New Podders deciding btwn tow vehicles
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Topic: New Podders deciding btwn tow vehicles
Posted By: OurPodJourneys
Subject: New Podders deciding btwn tow vehicles
Date Posted: 22 Dec 2016 at 2:58pm
| We're new owners of a 179 in upstate New York, excited to begin full-timing in early summer 2016. Trying to select a tow vehicle adequate for the long haul, including mountain areas near National Parks of the West. We desire an SUV rather than pick-up. Currently looking at Toyota Highlander, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Dodge Durango, and Ford Explorer. We sure would appreciate the benefit of advice by those who've had experience with these vehicles (or others). |
Replies:
Posted By: Leo B
Date Posted: 22 Dec 2016 at 3:12pm
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Welcome to the group! Congrats on your 179!!
------------- Leo & Melissa Bachand 2017 Ford F150 2021 Vista Cruiser 19 csk Previously owned 2015 Rpod 179 2010 Rpod 171 |
Posted By: mjlrpod
Date Posted: 22 Dec 2016 at 5:02pm
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I too am in the search mode for a new tow vehicle. I am currently thinking im going with the toyota tacoma. I thought about a highlander, but alot of added expense for less towing . The few highlanders i looked at that were similar in price were 3500 pound capacity. Im looking at 6500 with the tacoma for about the same or less money. It is TOW vehicle, so i want to be sure i dont have any towing regrets. I almost bought one today, but it got sold out from under me, but thats ok, cause i just found another a year newer thats actually about 500 bucks cheaper. I was really liking the other one with the addition of side rails and rear cover, and the dealer said he will install them at no charge to make up for the one i didnt get. Damn nice of the guy, he didnt even wait for me to complain or anything, he came right out and said, i'll make sure we get the extras that were on the 2014, and put them on the 2015. ------------- 2017.5 Rp-172 2020 R-pod 195 2015 Frontier sv 4.0L 6cyl I'll be rpodding |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 22 Dec 2016 at 5:17pm
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Welcome. Don't forget the Suburban. A top consideration for a TV is wheelbase length - longer is more stable for towing. I agree you should get a TV with more than a 3500 pound tow rating. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual 
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Posted By: Bboudens
Date Posted: 23 Dec 2016 at 11:30am
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+ 1 for teckntreck longer wheel bases
are much better for towing. Which is why trucks are the way to go. The Chevy Tahoe and Suburban with V8s are probably the best SUV's for towing due to their longer wheel bases. However I used my brother in-laws Durango to tow once, V6 with factory install tow package is rated for 6500lbs. Towing a 3500 pound load (trailer+ people+ gear) It did just fine in the mountains. Not much pep to pass on steep grades compared to my TV. but did just fine. With an aftermarket Durango tow package the tow rating drops to 3500 pounds. ------------- Keep your stick on the ice 2016 178HRE 2011 Silverado 1500 |
Posted By: ToolmanJohn
Date Posted: 23 Dec 2016 at 2:06pm
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If a lot of towing (including hilly, mountainous terrain) is in your future, then get a V8, big V6, or diesel if you can find one. Don't get a tow vehicle rated for less than 5000 pounds. If all you were doing was very infrequent camping trips with almost all flat, then a 3500 pound rating would work, but for long haul, hilly terrain, get a vehicle with some TORQUE in excess of 280 ft-pds. A transmission with more than 6 ratios is also desirable. Find an 8 speed. The engine/transmission will be happier if it is not being asked to run full tilt all the time, which is what smaller engines will do at 55mph+.
------------- 2017 ATC 7X20 Custom Toy Hauler 2013 R-Pod 177 (SOLD) 2013 VW Touareg TDI |
Posted By: birderdiane526
Date Posted: 23 Dec 2016 at 4:02pm
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Congrats on your 179 and plans to full-time this coming summer! We started full-timing in March 2015 in a Teardrop trailer...too small! Bought a gently used R-pod 179 in June of this year and we love it! So comfy for full-time traveling and ample storage. And we have added 3 cats to the mix! Check it our blog or get in touch if you have any questions! Best to you! ------------- Diane and Michael 2016 179 "PIP" (PODDING IN PARADISE) 2007 Toyota Tundra BLOG:Podding in Paradise, birderdiane526.blogspot.com |
Posted By: john in idaho
Date Posted: 23 Dec 2016 at 6:58pm
| 4 door full size pickup with a bed cover the height of the cab in V8 or diesel -- the only time you won't like it is when you have to park out at the back of the parking lot at the grocery store. The newer ones-since about 2005 or so - ride like a Cadillac with hardly any road noise. It is nice looking down on traffic. |
Posted By: mjlrpod
Date Posted: 23 Dec 2016 at 8:46pm
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Anybody an expert on nissan frontier? i looked at some and they tend to be a few thousand lower than tacomas. A little plain to the eye, but it seems they all come with a V6 and 6100 - 6500 tow capacity. I just cant seem to get straight answers on if rated at 6500 pounds means they come equipped with tranny and oil coolers, or higher 130 amp alt. I hear the 130 amp alt isnt a big deal, the electric brakes will still work no problem. Anybody have any insight on this?? The dealership seems kinda useless on this, they repeat the " its rated for 6500 pounds" comment, but no idea if it has a tow package.
