Help navigating my used Truck search

[redhat]

I think you're overlooking a very good powertrain by avoiding the 2.7 EcoBoost. The 2.7 is NOTHING like the 3.5. Two piece block, compacted graphite like a diesel, port fuel and direct injection.

The 3.5, I am not a fan of. The 2.7... all day long. You can get an upped payload package with a 2.7.

If your budget is 35k, what about a GMT900 Suburban 2500, Silverado 2500 6.0 or maybe an early year K2xxx truck. I could not imagine, not being able to find one of them for under that price.

 

[redhat]

To answer the 2nd part of your question, for 35k, I am buying GM, but I guess I'm biased.

1. GMT800 6.0 Suburban 2500
2. GMT800 6.0 2500 Crew Cab
3. 2007 GMT900 6.0 Suburban 2500 w 4L80
4. GMT900 6.0 Suburban 6L90
5. GMT900 6.0 2500 Crew Cab
6. GMT800 8.1 Suburban 2500
7. GMT400 Suburban 2500 and LS swap with Gen IV 6.0/6L90.

Any of these 6.0 with a simple stage 1 cam, some 34-36 lb injectors and a good tune and they'll have a lot of nice power on the table from factory.

 

[CKN]

I think you're overlooking a very good powertrain by avoiding the 2.7 EcoBoost. The 2.7 is NOTHING like the 3.5. Two piece block, compacted graphite like a diesel, port fuel and direct injection.

The 3.5, I am not a fan of. The 2.7... all day long. You can get an upped payload package with a 2.7.

If your budget is 35k, what about a GMT900 Suburban 2500, Silverado 2500 6.0 or maybe an early year K2xxx truck. I could not imagine, not being able to find one of them for under that price.

Owners of the F150s seem to be the most satisfied with the 2.7. It's a solid motor.

 

[cptbarkey]

Your budget is too low. Also, right now is a terrible time to buy. Your choice of trucks right now will also all be white knuckled piss your pants driving, go 3/4 ton.

 

[SC Maintenance]

Good friend of mine has a 2017 F150 with the 5.0. Tow rating is ridiculous - like 14,000 lbs. Its the 4 door with 6.5 foot box, so takes an acre to turn but rides nice.

I would likely go that route if I had to buy something, even though I honestly dislike Ford. He is at 100K miles and hasn't had any issues.

 

[snarl]

https://www.cargurus.com/Cars/inven...tedEntity=d634#listing=360173666/NONE/DEFAULT

 

[MNgopher]

I think you're overlooking a very good powertrain by avoiding the 2.7 EcoBoost. The 2.7 is NOTHING like the 3.5. Two piece block, compacted graphite like a diesel, port fuel and direct injection.

The 3.5, I am not a fan of. The 2.7... all day long. You can get an upped payload package with a 2.7.

If your budget is 35k, what about a GMT900 Suburban 2500, Silverado 2500 6.0 or maybe an early year K2xxx truck. I could not imagine, not being able to find one of them for under that price.

I own a 2016 with the 2.7 - and I am satisfied as can be with the engine. I'd buy another one without hesitation. Definitely a high point on this generation of the F150.

That being said, your odds of finding a 2.7 with the payload package sitting somewhere used are somewhere between slim and none, and slim likely just left town. That was the reality in 2016, and I don't doubt the situation has gotten much different. It was just not a popular package as most folks looking for payload went to the 3.5 if they were considering an ecoboost...

 

[cb_13]

I think you should be looking into 3/4 tons. GM 2500 with a 6.0 or Ford F250 with a 6.2. IMO the f250/6.2 combo does everything better BUT in my area you can’t find them. Those that have them aren’t selling/trading. So the GM is an acceptable alternative.

I don’t personally know enough about Ram’s recent 2500s to recommend or advise against them.

 

[Skippy722]

Any half ton RAM you will be over payload. Those things have terrible payload numbers.

I was going to say I didn’t think my 1500 Classic crew cab was terrible at it’s rated 1,520lbs but then I looked at the F-150’s numbers and yeah, they’re kinda bad especially considering I have basically zero options on my truck. And the MSRP for an equivalent truck is now $7,000 more than what I paid 3 years ago (granted it was just days before SHTF in April 2020). Mine was 43k MSRP and I paid 35k new.

I love my Ram and wouldn’t trade it for anything (well…. Maybe a ram if they put that HO Hurricane I6 into it) but for the use case described I’d go with a F-150.

