Midsize truck shopping

[ctechbob]

I find the '3/4 ton or nothing' posts hilarious.

I do more with my midsize (towing) than most people do with their 1/2 and 3/4 tons, and then turn around and get 24 mpg driving back and forth to work.

 

[LDB]

I used to think this as well, - then have watched DI absolutely massacre chain life and cam phasers on many vehicles the past 5-7 years.

If Im going to have to change it anyway Id prefer the belt. Especially in a NA towing rig thats going to be revving the whole trip.

Honestly I don't know the difference but my local shop is not a fan of belts. I'll never put on the miles to matter either way. If I live long enough I could get to a replacement due to aging out but otherwise won't see any timing anything work on mine.

 

[ctechbob]

I used to think this as well, - then have watched DI absolutely massacre chain life and cam phasers on many vehicles the past 5-7 years.

If Im going to have to change it anyway Id prefer the belt. Especially in a NA towing rig thats going to be revving the whole trip.

100% this. Said it before and I'll say it (yet) again. I will take a timing belt that is designed to be replaced (Honda J-Series) over a chain that is 'supposed' to last a 'lifetime' (So, 100,000 miles/My 2020 Ranger with its non-keyed timing components).

Although, as a side note to that. It does look like the 2.3EB's are at the top of the 'Ecoboost reliability' ladder. Not aware of any phaser/chain issues at the moment. And no wet belt oil pump.

 

[UncleDave]

Honestly I don't know the difference but my local shop is not a fan of belts. I'll never put on the miles to matter either way. If I live long enough I could get to a replacement due to aging out but otherwise won't see any timing anything work on mine.

Generally I prefer a chain, right up until I have to replace it.

 

[NormanBuntz]

Used Colorado or Canyon with the 3.6L motor would be my choice in your situation. Nissan's future is too uncertain.

 

[JTK]

Nissan's financial future has been a mess for 25yrs, yet they sell a lot of vehicles. I don't see them, nor their dealer presence going away. @dlundblad forgive me if I missed it in this thread, but is the need for a midsized truck that great? As much as I like my 2022 Frontier, I liked my Ram 1500 classics better. A ram 1500 classic with a pentastar V6, quad cab and 4x4 is an excellent truck in terms of fuel economy, ride and comfort. They turn tight, easy and don't feel big. They ride like a cushy full framed Buick. The pentastar certainly isn't perfect, but it's excellent in these trucks. The steering on the Frontiers is very heavy in comparison, with the old school hydraulic rack & pinion on the Frontier. Not a bad thing of course! Just tiring if you are behind the wheel for a long time. The turning radius on Frontiers is notoriously horrendous as well as I am sure you've read. It isn't too bad with king cabs and crew cab short beds, but if you should happen upon a Frontier crew cab, long bed, they have a laughably horrendous turning radius. My FIL has one (2017 model year), the 2022+ is unchanged in this regard. You wouldn't think that extra few inches of wheel base would make that big of a difference, but it sure does. It's really a non issue though as CC LWB frontiers are a pretty rare find.

I know you don't want a turbo. I never thought I would either. We have some basic Silverado quad cab, long bed, 4x4s with the 2.7T at work as plant trucks. I really enjoy driving them. The power is quite surprising.

 

[panthermike]

Nissan's financial future has been a mess for 25yrs, yet they sell a lot of vehicles. I don't see them, nor their dealer presence going away. @dlundblad forgive me if I missed it in this thread, but is the need for a midsized truck that great? As much as I like my 2022 Frontier, I liked my Ram 1500 classics better. A ram 1500 classic with a pentastar V6, quad cab and 4x4 is an excellent truck in terms of fuel economy, ride and comfort. They turn tight, easy and don't feel big. They ride like a cushy full framed Buick. The pentastar certainly isn't perfect, but it's excellent in these trucks. The steering on the Frontiers is very heavy in comparison, with the old school hydraulic rack & pinion on the Frontier. Not a bad thing of course! Just tiring if you are behind the wheel for a long time. The turning radius on Frontiers is notoriously horrendous as well as I am sure you've read. It isn't too bad with king cabs and crew cab short beds, but if you should happen upon a Frontier crew cab, long bed, they have a laughably horrendous turning radius. My FIL has one (2017 model year), the 2022+ is unchanged in this regard. You wouldn't think that extra few inches of wheel base would make that big of a difference, but it sure does. It's really a non issue though as CC LWB frontiers are a pretty rare find.

I know you don't want a turbo. I never thought I would either. We have some basic Silverado quad cab, long bed, 4x4s with the 2.7T at work as plant trucks. I really enjoy driving them. The power is quite surprising.

That's a good suggestion honestly. We had a '19 Ram Classic w/ the 3.6 and I really enjoyed it. Very comfortable, pretty easy to service and could get up to 26mpg on the highway.