------------- 2017.5 Rp-172 2020 R-pod 195 2015 Frontier sv 4.0L 6cyl I'll be rpodding |
Posted By: ricon
Date Posted: 23 Dec 2016 at 10:16pm
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All Frontiers are tow capacity ready. S version doesn't have hitch but it has all wiring ready. I have S version I added hitch and 7 pins plug for $150. Mine has tranny cooler.It doesn't have better alternator. I f you have any questions let me know
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Posted By: ToolmanJohn
Date Posted: 23 Dec 2016 at 10:36pm
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Is the tow rating difference for the Frontier due to 2WD and 4WD having different tow ratings? Usually the 4WD is slightly derated. I remember when the 4th gen Toyota 4Runners came out in 2003, the 2WD versions had higher tow ratings by a couple hundred pounds. ------------- 2017 ATC 7X20 Custom Toy Hauler 2013 R-Pod 177 (SOLD) 2013 VW Touareg TDI |
Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 23 Dec 2016 at 11:15pm
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It also has to do with the version. We just purchased a used Frontier LE with Crew Cab. It is rated for 6100 lbs. The King Cab model was rated for 6500 lbs (if I remember what I read correctly).
------------- 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: OurPodJourneys
Date Posted: 23 Dec 2016 at 11:16pm
| Thank you, all, for your helpful replies! Because we'll be towing the 179 long term, including mountainous areas with some elevation, we're thinking now that the Toyota Highlander and Ford Explorer (5,000 lb tow capacity for both) would be stretch, endurance-wise, but that Jeep Grand Cherokee or Dodge Durango (6,200 lbs) would work. Anyone have experience with either of those, or TV of equal or better tow capacity? We'd like something that'll do the job, but not a lot more than necessary. We would still prefer SUV, but are open to considering pickup, so we're interested in that question as well. |
Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 23 Dec 2016 at 11:22pm
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If you plan on carrying things like a generator with a gas can and/or an extra propane tank, the pickup would be a better choice. We have been towing with an SUV up until the accident we had a few days ago. We now have the pickup truck. I think we will be much more satisfied with it. I did like the Ecoboost engine in our Escape. It had plenty of power. The Frontier will struggle a bit more on climbs, even though it is a V6 since it isn't turbocharged. Edit: I checked Nissan's towing guide. The 4wd option lowers the mileage rating by 1 mpg on both city and highway. 15 mpg city with 2wd, 14 mpg city with 4wd and 20 mpg highway with 2wd and 19 mpg highway with 4wd. For the Crew Cab LE with the 4L V6, 6300 with 2wd and 6100 with 4wd. Corresponding differences for the other variants as well. ------------- 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: ronahue
Date Posted: 24 Dec 2016 at 6:21am
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These are the numbers for our 2015 Nissan Frontier King Cab 4x4 SV V6 with tow package: GVWR 5690 lbs. Max Payload 1381 lbs. Curb Weight 4309 lbs. GCWR (combined gross weight rating) 10,409 lbs. Max Trailer Weight 6,100 Calculate Max trailer Weights with safety margins: Trailer Weight = 4567 lbs. Tongue Weight = 457 lbs. We have towed our 179 over 20,000 miles including 2 trips from Boston to Colorado, Wyoming and Montana. We are very happy with this TV it has adequate power and will maintain highway speeds even in the mountains. We never tow faster than 65 mph and I generally have the overdrive off when towing. MPG average with trailer 10-14 without 22-24. ------------- Ron & Sharon 2015 R-Pod 179 2022 Nissan Frontier No trees were harmed in the sending of this message but a billion electrons were really agitated |
Posted By: Happy Tripping
Date Posted: 24 Dec 2016 at 8:17am
'Best TV', like 'best' deer rifle, is in the eye of the beholder. That said, I had an V-8 Jeep GC, beautiful tv, and reasonably handy around town, very capable off road, just too big. Now I have a 'trail hawk' Cherokee, 4500 lb rating - works for me. With a 171, it slows in steep mountains to 60 mph or so, but that is my trade-off for a good combined around town and off road vehicle. I'm retired, can't afford a specialized tv, and feel that pick-ups are TOO specialized, but that's just me.
