Towing question

[Captain Ahab]

What is the appropriate thing to drive in order to appease the internet?

 

[Weekender]

What is the appropriate thing to drive in order to appease the internet?

 

[Migrator Man]

There’s a bunch of Rams around too.

Ram 1500 classics are a hell of a deal right now if you can get over having to own a Dodge!

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Thanks for all the input and points, lots to think about on my end. I wish a full sized truck didnt cost so dam much! One of the main attraction, aside from garage space to the Frontier is you can get into an 2018 with 15,000 miles on it for about $20,000, same full sized f150 is $35,000 or more.

Does anyone have a good explanation why they even make a 2 wheel drive truck these days? Just seems silly to me....

It also all depends on the options you want. You can get a new f150 with the 2.7 eco boost in the stx package for the low $30k’s. The truck gets 24 mpg. Doesn’t have the lariat options but is nicely equipped. Go big or go home in my opinion otherwise you may regret and get bit by depreciation if you trade in. I wish I would’ve went with a crew cab instead of a super cab. My f150 halved in value after 100k miles and 6 years old so I wouldn’t say it was too bad for depreciation.

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my question is when you see that f350 in the parking lot -- no fifth in the box and an empty paint still on it slot for the receiver and the box isnt all scratched up. It makes you wonder

That truck must be owned by a UND grad that owns the farm....... Farm trucks are for the NDSU grads that work on the farm!!!!

 

[tikkalover]

Pulled my 32’ fifth wheeler with a 17.7 Warrior behind that with a 2010 HD2500 crew-cab Silverado with a 6.0 gasser in it, at 65 mph to the lake this morning. Could give 2 shits about gas mileage as I am comfortable pulling this with the 3/4 ton. Have owned pickups all my years of driving from an S-10 short box to the one I have now and once you hook something up to the back, the gas mileage goes to shit. I have never owned new, always bought used. Either run them until it costs to much to fix them or sell them before they hit 100 thousand miles if you’re worried about trade in value. I have been lucky buying used but then again I have a nephew that that works as a salesman at the local car dealership in town that can find me what I’m looking for in a used vehicle.

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Forgot to mention, whatever you buy and whatever you pull with it, you’re the one who has to figure out what a safe speed is. Every thing pulls different in good conditions versus bad conditions. Drive your own drive and don’t worry about the people driving behind you.

 

[Big Iron]

That truck must be owned by a UND grad WITH A SMALL WIENER.......

 

[Glass]

Well, after thinking about what everyone had to say, talking with others, and doing lots of research I think I have settled on a full sized. I am leaning towards the Ford F150 XLT 3.5 L. This seems to fit the bill alright and fits OK in the garage. The bad news my wife has settled on a color, (Blue) so now I just have to keep searching until the right one comes along.

 

[johnr]

My daily runner is an F150. Love this truck, however even my light enclosed trailer is a work out for it, it handles it, but I am likely not the safest pickup on the road. I pull my fifth wheel and Lund boat behind it with my trusty F250, ten times the weight of the enclosed trailer and feels like ten times less

 

[ndfinfan]

Got a 2014 F150 with the 5.0...pulls the 19ft Lund with zero issues...depending on wind...gets 12 to 15 mpg while towing the boat...17 to 19 mpg when not towing...the Ford has been bullet proof for 5 years now...damn good truck...IMO.

 

[Migrator Man]

Well, after thinking about what everyone had to say, talking with others, and doing lots of research I think I have settled on a full sized. I am leaning towards the Ford F150 XLT 3.5 L. This seems to fit the bill alright and fits OK in the garage. The bad news my wife has settled on a color, (Blue) so now I just have to keep searching until the right one comes along.

New or used?

 

[Glass]

New or used?

Gently used, 2017-19 with under 20k miles

 

[sl1000794]

My towing experience: I bought an '84 Silverado 4X4, 305 ci, 4 speed w/ overdrive in 1985. Way underpowered/way overgeared. Had transmission and engine problems and replace both more than once. Replaced the engine with a 351 ci, but still had transmission problems.

I bought a 22' Seaswirl Striper 210 cutty cabin boat in 1995. Eventually changed the 64 gal. tank for 100 gal. to allow going out for albacore. To launch in the ocean from San Jose (I only used the boat in the Pacific for salmon fishing, Dungeness crabbing and SCUBA diving/spearfishing) I had to go over the Santa Cruz Mountains. The Chevy just didn't cut it. The boat and trailer with a load of fuel and dive gear for 4 was 6,000#.

