I had a 03 Ranger FX4 Level II before getting my Ram. I loved the truck when I pulled it off the lot, that lasted about a week. Poorly put together rattle box! My 05 Ram, after 11K miles is as tight as it was new.

 

THe 5.4 2v has a reputation for blowing plugs aqnd the 04 5.4 3v has bad engine knocking-valve train noise, Ford dealer told me it's normal...

And in 02 Ford had a really bad run of tie rod ends and upper/lower ball jionts, the front suspension in my 02 was rebuilt three times under warenty.

Dodge has had issues in the past as well, but I had to get a new truck, Titan was my first chioce, but to expensive and you could not get one in a reg cab with a 8ft box, the Reg cab ram is big bigger than Ford or GM, Thats why I went to dodge, For the bigger cab...

 

The eary 5.4 and the V-10 both have aluminum heads and only 3 or 4 threads per plug hole this will work fine on a steel head but after time the 5.4 and the V-10 are known to blow the plugs right out he heads Ford knows about the problem but will not recall them.

I think in 2003 or 2004 they made a new head with 6 to 8 threads per hole they say this fixed it.

It cost the warrenty company $4000.00 twice thats including rent a car fee's, and me beening out of my truck 2 to 3 weeks at a time, I also been told for some reason they also use aluminum gears in there plantary gear for to automatics thats trans normaly breaks in there trucks.

Ford also saids change the plugs at 100000 miles ownners that have tryed this if they were one of luckly one's that made that far with out blowing a plug out are reporting the plugs build so much carbon on the end of them the plugs sezie up in to the heads and toast the theads getting the old plugs out.

A company called timesert makes a specail helli coll set that they claim you can fix this you'r self with heads on the truck it cost like $350.00 for the kit.

Oh yea I was told or read the 4.6 head will fit the 5.4 and those heads hold up good.

Ford also claims that if a motor use up to 2 Quarts oil between oil changs that normal (3000 mile to 5000 miles) I don't know about you thats not normal thats why you buy new trucks to have no problems.

 

If Ford made a better truck, I would have bought one.

 

I had a couple of Ford trucks over the years, never really had any major problems, the Dodge just got me with the Hemi and styling.

 

You cant beat 5.7L with 345hp. You just cant, now way no how. I mean, Ford dont have any ***** in those 5.4's, no matter how bullet proof they are. I drove my dad's 5.4L Expedition and thought it was pretty quick.....how wrong was i? When I started driving the Hemis, I realized that the 5.7L was a totally differant deal. Not to mention the differance in manufacturer. I fell in love with the Hemi and I always will. I will never buy a truck from the blue oval, though they are dependable, Ford just doesnt touch Dodge though I would rather drive both Ford or Dodge instead of a Chevy or a.....*chokes back vomit* Titan.

 

I switched from an '82 F-150 to a '03 Ram last month. I have no complaints about the Ford. I've owned it for 20 years and have had no major problems with it, other than the dealer-installed air conditioner. In fact, if the air con still worked, I would probably still be driving the Ford. But I've found that as I get older, I have less heat tolerance during the Arizona summer. :-)

BigBadWally

 

I've already got 133K on my '02 and she runs strong as hell still. I don't think you'll be dissappointed

 

Dude You might as well put on a pair of dirty underpants and take a dodge ram with a cummins turbo diesel out for a test drive. You can't say you can't beat it until you feel 610ft lbs of torque and 325 horsepower. Also your right the titan is junk it can't tow its maximum GCVW without leaving you stranded. And lets hope you know the sayings about the F.O.R.D.S, because in all honesty I have had a ford and it was the biggest pile then I got into jeeps then dodges and I plan to stick with mopar 4 life. chevy I don't have a problem with just the die hard chevy fans that drive them or just love them in general.

 

I dont care what anyone says....diesel or not, a Dodge Ram is still a Dodge Ram and the Hemi makes it a dream come true. I dont need all that torque either and I wouldnt buy a truck with 610 lb.ft unless it was stick. Buying a stick truck in Houston is worthless, I'd go through clutches like nothing because all the freeways are under construstion and this makes rush hour traffic even worse. Automatic Hemi is fine with me.