I'm looking at buying a new 1/2 ton pickup (for commuting, light towing/hauling, etc). Extended cab/4x4/V8/AT are requirements....I don't have any brand loyalty and I don't find the looks of any of the trucks much better than the other. Opinions would be appreciated.
New 1/2T Truck Comparisons
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Yup. I hate the looks of the Titan, but it looks to have a LOT of upside. The F150 sells like crazy and I DETEST the interior & it's portliness (WAY overweight for a 1/2 ton truck). Obviously, personal opinion is just that - personal.GRMhick said:
TEX
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Yup, buy a 3/4 ton at least if you plan on towing your rig with it. If you shop around, you'll find a 3/4 ton for not much more than a 1/2 ton.. when I was looking for my 3/4 ton CTD, I paid about 4k more for my 3/4 ton diesel than I would have for a similarily equipped 1/2 ton with a hemi... The diesel engine option alone costs more than that usually...It really depends on where you shop, but either way, I suggest talking to the fleet department.
Scott
Scott
I agree totally with the last two posters. 1/2 tons and towing should not be in the same sentance. The factories are totally lieing to the public with their supposed tow ratings for half tons. 3/4 ton if any towing over 4k pounds or so is in your future, diesel if you can swing it.
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You kinda need to define "light towing".. For me that is most things that would be hauled on a single axle trailer like a small boat,jet ski,sand buggy or four wheeler..I personally have a couple half ton Dodges as well as a half ton Suburban that I use to do most of my towing.. You will find that most people who have trouble towing do not have the proper equipment on their trucks.. You can not expect a 1/2 ton Dodge with a 3.9 engine and 3.21 gears to pull like a 1/2 ton with a 360 engine and 3.92 gears or a Chevy with 4.3 and 3.08 gears to pull like one with a 350 and 3.73 gears.. The bottom line is make sure the truck you get has the proper equipment to tow the load you plan on pulling.. Also remember that the bigger/heavier loads need a longer wheel base.. A reg cab short bed will work for a small light boat but if you plan on pulling a car trailer you need at least a reg cab long bed or an extended cab shortbed with the biggest engine available lowest gears and the extra tranny cooler..My 97 is an extended cab with a 360 and 3.92 gears with the factory tow package and tows my car trailer with out any trouble.. My 04 is a reg cab short bed with the 5.7 and 3.92 gears.. the most I tow with it is a couple riding mowers on my car trailer due to the short wheel base..
If most of what you towing will be in what I consider light towing(see above) you could look at some of the smaller import half tons.. My wife just bought herself a Honda Ridgeline.. It is rated to tow 5000lbs(IIRC) has GPS,Heated Leather seats factory tow package,AM/FM/XM/6Disc CD..
If most of what you towing will be in what I consider light towing(see above) you could look at some of the smaller import half tons.. My wife just bought herself a Honda Ridgeline.. It is rated to tow 5000lbs(IIRC) has GPS,Heated Leather seats factory tow package,AM/FM/XM/6Disc CD..
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I have a reg cab short bed I tow with. It will work to tow a car on a trailer. I have a 318 auto with 3.55 gears and 33's, and it pulls 55 up a 6% grade.hy_desert_4wheeler said:
And I bought it because of its wheelbase. I can get in and out of traffic, and manuver the truck much better than a longer wheel base. Does it tow like a 3/4 ton diesel? NO. But If I watch my speed, and drive cautiously, it works fine as a tow rig (its rated at 7800 lbs, the 4runner and trailer are about 6k).
Most people over buy, I know I did, I had a 3/4 Gas, then a Tahoe for a short period of time that I towed with once or twice, now I have a 3/4 CTD.
I love the cummins, towing, floggin, etc. But the daily commute with great rush hour drivers and the 5-spd are just not that much fun. I have been thinking about selling it bc I tow about once a year now but I cant seemed to make myslef get rid of it.
