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Tow vehicle ideas needed!
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gpokluda View Drop Down
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Posts: 344 		Post Options Post Options   Quote gpokluda Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Tow vehicle ideas needed!
    Posted: 11 Apr 2023 at 12:49pm
Originally posted by Ben Herman

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. 

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.
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Posts: 25 		Post Options Post Options   Quote CAPTKIDD Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Apr 2023 at 10:55am
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lostagain View Drop Down
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Posts: 2595 		Post Options Post Options   Quote lostagain Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Apr 2023 at 7:56pm
Depreciation??? Confused 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.
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StephenH View Drop Down
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Posts: 6329 		Post Options Post Options   Quote StephenH Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Apr 2023 at 7:43pm
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.
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jato View Drop Down
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Posts: 3258 		Post Options Post Options   Quote jato Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Apr 2023 at 7:09pm
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.
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Ben Herman View Drop Down
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Posts: 355 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Ben Herman Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post 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. 
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Ben Herman View Drop Down
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Posts: 355 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Ben Herman Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Jan 2023 at 11:56am
Originally posted by GlueGuy

Originally posted by lostagain

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.  

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.

Appreciate the feedback on the 2.7 vs 3.5!
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Ben Herman View Drop Down
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Posts: 355 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Ben Herman Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Jan 2023 at 11:55am
Originally posted by lostagain

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.  

Thanks for that info - I definitely plan to take a look at the 3.5 and see how it drives. 
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Ben Herman View Drop Down
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Posts: 355 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Ben Herman Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Jan 2023 at 11:53am
Originally posted by offgrid

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. 

Thanks, that makes sense. I can see where having the turbo kick in as needed would help. 
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GlueGuy View Drop Down
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Posts: 2660 		Post Options Post Options   Quote GlueGuy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Jan 2023 at 11:45am
Originally posted by lostagain

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.  

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.
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