Considering a F150

[RangerTX]

I hate to say this, but...it's time for a MINIVAN...there's no shame having kids but ya gotta pay the dues...

To clarify... I already did the mini van thing! We went through 2 of them with my kids. The first one was all manual, crank windows, no tint, the shorty... LOL. When we upgraded, the salesmen were poking fun at my wife and teaching her how to use electric windows! LOL. Also, when we drove it home, pulled it into the garage (it barely fit) and I opened up the hatch on the back just to check thing out... my youngest daughter shut the garage door on the hatch... and my brand new van had a scratch/dent down the middle from top to bottom! Boys... I paid my dues! LOLOL

I should also note that is the same daughter that filed my brand new cd player (bought from crutchfield) (installed by yours truly) with penny's and nickles... and thereby fried it. Boys, I didnt have that cd player for a week before she broke it. I tried selling her on ebay... but no one would take her!

again... I paid my dues! LOL

Sponsored

 

[awd.nv]

You may want to look into an SUV because as large as the F150 is, it is still technically a 5 seater. My wife LOVES the size of the F150 and as we have had F150 loaners for probably 3 months BUT we also have a '23 Honda Pilot AWD Touring for her daily and road trips we aren't towing.

Since you may still want a truck, maybe consider some body on frame SUV like the Sequoia and Taho/Yukon? I was just telling my buddy if I was forced into a larger vehicle, I would seriously consider a Yukon AT4 over a full size truck but rather just keep my Ranger.

If you aren't towing and off-roading The Honda Pilot/Passport platform is pretty awesome. Still an n/a v6 if you rather not have boost. Or if you have the money, the Acura MDX has a turbo v6 model which is the Pilot bones. I hate the nanny features on my wife's new Pilot but I would hope the new Passport doesn't have so many of them.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[Friday yet?]

We did the mini van thing “back in da day.” Gotta say, for moving people and kids you simply can’t beat them.

Know a guy who had Honda Odysseys (2 diff ones) when his kids were young. Loved them. Youngest kid just left for college. He’s a widower (wife died way too young) and he just bought a Honda pilot. But, he told me that while looking at the Pilot he seriously considered, and came damn close to buying another van!!! He just loves them. Handy for hauling people. Handy for Home Depot runs. And just flat out great for long road trips.

 

[Stevedbvik1]

wow... great idea's fellers. I really appreciate it. I got some thinking to do....

So take a look at this one. Great specs and low mileage. Downside is that it has the 3.55 rear axle and in that configuration it’s only rated to tow 5100 lbs. If it had the 3.73 then it could haul 8200. Had me thinking until I found out it was the 3.55
https://www.carmax.com/car/27898136

 

[Grumpaw]

wow... great idea's fellers. I really appreciate it. I got some thinking to do....

A lot depends on what your budget is. Are you going to stay within what you get for the Ranger or are you going to go newer and finance ?
I got $28 grand for my Ranger and was able to get the price down to $24 grand for the Expedition, so I came out ahead. But I was not looking for a newer vehicle, only what I got for the Ranger, My goal was no out of pocket $$$$$ and no finance.

 

[ctechbob]

So I actually just traded my Ranger in the other weekend for an F-150, with one kiddo in a car seat and another on the way it just made sense to get a second bigger vehicle. Our Explorer ST will be great when they're a little older, at least in forward facing, but right now its a little restrictive because it has the 2nd row captains chairs, making it a poor roadtrip rig while they're still young.

Found a great deal on a '23 F-150 XLT Powerboost, just two years old and 23k miles on it, damn thing is in great shape aside from some scratches that i need to address with a paint touchup kit. While i miss the size of the ranger for maneuverability, the extra interior space, power and fuel economy is great! Ranger averaged 18 mpg with around town and highway driving, this crazy thing is claiming 23 mpg thanks to that hybrid system. Still on my first tank so not sure how good it actually is, but i haven't even burned a quarter tank of gas and i'm sitting at about 170 miles on the trip so...

You're about right where it should be. Mine pulls down as high as 26 driving back and forth to work, and around 23 with some higher speed driving.

And the damn thing will get up and move..... And the onboard power is nice if you're into RV'ing.

 

[awd.nv]

You're about right where it should be. Mine pulls down as high as 26 driving back and forth to work, and around 23 with some higher speed driving.

And the damn thing will get up and move..... And the onboard power is nice if you're into RV'ing.

When they were replacing my engine in the Ranger, they put me in one of those. Man it can get up and move! Honestly, it made my Ranger feel slow when I got it back that I almost felt like the timing was off, but knew I just got used to that torque.

The good news was that the hybrid was only getting a couple mpg more than my Ranger (mostly doing <5mi drives) so it told my my Ranger mpg isn't really that bad, it's all the red lights and construction zones I deal with that make it so bad along with idle time picking my kids up from school. I often get around 13-14mpg in the summer and the hybrid was only like 16mpg.

I miss the tank size that f150 had though!

 

[Grumpaw]

When they were replacing my engine in the Ranger, they put me in one of those. Man it can get up and move! Honestly, it made my Ranger feel slow when I got it back that I almost felt like the timing was off, but knew I just got used to that torque.

The good news was that the hybrid was only getting a couple mpg more than my Ranger (mostly doing <5mi drives) so it told my my Ranger mpg isn't really that bad, it's all the red lights and construction zones I deal with that make it so bad along with idle time picking my kids up from school. I often get around 13-14mpg in the summer and the hybrid was only like 16mpg.

I miss the tank size that f150 had though!

