Tow vehicle ideas needed!
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Forum Name: I need HELP!!!
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URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=15580
Printed Date: 10 May 2024 at 7:37am
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Topic: Tow vehicle ideas needed!
Posted By: Ben Herman
Subject: Tow vehicle ideas needed!
Date Posted: 15 Jan 2023 at 8:58pm
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Well, our trusty (but not so effective) 2003 Lexus GX470's engine blew up last week and its $7K to repair it, which I am reluctant to invest in a 20 yr old vehicle with 200k miles. Its been ok, but because of older technology, particularly a 4-spd transmission, its not all that great out here in the west, especially on long hill climbs. We're towing a 179, nothing unusual in our load - no generator, no kids, just a lightweight dog and the usual stuff. So we've started the process of looking for a new (to us, anyway) TV. We don't need to drive it much outside of camping trips, but we'd like to find something that is very reliable, will tow well (ie, no lugging up hills), and is ok to drive in town for me and my vertically challenged (5 ft 1 inch) wife. The conventional wisdom seems to lean towards a Ford F150 with an ecoboost engine, but I don't see many options beyond that. Would appreciate any suggestions from the Rpod Forum collective braintrust. My wife wishes that an EV truck was available but my sense is that its premature to go down that rabbit hole (and I don't want to spend $60K) So my current thinking is a 150 ecoboost, maybe a 2015 or so with moderate miles (60-80K), but would appreciate any suggestions or ideas.
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Replies:
Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 15 Jan 2023 at 9:34pm
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You might wish to check out a Ford Ranger 2019 or newer. The 2.3L Ecoboost engine will surprise you. A Chevy Colorado Diesel would be a great choice also. Both will have the loads of torque you need. The Diesel should give you better highway mileage also. We have a 2010 Nissan Frontier. Being naturally aspirated, it does struggle a little out west on those climbs, but it doesn't have the 10 speed transmission that the Ranger has and it isn't turbocharged either. Still, a newer one would likely be okay as would a Toyota Tacoma. These would likely work well for your "vertically challenged" wife better than a full-sized pickup. ------------- StephenH Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7712 - ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS |
Posted By: Ben Herman
Date Posted: 15 Jan 2023 at 9:36pm
| Thx for the reply - I will check out the Ranger. A friend's son had a TD Colorado and had nothing but trouble with it. I love diesels, even with the high price of fuel, so will look closer. |
Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 16 Jan 2023 at 3:09am
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I agree that you can't really go electric yet on a tow vehicle unless you don't travel very far to camp. You can have my place on the waitlist for a F150 lightning if you change your mind, when they started at $39k they were a good deal but I'm not spending 55k for one either. I wouldn't recommend a diesel these days. Most of the manufacturers are dropping them. With DEF and the high price of ultra low sulfur diesel, and recent efficiency improvements in gassers diesel is not the cost effective option it used to be for light vehicles. Do you really want a pickup truck for your tow vehicle? Then a midsize truck would be fine. But if youd prefer to stay with an SUV then that's fine too. Consider getting a newer used Highlander or Pilot. Either are very reliable and will do a great job for your towing application. and might be more useful than a pickup when not towing. Please you truck lovers out there dont get started, I'n not saying there's anything wrong with pickup trucks, just that SUVs are better suited for many folks. Get a vehicle with an OEM 5000 lb tow package or higher. Check the VIN to be sure. If you purchase from a private party, any dealership parts dept can verify for you. You should do that for either a midsize pickup or an SUV, it's possible not all midsize pickups will have the tow rating you need either. ------------- 1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
Posted By: jato
Date Posted: 16 Jan 2023 at 4:47am
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For 8 years of the past 12 years we towed our 177 with either a 2008 Explorer 4x4 4.0 V-6 (tows 5000 lbs.) or a 2013 (which we still own) Explorer 3.5 V-6 (tows 5500 lbs.) which were quite adequate for the most part. Mileage on both averaged 12 mpg. The 177 fully loaded weighed in at 2940 lbs (including 36 gallons of water which is located behind the axle and a tongue weight of 320 lbs. The combined miles hauling with both Explorer's was just over 24,000 miles over all types of weather conditions and outside of the long climbs over some passes in the Rockies, had no issues. On those long climbs we would take our time and go a bit slower, who is in a race anyway? The major reasons for upgrading to a F-150 four years ago was to be able to haul a little more stuff in the tow vehicle and less in the 177 and the comfort level in the seats was better noted when driving long distances at a time. The '13 Explorer is my wife's favorite, still performs well, gets decent mileage (23-24) and is easy to maneuver and park and only has 156K miles, so should be good for many more years. ------------- God's pod '11 model 177 '17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake "...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free." |
Posted By: lostagain
Date Posted: 16 Jan 2023 at 6:21am
