2011 Ford F-450, an AW Drivers Log

INTERACTIVE EDITOR DALE JEWETT: This Ford F-450 Super Duty is about as big as it gets before you need to carry a CDL.

I took this truck and lived with it for several days for two reasons:

1. I like pickups--that's part of my Iowa roots.

2. It was looking a bit forlorn in the garage.

I was prepared for a bruising ride and plenty of slop in the steering, my preconceptions of a really heavy-duty truck. I couldn't have been more wrong.

It wouldn't be my first choice as a city dweller, but I could easily live with this truck as my daily driver, especially in a rural setting. Step rails on the side and grab handles on the A- and B-pillars make it easy to get in and out. Even when the truck is unloaded, the ride is comfortable, with hardly any hint of the expected rear-axle sidestep when rolling over bumps and potholes.

Given the truck's ground clearance, the pole handle and step built into the tailgate were a big help for getting in and out of the bed. And the factory-applied bed liner looked and felt plenty robust. I was glad to have the truck on the night I picked up a new snow thrower to handle the Michigan winter (electric start!).

This truck's main purpose is hauling, either a full bed or a nice fifth-wheel trailer. The new Power Stroke diesel engine pairs nicely with the six-speed automatic. No, I didn't tow with this truck--but I want to!

EDITORIAL INTERN JAKE LINGEMAN: Big Fast. That's what I'm calling this vehicle. Man, it's big, and jeez, it's fast. Put your foot down on the highway, and it will blow past almost anything else on the road. More than 700 lb-ft of torque! Enough to peel the pavement back like an area rug.

The ride isn't terrible, either. I thought the heavy-duty GMC we had was really bouncy, unloaded. This Ford doesn't seem as tightly sprung.

It will tow 16,000 pounds; that's enough for a small cruise ship or three large cars. It'll carry about 5,000 pounds more in the bed, good for about two cubic yards of rock, more than enough for a residential landscaping job.

That's how you have to think about these heavy-duty trucks, as a crew foreman.

Speaking of foremen, the instrument clusters in these full-size Fords are packed with technology for the job site. They have the tool-tag feature, which lets users put RFID tags on their tools so they won't misplace them. You can access files on an office computer right from the dash. And one truck in the fleet can be designated “Crew Chief” and can track the locations of the others.

When it comes to big trucks, I think our preferences are in our genes. I'm a Ford man myself, not sure why; the F-Series trucks seem to appeal to me more than others. I have friends, who are probably more familiar with trucks than I am, who swear by Chevy. Then there are the Ram guys.

Pickup trucks are so powerful and luxurious (and expensive) today that it really comes down to buyer preference. Ford men will take the F-450, Dodge guys can have the Ram, and Chevy guys take the Silverado. I'd guess most don't even cross-shop. All good trucks, all near the $50,000-to-$60,000 range. Pick your flavor and hitch up that Caterpillar!

2011 Ford F-450 4X4 DRW Crew Cab Lariat Styleside

Base Price: $58,370

As Tested: $63,655

Drivetrain: 6.7-liter turbodiesel V8; 4WD, six-speed automatic

Output: 390 hp @ 2,800 rpm, 735 lb-ft @ 1,600 rpm

Curb Weight: 8,170 lb

Options: Lariat Ultimate package, including power sliding moonroof, navigation system with satellite radio, memory group, remote-start system, rearview camera, tailgate step, heated seats ($3,995); spray-in bedliner ($450); fifth-wheel hitch prep ($370); all-terrain tires ($150); upfitter switches ($125); cable lock ($120); heavy-duty alternator ($75)

Source : autoweek.com

Posted in: Car Reviews,Ford