VIDEO: Mike Rowe takes on dirty job of comparing full-size pickups
Click above to watch the video
In today's world, you'd imagine that any new full-size pickup truck can handle the daily grind with ease. And for the most part, you'd be right. But when the time comes for heavy hauling, not all trucks are created equally. Each manufacturer can probably come up with scenarios where its particular pickup performs better than the competition, but after watching Ford's video, hosted by Dirty Job's Mike Rowe, we feel that the footage offers a few compelling reasons why the Blue Oval's latest F-150 might be the pick of the litter.
Up first is the well-known rough road test, and we were shocked by how much difference there was between how the F-150 handled the exam compared to the Chevy Silverado, Dodge Ram and Toyota Tundra. You've got to watch it to see what we mean. After that is a test of fuel efficiency, and all we know about the procedure is that the most efficient engine option was chosen and, not surprisingly, the Ford came out on top. The third test involved placing a 993-pound spool of cable in the bed and running through a handling course and again, the results were enlightening. Lastly, an improperly loaded trailer was hooked to each truck and sway was induced.
In each test, the trucks were driven by a set of professional drivers, including Tanner Faust (that boy ain't right indeed), and the scenes were recorded from every conceivable angle. We're not going to suggest that these results conclusively show that the F-150 is the best truck available under all circumstances. What we will say, is that the footage after the break is certainly entertaining. Thanks for the tip, Kevin!
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 8)
Matt 7:38PM (1/26/2009)
Yeah...because I often have to cross dry stream beds when going to McDonalds.
Reply
no. 7:39PM (1/26/2009)
Because there's no such thing as trucks being used outside suburban neighborhoods where McDonald's exists.
Jared 8:25PM (1/26/2009)
I just want Tanner's Autograph and his job.
I don't carea bout the trucks, I drive a turbo import. haha
Sea Urchin 9:10PM (1/26/2009)
This is the biggest BS i ever seen. THIS IS A FORD SPONSORED TEST
Hello, i can bet a Hummer can get better MPG than Prius in certain tests. I am sure going 80-85 MPG on a highway Hummer can get darn close to Prius.
Also, as Matt said, these are real suburban trucks. There's a reason why these trucks are offered with so many luxury and comfort features. The target is NOT Joe the Plumber, the target for these trucks is Johny the double Chin, the same guy who is angry at government because HE can not afford to pay his mortgage bill, he is also knows as Johny the foreclosure.
Just for the record, Cotco parking lot is not "off roading", buying in bulk is not the same as "needing towing power" and having a wife with 2 double chins and two teenage kids who weight 400 Lbs combined does not justify buying a crew cab..........................get a Malibu.
I live in a working class neighborhood, yes we have trucks.....NOT ONE of those trucks belongs to a working guy. All the construction guys use vans (Econoline and such), all pick up trucks that i see are 100% pimped out, and are used by these wannabes with small units.
caddy-v 9:24PM (1/26/2009)
SeaUrchin, What planet are you from?
Sea Urchin 9:34PM (1/26/2009)
Caddy V, i am from a country where over 50% of people buy "off road" vehicles that never go off road, and then complain about the price of gas. I am from a country where people take loans they could never pay back, and later take it out on corporations and government.
So i guess i am from USA.
Matt 9:44PM (1/26/2009)
I think as soon as an F-150 was actually used for some real work, it would spit a spark plug right out of the head.
Oh wait...that already happens...
-----------------
The VAST majority of people buy trucks as a status symbol. They never see any sort of *real* work outside of a trip to Home Depot for some dirt for the wife. People buy them to shuttle kids back and fourth to school and to pick up groceries.
My CAR does more towing and all around "truck work" than most trucks sold today.
Farmboy 9:46PM (1/26/2009)
Sorry Matt but I have to say something....
Sea Urchin or whatever the eff your name is...
What in the hell kind of an argument are you trying to pull off here. You could very well have been in a remedial kid debate and lost. Your argument starts off by being bias. I have friends who have different trucks brands, and I drive a Ford. We tried this, and it turns out the Ford did in fact beat the other brands. If you were to watch the damn videos you would realize that the Chevy did come in close on fuel economy. So it is not bias. This proves how ingenuity is key to success in the truck business where Ford shows that and explains in perfect detail.