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Posted By: Leo B
Date Posted: 24 Dec 2016 at 8:25am
Ah deer rifles 
I like my Browning 30-06 left handed bolt action with a monarch scope...........
------------- Leo & Melissa Bachand 2017 Ford F150 2021 Vista Cruiser 19 csk Previously owned 2015 Rpod 179 2010 Rpod 171 |
Posted By: mjlrpod
Date Posted: 24 Dec 2016 at 8:57am
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Great point to consider the open bed for the generator, gas can, or extra propane tank. I think im sold on the pickup idea now. Plus, like i said before, this is a tow vehicle. I want the highest tow capacity possible , out of the vehicles in this price range. Here is what is really going to make the difference i think. I did a look into the future. I did a KBB trade in value comparison between tacoma and frontier. I put both vehicles in as 5 years old, with 110,000 miles and the same equipment. The tacoma listed a 6,000 dollar higher trade in value according to kelly. Tacoma had an average value of $16,500, frontier 10,400. The purchase price tends to be about 2,200 higher on the tacoma, but you sure get it back in the end ------------- 2017.5 Rp-172 2020 R-pod 195 2015 Frontier sv 4.0L 6cyl I'll be rpodding |
Posted By: Leo B
Date Posted: 24 Dec 2016 at 9:55am
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A friend of mine who is a mechanic told me that he sees a lot of Toyota's here in northern Vermont with well over 200,000 miles on them and they are still running
------------- Leo & Melissa Bachand 2017 Ford F150 2021 Vista Cruiser 19 csk Previously owned 2015 Rpod 179 2010 Rpod 171 |
Posted By: Wood River Pod
Date Posted: 24 Dec 2016 at 11:01am
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We have a 2010 Highlander with factory tow package. Only came with 4 pin adapter. Rated for 5,000. We lover our Highlander. It's been more than enough for our ClackaCraft drift boat. That being said, it does ok with our early 2017 179 HRE. Cons
Good Luck! ------------- Smith's in Hailey Early 2017 179 HRE http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=9134&PN=1&title=wood-river-179-mods - Wood River Mods |
Posted By: ToolmanJohn
Date Posted: 24 Dec 2016 at 12:12pm
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It's been said/noted before on fuel economy: Towing MPG will be about 1/2 of normal non-towing MPG. It's almost always the wind resistance at speeds over 50 mph that cause the plummet in fuel economy. Nothing that can be done about it. Just live with it. If towing infrequently or shorter distances, gas is probably the way to go. If planning cross country trekking long distances, then maybe diesel will provide lower towing fuel costs and better all-around towing experiences. ------------- 2017 ATC 7X20 Custom Toy Hauler 2013 R-Pod 177 (SOLD) 2013 VW Touareg TDI |
Posted By: mcarter
Date Posted: 24 Dec 2016 at 5:24pm
| Check out the Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon for those of you like me who want a mid size and US made. Towing capacity is more than adequate for RPods and larger TTs. Many options. |
Posted By: CampCat
Date Posted: 25 Dec 2016 at 4:17pm
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I to am in search of a tv. It will be my daily driver 1st so empty weight gas mileage and reliability are paramount to me. Luckily the field is flooded with combinations of these. These are the top contenders in my book. If I where strictly thinking towing I'd probably look a a full size 1/2 ton. Again there're many great options. I use this YouTube channel "TFL truck" and consumer reports as my favorite research sites. They don't test many midsize SUVs, at least not for towing. They test many off-road.
