I don’t have a wide range of experience to compare the Terrastar to. We have and been using a 99 Dodge 3500 V10 gas since it was new. Had a Chevy 1 ton before that.
The Terrastar has a lot of power. 300 hp. The Alison transmission is fantastic. We just found out that it has and overdrive/road mode that should improve mileage. I don’t know the mileage because Mary won’t give me the numbers. She records the numbers when she fills up but for some reason she has never made them available to me.
We have about 2,500 miles on it already. Seems to be running stronger – what little I’ve driven it.
While most of it says “truck” there are a couple of flimsy things on it I find most disturbing. There is a plastic trim panel below the door that you could rip off with your bare hands. In fact, I complained to the salesman about it and he agreed. Said they sometimes blow off going down the road. The grill is flimsy plastic too. I doubt if it would stand more than a blow of a big bug or a small bird.
The salesman said the biggest thing holding up sales on the Terrastar is that they have not made 4wd available yet. It’s cataloged, but they’re not ready to build them.
You can order it with class 4 or class 5 springs – same weight range as F450 and F550 and Dodge 4500 and 5500. We got the class 5 springs – 19,500 gvw. We’re overloading it and there seems to be little difference in power – loaded or empty. It rides smoother with loaded. If you get one, get the air ride seat.
Here is 1400 bf of white oak - 14-15' long.
Here is the flimsy panel I was talking about. The arrow is pointing to the engine block heater outlet and jump connection point. It was balow the step and hard to get to. I took the bracket off and remodeled it and bolted it on so it was above the step.
Here is the flimsy bracket that broke when I took the flimsy plastic panel off. I think it's a good place for some polished aluminum diamond plate.