Also, on the crew cab thing, I HIGHLY doubt that a family of 4 or 5 who travels to events like horse shows, fairs, etc where they participate (my family and half the effing country does as well) would much rather have a crew cab truck that can tow rather than trust a Chevy Malibu to get to the show with the horses or have a separate car and drive a separate truck to the event. Trucks are also becoming more of a popular people mover (i.e. Chevy Avalanche, Ford Explorer Sport Trac, Honda Ridgeline).
And I am just wondering where the hell you live, Little Mexico? My dad works construction, he is a mechanic. A Econoline is not suitable to hold +$100K equipment. He needs his F550 Trust me, the only thing "pimped out" about his truck are the dually simulators on his truck. NOBODY drives an Econoline where he works. The only person I know of that drove one was my neighbor, but he needed a truck.
It all comes down to common sense, which you apparently lack.
Sea Urchin 10:45PM (1/26/2009)
@ Farmboy
"Also, on the crew cab thing, I HIGHLY doubt that a family of 4 or 5 who travels to events like horse shows, fairs, etc where they participate (my family and half the effing country does as well) would much rather have a crew cab truck that can tow rather than trust a Chevy Malibu to get to the show with the horses or have a separate car and drive a separate truck to the event"---------See i am not sure a lot of people do own horses.
I live in NYC, a city where everything, all the time is either constructed or de-constructed, these workers can use trucks, but chose not too. Because no one needs all that size and power.
Farmboy, look here, you ever heard of Top Kick, its GMs real construction/heavy duty/truck division, they cater only to businesses or governments, because no one else needs these vehicles. Pick Up trucks on the other hand are sold in showrooms, because they are directed towards average Joe, not a construction worker, but bust a regular guy. Pick Ups are sold next to Caddys or Hondas for a reason.Just look at the options they offer, DVD, Leather and all that. Again, all i am emphasizing in here is that MOST (99.9999999%) of people who buy trucks do so because, they need to tow their fat wife, they need all that room for fat children and they need 4x4 do outdo other vehicles on parking lots.
Also, Malibu seats 5 people comfortable, Civic does that too by the way. So these cars can more than handle average family.
alex 11:11PM (1/26/2009)
shame on autoblog for posting such a fake vid, with so many editing tricks, to try to make the best selling gas guzzler... the best selling gas guzzler
novanglus 11:32PM (1/26/2009)
Seaurchin needs a hobby. Look, NYC != the rest of the country. Here, we have things called yards, trees, lakes, non-attached housing...next time a tree goes down in your yard, you let me know how much you fit in your Malibu. Next time you mulch your yard, you tell me how much it costs you to buy all your mulch in bags. Next time you go pick up a cube of bricks and 20 bags of mortar mix, you let me know how that Malibu handles it. I have a hatchback car. Gets great mileage. But short of 4-6 2x4x8s, nothing fits in it. A hopper and 30 bags of cellulosic insulation? Uh, no. 30 sheets of OSB? Nope. A few hundred sq feet of porcelain tile? Nah. A thousand sq feet of hardwood flooring? Mmmm, no. A ski boat? A dresser? A king size mattress? A ton of sand? Top soil? 3- 8ft crepe myrtle trees? Riding mower? Landscape timbers? A 12" sliding miter saw, air compressor, sewer auger, or assorted other tools that guys who like to do their own work use? No.
I'm sorry you live in cage, but out here in the great wide open, we likes us some trucks. So, you stick to paying $10 for a pastrami on rye and $6 for a decent beer, and we'll pay a couple extra hundred a year on gas. Deal?
Pengwin 11:55PM (1/26/2009)
yep...a ford sponsored test shows that the....ford is the best. Odd.
Now, i dont look at trucks or shop for trucks or care for trucks but the first test is 100% irrelevant. No one is dumb enough to drive that fast over that kind of terrain. The second test has some merit, i'll give the ford the victory there, the tundra is more mainstream so it has a plusher, more body-roll inducing ride. The 3rd test...im really sure whats going on there. If the trailer is making the truck lose grip the trucks ESP/TCS etc should take over and stop the truck from sliding which will stop the trailer from sliding.
