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I looked real hard a trucks for a few months. I had a lease coming up on my Chevy 1500 and had made the choice to make this truck my "last new one" for a while. I was dead set on a 3/4 - 1 ton diesel GM or Ford. I compared the two for a couple months, thinking though the pros and cons.
I decided I was going to by a Ford 350 Powerstroke.
1. More options between axles, gearing, and interior extras
2. When my dad retired from GM, my discount went with it, so my supplier discount was about the same between Ford and GM
So how did I get to the Raptor?
I love my H3 and having the ability to do minor modifications and upgrades to that vehicle to make it a really capable was something I always liked about it. If I had my choice (this is when being married sucks, or may be I just need to grow a bigger pair) I would have picked up a H3T or HMCO. I was looking at the 250 and 350 because in the future I want to be able to tow my H3 to and from the trails, parks, or wherever, and have the option of hitting the trails and woods in my pick-up if I felt like it. So based on my hobbies, I need / want something off-road capable, and has decent towing....
The more I looked over the Raptor specs, and with the addition of the Screw, I am really darn close to having my cake and eating it too. I can buy a truck off the show room floor and, for the most part, have the tire size, select-able locker, upfitter switches, and the towing capacity, though right at the limit, can tow the H3. Many of the other "requirements" for me meant lift kits, new wheels and tires, may be even regearing and adding a locker to other trucks like the 250 / 350.
What I did not think about, was how much fun this truck is to drive. It is a lot of fun around town too.
To say it shortly, it has the off-road capability, towing, extras, fun factor, looks, and function requirements I had, and because I was already budgeting for 1 tons with diesel motors it fit in my budget, without having to spend more to make it the way I want.