Which tow vehicle to buy?

[mlts22]

A 25' AS will be best towed by a half-ton. However there are caveats:

If you are going into the mountains, you lose horsepower as you gain altitude with normally aspirated engines. If this is where you are going commonly, consider a 3/4 ton with a turbo diesel, or a Ford F-150 with the EcoBoost engine.

Keep an eye on the tow weight ratings. An AWD pickup usually tows far less than a 4WD model because of the extra transfer case. I always try to buy the biggest engine size possible. Yes, it might cost a few MPG, but it is worth it in the long run.

Keep an eye on the true weight of the TT? Realistically, if you are going over 8-9k with a TT, I'd seriously consider a turbo diesel 3/4 or 1 ton over a half ton. However, if you are using the TV as a daily driver, you might be better off with a 1/2 ton because they are shorter in length.

I'm sure other people have better advice. I like my F-150s, but there isn't anything wrong with a Chevy, Dodge, or foreign.

[tpi]

Installed Prodigy P3 brake controller today on the new Tundra. I ordered this particular unit which came with harness and Toyota plug.

Amazon.com: Tekonsha P3 Brake Control for Toyota Vehicles: Automotive

No splicing, removed left kick panel (directions in owners manual) and plugged in the harness and attached ground wire to existing grounding point.

To clarify the job above whats in the manual, first remove the door sill plastic molding by popping it straight up. Then remove the kick panel by removing the nut as shown in manual and pulling it rearward. You'll find the empty plug in there.

[r carl]

Originally Posted by SteveH

Bill,

I did not drive the Ram long enough to compare fuel mileage, etc. However, in the past the Cummins was LOUD, but not so any more. It's no noiser if as noisy as my Duramax.

Also, in the past the Ram interior was sort of spartan, but not so now, it is VERY nice indeed. Also in the past, it was my experience the Ram rode rougher than a GM truck, but if anything now, it rides smoother.

So, in summation, it FEELS like it has more power than my Duramax, is just as quiet and maybe more quiet, seems to ride smoother, and is nicer inside. Now I am comparing my buddies '11 Ram to my '08 GMC 80K mile Duramax, and that may not be a fair comparison.

If I were in the market for a new pickup truck today, I would most definately consider a Dodge.

Now go drive a 2011 chevy and tell us what you think. There is even a new heavier frame in the new ones (as if they really needed one in the first place).
The new trucks from the Big 3 are all good now so buy whats comfortable and appealing to you.

[xonvldz]

the difference between a loaded f150 approx 50k and a f250 td or f350 td for 63k is giving alot of people sticker shock.in my area i am seeing alot cheaper trucks on the road.also see alot of larger trailers in campgrounds being towed by 1/2 ton pickups.i beleive this is a sign of the times.for me ill keep my 3/4 ton td as long as possible.

[pappy19]

You can get a very nicely loaded up F-250 with a gas engine for about the same money as a loaded up F-150 made to haul heavy. The advantage with the F-250 is that the springs, frame, shocks, tie rods, etc are all HD compaired to the F-150, which also makes it alot heavier to begin with. The down side of the F-250 is that generally less mileage than the F-150 solo. Towing, the advantage goes to the F-250 not so much with mileage as stability. If you can obtain an "X" plan pin, you will get the truck at $500 over invoice less any incentives, or you can just call around and ask if the dealer will sell at the X plan price. Dealers all make what's known as the "holdback" even at invoice they make plenty. Some dealers will actually negotiate into their holdback just to sell a vehicle. Best time to buy/lease is the end of the month.

Pap

[LFM]

My 4x4, towmax, supercrew ecoboost with most but not all the bells and whistles was $33,000. It is not the Leather Lariet, fanciest possible, but really like the truck. We are only towing a 19' Bambi. All the trucks in the half ton arena, Chevy, Toyota, Dodge, and Ford were more than capable for what we needed. The 11,300 lb towing is why I eneded up with the half ton ford.
And we use only regular gas, not premium as mentioned above by someone.

[Marjon]

Originally Posted by BillTex

Motor Trend article...IIRC...maybe Car/Driver...I get both...
I'll see if I can find the article...it was recent.

I believe the article said the ecb runs on premium fuel also?
This would make fueling up more expen$ive than deezul?
Is that true?

What are the mielage figures for ecb engine?

I am not knocking it, I think it is a great idea...for the right size load.
Just trying to understand if there is a real advantage.

Edit; From Ford.com
F150 XL = $22790
ECO Boost option + $4400.

I guess it really depends on how you build your truck, but if you look at base price, ECB= $4400

Bill

I just purchased an F-150 with the Eco Boost motor for $750. Also, my motor uses regular 87 gas. Rides great!

[tpi]

One more little note on the Tundra-

This may be common for what I know, but I love this little feature:
It has a USB jack and will play audio from mass storage device. It will play from portable hard drive so long as it doesn't need separate power other than what comes from the USB source.

[Gene]

It is not true that you need a 3/4 or a diesel in the mountains to tow a medium sized trailer. Our Tundra will scream up Vail Pass or Monarch Pass (both over 11,000') at 70 mph or better. It will cost a lot of gas, so I rarely go over 60 on those passes, but the Tundra 5.7 L. engine does it with no problems and the transmission temp hardly budges.

