I guess Fords tricky advertisement really works.

I read an article almost identical to this just a little bit ago. Only the headline was "analysts see recession ending as truck sales rise"

Not that I should be surprised to see a Ford biased article on this site though.

Wonder if the Ford "nay sayers" will chime in as this is yet another article validating that what Foed has done to date is working. And to who sells the most. And to those hoping GM new truck designs coming will reverse their trend, we'll see. As has been posted and written about, GM will need to fix their less than satisfactory Customer Service rating IF they what to be selling more.
http://blogs.cars.com/kickingtires/2010/03/porsche-lincoln-buick-claim-top-spots-in-jd-power-dependability.html

"The best-selling 2011 Super Duty model is the F-250 Crew Cab with four-wheel drive and the new 6.7-liter diesel, accounting for about 60 percent of sales."

So, the best selling truck is a light duty diesel Lariat/King Ranch......and Ford thinks an F150 with a smaller diesel wouldn't sell? You have to be kidding me.

Come on already, Give us the 4.4L diesel in the F150 and Expedition!

@Laddy: How is this biased?

"A total of 61,602 light- and heavy-duty pickup trucks have sold year-to-date over the same period last year. Ford trucks represent 50,126 units, well ahead of GM’s 14,971-unit increase. Toyota is up 5,678 units, and Nissan sold an extra 2,002 trucks while the Ram Trucks brand has struggled to find footing. Sales of Ram pickups were down 11,033 units."

Ford is selling the most trucks right now. Period.

Last year we reported (when others had no clue) that the Silverado 1500 was the best-selling half-ton truck in the U.S.

http://news.pickuptrucks.com/2009/07/beyond-the-numbers-2009-year-to-date-sales-figures-for-fullsize-pickups.html

Last week, we noted how GM still sells the most half-ton trucks, when you combine sales of Sierra and Silverado.

http://news.pickuptrucks.com/2010/05/a-quick-look-at-year-to-date-truck-sales-through-april-2010.html

Maybe you forgot about that?

When GM and others start to make some news, we'll be all over it.

Like, for example, our drive of the 2011 GM HD pickups tomorrow. Embargo on that story lifts June 14.

Thanks Mike!

Keep up the good work, beleave it or not there are actually some people that really appreciate what you guys do.

@synrgy: Thanks!

BTW - I'll add (and maybe it should be a separate story) that based on market share, Ram truck sales are at their lowest point (13.9%) since 1993. You may recall it was the 1994 Dodge Ram that revolutionized full-size trucks and more than doubled the Ram's sales and market share (to 14.2%). It peaked at 21% in 1998.

@Laddy
There's a lot of articles about ford on this site because ford is making A LOT more good news than other brands. I think Mike Levine might prefer ford trucks right now (LIKE THE MAJORITY OF TRUCK OWNERS), but he's not biased in his articles towards them. He points out the facts, and the facts show that ford is having A LOT more success right now than other truck manufacturers. Whenever there is any kind of news about trucks.... any trucks...... I know I can trust this site for good unbiased information and hopefully hear some of Mike's personal opinion too. That's what I like to read, even If I disagree with his opinion.

MIKE LEVINE,

Any thoughts why the Ram trucks are not selling as strong as they should be ?

Could it be the confusing it is a Dodge,its not a Dodge in advertising,but the vin and markings on the truck is still a Dodge ? And they say it will be vinned a Dodge,and a Dodge name/emblem on the truck somewhere,but not advertised.

Or is it harder to get financing through Chrysler,since the bankruptcy ? They use GMAC now I think,Chrysler credit is gone,I think .I believe that may be a factor.

Anyways,Mike It would be greatly appreciated if you would tell me/us your opinion, maybe you have some insider knowlege of the issue..The Dodge boys are confused on this,Its a great truck line-up and they should be moving better off the lots..

Sorry if you already posted any information about this,I dont check in all the time...

Thanks again..

+1 Beebe. If I want to expect total neutrality, I will watch a CNN anchor. I want Mike's honest opinion on here, even if other's don't like it. Not his fault GM and Chrysler aren't making any worthy headlines lately.

