Truck Advice...

[Iwndr]

Dealer told us that the expedition will not be getting the Eco boost till at least 2013, that's why we went ahead and ordered a supercrew.

But he might have just wanted to sell us one.....

[mls6722]

Congrats on the Ford Ragboy - It sounds like a great vehicle. My on Ford - Alan Mulally left Boeing after heading the 777 airplane program and took over CEO at Ford. I worked with him regularly and he knows how to engineer quality stuff. I wish he was the CEO of Boeing now. I think Ford wend through a few years of making some poor quality products. That's why I choose my Sequoia vs. the Expedition (for $10K more out the door) in 2005. I believe Mulally has turned Ford around and done it with superior products. I did just donate my '97 F-150 with 240K and it was pretty trouble free for 14 years.

[Bandsecurity]

I've been looking at the exact same truck in the XLT. That wood on the dash in the Lariat is horrid to me (no offense).... The one I looked at today is a supercrew loaded ecoboost and under 30k. The only thing that is holding me back is there are rumors to a ecoboost going in the Expedition . Boating season will be over in a month so I may wait till spring to pull the trigger unless the deal gets better.

Yea that wood is not the best. Cant argue that but the Tundra's was not much better. I will have to look for the aftermarket replacement for that crap. As far as the ecoboost engine for the expedition, I read that it will be a 2.0 or a 2.5. It is suppossed to me smaller and less powerful. I think if you google it you can probably find the same stuff. It is still rumor I believe but maybe they know the real deal.

[ragboy]

Well, almost 1000 miles on it. When I hit 1000, we are going to film some fun tests. So far, its exceeding all of my expectations. Tough to admit, but its just a better built truck. So many things feel so much more put together than the GM, really hard to admit that after so many years. But there wasn't this much difference before.

Some things that come to mind:

1. On my 2002 Sierra, I got an amazing deal on it, and it has roll up windows. No biggy, but the handle will just dig into my left leg when driving. It can be REALLY annoying. Same as a passenger. Its funny, but when I went to test drive silverado LT I was looking forward to this removed annoyance since this truck was pretty loaded. So Chevy goes and puts the door open handle right in the same place with nothing around it, and it jabs me in the leg in the exact same place. Of course, I wouldn't have passed on the truck for this minor issue, but it really bothers me. They could have put something around it at least. The ford is super comfy, and nothing jabbing in either leg.

2. Big pet peeve I have had with my trucks is the lack of speed sensitive steering. You get these things on the open road and crank them up to say 85+ and the steering is just as sensitive at 5mph, and its dangerous. You have to be careful. When I went to test drive I asked about it, and they said as far as they knew, no improvements there. I took it up to 70 on the test, and super sensitive. The F150 has something called E.P.A.S. It is DEFINITELY speed sensitive, and when I get the truck up to 80, it really tightens up, feels MUCH safer. But EPAS goes beyond that. There is a video in this gallery about it:

http://www.ford.com/trucks/f150/gall...eos-and-demos/

It even compensates for the crown in the road, wind, etc. Pretty cool. I can tell you that it feels rock solid and feels fantastic when it tightens up with speed. My Audi did the same thing, I think every car should have it, especially tow vehicles.

http://media.ford.com/images/10031/EPAS.pdf

Well, like I said, fun tests coming, but here is a picture my Dad snapped of it:



And you can see the monster Chaparal Signature 260 that we will be towing up a long grade with it soon.

[mls6722]

It's beautiful Ragboy. I test drove one today - now trying to convince my wife it would make a good replacement for her Sequoia. You can tell an ecoboost from the offset front license plate. All other engines have the plate centered. The lower opening if the inter-cooler.

[ragboy]

Yes, the intercooler is bigger than I thought, big radiator looking thing down there at the bottom behind the bumper.

[da.bell]

Nice looking truck Ragboy.... Hope that you enjoy the Ford. I have always had great luck with Ford products and think that I am on my 4th Ford vehicle.

1997 Ford Ranger (drove that to 95k then traded it in for an Expedition)
2002 Ford Expedition (drove that to 102,000 and towed my boats with it)
2002 Ford F-250 (currently have this truck pulling my boat )
2008 Ford Edge Limited (wife's car )

[Ewok]

Nice truck! Your gonna pull that huge boat with it?

[ragboy]

That's the plan. Its rated to tow it. My yukon XL 2500 with 8.1L engine was the only thing that could tow that big boat well and my 27ft travel trailer. My dad has an old dually with a 500ci motor that also toes them well. My Yukon XL 8.1L was spec'd as follows:

Vortec 8100 496 cu in V8 (325 hp at 4200 rpm and 447 ft·lbf (606 N·m) of torque at 3200 rpm).

The Ecoboost 3.5L V6 (365 hp @ 5000 rpm and 420 @2500 rpm).

I had a 7.4L Suburban 2500 4x4 before the yukon, and it could not tow those trailers up the 32 grade very well at all. So I am going to try the big boat first. If it does well and feels stable, I will try the 27ft travel trailer. It doesn't weight that much more, but much bigger.

