Tow Vehicles 2013 and newer

I love the idea Dodge has with a diesel in a half ton and I think the copy of the 1969-70 chevy pickup with the coils in the year is pretty cool too. The others will follow this lead and do it much better. But, and this is unfortunate, even as good as the Cummins is in the larger trucks, it is still gift wrapped in a Dodge pickup. I know I sound like a Dodge hater, but they are often in last place in reliability.
 
IT's looking more and more like I need to really look more into the Dodge 1500 with the Eco-diesel. Sounds like it would increase my tow capacity while improving my mileage. Pricing may be an issue. ssobol, I know of a lot of folks that feel like you do. However, I tow my boat 1000's of miles a year, with several really long trips. As they say, you get what you pay for. I don't need a brand new vehicle, but I do want something that I can depend on. And I in turn will maintain it. Colby
 
colbysmith":30o4eqne said:
IT's looking more and more like I need to really look more into the Dodge 1500 with the Eco-diesel. Sounds like it would increase my tow capacity while improving my mileage. Pricing may be an issue. ssobol, I know of a lot of folks that feel like you do. However, I tow my boat 1000's of miles a year, with several really long trips. As they say, you get what you pay for. I don't need a brand new vehicle, but I do want something that I can depend on. And I in turn will maintain it. Colby
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Judging by the scarcity and price on the few used RAM 1500 Eco-Diesel's I have looked at, they are holding their used value very well. maybe as good as a C-Dory :lol:

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

DSC_4180_1.thumb.jpg
 
Last year I went to buy a new - used car/ SUV. I have driven two "commuter" cars that got 40+ mpg more than 400,000 miles since the mid-'80s. Since we're retired and drive less we decided to move up to a SUV so I was concerned about gas mileage. We made a work sheet with features wanted and it included a ten year cost figuring 20,000 miles / year @$4.00 gas. When I got thru I was amazed and bemused at how little cost differential there was between 20 mpg and 30 mpg vehicles when spread over 10 years & 200,000 miles. Initial cost and repairs / maintenance is the big key, so at the end when making the decision I put mpg as a very low selection criteria.

Chuck
 
Advantages of diesel tow vehicle vs gas:
* Better mileage (more miles/year helps offset initial cost)
* More torque (for uphill, heavy loads; it's a workhorse)
* Increased longevity (if you maintain it)
* Better resale
* My area now: less $/gal

The new model Nissan 1/2 ton truck with V-8 diesel produces about 100+ ft-lbs
more torque than the Ram 1500 V-6 eco-diesel and is boasting good mileage.
Worth considering but more $$.

Aye.
 
Unless you plan to keep a vehicle for a long time your biggest expense (even more than gas mileage, upkeep, insurance, etc.) is depreciation. We bought a brand new Tacoma 4x4 reg cab in 2009 for almost exactly $20,000 after discount and including tax (no trade in). Last summer we traded it in with over 100k miles on a new 2015 Tacoma Double Cab 4x4 and got $10,000 for trade plus a good discount on the new truck. 50% depreciation after 6 years and 100k miles in salt & snow is hard to beat!

As a side note: we love our Tacoma and regularly use it for towing a variety of trailers of different weights and sizes. For us the main selling point is the avaiability of a manual transmission...we don't do automatics in our family 😀
 
ThousandIslander":9gft7k6d said:
SNIP 50% depreciation after 6 years ....... is hard to beat! SNIP
Click to expand...

All else being equal, I've found the 25/6... Rule to be close for
depreciation:

1st year lose 25%
2nd year lose 6%
Etc. 6%
Etc. 6%
Etc. 6%
So,
after 5 yrs you've lost
about 49%.

Yup. Close.

Aye.
 
The search for the perfect tow vehicle is akin to the search for the perfect boat.. Great stuff for the "hot stove league" prior to Memorial Day! Re the Tacoma: the first 2 generations have been the #1 or 2 best of all vehicles for maintaining their resale value for many years, so purchasing one used is a relatively expensive deal financially. Especially true with extended/double cab 4x4 models. Standard cab/manual tranny not quite as much (as I found when selling mine). No diesel available or planned however. The Chevy Colorado apparently has a diesel coming out this fall for next model year, as does the Nissan Frontier. Generally true of pickups of all makes is that they hold their value much better than their more initially expensive SUV version counterparts. A great deal if you like them and can look beyond poor MPG is a used Sequoia. Costing well over $40K new, a nice used one can be had for between $7,000 - $12,000 any day of the week here in Seattle. Excellent reliability ratings and road dynamics with full-size tow capacity. The math supports keeping MPG at the bottom of your list for used vehicle criteria, but for some (like me) it still hurts to fill a vehicle so often and with so many gallons per fill. I guess its a matter of perception. I went with a used 2004 4-runner limited, which cost the initial owner $42K and I purchased for $13,750 with 98K miles and in mint condition with full dealer service records. Body-on-frame, low gear range, locking center differential, and a true 5,000# tow capacity. A comparable used Tacoma like I wanted would have cost quite a bit more and been significantly less well-equipped. I'm still amazed that a Highlander does so well with the type of towing described; I wouldn't have guessed it "on paper". It certainly has more favorable manners than any of the truck-based rigs if it needs to double as an everyday driver.
 