 

[RhondaHonda]

Save for another 12 months and hope some discounts come with rising interest rates. I think the crew cab is another $1,000 over the double cab.

 

[CKN]

I was going to say I didn’t think my 1500 Classic crew cab was terrible at it’s rated 1,520lbs but then I looked at the F-150’s numbers and yeah, they’re kinda bad especially considering I have basically zero options on my truck. And the MSRP for an equivalent truck is now $7,000 more than what I paid 3 years ago (granted it was just days before SHTF in April 2020). Mine was 43k MSRP and I paid 35k new.

I love my Ram and wouldn’t trade it for anything (well…. Maybe a ram if they put that HO Hurricane I6 into it) but for the use case described I’d go with a F-150.

I have an F150 w/the max tow package. It's over 1,700 pounds of payload. Payload is figured with a full tank of gas and a driver. The max tow package includes a 36 GALLON fuel tank.

 

[AZjeff]

Are you sure the driver isn't part of the payload too?

 

[panthermike]

On that list I personally would go with a 5.7 Tundra. They are truly great trucks and the motors are indestructible.

I like the Ford 5.0 but I've heard of issues sometimes with that 10 speed in those years. No guarantees of course could be totally fine but as far as easy and solid, hard to beat a Tundra.

 

[thastinger]

F150 with the 2.7 EB

 

[MNgopher]

F150 with the 2.7 EB

And for this scenario (6000 lb trailer and a family of 5), the payload package if you are set on a 2.7. Payloads are lower on most 2.7 trucks and are similar to Ram trucks that folks are also talking about. (Source: owner of a 2016 supercrew 2.7 F150 with a 1400+ish payload - which meets my needs)

 

[thastinger]

And for this scenario (6000 lb trailer and a family of 5), the payload package if you are set on a 2.7. Payloads are lower on most 2.7 trucks and are similar to Ram trucks that folks are also talking about. (Source: owner of a 2016 supercrew 2.7 F150 with a 1400+ish payload - which meets my needs)

I could never personally own one because the exhaust of a V6 sounds like poo to me, but for people that will leave them bone stock, I feel the 2.7 is a better motor than the 3.5 is. If I towed that much 50% of the time, I would have a 250 with the Godzilla.

 

[MNgopher]

Literally the only thing I miss driving the 2.7 is the engine tone - I joke that it sounds like a minivan - but it is far superior in every other way to the 5.4 equipped truck that it replaced. I have no complaints with mine - 110,000 miles in.

 

[meep]

I own a 2.7 Ecoboost, it has plenty of power and the tow mode programming for the 10 speed is great - I think they actually spent time towing with it to develop the tuning; it’s that good.

but. Horsepower is never the issue for towing, despite what testosterone wants to dictate. Chassis, chassis, chassis. Can you control the weight? Does the tail wag the dog? Does it stay planted? I towed a nearly identical weight camper with a 4 door truck rated for 6900 lbs. it was a dismal experience above 55 mph. It would certainly do it, and had half the horsepower of modern trucks. The problem was stability and chassis dynamics. experienced RVers will tend to advise moving to a 3/4 ton at 6000 lbs, and that is collective wisdom, NOT some metric of how an oem tries to determine tow capacity. So where I go then is your use case… local pulls? 3 hour pulls? 7 hours?

I do believe my 2018 f150 could handle a 6000 lb camper, no problem. But, from the towing I already was doing, it started with the STX package which I believe has stiffer suspension, and I replaced the rear shocks twice, finding that the stiffer-riding fox shocks, which are borderline uncomfortable unladen, were really better for weights like 4500 and up. That said, I wouldn’t want to pass 65 mph at that weight, and don’t know how well it could do that with 5 people, which tend to be top-heavy, plus luggage. Mine is an extended cab, full bed. I’ll also add that admittedly while I prefer an 18” wheel in general for this truck, it towed loads with more control with 20” wheels.

All to say: if you want a half ton, the f150 can be considered and I wouldn’t overlook the 2.7. But like all of them, it’s nearing the practical limit for multi-hour interstate travel, while probably being great for trips under a couple of hours. additionally, weight matters - the aluminum bodied fords are a little bit lighter, and the full steel vehicles with more weight may have an advantage. I’d look at the GM and yota offerings too. Rams use a softer, coil spring rear setup which makes for better daily driving but hurts payload, and frankly, IME leaf springs offer a more stable axle platform when loaded up.