My plan is to also drive this truck to worlds in Parker Arizona on 9/23. My route will be over the mountain/donner pass from here, to 395 down to bishop over several grades, then across and through death valley to the 95. I have taken that route before a couple of times. Its beautiful. I will be towing the 24Ve and gear.

I know, I know, I am nuts. But it should make for a good podcast or 2. And everything Ford is touting says this should all be a walk in the park with this truck.

[KonaKing]

Tow ratings are the Maximum A vehicle will tow. If you take 20% to 30% off the vehicle max rate then you have what your vehicle will tow comfortably.

Good rule of thumb

Nice truck

[Iwndr]

Our F150 EcoBoost is sitting on the factory floor, should ship by rail within a week

[ragboy]

Tow ratings are the Maximum A vehicle will tow. If you take 20% to 30% off the vehicle max rate then you have what your vehicle will tow comfortably.

Good rule of thumb

Nice truck

Agree, but my dad is already towing that boat with the 5.0, doesn't even have the ecoboost. Tows almost as well as his dually with the 500ci big block. Anyway, we will see.

[Timmy!]

Congrats on the new truck! Everything I have read on that Ecoboost has been impressive except for the towing mpg which wasn't any better than my gas truck so not that big of a deal. I'm hoping they put that engine in the Raptor, that would be sweet!!!
F-150 Ecoboost vs 5.0 Road Test

[Fiveflat]

If I knew what I know now, I wouldn't have bought my 2008 F-250 and would have gone with this Ecoboost 1/2 ton truck.
I only have 24 more payment at 0% though, so it looks like I'm keeping this diesel for the long haul now. Gotta get that payment out of the way to make room for my A20 payment.

[ragboy]

@timmy Yes, from what I have read and my limited experience so far this thing gets great mileage when you are not in it, but then not so much when you are. I am getting 15 MPG around town, which is up and down a mountain, and I have a lead foot. I don't do freeway, because there basically isn't any for miles. Just one small stretch in Chico. So if you tow a lot and need good mpg WHILE towing, then a diesel is probably in the cards for you.

I did just a quick tow test today, my mind is officially BLOWN. Basically, we have a bunch of pro surfers coming up this weekend for some fun on the 24Ve on Sunday and Monday. So we need to clean up the travel trailer, a Pioneer 27FQS with large slide out. Someone stayed in it recently and used the bathroom, needed to dump it. This thing is 7000 lbs bone dry with no gear in it. I would guess its at LEAST 8000lbs with all the stuff we have in it, etc.

First, the integrated brake controller with the max trailer package is amazing. The computer is like an iPhone and tells me I have connected the trailer, and allows me to set the gain for the brakes and then save this trailer, so I can call it up in the future.

Now I am at 3000 ft elevation and the dump location is at the Lake Marina down the hill at about 900 feet. The grade varies from 1% to 6% grade, mostly about 2-3% with stretches steeper or not. It is very steep right near the turn off into the campground to dump, about 5-6%. 13.7 miles one way.

Link to MAP

Well first, when I have driven the Yukon XL 2500 w/ 8.1L down to dump the thing is a down hill racer. You have to pump the brakes in certain spots to keep from taking off. The F150 towed this huge trailer so smooth it blew me away. Barely above idle and it pulls away smoothly. Going down the hill I had foot off gas and was covering brake prepared for what I always do towing down this hill. It stayed in 4th gear to slow it down and I didn't have to touch brakes, held about 40mph. Then it got steeper, 4-5% and it started to speed up. So I was JUST about to hit the brake and the thing downshifted. Never seen that before. Maybe lots of newer trucks do this, I don't know. I heard the 6 speed allison trannys in the diesels do this, but not a gas truck I have seen. Again, the tranny was liquid smooth. I did have to touch the brakes a couple times, but barely compared to the on and off I do with the other trucks.

Pulled in to the campground and dumped, took some pics:


IMG_1094 by wake9, on Flickr


IMG_1095 by wake9, on Flickr

Here is a good pic of how big the trailer is.


IMG_1098 by wake9, on Flickr

Back up the hill it towed BETTER than the Yukon 2500. From a dead stop to right turn directly onto 5% grade just pulled easy and up to speed. I could get up to 60 easy but had to slow for turns, its a twisty road, then back up to speed. It seemed to pull really hard and be really happy in 3rd gear around 3000 rpm going up hill which matched a lot of the tests I have seen.


IMG_1102 by wake9, on Flickr

Check out the cool app that shows you incline and turning angle, lean, etc, this was coming down 5% grade.


IMG_1089 by wake9, on Flickr

And its blurry, but this is the trailer interface.


IMG_1092 by wake9, on Flickr

So, all good, extremely happy with the purchase. I never expected this could replace the 5.3L sierra and ALSO out tow the Yukon XL 2500. Its like getting a great gas truck with all those benefits, and yet having the pull and smooth diesel pull when you need it. You just don't get the great fuel economy while towing. I can live with that.