There have been comments on different posts about management and product development at different companies. I hope the big three all continue to produce quality pickups and can sustain successful business plans. Having said that, I think that Alan Mulally has clearly done a great job with Ford. He saved Boeing not so long ago which is the reason Ford hired him. They needed somebody with his abilities and it has worked not just in Ford's pickups, but across most of their lines as Ford is seeing improved quality and sales (and getting attention for it).

*He can also be credited for Ford not requiring bail out money.

Facts are facts people. The whole truck industry is up, not just furd. If this was truly and UNBIASED site it would read like the other article read, "analysts see recession ending as truck sales rise."

I think Mike does a great job, but his bias toward Ford quite often shows through. Sometimes this site could almost be called fordpickuptrucks.com

As for Ford being the only company having news, that is false. I know that for 2011 the Ram HDs will be increasing there tow numbers. I have yet to see an article about that, but when Ford did it there was a write up about it. I love the site, and the freedom for anybody to post, but quite often the Ford bias by the site is a little much.

@Laddy: Show me where I can find the info about the 2011 Ram HD towing ratings going up and I'll write it up ASAP if it's official. If it's a rumor, I'll need to substantiate through my sources before I post it.

I guarantee an improvement like that won't be overlooked or ignored. We've certainly covered every change GM has published for its 2011 HDs.

@ Laddy or is it Bob? If you don't like the truth go start your our site and you can name it www.crybabypickuptrucks.com.

lol @ x007

@Tar Ball: I think Ram sales have fallen for several reasons: 1) Chrysler took bailout money, 2) concern about the future of the brand, 3) less visible advertising than Ford or GM, and 4) many Ram model MSRPs seem a bit high to me.

Also, maybe some buyers don't want a coil spring rear end in their half-ton and would prefer a 6-speed transmission?

I'm open to other suggestions because I think I see many 2009/2010 Ram 1500s on the road in California. They are great trucks.

Mike,

Thanks for your input..
I see many new Ram 1500's in my area as well..And the nicer trim level Ram's are pretty pricey.

I know its a tough market ,so many great trucks to choose from,but I think they should be better sales than the previous model,time will tell.People were always tougher critics on Chrysler than any other make I have noticed over the years,especially the last year or so !

Saying that Mike is biased is just pathetic and shows that you either can't read his articles or fail to pick up on on the details he gives. Take his radio interview for the 2011 SD, he made it pretty damn clear that they all make really good trucks and even noted some of the things he liked on each.
Maybe the other two will take notes from Ford and start pushing into headlines. A good start would be a raptor fighter to grab some attention.

http://www.allpar.com/news/index.php/2010/05/ram-2500-axle-upgraded-power-wagon-coming

This is dated the middle of May.

DIESEL SUV AND F150!!!!!! OMG, here in Australia, we have all the diesels, (Audi Q7, Q5 ) (BMW X5, X3, X1, X6 ) (Jeep GC, Commander ) (Kia Sorento, Sportage ) (Hyundai Sante Fe, ix35 ) (Land Rover Freelander 2, Discovery 4, Range Rover, RR Sport) (Mazda CX7) (MBenz ML, GL) (Mitsubishi Challenger, Pajero) (Nissan Xtrail, Pathfinder, Patrol) (Peugeot 4007) (Porsche Cayenne) (Renault Koleos) (Subaru Outback, Forester) (Toyota Prado, Land Cruiser) (VW Tiguan, Touareg) (Volvo XC90, XC70, XC60) ALL DIESELS!!! GET WITH THE TIMES AMERICA

Ford F-Series the Best Trucks.

"The whole truck industry is up, not just furd." - Lassie

Sales of Ram pickups were down 11,033 units.

Until the federal government can control their spending and reduce debt, their is NO recovery folks!

People still have not recovered from their job losses, no real jobs have been created...

The markets are on a downward trend and the dollar is not stable and banks are still failing...

Recovery my a$$!

@Aussie, the US has much tougher emissions standards than Australia's adopted Euro IV. Australia is even behind Europe with emissions standards.

