Yep, I hear ya. I haven't made a vehicle payment in 7 years, and I like this just fine!
I 'still' have an 89 F150 as well as a 97...The 89 is about shot but the 97 is going strong...I have the Triton 5.4 litre engine which they say is the old 351 c.i.
I'm told there is a low end torque problem with the Fords but I can smoke the tires and don't have any problem pulling a 27 foot wooden travel trailer with a slide-out...
I've had trouble with tie-rod ends and have been told that was a Ford problem up into the '00's...
But then the Dodge's have a notoriously bad transmission reputation...Dodge does now have a 7 year 70,000 drive train warranty but that ends this model year...
I won't buy another new...The novelty of owning new has finally worn off...Get a 3 year old coming off a lease...Cost half the price of new...Will have 36,000 on it and for a small amount you can get an extended warranty for another 36,000 miles...At that stage, it's just broken in...