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I agree with the suggestion of StephenH that a Ford Ranger with a 2.7 ecoboost engine would give you very good service. We considered a Ranger when we bought our F-150, but wanted a little more interior room [6 passenger capacity instead of 5 and with a roomy back seat area], so we got the full crew cab, but with the 2.7 ecoboost engine. It is comfortable to drive long distances and the fuel economy is about as good as you can get for a pickup truck. The ecoboost engine gives you all the torque benefits of a diesel, but without loss of power at high altitudes and the very high fuel cost, plus it burns much cleaner. We put a camper shell, aka topper, on our F-150 and it essentially functions as a station wagon for purposes of stashing stuff behind the passenger area, except that the volume is much greater. Usually, we keep the rear seats in the stowed position and I use the rear passenger space to carry my tools or other large things. We have about 40 cu.ft. of space there and on long trips I've even managed to put 2 bikes in there along with a lot of other stuff. If you can't use the greater volume of the full size truck, a Ranger would probably be a better choice as it is not as wide or long and is a bit easier to park and maneuver in tight places. [I have to confess to a bias, however. I have not had good luck with GMC products and tend to shy away from them.] OG's suggestion of a standard SUV is also a good choice. My kids have Honda Pilots and are real happy with them. They have the 7 passenger versions. A friend of mine towed a trailer of rPod size with a Toyota 4Runner and was happy with its power and towing capacity. As long as you have no plans to exceed the 5K pound towing capacity, an SUV would serve you well. ------------- Never leave footprints behind. Fred & Maria Kearney Sonoma 167RB Our Pod 172 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost |
Posted By: Ben Herman
Date Posted: 16 Jan 2023 at 8:26am
Offgrid - I hear you on E150 pricing - while browsing online to see whats out there, I saw a new/used one listed locally for $87K!
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Posted By: Ben Herman
Date Posted: 16 Jan 2023 at 8:28am
| Thanks for all of your replies - lostagain, we had a Honda Ridgeline before the Lexus and it did the job but just barely. Living in the West, we're almost always climbing hills or just about to. If we were only in the high country occasionally, we'd probably be fine with a 5K towing package, but unless something better comes along, we'll probably go for the larger rig. |
Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 16 Jan 2023 at 9:41am
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Ford Ranger with tow package: 7,500 lbs tow rating. Chevy Colorado: 7,000 with 3.6l V6; 7,600 with Duramax Crew Cab. Nissan Frontier Crew Cab: 6,570 lbs; 6,460 lbs for Crew Cab Long Bed. Toyota Tacoma Double Cab SR5 4WD: 6,400 lbs I don't have anything against SUVs. The reason I really like my pickup is that there are things I will put in the bed of the truck that I won't put in the back of an SUV, such as gasoline, generator and such. A cap or even a tonneau cover keeps the contents of the bed dry and secure. ------------- StephenH Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7712 - ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS |
Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 16 Jan 2023 at 9:54am
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Tesla just dropped pricing aggressively on its whole product line, so it seems like perhaps the inflated pricing post the Covid shortage on new cars in general and EVs in particular might be ending. Ford may well need to price more sensibly on the Lightning soon too. Hope so anyway. In the meantime tho lowest cost EV on the market is the Bolt, which is what I'm getting. Re your need for hill climbing, be sure to separate horsepower from tow rating. They are related but not directly connected. If you didn't like the power output of the Ridgeline then it sounds to me like 5000lbs on the tow rating woukd be fine but you need something with high hp output at higher altitudes. That would suggest something with a turbo might be in order.
------------- 1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
Posted By: lostagain
Date Posted: 16 Jan 2023 at 10:06am
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Ben, you may be real happy with the ecoboost engine if you are driving at high altitudes. We lived in NV and camped all around the northeast Sierras. Crossing Ebbetts and Carson passes was easy with the ecoboost engine. The altitude made no difference at all and there was plenty of power for our 4400 GVW trailer. We had a Dodge Dakota with a 4.7 V-8 that we towed our Pod with and it really struggled to get up steep climbs. With a naturally aspirated engine and a 5K weight limit, you may find that the mountain passes are unpleasantly challenging. The down side of the small displacement engine is that you don't get much compression breaking and have to be careful to keep your speed down so you don't have to use your brakes too much. A diesel engine has the same compression braking issue unless it is equipped with a compression brake system, such as a Jake Brake. If I had it to do over again I would have test driven a 3.5 ecoboost to compare the difference. ------------- Never leave footprints behind. Fred & Maria Kearney Sonoma 167RB Our Pod 172 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost |
Posted By: Pod_Geek
Date Posted: 16 Jan 2023 at 11:15am
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I'll just comment that since I switched from a RAM 1500 to a 2500 the towing experience with the R-Pod 195 (weight about 4500 lbs) is much better...much more stable in crosswinds and just overall a more solid ride. I attribute it to the heavier towing vehicle (+ 1600 lbs). I'm not suggesting that the OP get a 2500 (unless he sees a bigger trailer in his future as we do), but note the weight of any prospective TV in light of my experience.
