I have two trucks; an 03 Dodge 4x4 Quad Cab (360), completely loaded, and for a company vehicle an 04' silverado LS Xtra Cab 2WD w/ the 4.8 litre. This is my second 04' chevy, the first was passed on to another employee w/ aprox. 10K on the odometer.
Both have their strengths and weaknesses. Nonetheless, somebody made a remark about Dodge's lack of quality. From my experience with two brand new Chevy's I can tell you that the Dodge's build quality is superior to that of the Chevy's. Both of the Chevy's had squeaks & rattles within 5K miles. The Dodge has a much stiffer frame which provides a solid, controlled ride. It has rack & pinion steering, which is verysharp and responsive. You'll find yourself oversteering at first, as one does not expect a truck to handle like a car. My wife says it's easier to park than her Volvo C70. Equipped w/ the the 20In. wheel package, the Dodge will pull .80G on the skid pad--unheard of in a truck. The worst problem w/ the Dodge is gas mileage. They have much work to do in this arena to catch up to GM. Not too many companies can touch the General when it comes to powerplant design.
Love my Chevy too, however, hopping from vehicle to another, one can instantly see that the Chevy is outdated, and needs a redesign ASAP. The Dodge's Cab is far roomier, or at least it feels that way.
All American vehicles have quality issues. I worked in Auto Parts distribution for fifteen years, and from my experience, the life expectancy of components from the big three is approximately the same. Japanese components last almost twice as long, but cost at least a 1/3rd more
If you want resale value buy a Toyota. None of the American manufactuer's can compete w/ Toyota in that respect.