70% of the increase in May was due to Ford. The other 5 trucks split the 30%. If this was just a story about "the industry being up", you would expect them all to increase sales fairly equally.

If anyone wants an "unbiased" site, try "Consumer's Digest" I hear they say all trucks are the same - all trucks are the best. I prefer Mike's approach where he tells us what he really thinks. In the radio interview he said the new Ford Super Duty was the best heavy duty truck overall HANDS DOWN. If he could have any truck, a F-150 Raptor would be in his driveway. He is being honest and I appreciate that. Don't fault Mike that the Ram is doing too well right now. It's not his fault Ram went to coil springs and is maybe the 5th best truck at best.

@ Dave: "5th best truck at best" what the hell are you smoking. Give me a reason to buy an F-150 over a Ram 1500. There is absolutely no viable reason!!! The coil springs have been proven to handle the weight just as well yet with a much better ride. The only the aspect the old Rams lacked was a quality interior. The new Rams posses the industries best interior and that's not just my opinion, it one an award for it. Ram was lacking in incentives up until last month and last months sales figures prove it after they posted an 11.5% increase. Don't get me wrong this is THE BEST site for pickup truck enthusiasts however there is no denying that it is biased towards Ford loyalists. Mike is at least a little biased and the followers seem to be 75% Ford fans. When you observe the comments it is 75% Ford guys either bashing the competition or bragging about Ford in some way or another whether it is warranted or not. You barely ever see GM guys commenting on here. I have been in Fords, Chevys, and Rams. So that might be Mikes opinion yet that does not make it a fact. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Mine is that Ram makes the best trucks especially after the latest redesign. Chevy#2, Ford #3, and then foreign trucks don't matter to me. By the way, I do agree the F-150 is a good truck and was a good redesign but you can't tell me the "new" Ford Super Duty is a good redesign. They have kept the same body since 1999 yet tweaked the front end every so often and the latest is by far the ugliest. They have kept almost the same interior for the last 5 years. The only substantial improvement they have made since 99 with these ugly ass trucks is that they finally improved the powertrains this years. All these trucks are in the same class when it comes to towing and payload figures. Not one of them has a big enough advantage over the other to sway someones opinion in buying one over the other yet this is all Ford does with the Super Duty's. They only try to increase towing and payload a few hundred pounds over the competition and use that as there bragging rights. Other than that "new" super duty is essentially the same truck as 99. This in a nutshell proves that most ford owners only buy a ford due to brand loyalty, if it they test drove a Ram they would know what the better truck is, HANDS DOWN!!!

@RAM MAN Yes this proves dodge is by far the greatest of pickup trucks, some reason the public will not accept this....
Dodge does make a good pickup, well at least the Cummins makes it a good pickup. Ford is still better with interior and options. It would probably help if Dodge could make a real automatic tranny as auto seems to be the standard these days. Dodge may have the best diesel which they have always had but they paired it with that gimpy transmission. I wouldn't mind getting a Dodge for my next pickup with a stick but the Ford is winning me over so far. Maybe I'll just hope to find an old 6spd manual 7.3l with low miles, hell it'll have the same cab and a reliable motor.

I've been on this site for over 10 years, and it has pretty much been biased toward GM in the forums and articles. My opinion of course, but I've read every post in the forums and article since late 1999. Seen a lot of changes but Mike doesn't post much of anything unless it's fact. While brand bias does indeed account for vehicle sales, nobody is gonna buy a truck that doesn't fit their needs. I would think very few(if any)buy a truck without driving it first. If a brand has few sales there is a reason. It's not because they build the best truck.

There reason you see a lot of Ford related articles is two fold:

1. Ford does a lot of press releases. I get way more emails from Ford Media about new vehicle, technology, ect, than I do from GM and Dodge. The sheer number of press releases means there is always something to report.

