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Old 04-05-2017, 12:33 PM   #21
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Name: Ray
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Missouri
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Ford F150 3.5 Ecoboost vs. Jeep Grand Cherokee V8 for tow vehicle

As mentioned, since Ford only offers the 10-speed transmission with the
3.5L Ecoboost, it might be a more difficult decision this year?
For us, the 2.7L is plenty powerful for our needs.

Before getting our recent Scamp16D-A, we had a lightweight Scamp13 Layout 1 with the 54" bed. Last November, we used our 2.7L F-150 to tow the Scamp13 out to South Carolina (through the Smoky Mountains).
Towing mpg on that trip was 22.5.

At the LBL (Land Between the Lakes) rally last October, the couple in the
adjacent campsite had pretty much the same F-150 2.7L 4x2 that they were using to pull their Escape 19 trailer. They were likewise satisfied with their truck's towing ability.

If you were thinking that there might be anything larger than an Escape 19 in your future, after additional research, I might be tempted to suggest thinking about going with the 3.5L with the 10-spd auto? Who knows ..... ????

For an everyday driver and the trailers that you have mentioned, I think the 2.7L F-150 is probably a pretty reasonable choice.

To see our Scamp16D-A and our F-150, send me a PM with your email address and phone number and we can talk about a time. (Don't put that info out on a Forum post!)

Ray
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Old 04-06-2017, 12:12 PM   #22
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If it was me buying and those 2 vehicles were the only choice. I would use the 100,000 decision. If you keep the vehicle over 100,000 miles I would not buy the turbo.

I personally wouldn't buy either one as I like to keep my stuff forever.
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Old 04-06-2017, 01:22 PM   #23
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Bar,

I didn't see anything (PM) from you, so I sent you a Private Message (PM) with
our email address and phone number. Hopefully, you know how to access PMs.

My wife and I are retired but maintain a fairly busy schedule.

A picture of our F-150 and trailer is attached.

Our son-in-law had a solid fiberglass tonneau cover that limited the ability
to ever haul taller objects without completely removing the cover. He hated it.

We bought this folding cover at Chux Trux in Independence:
BAKFLIP MX4 - 448327


Regards,

Ray
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Old 04-06-2017, 01:50 PM   #24
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If it was me buying and those 2 vehicles were the only choice. I would use the 100,000 decision. If you keep the vehicle over 100,000 miles I would not buy the turbo.

I personally wouldn't buy either one as I like to keep my stuff forever.
Why is this, Steve? Turbochargers have been around for years, and I know of lots of turbo engines that have surpassed that by a long shot.

Almost any turbo failure can be attributed to owner misuse or abuse, mostly by not doing proper maintenance.

Modern turbochargers are now usually water cooled, and have vastly improved bearings over those used decades ago.
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Old 04-06-2017, 07:15 PM   #25
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Hi Ray - I did get your PM and replied yesterday but must not have gone through. I replied again just now. Let me know if you got it. Nice truck you have there!
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Old 04-06-2017, 07:35 PM   #26
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Bar,

Nope.

No PMs yesterday or today.
Checked both tablet and PC apps/interfaces.

If you weren't aware, there has been a recent problem with Private Messages on the Apple iPad FGRV app. [emoji45]
(I used to work in the Information Technology (computers) field.)

Probably best just to use the email address that I provided or else call the phone number.

Ray
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Old 04-07-2017, 06:05 PM   #27
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I also recommend the 2.7 EB we have one pulling our Escape 5.0 classic and it tows well, not enough towing yet to get good fuel mileage readings but without trailer can get as good as 9.5 l/100km or 25mpg. Have a trifold tonneau cover which works well just have to fold it up to the front to tow and items at front of bed are somewhat protected.
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Old 04-07-2017, 06:45 PM   #28
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You have lots to think about.....

I think there is lots of good advice here.

I tow a 17.5 ft Bigfoot (3250 lbs dry weight, 6900 lbs GVWR) with a 2012 F150 with the BASE 3.7L V6. No turbo. That engine puts out between 295 and 305 HP depending on who you believe. Yes it's slow on steep continental divide type hills but still faster than loaded semis. And when I'm not towing the smaller engine provides better fuel economy.

I've driven a 2016 F150 with the 2.7L Ecoboost engine. That truck is just amazing. It weighs 700 lbs LESS than the previous generation F150 (2010-2014), handles well, is quieter and accelerates faster than *@#!. In some towing tests the 2.7L engine has outperformed the 3.5L but that was before the 10 speed option came out. it's almost overkill for your towing needs but if money doesn't matter, go for it. You'd have more power and torque than me and 700 lbs less truck to haul around. if your trailer tires are only rated for 65mph what are you going to do with all that power?