Chuck, your numbers crunching for savings of gas vs. diesel and mileage is something I think not everyone does. While I too consider that, I haven't really done any serious number crunching. I realize with a diesel you also have higher maintenance costs and definitely upfront costs. I have done a lot of towing behind gas engines, and have been fine with them. Gas is sometimes easier to find, and right now anyway, very little price difference between gas and diesel. Living in the cold country, and I realize newer diesels have come a long ways, but you still have those cold morning start ups. Also, while I do a lot of long distance towing, I also use the same vehicle for a lot of around town driving. (And some long distance driving without towing.) But the gas mileage does make some difference, particularly with higher gas costs. (Right now, that's not to much of a problem, but I'm pretty sure we will see higher costs again.)

Foggy, your comments are exactly why I do not buy brand new cars anymore if I can help it. I've had very good luck with buying models that are 1-3 years old, under 35,000 miles, and that have been "lease backs" or dealer rental cars. At least that way I'm getting something that has been broken in, professionally maintained and already somewhere around 30% depreciated.

I hope to go look at a new Dodge 1500 Eco-Diesel this week. (As, there are no used one's listed.) Just to see one anyway, and give it due consideration. But as I look at everything, including my use of the vehicle, and with no future plans to tow anything bigger anytime soon, it may come back to just keeping what I have, or upgrading it to a newer model. I really have been quite impressed with the Highlander, and it has met all my expectationsl
 
Yes, a diesel can seem bigger than a full size truck, but I've owned a 1500 gas, 2500 V10 gas and now my 2500 2006 Dodge diesel that I bought for 25000 dollars with 52000 miles on it in 2007. Other than the weight bearing and tow capacity, the 2006 is easy for my wife to drive and park and she really likes being up where she can see. It is the 4 door cab model. My truck now has 150000 miles on it and the NADA private sale value is now 25,000. In other words, effectively, no depreciation according to NADA in the past 9 years. Of course, diesel trucks have hit a high in the popularity curve.

Many things go into the new and used and what to buy equation; how sustainable is the depreciation, sure a hit gets taken on a new one, but in the case of the Dodge Cummins diesel trucks after the initial hit, they are on a very flat depreciation curve. I can't comment on the chev or ford diesel depreciation.

My Dodge gets 19 MPG at 70 with my wife and I and baggage for a one week trip. It gets 17 MPG with my 2000 lb camper in the bed at 65 mph. It gets 14 MPG at 60 MPH pulling my 4000 lb boat and with the 2000 lb camper in the bed. It stays in overdrive on any hill up to 4% grade but kicks out of OD above that. I've never had to go into third gear on any highway or interstate grade.

Your use of a truck for only boat towing and not with a load in the bed, should make the 1500 eco diesel a great match. Pricey, but a great match to your needs.
 
We are happy with our '13 4wd F150 with 3.5l Ecoboost, 3.31 gears and 9,400# towing capacity. It does have the base tow package. When I baby it it'll get almost 23 mpg at 60 mph when it's warm. When I don't it goes like a bat out of hell.
 
