Tow vehicle question

[WeedLine]

Hey guys/gals, I hope everyone had a happy and safe holiday season. I bought a used Ranger R80 bass boat in August. It's an 18footer with a 150 Merc optimax on the back. The whole package weighs around 3000 lb. My work truck and towing truck is soon to be dead. The 4x4 is done and it has 320 000kms on it. I'm looking to buy a used truck but was wondering if a V6 could haul a boat like that or if I should be looking for something stronger or bigger. This will be my primary driving, working and fishing vehicle. Any recommendations? My budget is $10 000-$15 000. Thanks

 

 

[mike rousseau]

I tow with an f150... 5.4 liter 8 cylinder.....

 

My 16 foot aluminum you can't hardly feel behind you....

 

My brothers ranger 620T with 115hp 4stroke... You really appreciate the power.....

 

You boat would be in between these 2 for weight... So in my experience id go 8 cylinder.... Then you have plenty of power for steep ramps... Big uphill drives.... Etc...

[frodobuggins]

You can get V6 with towing capacity of 4500-5000 lbs. V8 is nice but if your using it primarily for work you will appreciate the benefit of fuel mileage. I'm kind of in the same position (2500lb boat package) and definitely getting v6. I might end up towing boat 8-10 per yr but use it everyday otherwise.

[BillM]

Any GM 4.3 V6 would tow that with ease. 4.0 in the Ranger shouldn't have any issues with it either.

[bare foot wader]

I towed my boat fully loaded at about 2700-2800 lbs with a 4.0 ranger, and my buddy towed it a few times in his colordo/canyon thing....you can do it, but if you plan to tow often or long distances, I don't think you'll be winning the mileage game, both our trucks guzzled gas big time towing my boat compared now to our v8's, plus harder on the brakes and cross winds were not pleasant to tow in, the trans temp was around 100-103 on long climbs and I always nursed it

 

if you do your daily driving with a smart foot, I'd lean towards the v8 route personally

[jedimaster]

No problem towing a 21 foot boat with a 250 merc. V6 Ram 1500, 300hp.

[leaf4]

if it's an option, an Eco boost f150 does great towing the girlfriends fathers 18.5' Lund all loaded up, doesn't even feel like you're pulling anything

[BillM]

The mileage on the Ecoboost isn't as good as Ford thought it would be.. I'd rather have a standard V8 over that thing.

[leaf4]

them owning one for a year and a half now they've never said a bad thing about it, it gets better mileage than my girlfriends 4.0 ranger I don't have any numbers of L/100km but adding a turbo does increase efficiency and power without a doubt

[bare foot wader]

The mileage on the Ecoboost isn't as good as Ford thought it would be.. I'd rather have a standard V8 over that thing.

 

x 2

 

maybe the new 150 with all that aluminum will actually hit what they claim....right now with my v8 5.0 I'm equal or slightly beating a friend's mileage in his ecoboom

 

even used I think it would be out the 15k budget too

[BillM]

them owning one for a year and a half now they've never said a bad thing about it, it gets better mileage than my girlfriends 4.0 ranger I don't have any numbers of L/100km but adding a turbo does increase efficiency and power without a doubt

 

Can't really compare it to a 4.0 Ranger though. The V8 that Ford and GMC offers gets better mileage than the EcoBoost..

[Raf]

problem with a lot of the older (ie. 5+ yrs old) v6s is they don't burn much less gas, if at all, compared to the same models with a v8. 4.3L GMs were thirsty suckers.

 

for example, mine's a little older than that (01 grand cherokee) and the v8 actually gets better mileage on the hwy and towing than the v6 version does. The v8 just doesnt have to work as hard.

 

Definately do your research and consider what type of driving you do other than towing (city vs hwy)

 

On the flipside, those new V6 Rams have plenty of power and get good fuel economy but they are out of your budget. This is the case with a lot of the newer v6s out there.

[DRIFTER_016]

My Honda Pilot with 3.5L V6 would tow it no problem with 1500#'s to spare.

[kickingfrog]

Our V6 highlander is rated for 5000lb. Although getting much more than 500km on a 70 litre tank of fuel is a real kick in the pills.

[WeedLine]

Thanks guys

[Bill Shearer]

The question asked was what would be the best to tow the Ranger, and be within his budget, between a V6 and a V8. No question in my mind that based on his budget the vehicles he should be looking at will need a V8.

