GMT 400 vs 90s Ford OBS

[FrankieD61]

The old Ford vs Chevy question...

GMT 400 vs Ford of that era? Which one comes out on top (reliability, engineering, etc.)?

I've always been a GM guy. I grew up around them and always liked there styling. (These days everything is all equally junk.)

If this is the wrong area for this post sorry. I couldn't find another logical spot for a question like this.

 

[Supercharged111]

This is more of a lounge post.

I'm sure others will have more info, but to me back in that era Ford was way stingier with the motors. A 350 was a dime a dozen in a half ton Chevy, not so with a Ford. I suppose they had the 8.8, but just to look at and sit in they seemed wimpier. Sure they had the Powerstroke, but back then the numbers were on par with a 6.5 TD, caveat being they didn't suck like the 6.5. I still enjoy seeing them on the road, and gutless as it was the old 300-6 was a damn good motor.

 

[95burban]

I sure did enjoy my 1997 crew cab short bed 4x4 powerstroke. the obs ford is a very well built truck. I have nothing bad to say about them.

When it comes to work trucks and heavy towing you cant beat the 99-present ford superduty platform.

But if you want to take the bride out on a date, hop in that Denali or Cadillac and enjoy the ride.

 

[1ton-o-fun]

I'm not brand loyal. I like some of what EVERYONE has to offer (auto manufacturers). '90s Fords were the pinnacle of corporate America purposely engineering everything to: 1) Last a specific amount of time, and: 2) Be as difficult as possible for the average Joe to work on.
Everyone does it now, ALL across the globe (how long do your shoes last? Or your phone's battery?). But I feel like Ford was really leading the charge as far as American auto manufacturers go. They started way before the '90s, but had it down to a science by then, for sure.
Now, in 2022, if you look at the "real" results of attrition of the obs trucks, it sure appears that GM still were building trucks to last.
For your specific question, I give the nod to GM.
Just don't ask my opinion about apples to apples engine comparisons. 5.0 Fords are always compared to 5.7 GM instead of 5.0 GM offerings, and 5.7s to 5.8s, etc... but that's another rant, lol!.

 

[HotWheelsBurban]

The 2001 F150 that we had for a while, had its good points. The seats were comfortable, and had much better leather (King Ranch trim level) than what GM used on our trucks. The engine was peppy, and it was quick off the line. Stopped really well, with big 4 wheel discs.
But it had plenty of things I didn't like too. Being a tall 4x4, it was work getting in and out of it. It's taller than the crew cab! And to fix the engine problems (Triton 5.4 ) I would have needed to get a bunch of specialized tools for it. And the parts were more expensive than the same parts for the Chevys.
So...when someone who knew how to work on them, and liked them, wanted it, I was willing to sell. Some of that $$ went to buy a Chevy OBS pickup....

 

[Erik the Awful]

Back in the '90s, if you needed to pound through a cow pasture, the Ford twin-I beam suspension made it the truck of choice. I've also known guys who swore that the Ford 300 I6 would tow far more than the 302 and 350. The downside was all the funky stuff Ford does.

If you needed to tow, the Cummins made Dodge the truck of choice. I think Dodge's 318s and 360s were under-rated, but the trucks were leftover '70s garbage, so the engines didn't really matter.

If you wanted what everyone had you bought a Chevy. As much as I didn't appreciate the GMT400s back then, I completely get them now, and I'm glad so many people bought them then.

 

[Supercharged111]

The 2001 F150 that we had for a while, had its good points. The seats were comfortable, and had much better leather (King Ranch trim level) than what GM used on our trucks. The engine was peppy, and it was quick off the line. Stopped really well, with big 4 wheel discs.
But it had plenty of things I didn't like too. Being a tall 4x4, it was work getting in and out of it. It's taller than the crew cab! And to fix the engine problems (Triton 5.4 ) I would have needed to get a bunch of specialized tools for it. And the parts were more expensive than the same parts for the Chevys.
So...when someone who knew how to work on them, and liked them, wanted it, I was willing to sell. Some of that $$ went to buy a Chevy OBS pickup....

The 4.6 and 5.4 2V motors IMO are terribly gutless. They sound good when you wind them out, but they have NO torque. They'll run forever, but I HATE the way they produce power.

 

[RedneckWithPaychecks]

I liked my 97 F150. Never really had problems with it. My BIL still has it. Biggest issue with the 4.6, is that it didn't have an issue. He takes his kids tent camping with it all the time and it doesn't really get used in winter. He had a 95 F150 before this one, and I think he traded it for a 98 F1-50th anniversary edition. All 3 were/are solid reliable, but I still don't really like Fords. They're mostly not for me, but I do like those 97-2004 F150s. OBS F150s? I don't mind 'em, but again, not for me. I like my bowtie, but I can drive a blue oval. Sometimes.

 

[618 Syndicate]

Ford's 300 straight 6 is one of the best motors ever. By anyone.

 

[User_name]

Ehh... well. I choose chevy because I've never liked fords styling, and the fact that the only engine they had going for them was the 7.3 idi and 7.3 psd. And those engines weren't even ford engines. (Made by the thirteen letter śhit spreader company)
But I do miss my 1979 bronco . That thing was a beast. I loved the 351m that it had.