------------- 2020.5 R-Pod 195 Hood River 2018 RAM 2500 6.4L |
Posted By: poohbill
Date Posted: 16 Jan 2023 at 11:21am
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We have been towing a 179 with a 2017 (Gen 2) Ridgeline all over the Rockies for years. They are well matched for each other. The transmission Honda uses has improved tremendously in model years later than mine. Mileage is close to 14@65. https://www.ridgelineownersclub.com/threads/what-did-you-do-to-with-your-g2-ridgeline-today.140025/post-3277928 - https://www.ridgelineownersclub.com/threads/what-did-you-do-to-with-your-g2-ridgeline-today.140025/post-3277928 ------------- 2016 179 Gastropod 2017 Ridgeline |
Posted By: GlueGuy
Date Posted: 16 Jan 2023 at 11:45am
I worked for a company whose work trucks were all the 2.7L EcoBoost. The power was fantastic, but when we did off-road, I was surprised by the lack of compression braking; even in 4L. The 3.5L does not have the compression braking of a diesel, but it is way better than the 2.7L. ------------- bp 2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River 2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost |
Posted By: Ben Herman
Date Posted: 16 Jan 2023 at 11:53am
Thanks, that makes sense. I can see where having the turbo kick in as needed would help.
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Posted By: Ben Herman
Date Posted: 16 Jan 2023 at 11:55am
Thanks for that info - I definitely plan to take a look at the 3.5 and see how it drives.
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Posted By: Ben Herman
Date Posted: 16 Jan 2023 at 11:56am
Appreciate the feedback on the 2.7 vs 3.5!
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Posted By: Ben Herman
Date Posted: 10 Apr 2023 at 5:45pm
| Just a report back to all of you who assisted (I know we all like to hear the ending to a story). We just took posession of a 2016 F150 with a 3.5 V6 ecoboost. We'd gotten as far as putting a deposit down on a new Tacoma (prices on used ones are nearly the same as new), but realized that 1) the Tacoma would still likely fall short of our expectations for towing the 179, especially in the mountains and 2) we didint want to spend so much $$ on a vehicle that we pretty much only use for camping and occasional local trips. It'll take some getting used to - driving a big rig, that is - but I'm sure it will work well as a TV. |
Posted By: jato
Date Posted: 10 Apr 2023 at 7:09pm
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Good choice. We have been very pleased with our 3.5 EB and the seats in our F-150 are very comfortable IMHO. We purchased ours when it was 3 years old, let someone else pay for the depreciation before we got it. ------------- God's pod '11 model 177 '17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake "...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free." |
Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 10 Apr 2023 at 7:43pm
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So far, I am glad we traded the 2010 Frontier for the 2018 F-150 3.5l Ecoboost XLT. Overall, I am getting better mileage with the bigger truck and I have tow capacity to spare. The back seat area of the F-150 crew cab is impressive. It is built with leg room for even big people. ------------- StephenH Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7712 - ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS |
Posted By: lostagain
Date Posted: 10 Apr 2023 at 7:56pm
Depreciation???  According to the local property tax collector, our 2019 F-150 with a 2.7 ecoboost, 4x4, and crew cab is worth a lot more than what we paid for it. It's been super comfortable, plenty of towing power for our trailer, gets good mileage, and has been trouble free. Ben, I hope you enjoy your F-150 as much a we have enjoyed ours.------------- Never leave footprints behind. Fred & Maria Kearney Sonoma 167RB Our Pod 172 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost |
Posted By: CAPTKIDD
Date Posted: 11 Apr 2023 at 10:55am
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------------- CAPTKIDD |
Posted By: gpokluda
Date Posted: 11 Apr 2023 at 12:49pm
Congrats on the F150. I believe you will be thrilled with it. We started out with a 179 towed by a 2016 Nissan Frontier 4.0 back in 2016. Towed many, many miles thinking that rig was just fine until we upgraded to an F150 3.5 EB when we purchased a new trailer. Looking back, we should have just bought the F150 to begin with. As they say, hindsight is 20/20. ------------- Gpokluda 2017 Rpod 179(sold 2023) 2022 Escape 5.0TA 2022 Ford F150 4X4 3.5EB Triumph T120 |