I have owned 15 F150s over the years. Most have had V8s. 3 have had V6s. All have been adequate, but the best one I have owned out of all of them is the 2012 V6 with the Ecoboost. The naysayers are welcome to their opinions. I am going to get another next year and it will have Ecoboost engine as well. The raw power available when desired is worth it to me. Acceleration is awesome!

My fuel efficiency is 11.6L/100 km, in the warm weather, on cruise at 110km/hr, and 12.6L/100km at 110km/hr in the winter. Worse if I go 120km/hr. It isn't a VW Golf! It weighs over 5500 lbs with driver,tools, and box cover.

If you are a right lane 100km/hr driver, and don't pass many vehicles your results will be much better.

Gas and vehicles are expensive, and the price is only going up. If you are caught in the grind, and have to travel more than 100km to work each way/day, you really should look at alternatives. If it is a great tow vehicle you want, then you can't go wrong with the V8 full size pick-up, at least in my opinion.

And if your budget allows, the F150 with ecoboost is the cats azz.

[lookinforwalleye]

My Honda Pilot with 3.5L V6 would tow it no problem with 1500#'s to spare.

he aint getting that for 10 Grand!!!

[davey buoy]

My 99 Ford Explorer 4.0 v6 with 456,000 km pulls my 3000 plus scorpion 19' v8 very good.I can see where the long hills may benifit a v8.Some of the hills on the 400 I can drop to 95 km/hr without kicking into overdrive.Would be nice to hold 110km/hr up hill.Pulling out of a steep launch with awd or locked in full,hardly spins a wheel.That's where it shines. Having said that a bigger motor wouldn't hurt if you can also afford the day to day driving to work or what ever you do on your off time.

Not that you want one that old.Just a non bias reply

Edited January 6, 2014 by davey buoy

[lookinforwalleye]

I drive a 2008 Jeep Liberty, tows my 18 Stratos with no issues at all plenty of room and a comfortable vehicle to drive and with the right tires it will go anywhere in any kind of weather!

 

On the highway I get 29/30 MPG ( I drive 90/95 KMH) city is not very good but what truck is.

In six years the truck as been flawless only a set of brakes!!!

 

Of course if you need a pick up for dis-regard the Jeep.

[Joeytier]

The new V6's are incredibly capable these days. Many have more horsepower than the 350 in my '92 GM. As mentioned, it might suck a little more gas but you'll definitely be capable.

[aplumma]

The eco boost is more than enough to tow the boat with. I pulled a fully loaded Ranger boat plus 1 weeks worth of gear and presents for two fisherman 13 hours straight averaging 65-70 mph for a combined MPG of 14.7. The combined around town is 17 mpg without towing. I think the key here is to get a large enough vehicle to tow comfortable in both power and braking so you can control it while loaded.

 

 

Art

[jedimaster]

On my truck on the highway at 110km/h on the highway with the cruise on I get 8.5l/100 I drive mostly city in Toronto and I get about 11-12.5. Mind you this is Toronto bumper to bumper on my way to and from work. Of course the 8 speed transmission has a big part in that.

[DRIFTER_016]

he aint getting that for 10 Grand!!!

 

Not new any way.

He may be able to pick up an '03 or '04 for $10K

I'm pretty sure he could pick up an '05 like mine for his top range of $15K if he looked around.

I bough mine used in '08 for $30K

[wormdunker]

I recently purchased an '08 Ford King Ranch with a 5.4 L V8. This truck is awesome. A little heavy on the gas but you also have to consider the vehicle you are driving. On a recent trip to Shining Tree I averaged 15 L/100 Km. I was towing a 14' Lund with a 30hp Suzuki, Polaris atv in the truck box, lottsa gear. I was OK with the gas mileage, plus launching the boat on sandy, gravel ramps at no time was I concerned to get the boat out. If I had taken my Uplander van on this trip - yes I would have saved some $$$ on gas - would I feel comfortable at the ramp - NO!!

[BillM]

I like the new Ram... Pentastar V6, ZF 8spd tranny and it actually gets the mileage Dodge claims it gets, unlike the EcoBoost, lol. EcoBoost is a great engine, but it's mileage numbers are an embarrassment for Ford.

Edited January 7, 2014 by BillM