In 2001 I bought a 3/4 ton Ford crew cab 7.3 liter power stroke diesel with an 8' bed and have never looked back. In 2007 I bought a 30' box (36' bumper to hitch) loaded 10,000# travel trailer and take my 13' inflatable, 25hp outboard and all other gear necessary up to Mendicino (Van Damme Campground) free diving for abalone and have no problem pulling the trailer over the 2,000' hill. I will never have another pickup after this Ford diesel. Obviously I bought the big travel trailer because I had a rig that could pull it anywhere.

 

[JMF]

Gently used, 2017-19 with under 20k miles

I went through this whole process about 6 months ago. I found I could order a new one the way I wanted it set up (2019 f-150, XLT, 3.5 eco, 6.5' bed) with full warranty for just a few thousand more than a used one. Current incentives make it easier to buy new than to buy used. I was super picky about what I wanted and a used one or even a new one on the lot didn't exist. I shopped around and asked for quotes from 32 different dealers and got Eide to match the lowest one. You will love the 3.5 eco for what you plan to use it for.

 

[Glass]

I went through this whole process about 6 months ago. I found I could order a new one the way I wanted it set up (2019 f-150, XLT, 3.5 eco, 6.5' bed) with full warranty for just a few thousand more than a used one. Current incentives make it easier to buy new than to buy used. I was super picky about what I wanted and a used one or even a new one on the lot didn't exist. I shopped around and asked for quotes from 32 different dealers and got Eide to match the lowest one. You will love the 3.5 eco for what you plan to use it for.

If you dont mind me asking what did you end up paying? I am finding I can find what I want with 10-15k miles on it in 2018 for around 30-32,000. Building it new seems to be around 42-45,000 but who knows maybe Im missing something!

 

[Bfishn]

^^ There are usually some good deals on new "holdover" trucks toward the end of the year and beginning of new year once the new model year starts hitting the lots in the fall. A couple years ago I was really patient and was able to get literally the exact truck i wanted (GMC Sierra) for $32,500 brand new. I had been watching for like two years and 3 year old trucks with 35k miles were going for pretty much that same amount, and i could never find what i wanted in a good used truck.

 

[SDMF]

If you dont mind me asking what did you end up paying? I am finding I can find what I want with 10-15k miles on it in 2018 for around 30-32,000. Building it new seems to be around 42-45,000 but who knows maybe Im missing something!

0% interest, unless you're paying cash, then it doesn't matter.

 

[Jigaman]

I have a 2013 with the 5.0. Love it but my empty mileage is about the same as your towing mileage. when pulling my 18.5 glass boat I'm at about 10-11 mpg.

Got a 2014 F150 with the 5.0...pulls the 19ft Lund with zero issues...depending on wind...gets 12 to 15 mpg while towing the boat...17 to 19 mpg when not towing...the Ford has been bullet proof for 5 years now...damn good truck...IMO.

 

[JMF]

If you dont mind me asking what did you end up paying? I am finding I can find what I want with 10-15k miles on it in 2018 for around 30-32,000. Building it new seems to be around 42-45,000 but who knows maybe Im missing something!

I paid 41,500 set up exactly the way I wanted it. I didn't find a used 18 set up like I wanted for anywhere close to 32 though. Everything I found was around 38, and I looked as far away as Texas. Lots of 2.7 eco's and short boxes for 30-32 though.

 

[eyexer]

With the incentives on new 2018’s right now and the lower rate on new vs used I think you’ll find it’s just as cheap to buy new unless your plan is to pay cash for it

 

[Sluggo]

Well, after thinking about what everyone had to say, talking with others, and doing lots of research I think I have settled on a full sized. I am leaning towards the Ford F150 XLT 3.5 L. This seems to fit the bill alright and fits OK in the garage. The bad news my wife has settled on a color, (Blue) so now I just have to keep searching until the right one comes along.

I have a 2015 F150 XLT 3.5 L and like it very much, good choice. Locking yourself into 1 color will complicate your search. Try to get her to add a 2nd color to her acceptable list. I bought my 2015 new at the end of the year and I had 2 colors I would take and it was not easy.

 

[Migrator Man]

If you dont mind me asking what did you end up paying? I am finding I can find what I want with 10-15k miles on it in 2018 for around 30-32,000. Building it new seems to be around 42-45,000 but who knows maybe Im missing something!

You should be able to get 10k off sticker price especially later this fall when they are starting to bring in the new models. If getting 10k off is close to the used price I would buy new.