But realize that the Ecoboost engines are highly sophisticated twin turbo engines. You are NOT going anywhere but a Ford dealership for any type of engine work, not even an oil change. But that's true for most new vehicles nowadays. And an extended warranty, at least for the powertrain, might not hurt.

Some folks might have hurt feelings but I would not buy any Jeep product. Quality has been sub par for decades. I would however look at a Ram truck with the Ecodiesel for your application. That is also a nice truck.
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Old 04-07-2017, 07:54 PM   #29
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But realize that the Ecoboost engines are highly sophisticated twin turbo engines. You are NOT going anywhere but a Ford dealership for any type of engine work, not even an oil change.
??? What is the problem with oil change in ecoboost engine outside Ford dealership? You can do it in any walmart.
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Old 04-07-2017, 10:03 PM   #30
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??? What is the problem with oil change in ecoboost engine outside Ford dealership? You can do it in any walmart.
Yeah, that has me wondering the same thing. Now if the same thing were said of the Ram ecodiesel, I might have passed over it... because those diesels require special low-ash synthetic oil that, last I knew, was not stocked by any place except the dealerships.
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Old 04-08-2017, 03:57 PM   #31
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Yeah, that has me wondering the same thing. Now if the same thing were said of the Ram ecodiesel, I might have passed over it... because those diesels require special low-ash synthetic oil that, last I knew, was not stocked by any place except the dealerships.
Well, the joy of these forums is that we all can share different opinions. I would not take a $45,000 vehicle to Walmart rather than the dealer. If you want to, great and good luck to you!

I've had bad experiences with different drive through lube shops using minimum wage type of help - oil drain bolt over tightened and stripped, oil filter put on so loose it dripped oil, etc. Others have had bad experiences with dealers, I'm sure. I try to avoid the drive through places as a result now.

But we're off topic... the real issue I'm concerned about is that the original poster is at risk of buying a much more powerful and larger tow vehicle than he/she needs. Why not look at something like a Toyota Tacoma, a totally bullet proof truck with a great resale value?
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Old 04-08-2017, 04:05 PM   #32
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Well, the joy of these forums is that we all can share different opinions. I would not take a $45,000 vehicle to Walmart rather than the dealer. If you want to, great and good luck to you!

I've had bad experiences with different drive through lube shops using minimum wage type of help - oil drain bolt over tightened and stripped, oil filter put on so loose it dripped oil, etc. Others have had bad experiences with dealers, I'm sure. I try to avoid the drive through places as a result now.

But we're off topic... the real issue I'm concerned about is that the original poster is at risk of buying a much more powerful and larger tow vehicle than he/she needs. Why not look at something like a Toyota Tacoma, a totally bullet proof truck with a great resale value?
What Risk ? The Ford F 150 is a great vehicle and very capable of towing any of the current FG trailers on the market .
Resale value has no bearing on a vehicle's ability to tow safely
A little extra size or power is not a liability but it can be an asset.
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Old 04-08-2017, 07:28 PM   #33
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Hello - new to the forum and am learning lots as I do the research to get my first tow vehicle and travel trailer. I don't want to have regrets right out of the gate so any advice from you seasoned campers would be greatly appreciated.

Right now I'm looking at these campers:
Scamp 16 ft Deluxe - Approximate weight 2200-2600
Hitch weight 165-225 pounds
GVWR 3500

Escape 17 ft - Approximate weight 2170
Hitch weight 250
GVWR 4000

Airstream Sport 17 ft - Approximate weight 2860
Hitch weight 350
GVWR 3500

Right now I have a BMW 328i drive that I would have to sell to get a tow vehicle. The new tow vehicle would be my daily driver. So needing to take that into consideration.

Thanks for any advice you might be able to provide!
The Explorer can be bought with the same 3.5 ecoboost as in the f-150.
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Old 04-08-2017, 07:54 PM   #34
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Well, the joy of these forums is that we all can share different opinions. I would not take a $45,000 vehicle to Walmart rather than the dealer. If you want to, great and good luck to you!

I've had bad experiences with different drive through lube shops using minimum wage type of help - oil drain bolt over tightened and stripped, oil filter put on so loose it dripped oil, etc. Others have had bad experiences with dealers, I'm sure. I try to avoid the drive through places as a result now.