 

[dja4260]

I own a 2.7 Ecoboost, it has plenty of power and the tow mode programming for the 10 speed is great - I think they actually spent time towing with it to develop the tuning; it’s that good.

but. Horsepower is never the issue for towing, despite what testosterone wants to dictate. Chassis, chassis, chassis. Can you control the weight? Does the tail wag the dog? Does it stay planted? I towed a nearly identical weight camper with a 4 door truck rated for 6900 lbs. it was a dismal experience above 55 mph. It would certainly do it, and had half the horsepower of modern trucks. The problem was stability and chassis dynamics. experienced RVers will tend to advise moving to a 3/4 ton at 6000 lbs, and that is collective wisdom, NOT some metric of how an oem tries to determine tow capacity. So where I go then is your use case… local pulls? 3 hour pulls? 7 hours?

I do believe my 2018 f150 could handle a 6000 lb camper, no problem. But, from the towing I already was doing, it started with the STX package which I believe has stiffer suspension, and I replaced the rear shocks twice, finding that the stiffer-riding fox shocks, which are borderline uncomfortable unladen, were really better for weights like 4500 and up. That said, I wouldn’t want to pass 65 mph at that weight, and don’t know how well it could do that with 5 people, which tend to be top-heavy, plus luggage. Mine is an extended cab, full bed. I’ll also add that admittedly while I prefer an 18” wheel in general for this truck, it towed loads with more control with 20” wheels.

All to say: if you want a half ton, the f150 can be considered and I wouldn’t overlook the 2.7. But like all of them, it’s nearing the practical limit for multi-hour interstate travel, while probably being great for trips under a couple of hours. additionally, weight matters - the aluminum bodied fords are a little bit lighter, and the full steel vehicles with more weight may have an advantage. I’d look at the GM and yota offerings too. Rams use a softer, coil spring rear setup which makes for better daily driving but hurts payload, and frankly, IME leaf springs offer a more stable axle platform when loaded up.

I've found some gas 2015-2018 3/4 ton trucks at the top end of my budget. I can most likely make it work.

I appreciate your insight!

 

[ls1mike]

I own a 2.7 Ecoboost, it has plenty of power and the tow mode programming for the 10 speed is great - I think they actually spent time towing with it to develop the tuning; it’s that good.

but. Horsepower is never the issue for towing, despite what testosterone wants to dictate. Chassis, chassis, chassis. Can you control the weight? Does the tail wag the dog? Does it stay planted? I towed a nearly identical weight camper with a 4 door truck rated for 6900 lbs. it was a dismal experience above 55 mph. It would certainly do it, and had half the horsepower of modern trucks. The problem was stability and chassis dynamics. experienced RVers will tend to advise moving to a 3/4 ton at 6000 lbs, and that is collective wisdom, NOT some metric of how an oem tries to determine tow capacity. So where I go then is your use case… local pulls? 3 hour pulls? 7 hours?

I do believe my 2018 f150 could handle a 6000 lb camper, no problem. But, from the towing I already was doing, it started with the STX package which I believe has stiffer suspension, and I replaced the rear shocks twice, finding that the stiffer-riding fox shocks, which are borderline uncomfortable unladen, were really better for weights like 4500 and up. That said, I wouldn’t want to pass 65 mph at that weight, and don’t know how well it could do that with 5 people, which tend to be top-heavy, plus luggage. Mine is an extended cab, full bed. I’ll also add that admittedly while I prefer an 18” wheel in general for this truck, it towed loads with more control with 20” wheels.

All to say: if you want a half ton, the f150 can be considered and I wouldn’t overlook the 2.7. But like all of them, it’s nearing the practical limit for multi-hour interstate travel, while probably being great for trips under a couple of hours. additionally, weight matters - the aluminum bodied fords are a little bit lighter, and the full steel vehicles with more weight may have an advantage. I’d look at the GM and yota offerings too. Rams use a softer, coil spring rear setup which makes for better daily driving but hurts payload, and frankly, IME leaf springs offer a more stable axle platform when loaded up.

Very good post meep. Power is only part of it, stability is a BIG part of it. Even with the 1 ton crew cab long bed that weighs as much as my trailer. I rarely go over 65 unless I am in Eastern Washington on I 90 or similar roads.