2015 F150 SCAB versus 2011 RAM Quad
12-21-2015, 06:45 PM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
2015 F150 SCAB versus 2011 RAM Quad
So traded a 2011 RAM 1500 4x4 outdoorsman quad cab 5.7 Hemi on a 2015 F150 SCAB XLT 302a FX4 3.5 ecoboost. I have had the F150 for about 2 months now and have 2500 miles on it, thought a comparison might help others checking out this forum looking to make buying decisions, especially since the RAM is still very similar except for the new 8 speeds.
I think that the 3 biggest wins for the F150 are the engine, the quietness and the paint.
The hemi is a good engine, no doubt, but with the 3.5 ecoboost I have the same or better performance/power and I am getting about 25% better fuel economy. So running around 2 lane PA roads I am getting 20+ from the F150, would be about 16 in the RAM (new 8 spd RAMs no doubt would be better.)
I cannot believe how quiet my F150 is compared to my RAM. Part of that is the tires on the RAM were pretty noisy but overall it is a lot quieter. My son even said it is eerily quiet, but he drives a 2012 wrangler with 35” duratracs so take that for what it is worth haha.
The paint on my F150 is 10x better than the paint on the RAM. I am picky, I found 1 nib and one heavy spot on the F150. I couldn’t even count them all on the RAM. The entire lower half of the RAM was orange peel and the paint just seemed “thin”. The Ford paint is really very nice and glossy, so nice I spent 2 days cutting back the road to camp so I could get there and not brush mark my shiny paint.
The RAM is known for the ride, while it is a nice ride, I like the Ford ride just as well. It is a bit firmer (I do have the FX4) but it is controlled and just as comfortable as the RAM.
Some other wins for the Ford, the locking diff versus a LSD. The lights are much better, if you hate the stock F150 halogens go drive a 2011 RAM at night for a while. The site line over the hood is a lot better in the F150 versus the RAM. I think that the body panel fit and finish were similar.
Where does the RAM win? I do not like the door configuration of the SCAB. The suicide half door is just a pain especially when backed in the garage. Have to shut the back door to get around it when unloading. This was the main reason I bought the RAM in 2011. In the end this time around I figured it was something I could live with. I would also think that with the 302A package Ford should have included the homelink.
The thing I am most disappointed with the Ford? Goodyear fortitude street tires with the FX4 package, really? At least something a bit more aggressive, of course I saw them before I bought it and figured I could live with them. I was pulling a small utility trailer to camp with a quad and had to put it in 4x4 going up a small incline with stone and wet leaves, a bit embarrassing haha. Tried diff lock first and still had to put it in 4x4. I even got out to make sure the trailer didn’t have a flat or something. Oh well they will make good summer tires. I have a set of studded winter treads that will fit just need to get some new rims.
A few other thoughts, when I bought my RAM everyone said you will have transmission problems (traded a 1992 F150 with 200k.) Well less then 5k I had the torque converter replaced on the RAM. Then less than 50k I was having 4-5 shifting issues, well I fixed it by trading it.
I also drove a GMC, I like the looks of them with the single headlight. Well check out their forum with close to 500 pages of vibration issues. I liked the truck but got it up to 70mph and guess what the wheel and the whole truck was shaking. I just walked away from that; I do not need that hassle with a new vehicle.
I am very happy with the F150, no issues really. It had one ding the dealer had the paintless guy fix. They adjusted the passenger’s door and tailgate. I also had them road force balance the tires, it fixed a very minor vibration I felt in the steering wheel at times. All this I consider very minor and the dealer corrected it. I will tell you at 100K if this was a good truck or not, but right now I am very happy with the truck and my decision to go back to Ford.
I think that the 3 biggest wins for the F150 are the engine, the quietness and the paint.
The hemi is a good engine, no doubt, but with the 3.5 ecoboost I have the same or better performance/power and I am getting about 25% better fuel economy. So running around 2 lane PA roads I am getting 20+ from the F150, would be about 16 in the RAM (new 8 spd RAMs no doubt would be better.)
I cannot believe how quiet my F150 is compared to my RAM. Part of that is the tires on the RAM were pretty noisy but overall it is a lot quieter. My son even said it is eerily quiet, but he drives a 2012 wrangler with 35” duratracs so take that for what it is worth haha.
The paint on my F150 is 10x better than the paint on the RAM. I am picky, I found 1 nib and one heavy spot on the F150. I couldn’t even count them all on the RAM. The entire lower half of the RAM was orange peel and the paint just seemed “thin”. The Ford paint is really very nice and glossy, so nice I spent 2 days cutting back the road to camp so I could get there and not brush mark my shiny paint.
The RAM is known for the ride, while it is a nice ride, I like the Ford ride just as well. It is a bit firmer (I do have the FX4) but it is controlled and just as comfortable as the RAM.
Some other wins for the Ford, the locking diff versus a LSD. The lights are much better, if you hate the stock F150 halogens go drive a 2011 RAM at night for a while. The site line over the hood is a lot better in the F150 versus the RAM. I think that the body panel fit and finish were similar.
Where does the RAM win? I do not like the door configuration of the SCAB. The suicide half door is just a pain especially when backed in the garage. Have to shut the back door to get around it when unloading. This was the main reason I bought the RAM in 2011. In the end this time around I figured it was something I could live with. I would also think that with the 302A package Ford should have included the homelink.
The thing I am most disappointed with the Ford? Goodyear fortitude street tires with the FX4 package, really? At least something a bit more aggressive, of course I saw them before I bought it and figured I could live with them. I was pulling a small utility trailer to camp with a quad and had to put it in 4x4 going up a small incline with stone and wet leaves, a bit embarrassing haha. Tried diff lock first and still had to put it in 4x4. I even got out to make sure the trailer didn’t have a flat or something. Oh well they will make good summer tires. I have a set of studded winter treads that will fit just need to get some new rims.
A few other thoughts, when I bought my RAM everyone said you will have transmission problems (traded a 1992 F150 with 200k.) Well less then 5k I had the torque converter replaced on the RAM. Then less than 50k I was having 4-5 shifting issues, well I fixed it by trading it.
I also drove a GMC, I like the looks of them with the single headlight. Well check out their forum with close to 500 pages of vibration issues. I liked the truck but got it up to 70mph and guess what the wheel and the whole truck was shaking. I just walked away from that; I do not need that hassle with a new vehicle.
I am very happy with the F150, no issues really. It had one ding the dealer had the paintless guy fix. They adjusted the passenger’s door and tailgate. I also had them road force balance the tires, it fixed a very minor vibration I felt in the steering wheel at times. All this I consider very minor and the dealer corrected it. I will tell you at 100K if this was a good truck or not, but right now I am very happy with the truck and my decision to go back to Ford.
12-21-2015, 06:50 PM
#2
I shied away from the RAM because of the safety rating and transmission complaints as well. I do like how they look though and how they ride.