 

[JTK]

That's a good suggestion honestly. We had a '19 Ram Classic w/ the 3.6 and I really enjoyed it. Very comfortable, pretty easy to service and could get up to 26mpg on the highway.

Right on.

There's some other good features to them as well. Port injection vs GDI. Simple exhaust system for instance and only two catalytic converters vs 4 cats on most every other V6 pickup these days. The cats are bolted right to the cyl heads as well, so theft would be challenging.

 

[meep]

How about the interior noise levels? @UncleDave?

I’ve become to place a quiet cabin at the top of my own priority list, and the f150 has proven itself hard to beat - and I believe all the full-size trucks caught up with that. My experience with many Hondas (wife has always had Hondas, my family growing up had them, I owned 2) is that they were noisier from both road and wind. How does the ridgeline stack up there? Being a unibody it loses the BOF advantage, though I spent some time in a unibody X3 suv and was surprised by how quiet it was, so I know it can be done.

 

[supton]

I thought TFL did noise tests while going up the Ike? maybe on flat ground too. But I suspect it can be more subjective, what frequency and all.

 

[SC Maintenance]

Sure, they fill a niche. The Ford Maverick equipped with a 2.0 Ecoboost and tow package can tow 4,000 lbs. The Ridgeline and Maverick are suburban grocery getters and for hauling small loads from the hardware store. The Toyota Tacoma offers a manual transmission. The Nissan Frontier, GMC Canyon, Chevy Colorado, and Ford Ranger do not.
Older generations of the Ford Ranger with manual transmissions were a favorite of mine.

The Frontier came with a manual transmission until 2019, and almost no one bought them. Like <5% or something Nissan once said. People like to claim they want a manual until they get out their check book.

Ridgeline is fine if it works for you. I have a bigger issue with it having a timing belt and adjustable valves than having no frame, although I presume somoene here will now tell me how great adjustable valves are.

Maverick as well, although the box on it is pretty small. But if its enough for your needs, then have at it. That whole debate is like the AWD / 4wd debate. If it fits your needs then who cares what its called.

 

[Anthony]

The Pathfinder sold 52.5K units in 2024. 127.7K for the Pilot.

Nissan sold nearly 81,000 units in 2024.

 

[Anthony]

Toyota over Nissan any day

New Tundras and Tacomas have shown to be pretty trashy. Powertrain problems with both and numerous fit and finish issues.

 

[UncleDave]

How about the interior noise levels? @UncleDave?

I’ve become to place a quiet cabin at the top of my own priority list, and the f150 has proven itself hard to beat - and I believe all the full-size trucks caught up with that. My experience with many Hondas (wife has always had Hondas, my family growing up had them, I owned 2) is that they were noisier from both road and wind. How does the ridgeline stack up there? Being a unibody it loses the BOF advantage, though I spent some time in a unibody X3 suv and was surprised by how quiet it was, so I know it can be done.

This things pretty quiet, about on par with my RX400h.
The belt soaks up high RPM harmonics that the chain driven mills have to live with.
You could balance a nickel on the thing at 5K.

Its downside is it has to rev to make power.

 

[LDB]

My RL is definitely quieter than the CR-V I traded and has a better ride. I am fully satisfied with the decision and the choice.

 

[rijndael]

Nissan sold nearly 81,000 units in 2024.

Where is that being reported?

Here’s my source for the 52.5k number:
https://carfigures.com/us-market-brand/nissan/pathfinder

ETA: I see the issue. If you look down at their data chart, past their summary, Q4's data is missing.
Their "From Jan - Dec 2024" is just wrong.

 

[hemioiler]

Lots of guys drive trucks with FAR less capability than a Ridgeline, but then say " thats not a real truck".

Really? Which trucks?

 

[dlundblad]

My RL is definitely quieter than the CR-V I traded and has a better ride. I am fully satisfied with the decision and the choice.

Too bad I find them ugly. They are overpriced for no more than you get too.

I want something with ground clearance that can do mild off-roading and reasonable towing capacity.

 

[UncleDave]

Really? Which trucks?

Yeah really.

Tens of thousands of RWD v6, or smallest v8 you can get half tons running around so cal that cant go off-road or tow.

The last guy that said my rRdgeline wanst a real truck was a buddy of mine with a 2wd f150 and (I think it was a 4.6) with a peg leg freeway flyer rear end.

He needed me to pull his boat up the ramp for him because he couldn't do it.

 

[supton]

The last guy that said my rRdgeline wanst a real truck was a buddy of mine with a 2wd f150 and (I think it was a 4.6) with a peg leg freeway flyer rear end.

He needed me to pull his boat up the ramp for him because he couldn't do it.

Pics or it didn't doesn't happen.

As in, that's what you told him before doing what his real truck couldn't do, right? that he would have to take pictures of you pulling the boat out, and that you'd would be showing those pics off the next time he whined about what is and isn't a "real" truck.