So I took a new (2016) Dodge Ram 1500 Crew Cab short bed with Eco-Diesel for a test drive today. (Bighorn package). NICE truck. Showing a MFSR of $51,000, on sale for $40,000. I guess my only complaint, besides cost, was would it even fit in my garage. While it drove easy enough, it did appear to be a good bit longer than my Highlander. Which would probably relate to parking issues, etc. I also looked at and drove a 2016 Tacoma with the V6, crew cab. This was the SR5 interior level, rather basic. I think I've been spoiled with my last two vehicles, and since I make some long distance travel, prefer to have a little more luxury. :-) Otherwise, the interior was much smaller than the Highlander or the other larger trucks. Just not quite what I want. Unfortunately, the new Highlanders don't impress me much. Just learned today while researching that around 2014, they went to a bit heavier body which cuts into the payload some. Still rated to tow 5,000 lbs, but with tongue weight and fully loaded putting my current Highlander right on the edge, the loss of payload doesn't sit well with me. I could still get a low mileage 2013 Highlander and have exactly what I have now. I still want to look a bit more at the Ford F150 3.5 EcoBoost V6. The new Ram 1500 Ecodiesel uses DEF. I'm starting to wonder if the increased diesel mileage over gas, is really that much of a cost savings with possibly increased maintenance costs?
I guess as of right this minute, the Ram 1500 with Eco-Diesel is sitting as the winner with what I've seen today. But not without some cons. I also looked at a Four Runner. Nice, but think it takes a hit in mileage. Colby
 
If you like the Dodge a lot, don't bother driving the Ford - you'll end up with the ecoboost. It runs circles around the dodge as far as power and torque goes. The 2015 f150 also have awesome brakes and pretty good handling.
 
Been spending the last few hours on the laptop reading reviews. Now I'm not sure either of them would be worth it... :-( Some concern of payload available, particularly with the heavier Ram, and of the 150's eco boost lacking in mileage with the boost in progress... I guess I need to have all the numbers available on both trucks, regarding GVWR, GCVWR and actual curb weight. At this very moment, I'm kind of back to really liking my current Highlander with just about 100,000 miles on it, or looking at some more SUV's. (I really don't need the back end bed area of a truck.) Time to give it a rest for the day. Mind is so muddled up right now with information overload... :? Colby
 
The reason I like SUV such as my Yukon XL is that they have the ride comfort as good as a car (for me). Very comfortable seats, and very easy to get in and out (important as you near 80).

The towing capacity is similar to most pickups. They are trucks--not cross overs.
I like that we can take the back row of seats (only necessary if you want to transport more than 5 people), out, and have a full 8' x 4" bed area. For me this means I can sleep back there as Marie drives. If necessary we both can sleep in the back (with air mattress.--still room for air mattress, food chest, gear porti potty, tools, and it is secure--not like in a truck, where it is in the bed. We can get up to 22 mpg on the highway (at 55 to 60), and towing we average 13 to 14 mpg. Not too much off what the diesels are getting. With the tow package, you have plenty of reserve beyond the weight of the C Dory 22. Also, there is some weight in the back so that tracking out of the ramp is good (but we do have 4 x 4 with low range, so off road or sand is OK...

Each of us has to weigh all of these factors and make our personal decision. In many ways I would rather have a diesel, (and have for the 25 and 255), but for the 22, the gasser is fine.

A few years ago, it was time for Marie to get a "new" car. Many times in our lives, this as been a low milage 2 to3 year old car, but currently we are able to get anything she wanted. She drove a number of cars, and her choice surprised me, but it was what she wanted--and she is happy. I don't like to drive her car, and it is not comfortable for me--but again--it is what each of us likes which is important.
 
Colby,
Tell her I said you should narrow it down to your favorite 3, and buy all 3 to drive on different days.
Also, a HD2500 diesel truck is great if for instance, you need to go to Lowe's to buy some light bulbs.
Hope that gets you a bigger budget for this.
Always wanting to be helpful!
John
 
John, I think you read something into my post from somebody else. lol. My wife said she supports what ever I decide to get. Of course talking cars with her is like her trying to talk eyeliner with me. :mrgreen: (Probably because she knows I won't be able to figure it out in the end and just keep what I have.) :roll: Colby
 
Bob, tell me more about that Yukon. The last couple of 8 cylinder SUV's I owned got no where near 20 mpg. More like 17-18 maybe. And not towing. Colby
 
Colby,
Certainly the newer trucks get better mileage than they used to. I remember borrowing a friends 150 a few years ago, and getting about 8 miles a gallon.

The way you drive, has a lot about the mileage . We have a Scan Gauge G hooked up to the OBD port, and monitor the instant mileage and average mileage, Gallons per hour etc. Lower speed, easy acceleration and letting the truck coast can make a lot of difference. There is the feature of cutting off 4 of the cylinders--I don't know if it helps much. You can have the dash read out if it is running on 4 or 8 cylinders. Mostly on 4 if coasting, or very level and low speeds. The "Tow Haul" mode is similar in most of the trucks--moves the shift points up, and I believe leaves off the top gear, unless you are going down hill. Nothing magic about the Yukon vs the Chevy Suburban or similar large SUV.
 
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