2. Ford just passed through a near total makeover phase. A significant number of their vehicles were either redesigned or refreshed. They are also doing a complete powertrain update; Ecoboost lineup, the "Coyote," the "Boss," the "Scorpion" diesel....all are completely new engines. By comparison, the Hemi lineup is essentially unchanged, as is Gm's LSx/Vortec line. With so many changes to major components there is bound to be more reporting.

Finally, with Ford being the #1 overall truckseller by a significant margin, it obvious that there are going to be more Ford fans among the readers than other makes. Just like there are going to be more Toyota biased people than any other make on a blog about hybrids, as more people own Toyota Pruis hybrids than any other make.

I think Mike is right on the lack of 6 speed for the Hemi, and the coil springs is hurting the 1500 sales. I think lack of 6.5' bed on 1500 crew is hurting too, as well as the new confusing marketing strategy which is a bit hard to undo now. I think Fiat really screwed up. That truck has potential.

Those new Super-Dutys are so damn ugly, I still can't get over that grille.

I do not believe there is brand bias from the journalists on this site.
Ford has been the most agressive at improving their products, they've taken some big chances with new engines, transmissons, new models (Raptor) ect. at a time of economic turmoil.
They chose not to take bailout money.
Ford's PR department has been on top of their game.
They have presented a good image of Ford to the public, and have kept the media bombarded with press releases.
This has paid off for Ford in sales.

Mike - Keep up the good work.

Ford=King of Trucks. Always has been, always will be.

Dave-Ram sales picked up last month..

TheTone-Actually Dodge used to make the worlds best shifting,most reliable transmission the 727....the new trucks transmissions are still good,they last as long as any Ford or GM trans..it all depends how many brake stands you do,if you overload the truck all the time-most people do ! I am a co-owner of a transmission shop !! Its normal after 100,000 miles for any vehicle,Toyota,Ford,Mercedes to blow a trans after 100k..and yes some have 200k ect..

Alex-CNN is not neutral,they were in bed with Obama during the election,plus many far left issues they agree with !! That aint neutral my friend !!

The Ram is the best truck in my book,most people use a 1/2 ton for family/daily transportation not a heavy duty r.v ,cement hauler !! Smooth ride,awesome looks,great performance =Ram....and currently the high price is making them lose sales..

Also Ford truck sales are strong due to many bed/cab choices,lower pricing.Hey,I bought a F-150 for our shop,we saved $10,000 than the cheapest comparable Ram !! Yep,I am a Dodge guy but saving money counts ! Especially in a business..This way I bought a new Ram 1500 for myself and a new Challenger for my lady !!

Tranny-Guy,
But Ram's sales are down year to date, -14%, while every other full size truck is up.

Another negative that hurt the Ram's sales were the FIVE recalls for the 2009 Ram, and the marginal side crash test ratings. In comparison, the new 2009 F-150 only had one recall and the had good crash test ratings all around and was a Top Safety pick.

Ram makes a good truck, but it clearly isn't the best truck to buy when you add everything up.

@ Transmission/driveline Guy: Agreed, like I said now that RAM has finally increased their incentives comparable to their competitors they have seen a sales increase of 11.5% for last month. If they keep their prices inline with the competition this upward trend in sales should continue. Let's not forget were in a recession so every dollar counts to people more than ever. Chrysler is also in the process of rebuilding their reputation so steady improvement should be on the horizon for Ram. They have the best overall truck. They are always considered the best looking trucks, they now have one of the best if not the best interior in its class, the HEMI is always near or at the top of its class, the new pentastar V6 will also make its debut shortly and should be a good new fuel effiecient addtition to the lineup, Cummins speaks for itself, towing and payload numbers are competitively close for every truck in this industry, the coil springs handle the load as well as the leaf springs yet offer a far superior ride which is perfect for half tons and they still have the tried and true leaf springs in the HDs, the only drawback I see that the Rams need to upgrade is that they lack a 6speed transmission which almost every other truck in its class has at this point.

Pope,
The Ram they tested for crash testing didnt have side airbags..in todays world full of Nancy's if a truck doesnt have an side airbag it is rated poorly ! You can get side airbags,my new one does.