Pengwin 12:00AM (1/27/2009)
i just saw this in someones comment
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWjTbiYo3x0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zRfE_XAk2mE
save videos done on the previous generation ford, seems like ford builds the F150 to excel in these tests
caddy-v 12:10AM (1/27/2009)
Once again SeaUrchin, I have to ask. What planet are you from?
Out here in the civilized world, my Chevy dealer in particular, not only do they sell Top Kicks, they also sell pickups, Impala's, Malibu's etc. Granted, the Top Kick's are outside, but if the expanded the showroom to fit them you'd have a hissy fit for them cutting down trees for lumber and polluting the air making more steel to do so.
I don't know what bug you have up your rear about people buying a pick-up with all the ammenities, but why is it any of your business? So what if they buy what they want with what they want and can afford? Who made you the options God?
And this obsession you have with "fat people with double chins", and only people that buy pick-ups can't afford the mortgage, are you for real?
May I make a suggestion? Take a road trip. Go out and see for yourself what real world people do with pick-up trucks. Look and see how they use them on farms, construction sites, rural areas etc. I know it might be hard leaving your rat and crime infested NYC, but try not to judge the rest of the country with your narrow minded planet Zarcon mentallity.
For security concerns, don't tell any Auto bloggers who you are. I have a feeling you'd get your ass whooped by a double chinned pick-up driver.
Jens 2:30AM (1/27/2009)
Its a comparison video produced by FORD. Autoblog is either purposely deceptive or plain stupid to report it as a legitimate vehicle review. And some folks on here are stupid enough to take it all seriously.
This video has as much credibility as findings from tobacco research done by RJ Reynolds. Its basically a Ford infomercial... entertaining to watch, but completely unreliable as an information source
Jens 6:03AM (1/27/2009)
sorry Autoblog, you actually did mention this was a Ford sponsored video. Guess I am one of the dummies that is taking this too seriously.
Nothing against Ford, but these sponsored videos/infomercials parading around pretending to be informative reviews REALLY bug me.
John 6:25AM (1/27/2009)
Jens, Matt, alex & Sea Urchin,
This is a commercial-like video produced by Ford, and AB said that. What's your friggen problem with that? Would you be a big fan of it if your favorite brand produced and won it. I thought so.
Yeah the scenes are staged, exaggerated, and designed to show off strong points for Ford. So what. That's what commercials are supposed to do. Duh!
If Dodge or Toyota designed the tests, I'm sure they would have highlighted what they do best (like four big guys cruising down a boulevard with lots of added bling on the way to MacDonalds).
Ford is pushing for F-150 to be successful as a work truck, not a pleasure truck.
Work trucks handle rough roads, off road tracks, and work sites. Work trucks carry heavy loads, not just golf clubs or a few two by fours. They also pull stuff. This video tries to demonstrate to the audience that F-150 handles these work issues better than the others. It does not try to convince anyone they need a work truck to haul groceries.
Now go back to your cages until your handlers release you to attack the next positive news or report about Ford.
Judy Zik 12:18PM (1/27/2009)
Just because the people you hang out with in the city are all losers and posers who don't need a truck doesn't mean that nobody needs them. Open you mind for a moment and think about the people in Rural areas. I have an Uncle who beats his trucks to death and all his neighbours are the same. He fishes, hunts and chops his own wood to heat his home. In the process he actually does drive over dry creek beds, through rivers and up mountain logging paths that you can't call a road and no he doesn't use a Super duty for all this because he doesn't tow much. His wife owns a Hyundai Accent for driving in to town to get the groceries. No point in wasting fuel on the long drive to the city. I have another Uncle that owns his own landscaping business. Try using a van to do that job. What kind of chasis do you think is sitting underneath a full size van anyway?
Crow T 1:27PM (1/27/2009)
Matt (AKA P71): Perhaps you need that extra strong Ford frame to haul your fat, McDonald's eating butt around.
Matt 2:01PM (1/27/2009)
"Crow T:
Matt (AKA P71): Perhaps you need that extra strong Ford frame to haul your fat, McDonald's eating butt around."
Then I surely wouldn't choose the Ford...they have the most anemic engines on the planet.
And what's this "AKA P71"?...Am I a plane or something?