Gene

[slowmover]

Originally Posted by Retiresoon

First time entry into this forum and I am looking for information. I am ready to buy a tow vehicle and my first airstream, and am shopping for both. I am looking for a 25' airstream and need information on the tow vehicle I should buy. Currently, I am shopping a Tundra and F-150. Any suggestions?
Thanks for the help...

A generic half-ton will be fine. If camping for extended periods (fulltiming) then a truck with greater payload will be the better choice as half-tons are quickly limited by tongue weight.

There are cars, suv's and minivans that will also suffice if certain conditions are met.


Can't resist this:

Our Tundra will scream up Vail Pass or Monarch Pass just like:

a little girl
a whipped dog
a Japanese truck

.

[THEPILL]

Originally Posted by tpi

One more little note on the Tundra-

This may be common for what I know, but I love this little feature:
It has a USB jack and will play audio from mass storage device. It will play from portable hard drive so long as it doesn't need separate power other than what comes from the USB source.

The 2011 Superduty does that also......Did I mention Cooled seats?

Shane

[Mr & Mrs S]

Originally Posted by THEPILL

The 2011 Superduty does that also......Did I mention Cooled seats?

Shane

The 2011 Dodge Ram 3500 has two USB ports and cooled seats

[THEPILL]

Originally Posted by jsmith84

The 2011 Dodge Ram 3500 has two USB ports and cooled seats

Funny!!!!!

It's a Dodge.



Shane

[Rust]

I have only towed with Chevy and Ford but did test drive the Toyota before getting my F150. I had a F350 for 7 years before the 2008 F150 but would never get a diesel again and I have many reasons for that.
The F150 gets as good of mileage as my F350 did and towed my 27foot Sunny Brook just as well except for the torque part. But I still have had no problems with the F150 for going where I have to go.
Now that I have just purchased a 2011 28 foot flying cloud and it being a lighter trailer then the Sunny Brook it is amazing how well it tows this trailer.
I have not done the mileage calculations yet but watching the fuel gauge coming home from the dealer I believe there will be a gas savings as well.
For me I don't believe you need the tow vehicles you may think when it is hitched properly and have the proper brake controller.
Then again I have only been towing a few years. (23)

[ROBERT CROSS]

Don't 'ya just love these threads....."mine is bigger than 'yer's, na na na na na na"

Better looking too!!

[SteveH]

Originally Posted by ROBERT CROSS

Don't 'ya just love these threads....."mine is bigger than 'yer's, na na na na na na"

Better looking too!!

When discussing tow vehicles, it ALLWAYS degrades to it.

[shermantic]

Chevrolet or GMC (Anything else would just be wrong....)

[Gene]

I suppose if you choose your tow vehicle according to who owns the company instead of reliability and suitability for the job, you may come up with a different result. It's been posted before, but the Tundra appears to have more American made parts than all the others, and, guys at the local Toyota dealer tell me the American made parts are the ones that break first. It may be impossible to buy any truck for some unless they want a 30 or 40 year old vehicle.

Gene

[dkottum]

This thread started asking for comments on Tundra and F150.

Our 06 Tundra has 63k miles now, no repairs ever needed. The only fault for trailering was the stock P-rated tires which I replaced with smaller diameter extra-load tires. The stability of the Airstream behind it now is like night to day, and its a bit stronger on the hills with little or no change in fuel use. I always tow with overdrive off and it moves along without shifting down in cruise control except on the steeper grades.

Haven't had a Ford since my 1950 2-dr flathead V8 so I can comment on that. The little engine run quiet and smooth, side-stepped the clutch at full rev's once and lost the trans. Fun car but crude in concept compared to today's cars. Come to think of it, the front V8 engine, rear drive, solid axle concept is still used in pickups and we call them modern tow vehicles?

doug k

[Gene]

Originally Posted by dkottum

Our 06 Tundra has 63k miles now, no repairs ever needed.

doug k

Just for the record, the '06 came with either a 4.7 L. V8 or a V6. The '07 came with the 5.7 L. V8 as one of the available engines. It is also a larger truck with a 6 speed automatic available with the large engine. I have no doubt the '06 Doug has is fine for his trailer and some people happily tow 25' and longer Airstreams with the 1st generation Tundras.

We had a 2002 Tundra with the 4.7 L. V8 when we were looking at trailers and we believed that using it to tow a 25' FB Safari would be pushing it for that truck. The '06 4.7 L. produced more horsepower than the '02 I believe, but I don't know about torque.

Our '07 also came with low quality P tires which we gladly replaced at 18,000 miles. They may have had 4-7,000 more miles on them, we were leaving on a long trip and I didn't want to come back with bald tires that I didn't trust anyway.

My last Ford product was a '56 Mercury that my mother turned over to me in '59. It was slow, unreliable, unsexy looking, but it was a CAR! Memorable things happened in that car. I think I got $200 or $300 when I sold it in 1962. I never wanted another Ford product. By 1962 my father had a Thunderbird that stalled when he made a left turn; that may have created some additional anti-Ford bias. I saw a restored '56 4 door (mine was a 2 door hardtop convertible) with the same colors (green, white, green) a few years ago and it looked much better to me now than mine did long ago. This paragraph has nothing to do with present Ford realities.

Gene