Thats one of the items I love bout the Expedition....the almost 24 gallon fuel tank. Compared to the Ranger, it just keeps going and going and going !!!
When towing with the Ranger would average 10-11 mpg, and I was pretty satisfied with it. On our 2 week 2000 mile trip the first of this month to Vt, N.H., and Maine coast, the Expy got an average of 12.4 mpg (via the Trip 2 odmometer). Tank weighs almost 3 tons, yet the 3.5 twin turbo produces enough HP and Torque that the truck dosen't even feel like its working that hard. Made me realize just how hard the Ranger's 4 banger was working and sucking gas to do it.
Around town driving solo in the Ranger I would get 15-18 mpg cause I drove it "Spirited".
The Expy gets me almost the same cause I find myself driving in a more "leisurely" pace....just a big ole hunk of cruising machine as opposed to a "hot rod"....

 

[dtech]

. Made me realize just how hard the Ranger's 4 banger was working and sucking gas to do it.
.

Eloquently stated and that has always been my observation towing with the Ranger, my point of reference being in friends full sized pickups towing stuff. Now that you have a setup that has improved the towing experience - well I'll be thinking of you next time I tow with my gas sucking, constantly shifting, high revving porpoising not ready for prime time towing Ford Ranger. Oh and perhaps I will upgrade, was considering the Lexus GX450 with twin turbo 6 and 9k lbs towing for my wife's driver but settled for a more pedestrian and economical Subaru Outback, a year back people were paying above msrp for the Lexus and I will never do that.

 

[awd.nv]

Thats one of the items I love bout the Expedition....the almost 24 gallon fuel tank. Compared to the Ranger, it just keeps going and going and going !!!
When towing with the Ranger would average 10-11 mpg, and I was pretty satisfied with it. On our 2 week 2000 mile trip the first of this month to Vt, N.H., and Maine coast, the Expy got an average of 12.4 mpg (via the Trip 2 odmometer). Tank weighs almost 3 tons, yet the 3.5 twin turbo produces enough HP and Torque that the truck dosen't even feel like its working that hard. Made me realize just how hard the Ranger's 4 banger was working and sucking gas to do it.
Around town driving solo in the Ranger I would get 15-18 mpg cause I drove it "Spirited".
The Expy gets me almost the same cause I find myself driving in a more "leisurely" pace....just a big ole hunk of cruising machine as opposed to a "hot rod"....

Yeah I bet she tows very good, probably more stable than the Ranger too. I wish Ford put one of their v6 TT engines in their new cool guy RTR Mustang rather than the 2.3L like the base model Mustang. Ford's v6 turbo engines make great power.

 

[OGMix376]

My brother went with a Toyota Grand Highlander 2 adults 4 kids with room for a couple medium sized dogs ..(not sure what you need for towing but it’ll go as heavy as 5k)
He got a pretty good deal on it (under 50 for brand new 2025 limited trim model) can seat 7 (second row captains chairs) and still has a decent truck space.. might be just inexpensive enough to keep the ranger too .
It is a hybrid vehicle.

 

[GreyAreaRanger]

I have had two Chevys and two Fords and had better luck with the Chevy's but currently, I don't have faith in any of the manufactures right now. Even the highly respected toyotas are having trouble with their newer vehciles. If you are looking at GM or Ford, I would probably stick with either the 5.3 V8 or 2.7L Turbomax in the GM or the Ford 3.5 Ecoboost. I have not heard of many issues with the I6 Duramax but I just can't get over a wet timing belt in the back of the engine but is another consideration.

Today I learned that the 3.0 Duramax has a timing chain and not a timing belt. The oil pump, however, does have a wet belt, which is also located on the back of the motor. Still don't like the oil pump belt, but felt that it would be important to clarify my previous incorrect statement. Seeing as Ford did the same thing to the 2nd gen 2.7 eco (moving to a wet oil pump belt), I suspect that we will see more engines going this route in the future.

 

[ctechbob]

Today I learned that the 3.0 Duramax has a timing chain and not a timing belt. The oil pump, however, does have a wet belt, which is also located on the back of the motor. Still don't like the oil pump belt, but felt that it would be important to clarify my previous incorrect statement. Seeing as Ford did the same thing to the 2nd gen 2.7 eco (moving to a wet oil pump belt), I suspect that we will see more engines going this route in the future.

I've been hoping Melling (Or someone, anyone) will make an upgrade kit for them to swap over to a chain system.

First time you replace the belt and pump with the Melling unit and be good for life. It is really the only thing that kept me from seriously considering the 2.7, which is a fantastic motor.....except that stupid belt.

 

[GreyAreaRanger]

I've been hoping Melling (Or someone, anyone) will make an upgrade kit for them to swap over to a chain system.

First time you replace the belt and pump with the Melling unit and be good for life. It is really the only thing that kept me from seriously considering the 2.7, which is a fantastic motor.....except that stupid belt.

I am guessing they are trying to find a way to ensure that you won't drive the same vehicle for 300,000+ miles. At least Ford didn't put their oil pump belt in the back of the engine like GM did with the 3.0 Duramax....

 

[ctechbob]

I am guessing they are trying to find a way to ensure that you won't drive the same vehicle for 300,000+ miles. At least Ford didn't put their oil pump belt in the back of the engine like GM did with the 3.0 Duramax....

Lol, they could have done that with a chain. Not like everything else won't fall apart around it.

I'm under no delusion that my F150 Hybrid is going to make it to 200,000 miles without some massive failure.

Sponsored