I know you guys are going to be slightly biased, but I am 95% ready to buy a 2011 Dodge Ram Laramie. My current vehicle is a 2006 F150 King Ranch with 70,000 miles on it and its paid off. I think the Ram is the best looking truck out there right know and I look forward to having the 5.7 HEMI. I am a little gun shy though to pull the trigger and trade in my current truck which has given me no problems and no longer costs me money. Besides the financial decision I really wish the Ram had a 6 sp trans and I dont know if I should wait another year to see what Ram does with the 2012 Trans. Maybe you guys can chime in on how the 5 spped is and if waiting for a 6 that may or may not come will be stupid. Thanks in advance if you chime in on this

 

My 1997 F150 had a 4 speed auto and it worked fine. I figure the 5 speed is just that much better. 6 speed? I don't know how important this would be as my hemi with 3.92 cruises at about 1500rpm at 60mph.
How about a 283 with a powerglide (2 speed)?
Now THAT needed more speeds!

 

I have never found the 5 speed to be an issue at all. Performance wise and towing it has left me wanting for nothing. There are those with different cab configurations and views on the gear spacing, opinions will vary. Would I rather have a 6 speed, sure I guess…..or an 8 speed, or a 10 speed....

 

iam not a ford guy at all, but i would never give up a well running vehicle for some some shiny new sheet metal no matter how good it looks. i could put that money to much better use, ira, pay down mortgage, college fund for kids, some safe stocks, money market ect.

 

An old mechanic I used to work for always preached "drive it till the wheels fall off of it!" I can certainly see appeal of having a new Ram but if the Ford is still running like a champ do as I wrote above!

 

I have an 06 FX4 luxury edition that my son drives now and I bought a Ram Sport back in 09. I had looked at another FX4 in 09 but always liked the looks of the blue Ram sport and after driving one, I did not look back at the new F150, even though the Ram had a 5 speed trans and the F150 was a 6 speed. The Hemi had a more aggressive factory tune and trans schedule and the F150 could not compare with the it's midrange pull. Even with a tuner/intake and exhaust setup on both, the Ram rules hands down. Ya, I like to play with the tuners, even our 2008 Ford Edge has a custom tune from Evolution Performance. For 2011, Ford finally has a decent engine lineup, a friend of mine is the general mgr of our local Ford dealer and I need to take out an Ecoboost for a couple hours when they start stocking them, still like the F150's but not enough to trade my Ram for. Be sure to get the 3.92 LS gears with your Laramie if you do it, you would be real happy with your purchase. I would also see what you can find out about new trans options for the 2012's, I believe they were looking at 8 speed trans for the charger/challenger platforms, be real nice to have them extra gears but I do not tow anything worth mentioning here so I really cannot comment.

 

My bro just traded in his 06 King Ranch for a 2011 F150 Lariat. It has some really nice features. Worth looking at B4 you decide.

 

Honestly, I'd keep the truck you have now. Nothing against the Ram, but you have a 5 year old paid off trouble free truck. Might as well save your self some money.

 

 

I love my Ram but I do not like the transmission. It is geared all wrong and does not allow the HEMI to reach it's full potential.

I had the chance to test drive the 2011 F-150 a couple months back at a Built Ford Tough Event, with all the new motors, and all I can say is WOW. The 3.5L V6 EcoBoost is AMAZING! The 6.2L V8 is awesome! The 5.0L V8 is cool! They all have 6-speed transmissions.

On a short (650 feet) "drag racing" stretch they had all of the 2011 F-150s and also a 2010 Silverado 4.3L V6 & 5.3L V8, and a 2010 Ram 5.7L. My quickest time was in the F-150 6.2L. My second quickest was in the F-150 3.5L EcoBoost. My third quickest time was in the Ram (just barely edged out the 5.0L Ford). My fourth quickest time was in the F-150 5.0L (right at the heels of the Ram). My slowest time was in the Silvetrado V8.

Do yourself a favor and go test drive the 2011 F-150s before you settle for the Ram. Both (Ram & Ford) trucks are great trucks. The Ford just has a bigger advantage right now.

Good luck!