Frontier, http://youtu.be/CVmkyW_N9cU - http://youtu.be/CVmkyW_N9cU Ridgline http://youtu.be/ohnL47A03dA - http://youtu.be/ohnL47A03dA Tacoma http://youtu.be/DCkBmiZV09w - http://youtu.be/DCkBmiZV09w Colorado http://youtu.be/JGDIwZkLQuI - http://youtu.be/JGDIwZkLQuI Ford eco boost F-150 http://youtu.be/-mT_2iWib-c - http://youtu.be/-mT_2iWib-c http://youtu.be/P5CDxmwIa_M - http://youtu.be/P5CDxmwIa_M The eco boost has many videos on TFL-truck. The diesel Colorado, at this point, is out of my budget. I've tried to list them I order of price. Of course the options packages can wildly swing this. I hope this helps Patrick ------------- Patrick&Deanna, Scion xB, Clark Vertex Hammock "PuppypPod", crosswind kayak Starting from scratch😄 |
Posted By: jato
Date Posted: 25 Dec 2016 at 5:19pm
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Since purchasing our 177 back in March of 2011 we used our 2008 Ford Explorer with a 4.0L V-6 with 230 HP and worked quite well for us although it was working when we would travel through the Rockies, nevertheless we would get 12 mpg with it. This spring we upgraded to a 2013 Explorer with 3.5L V-6 and 290 HP. This definitely has more power and the towing mpg has increased to 13, it works for us. This is our run about vehicle so we use it mainly for town runs and then for towing when vacationing. Our only other vehicle is a 94 F-150 with 309,000 miles, stick shift 5.0 V-8 with 31 deer kills, body is rough but is a good wood hauler/work vehicle.
------------- 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: Leo B
Date Posted: 25 Dec 2016 at 5:53pm
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31 deer, that's impressive!!
------------- Leo & Melissa Bachand 2017 Ford F150 2021 Vista Cruiser 19 csk Previously owned 2015 Rpod 179 2010 Rpod 171 |
Posted By: mjlrpod
Date Posted: 28 Dec 2016 at 8:52pm
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Not sure what vehicle you all ended up with "ourjourneys" but for me, i'm going down to sign papers on a 2015 nissan frontier tomorrow as long as they dont screw with me on my trade in. Really hard to find all the info on towing package on nissan frontier. All they know is it can tow 6100 pounds (some say 6500) they have no idea of tranny coolers, or 130 amp alternators. It took me days to find the info, and the dealer cant even find it. I'm fairly certain it has all the same tow package as the tacoma. if anyone knows different, please do tell ------------- 2017.5 Rp-172 2020 R-pod 195 2015 Frontier sv 4.0L 6cyl I'll be rpodding |
Posted By: john in idaho
Date Posted: 29 Dec 2016 at 10:17am
| Go ask the service manager about the contents of the tow package. He also will have access to service bulletins. |
Posted By: Leo B
Date Posted: 29 Dec 2016 at 10:40am
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Ditto. If they can't provide the information, then I wouldn't buy from them. They should know their product.
------------- Leo & Melissa Bachand 2017 Ford F150 2021 Vista Cruiser 19 csk Previously owned 2015 Rpod 179 2010 Rpod 171 |
Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 29 Dec 2016 at 10:44am
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Now that I have had the chance to do a major tow of our EscaPOD, (South Jordan, Utah to Gilbert, Arizona) with the 2010 Nissan Frontier LE with 4wd, I can comment on how it tows. Overall, I am quite pleased. I don't think I had the hitch adjusted quite right, so I readjusted it in preparation for the next leg of our trip. As I suspected, even though it has a larger engine than the one in our Escape (4L V6 vs. 2L turbocharged I4), it struggled more in the mountains. The Ecoboost is a marvelous feature as it maintained power in the mountains. I could tell that the naturally aspirated V6 lost power as we gained in altitude. At 6,000+ feet, there was a definite drop-off in power. Trying to maintain 60-65 mph on some of the climbs was not going to happen, even though the transmission downshifted into 2nd gear several times. In spite of this, I am still pleased with the Frontier. It is much less expensive to use 87 Octane regular instead of having to use premium. We are getting about 11 mpg. The Frontier we have is only rated 19 mpg highway, so the half is about right. We got as low as about 9 mph with the Escape under similar conditions. I still would like to get a Diesel engine tow vehicle some day. I could have purchased an older F250 for about the same price from a private individual, but it had some problems, so we went with the Frontier from Carmax. So far, it has worked out okay. I think you will be okay with the 2015 Frontier. One excellent thing is that you can get the wiring harness to plug in a brake controller. The Bargman connector is there and all it takes is a short wiring harness to plug the connector into the pre-wired connector above the gas pedal under the dash. It only took a few minutes to get the Hopkins InSIGHT controller installed instead of the hours it took with the Escape. My wife likes the seating in the Frontier. She says it is better than that of the Escape. She likes sitting up a bit higher. ------------- 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: mjlrpod
Date Posted: 29 Dec 2016 at 2:32pm
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Stephen can you tell me what your vehicle has for towing? Does it have a tranny cooler? 130 amp alt? Do you know how to tell? ------------- 2017.5 Rp-172 2020 R-pod 195 2015 Frontier sv 4.0L 6cyl I'll be rpodding |
Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 30 Dec 2016 at 10:00am
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Unfortunately, I can't tell what amperage the alternator is by looking. I believe i did see a transmission cooler when I looked. In any case, temperatures did not seem to be an issue when we towed over the mountain passes between Utah and Arizona.
