I want to clarify this... I don’t judge a truck by the engine and only by the engine. The truck is a sum of its parts, the engine being only one. Ford has built the best *truck* without the best *engine* for a long time now. The 7.3 Powerstroke was a dog that just happened to be dependable and in a great *truck.* Anybody remember the Dodge trucks from that time period with the 5.9 6BT? I sure do. Lots of automatic transmission problems, rust and electrical issues. Not problems I saw with Ford or Chevy/GM trucks of the time. They all rode like ****, and the GM trucks were dogs on power and rusted as bad as the Dodge trucks.
Then Ford started using the six liter Navistar engine. Great trucks, bad motor if not taken care of. Still, Dodge was having transmission problems and GM... Well, they built an adequate product. Then came the days of stupid power numbers starting with the 6.4 liter PSD, which was a good engine still in a good truck. Towards the end of its run Dodge started putting the 6.7 ISB in its trucks, and it was cool. GM still built an adequate product.
Then we get close to where we are now. 6.7 ISB, 6.7 PSD and the 6.6 Duramax. The 6.7 ISB is a great engine. But Dodge still hasn’t caught up to Ford or GM on the stuff around it. Then we have the V8 vs I6 debate. An I6 will have a better torque curve for pulling heavier loads, but most commercial guys have bigger trucks for heavy stuff. So... The V8 wins out in accelerating and getting around because it builds RPM faster. Right now GM builds the best riding truck, Ford does okay, and Dodge trucks ride like crap in comparison. All three of them are probably adequate, especially since Dodge went to the AISIN transmission.
I know this thread is about a guy getting screwed on engine repairs but there is way more that differentiates these brands than the engines. All the Cummins guys are probably right when they say the have the best engine. Don’t trash the Duramax for being an Isuzu design, that company has been building diesels for a long time and are known for fuel economy and longevity. Then, well, Ford got it right with the early 6.7 PSD and everything else has been a downhill slide as far as being able to work on them.
As far as the Nissan Titan... Well, let me just say I was not impressed when I tried to use the demo unit to do stuff I’d ask any of the other 3/4 tons to do. That is all.