I should be a gonner in todays world ( my car had no air bags ) because I crashed my beloved 413 c.i, 4 speed ,65 Dodge Monaco into a small forest at 105+ mph in the early 80's...I walked away without a scratch,car was totalled....I was a little sore,bruised no broken bones or anything major but today that car would also have a bad rating,because it has no airbags..in the real world crash numbers are different than a controlled environment,I dont pay attention to them..as a 1999 Chrysler 300m had a bad passenger side crash test in controlled tests ,but in the real world the passengers rarely were injured or killed !

I dont think crash tests,safety recalls have an effect in sales,look at Toyota they should be finished with millions of recalls lately, so I know I am right on that point ! Also the Ram wasnt recalled for anything major,more of a precaution.If people were concerned about safety,everyone would have a 1 ton truck with bull bars !!

It comes down to price,I bought a Ford because it was cheaper,with the money we saved we bought new equipment for our shop,the saving help alot.

RAM MAN,
I agree with you.
I also hope they have a new 6 speed coming out improved gear ratio in the trans better performance and mostly fuel economy.The Ram R/T really wakes it up with its reworked torque converter !

I also had to put a load of parts in my new Ram and the back end didnt sag down as people think..It drove smooth and perfect with a huge load,now I wont be doing that for some time but I had too.I know I could of bought a Dodge if I waited but we were down to 1 truck for our shop,our 98 Ford kicked the bucket and we needed one asap !! Our 2000 Ram 1500 is still going strong.Yep,if you guessed by now my co-owner is a Ford guy so if I had more time maybe could of bought a Ram,we phoned around,alot of lots had no entry level Ram's when they did, the Ford was the cheapest anywhere,what are you gonna do ?

Plus down the road 6 speed transmissions cost more to repair so this ensures my 2 teenage kids a long life at the shop...Ford,GM,Toyota trans cost alot "o" $$$$$$ for a rebuild,cant wait !!! Cha-ching !!

Pope,
The Ram they tested for crash testing didnt have side airbags..in todays world full of Nancy's if a truck doesnt have an side airbag it is rated poorly ! You can get side airbags,my new one does. - Transmission Guy

-------

This is not correct. The Dodge Ram WITH standard side airbags earned a marginal rating. Improving the side bags could improve the ratings, but I don't know if they have changed them for 2010, probably not, and even if they do make changes it is yet to be determined if it will earn a good rating.

Once again this is just another issue with the Ram on a long list of issues that effects sales. It might not be the biggest problem, but it is one of them. If you make trucks, make it right. Provide full protection across the entire window, not just marginal (minimum) protection to pass the test. Minimum code is minimum. The minimum should be a good rating. With a new design, they should have went the extra mile to make it right and get a top safety pick. But they took short cuts on safety. It is actually depressing when you think about it.

In response to Toyota's recalls, they have hurt sales and they did have to issue large incentives to keep their sales alive.

These are the IIHS ratings with good being the best and poor being the worst. Being marginal, the Ram's side impact is not even at the acceptable level. The Silverado was rated poor in 2009 but they at least took steps to improve to "acceptable" for 2010. Come on, Ram!

Good
Acceptable
Marginal
Poor

http://www.iihs.org/ratings/ratingsbyseries.aspx?id=401

Lou,
Do you think a good or acceptable rating is too much to ask for Ram?

Ram 1500 Sales are down beacause they gambled and went after personal use sales, and those dried up the most when the hard times hit us.

I think its far and away the best 1500 Ram ever, the first one I wouldn't mind driving. BUT it needs a 6 speed and its payload/GVWR are too low when compared to GM & Ford Max tow pkgs.

They need a great 6 speed and a real max tow pkg and they'd be able to match & beat all if not most of the others.

Few things here. I think the f150 sells like it does because of options and especially the 6.5 foot box on crew cabs that you cant get on any other 1/2 ton truck.
I also think the Ram sales might be down in anticipation fo the new GM's. I think people that wont buy fords are waiting to see if the new GM is any good if not they will buy the RAM.
@ Ramman theres more doge people on this forum about fords than there is ford guys soy stop your complaining, if you dont like fords dont read the article.