------------- 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: mjlrpod
Date Posted: 30 Dec 2016 at 10:29am
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I actually saw the tranny cooler in the one i'm buying. I'm gonna bring it down to my mechanic and get his opinion on what it has/ doesnt have. I called Nissan headquarters, and THEY couldnt tell me. I'm pretty sure it has everything i want, i got bits and pieces from car and driver , edmunds, etc., but it would be so much nicer if they would simply document it. I will certainly be making them aware that they are really being foolish to not make this more easily known. ------------- 2017.5 Rp-172 2020 R-pod 195 2015 Frontier sv 4.0L 6cyl I'll be rpodding |
Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 30 Dec 2016 at 9:47pm
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Agreed! It does not make sense to hide specification. They are important to help one make a decision on what to purchase.
------------- 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: mjlrpod
Date Posted: 31 Dec 2016 at 2:04pm
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Thanks for your input stephen, This is the truck i decided on. It has the trifold tonneau bed cover on it now, but not in the photo. 
------------- 2017.5 Rp-172 2020 R-pod 195 2015 Frontier sv 4.0L 6cyl I'll be rpodding |
Posted By: ronahue
Date Posted: 31 Dec 2016 at 2:56pm
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I have the same truck except it's a King Cab instead of Crew Cab I think you will be very happy with it as a TV. Maybe we will see you around some of the Massachusetts campgrounds we particularly like Nickerson State Park on the Cape. Congratulations ------------- Ron & Sharon 2015 R-Pod 179 2022 Nissan Frontier No trees were harmed in the sending of this message but a billion electrons were really agitated |
Posted By: grand beaver
Date Posted: 31 Dec 2016 at 4:41pm
| My 2014 Ford F150 w/ a 3.5 Ecoboost has been a superb TV!......if I was doing a purchase today I would look for a 2016 F150 SuperCab with the 2.7 liter Ecoboost. The combination of turbocharging (no loss of power @ elevation) with the low rpm torque of the Ecoboost engine can't be overstated. The trucks pull way harder with a load than you can ever imagine. The 2.7 Eco will get a bit better mileage than my 3.5 Eco when not towing. Find one with a 36 gal tank and the range between fuelups is great (an important consideration out West). Most of these trucks will come from the factory already set up with Sway control, towing brake controllers and trans coolers. Many of the 2016's are heavily discounted right now making them a great choice! |
Posted By: CampCat
Date Posted: 01 Jan 2017 at 10:17am
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Nice frontier. I'm looking for a midsize tv. I'll be buying in about a year. I've been researching and following all the chats I can. Did you post this o FB to. Sounds familiar! I'll be following so be sure to post a follow up on cros and cons, if you don't mind. Ty and nice ride ------------- Patrick&Deanna, Scion xB, Clark Vertex Hammock "PuppypPod", crosswind kayak Starting from scratch😄 |
Posted By: Bugout
Date Posted: 02 Jan 2017 at 3:19pm
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I started towing with an 02 Tacoma six banger with no tow package 5000 tow rateing truck was ok and it was time to trade up bought a 2016 tacoma with tow package tow rateing 6800 love it gets about 12 mpg pulling my 178 at 65 mph ------------- Jk Aiken South Carolina 2016 178 Toyota Tundra 2017 4.6 |
Posted By: OurPodJourneys
Date Posted: 02 Jan 2017 at 10:06pm
| Your responses are all helpful -- thanks! We've moved from considering SUVs to pickups, and are down to deciding btwn Toyota Tacoma, Chevy Colorado and Ford F-150, all in V-6, for towing our 179. Would appreciate any experiences or opinions regarding how they stack up against each other. (At this point, considering only used TVs). |
Posted By: rda54
Date Posted: 02 Jan 2017 at 11:29pm
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Don't count out the Chevy 1500 the New motors are good on gas. The 2016 is quieter than my wife's Lincoln mkz. There all good if they get you to where your going. ------------- Ronald & Lonna 2014 178 2016 Chevy 1500 |
Posted By: CharlieM
Date Posted: 03 Jan 2017 at 8:48am
