram actually recalled the CP4s on the ‘19 and ‘20 models to replace them with a CP3. Just make sure it was done if buying used.

@Rohan
I’m only looking at new trucks, both for tax reasons and because used trucks are crazy expensive right now.

Remi said:
@Rohan
I’m only looking at new trucks, both for tax reasons and because used trucks are crazy expensive right now.

If you think used trucks are overpriced, wait until you see the price of a new one…

@Fane
I know exactly what they cost. I wouldn’t buy a truck under five years old unless I found a steal, and those are rare right now.

Remi said:
@Fane
I know exactly what they cost. I wouldn’t buy a truck under five years old unless I found a steal, and those are rare right now.

Gotta know where to look… or just buy a salvage truck and rebuild it.

@Fane
I work six days a week. I don’t have time for that.

Remi said:
@Fane
I work six days a week. I don’t have time for that.

Fair enough. Have you looked at auction trucks? If you find a company truck with low miles, you can get a great deal.

@Fane
He doesn’t have time to roll the dice on a truck. He needs a reliable work truck, so new is the way to go.