But we're off topic... the real issue I'm concerned about is that the original poster is at risk of buying a much more powerful and larger tow vehicle than he/she needs. Why not look at something like a Toyota Tacoma, a totally bullet proof truck with a great resale value?
Heh. I now avoid the local Toyota dealership like the plague. At 140K miles on my HL, they 'found' a leaking timing chain cover gasket and quoted me $2600 (or was it $2800? I forget) to pull the engine and repair it. I took it to a small generic shop and they found that a couple of the cover's bolts were loose; the repair was basically free. Hmm, how do bolts suddenly come loose after being solid tight for years? Oh, and about a year later I had a recall notice so I took it back to the stealership. The service advisor once again told me that my timing chain cover gasket was leaking badly and a CV boot was leaking, too... how strange, since there were no spots on my driveway or anything! I got underneath and checked for leaks or torn boots... nope, nothing. I eventually found out that those service advisors earn commissions for writing more repair work! One can run into good workers, as well as bad workers, just about anyplace.

The OP may not "need" anything more powerful than a 2L turbo Ford Escape. But if he wants a more powerful engine, he has every right to buy one. And frankly, when one hits the long mountain grades, that extra capability can make the drive much more pleasurable. Besides, a stronger engine usually comes with a beefier transmission and more cooling, and when the system doesn't have to work as hard it tends to last longer.
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Old 04-09-2017, 04:58 AM   #35
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Originally Posted by FRL001 View Post
Well, the joy of these forums is that we all can share different opinions. I would not take a $45,000 vehicle to Walmart rather than the dealer. If you want to, great and good luck to you!

I've had bad experiences with different drive through lube shops using minimum wage type of help - oil drain bolt over tightened and stripped, oil filter put on so loose it dripped oil, etc. Others have had bad experiences with dealers, I'm sure. I try to avoid the drive through places as a result now.

But we're off topic... the real issue I'm concerned about is that the original poster is at risk of buying a much more powerful and larger tow vehicle than he/she needs. Why not look at something like a Toyota Tacoma, a totally bullet proof truck with a great resale value?
I too use dealerships, at least while the vehicle is under warranty. With my F-150 I paid something like $2,200 CAD for a service plan that covers all required scheduled maintenance and a bunch of wear items like brakes, shocks, plugs, wiper blades, hose, bulbs, etc for 100,000km. I was advised buying it to make sure I had all these components changed at the 100,000 mark, and that dealers are more than happy to comply as they get paid from Ford to do the work. Oh, and I can get the work done at any Ford dealership in North America. I already had a scheduled oil change done while on holidays down in Oregon last fall. Pretty convenient. Works for me.

And though I would not consider it a risk in buying a vehicle with excessive towing capabilities, I do agree that there still are people with the attitude that bigger is better, when there are lots of capable vehicles other than a full sized pickup to tow with. If a pickup fits your lifestyle (I definitely need one for work too) fine, but if you really don't need one, a smaller pickup like the Tacoma is a good thing, or one of the very capable mid-sized SUVs. Just so long as your vehicle tow ratings comfortably meets the weights of your trailer, all is good.
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Old 04-09-2017, 05:28 AM   #36
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The thing about the Tacoma, those trucks keep getting bigger and bigger and more and more powerful. They are not your dad's Toyota pickup! Now you can get one with a 3.5L V6, tow package, etc. which is more than able to handle an Escape trailer. Fuel economy is no better than the F150 with EB. Now the Tacoma with a 4 cylinder motor and no tow package is not suitable IMHO (payload and tow ratings are too low). It could handle a smaller molded trailer.

I always buy used, so the lack of depreciation of Tacomas keeps me priced out of the market. I really wanted a Tundra, but the used pricing was even higher. So I ended up with my F150 instead. Since I keep my vehicles until they are worn out, resale value on my used purchases is not as important an issue.
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Old 04-09-2017, 09:38 AM   #37
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The thing about the Tacoma, those trucks keep getting bigger and bigger and more and more powerful. They are not your dad's Toyota pickup! Now you can get one with a 3.5L V6, tow package, etc. which is more than able to handle an Escape trailer. Fuel economy is no better than the F150 with EB. Now the Tacoma with a 4 cylinder motor and no tow package is not suitable IMHO (payload and tow ratings are too low). It could handle a smaller molded trailer.

I always buy used, so the lack of depreciation of Tacomas keeps me priced out of the market. I really wanted a Tundra, but the used pricing was even higher. So I ended up with my F150 instead. Since I keep my vehicles until they are worn out, resale value on my used purchases is not as important an issue.
You dodged a bullet!
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Old 05-27-2017, 09:24 AM   #38
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I have been using a '94 Chev 1/2 ton, no extras, as a TV for years without a problem.

But, now that I am older, I have upgraded to a '13 F150 Ecoboost with the towing package.

And air conditioning. Yay!!!
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