I look at safety ratings when I consider purchasing a new vehicle. The higher the better.
I like almost all of the 1/2 tons.
Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep hasn't had a good record for quality and reliability.
They are improving.
The Ram has just recently been rated similar as the competition when it comes to quality and reliability.
My research indicates the F150 as having the best overall quality.
There isn't a huge gap between first and last with any of the new 1/2 tons.
Ultimately it is going to boil down to purchase price as to whick one I'll buy.
Ford had the best prices this early spring.
I was at a local "super sale". The Sierra and Silverado had the best prices.
Dodge prices are not as good as Ford or GM.
Toyata is always overpriced in my area (they do not budge from MSRP).
My preference is:
1. F150 SuperCrew 6.5 box 5.4 V8 4x4
2. Sierra CrewCab 5.3 V8 GFX trim 4x4
3. Ram 1500 CrewCab 5.7 V8 4x4
4.Toyota Tundra CrewMax 5.7 V8 4x4
5. Titan crew cab 4x4
6. Silverado crewcab 4x4
I like the "offroad" packages in all of the trucks.

"@Aussie, the US has much tougher emissions standards than Australia's adopted Euro IV. "

Actually different NOT tougher. Euro IV and Euro V are more stringent that than the Tier ratings in the US on CO2. As a result a US compliant diesels cannot be sold here as a production run but can be imported under the limited import scheme.
Aussie yes we have diesels everywhere in Australia.

As a Current 2009 Dodge RAM owner and previous F-150 owner I have to say that FORD is doing a great job with advertisment and their over all appearence. FORD is always on TV and they're putting out some great cars and trucks. The new Taurus is one sweet looking ride and they have some good looking and fuel effecient small cars such as the Fusion.

When buying my Truck is was down to Ford and Dodge. I had a Ford with over 245,000 miles and I knew they made a quality truck. I just couldn't get over the new look which I did not care for much. The front ends look like a sad puppy and the tail lights are super ugly. The higher tow rating didn't mean much to me as I only tow a boat a few times in the summer. The RAM offered better looks, more power, better ride with the coil springs, and at the time had better incentives PLUS Lifetime Powertrain Warranty!

I will admit the look of the new F-150 is growing on me as I see them more often on the road. If I was to do it all over I would still go with my Dodge as I love my truck, the styling, ride, and Power. I will consider all brands again in the future when I'm ready for my next truck.

As for Recalls, I do not know of the 5 recalls that were mentioned. My truck had 1 recall and it had to do with the defroster which I never had problems with. Other than that 1 non issue recall my truck has been great! (Knock on wood) :)

jrod82 - I am not a big fan of the looks of the F150. I have it as my first choice because of it's reliability ratings and features - 6.5 box, manstep, and trim options. If I went on looks alone I'd go with the Ram as my first choice, and the Sierra 2nd.
I like the Ram interiors, they are comparable to Ford. The GM interiors need some major revisions.

I agree that RAM needs a 6.5' bed on the CrewCab as right now its only available on the QuadCab.

I know the RAM is rated to tow less. A similar equiped F-150 Tows 1,450lbs more @ 11,200lbs vs my 9,750lbs, which is more than capable for me as I don't tow anything near that amount. I don't know, maybe I'm just stupid but logic tells me that 390HP and 407lbs of Torque is going to move a load a little better than the 310 & 365 of Fords 5.4L.

Oh well, I still think Ford is doing a great job and they make great products. I'm a little cautious of GM though as I know 2 guys who had their tranny go out in their new trucks less than 2 years from purchase and they're not beat or used for hard work.

I hope they all keep up the good work and stay in business. Competion is what keeps the products new and innovative. :)

I wouldn't mind the Ram 1500 as my next truck but they don't have what I want which is a extended(quad)cab with a 8' bed.

ok pickup truck,,,can you put truck sale,by size 1500,2500,3500,4500,and5500,,,,,f series we no ford put everything in the same basket,,,numbers anybody somewhere have the right numbers,whit different size pickup...or is because some company don't look that good..