IMO any of these trucks, if properly equipped, would be fine. I have the 4.0L 2013 Tacoma and tow a trailer weighing ~1000# more empty. However, Toyota no longer offers the 4.0L engine, having downsized to 3.5 or so. Same with the Colorado. These engines are rated higher than the 4.0, but at a much higher RPM. Bad IMO. The F150 is a great truck, but somewhat overkill for the Pod. All that said, you should consider whether you will be towing at altitude. All engines run out of air and lose power at altitude. The answer is to start with a bigger engine or add a blower. I added a belt driven supercharger to my Tacoma but the turbochargers do the same thing. 2013 was the last year Toyota offered the S/C for the Tacoma. This tends to make an argument for the 3.5L EcoBoost F-150. In the end, any of your candidate trucks will work with your Pod. Some better than others, but the F-150 is a beast of a truck to drive in a city. ------------- Charlie Northern Colorado OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD |
Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 03 Jan 2017 at 10:27am
Nice truck. I looked at a couple of 2016 Frontiers that were at Carmax, but decided on the 2010 based on the equipment it had. It has heated leather seats, heated mirrors, and the Kenwood stereo system is good. The backup camera looks aftermarket (fastens to the license plate), but is apparently OEM as the Nissan logo comes up on the stereo unit. It does not seem to be the ideal location for a camera, but with a drop-down tailgate, I don't see where else one could be mounted on a pickup. It also has the tiedown rails on the floor of the bed as well as on the side and has the bed extender. That came in handy to help our younger daughter move some things. I'm not sure why I was stuck on having an SUV before. The pickup has already proved to be useful, and the crew cab is almost like having the SUV with extra cargo space. The one-piece cover is a little harder to deal with than a trifold cover, but it is very nice and has no joints to leak. It really was the roof rack (I need to figure out how to mount our AeroPlus on it) and the bed cover that convinced me. I do need to get back to Carmax though. It was sold as having satellite radio capability, but the satellite receiver module is either missing or not working. I need to find out which before the warranty period expires. ------------- 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: Kickstart
Date Posted: 03 Jan 2017 at 6:03pm
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The more often you tow, the more you appreciate a full sized P/U. The more you drive in town, the better a mid sized feels. I've said it before--"love my full sized Tundra, except in those darn Costco parking lots." I laughed out loud when reading CharlieM's statement--"the F150 is a beast of a truck to drive in a city."
------------- '10 RP 175-Replaced by 2014 Kodiak 173 QBSL '12 Toyota Tundra '05 Sportster (half a Harley) Retired-We're on Beach Time! |
Posted By: rda54
Date Posted: 03 Jan 2017 at 6:14pm
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I have been driving trucks for 45 years and you have to get use to how to park and take corners. There isn't anything I'd rather drive. ------------- Ronald & Lonna 2014 178 2016 Chevy 1500 |
Posted By: jato
Date Posted: 03 Jan 2017 at 7:36pm
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And, when you hit a deer head on, I wouldn't want to be driving anything but a truck. ------------- 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: Bama Pod
Date Posted: 04 Jan 2017 at 7:23am
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I opted for the F150 (wanted the 250 but too tall for garage) in case in the future we want to get a bigger camper if we find the RPod (our first RV) to be too small. Yes, overkill for now, but not for maybe a 25 or 30 footer. ------------- Bama Pod Huntsville, AL 2017 Ford F250 2017 Airstream 26U |
Posted By: Irish Tom
Date Posted: 04 Jan 2017 at 11:09am
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I have a 178 and tow with a 2014 Ford Explorer Limited. Factory tow package and 3.7L V6. It is rated for 5000 lbs. It tows just fine. My only issue is the gas tank. Many SUV's have 18 gallon or less tanks where the truck normally have close to double that. My Ford Explorer gets around 9-10 miles per gallon towing if you keep it under 60 MPH. If not, your are looking at only 6-7 MPG. If you are just looking for a tow vehicle then I would recommend a V8. I use my Explorer for business, personal, & towing. Good Luck, Irish Tom
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