So that nice Ecoboost truck slipped between my fingers last week. I think I'm ok with that. Yesterday I came across an ecodiesel. I test drove and was very impressed. It just feels so much smaller than my 2500hd gasser/CNG. And the crew cab is huge! It gets 26-27 mpg on freeway trips, which is where I spend most of my time. It has coil spring on the rear axle which I thought was weird and probably too soft.
I asked him if I could do another test drive with my boat attached and take it up our infamus Parleys Canyon (I-80). I went home, grabbed the boat and headed back. When I hooked on to the Eco I thought for shire it would squat way too much with the light coil springs back there. I was wrong. It looked great. I reset the trip MPG calculator just for fun and to get an idea. Then off we went.
Parleys Canyon is about 14 miles to the summit. It goes from about 4000 feet to well over 6000. I think it's 6-8% grade most of the way. So it's a climb.
For comparison, my truck is doing 35-40 close to the top where it is the steepest. My wife's Armada does it at about 45-50. Her trans temp stays right in the middle of the gauge, but I don't know what that means. Her coolant temp is about 3/4 to the hot side. My trucks trans temp on our last pull hit 235*. Too hot for me. The coolant temp didn't get much hotter than normal as I recall.
So on the Eco I set the cruise at 65mph and just let it do its thing. Overall it was much faster in the climb. It held the speed through most of the 6% stuff ok, but lost it on the steepest part at the summit. It dropped to 55 and then it shut off the cruise control by itself. It held that speed though. The hottest the trans got was 206*. (It was 80* outside) I can live with that, no problem. Coming down, still with the cc set at 65, the truck never went faster than 70. And I did very little braking. I thought it held itself very well. Speaking of braking though, I was VERY impressed. It could stop on a dime going down that hill with the boat. With my truck or the Armada i just close my eyes and hope for the best.
When we got back to my truck to make the switch again, I looked back at the MPG calculator. It said 14.5 mpg for our little trip up and down the hill. My truck gets 14 empty, running flat ground, on the freeway. So I can see we have huge potential here.
I was hoping so much that it would hold 65 up the hill. 55 is much better, but if you haven't driven this section of road before it can get crazy! Keeping up with traffic flow is very important. You have semi's doing 30 and the Park City crew in their 6 figure cars going 80. Then guys towing(like me) in and out of the slow lane trying to dodge everyone while trying to keep some speed up.
Overall the slower, but still faster speed was a great trade off for the benifits of better braking, mileage, and interior room. And it must be ment to be. I got a confirmed buyer on my truck last night as well. So on Monday I should be selling mine and grabbing this one.
Unless you can talk me out of it?
I asked him if I could do another test drive with my boat attached and take it up our infamus Parleys Canyon (I-80). I went home, grabbed the boat and headed back. When I hooked on to the Eco I thought for shire it would squat way too much with the light coil springs back there. I was wrong. It looked great. I reset the trip MPG calculator just for fun and to get an idea. Then off we went.
Parleys Canyon is about 14 miles to the summit. It goes from about 4000 feet to well over 6000. I think it's 6-8% grade most of the way. So it's a climb.
For comparison, my truck is doing 35-40 close to the top where it is the steepest. My wife's Armada does it at about 45-50. Her trans temp stays right in the middle of the gauge, but I don't know what that means. Her coolant temp is about 3/4 to the hot side. My trucks trans temp on our last pull hit 235*. Too hot for me. The coolant temp didn't get much hotter than normal as I recall.
So on the Eco I set the cruise at 65mph and just let it do its thing. Overall it was much faster in the climb. It held the speed through most of the 6% stuff ok, but lost it on the steepest part at the summit. It dropped to 55 and then it shut off the cruise control by itself. It held that speed though. The hottest the trans got was 206*. (It was 80* outside) I can live with that, no problem. Coming down, still with the cc set at 65, the truck never went faster than 70. And I did very little braking. I thought it held itself very well. Speaking of braking though, I was VERY impressed. It could stop on a dime going down that hill with the boat. With my truck or the Armada i just close my eyes and hope for the best.
When we got back to my truck to make the switch again, I looked back at the MPG calculator. It said 14.5 mpg for our little trip up and down the hill. My truck gets 14 empty, running flat ground, on the freeway. So I can see we have huge potential here.
I was hoping so much that it would hold 65 up the hill. 55 is much better, but if you haven't driven this section of road before it can get crazy! Keeping up with traffic flow is very important. You have semi's doing 30 and the Park City crew in their 6 figure cars going 80. Then guys towing(like me) in and out of the slow lane trying to dodge everyone while trying to keep some speed up.
Overall the slower, but still faster speed was a great trade off for the benifits of better braking, mileage, and interior room. And it must be ment to be. I got a confirmed buyer on my truck last night as well. So on Monday I should be selling mine and grabbing this one.
Unless you can talk me out of it?
And I swear people expect you to give $hit away. I get it though.. It is old. Just not willing to part from it maybe! 
I have been watching my buddy pass me (theGerman) for years in his ecoboost. It is a solid truck! But for the price Ford charges and the claimed mileage.. You might as well get the Ram 2500 and the ability to tow 5K lbs more for a similar price and similar mileage. On flat land, my RAM is getting 19-23 MPGs on the hwy and about 15-18 in town...Towing I am getting 14-16 MPGs but have yet to do any long distance towing yet. Still breaking it in. Also, RAM has some killer end of summer discounts and are way more willing to negotiate I feel like. I have always been a FORD guy... But now I love my truck and think that I made the right choice.
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