Long and short, buy what will make you happy, even though I dislike the 5-spd in traffic and the cost of fuel sometimes I know that last tank @ 19.5 mpg makes up a lot.
I love the cummins, towing, floggin, etc. But the daily commute with great rush hour drivers and the 5-spd are just not that much fun. I have been thinking about selling it bc I tow about once a year now but I cant seemed to make myslef get rid of it.
Long and short, buy what will make you happy, even though I dislike the 5-spd in traffic and the cost of fuel sometimes I know that last tank @ 19.5 mpg makes up a lot.
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1/2 tons can't tow :shaking: Geeze people give it a rest. As soon as I pick up a motorhome the diesel is going away. For a trailer and buggy (Mine are under 5k) it just isn't needed and with the price of diesel these days the biggest advantage to a diesel is gone (cheap fuel). The best tow rig I ever owned was my 01 Lightning, course the 450 ft/lbs of torque might have had something to do with it 
I miss that truck, it smoked (V10 & bombed Diesels) everything on the hills. I'd personally look for a single cab 1/2 ton with the biggest motor you can get. With good trailer brakes you'll do fine and the single cab will be less weight for your motor to lug around.
Oops, noticed you needed an extended cab so ignore my last bit of advice. Just remember light weight and lots of HP/Torque will win the day.
I miss that truck, it smoked (V10 & bombed Diesels) everything on the hills. I'd personally look for a single cab 1/2 ton with the biggest motor you can get. With good trailer brakes you'll do fine and the single cab will be less weight for your motor to lug around.Oops, noticed you needed an extended cab so ignore my last bit of advice. Just remember light weight and lots of HP/Torque will win the day.
I have an 04 F150 extra cab (suicide door) short bed company truck. It has the 5.4 and 3:55 gears. This is provided by my company but I can tell you it is comfortable and nice to drive. Gets better than 18MPG cruising at 65MPH. I sometimes tow a 4K work trailer and it works fine for this. Would not want to tow very often or very far with it however. Have almost 30K miles and it has been through two sets of front rotors (warped) and one set of rears (for some reason had deep cuts). All was covered by warranty but it will soon be off of warranty and I have no reason to believe the brake problem will go away. Also has a rough idle that Ford says is normal although they have reflashed the computer 3 different times. Is fine for a work truck. I would not be very happy if I was spending my own money.
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3,727 Posts
I currently drive a titan. Yep, had a few brake issues, got them fixed and have had NO problems with the truck. Had two dodge trucks, won't own another. Not sure if it was bad luck or bad trucks. Liked the way they drove, didn't have good luck with the rest of the truck. Had a chevy half ton, decent truck but didn't tow worth a shit. Grandfather bought a titan, I borrowed it. Knew it was fast, but fast doesn't tow. Needless to say I pulled my camper with his, then pulled with a full load. Wound up buying one a few weeks later.
back in 00' my ol' man leased a 00' F-150, then in 03' he bought a new one..
that being the first 1/2 ton pickup he had owned in 24 years, and the first gas powered one in 16 years..
he kep the old 89' F-250 diesel around for "real towing"
after a few months, he yanked insurance on the old truck and parked it.
Having pulled with both, I'd venture to say the new 1/2 ton pulls almost every bit as well as the old 3/4 ton HD did.
The only things it misses out on, are the 1/2 tons sprigns and tires are softer(who woulda thought?) and the 7.3 had slightly more low end grunt than the 5.4 does.
As far as handling down the road, I think they are pretty close, on brakes the f-150's huge 4 wheel disc's stop it a bit better than the F-250 did, with OR without trailer brakes.
Having pulled alot of miles with the trucks, varrying from 500-10,000LB's.. I will say I never ONCE felt the truck "couldn't handle it" but I also know it doesn't pull like a 3/4 or 1 ton pulls like( or the semis I've pulled with for that matter)
the only gripe I've had with the F-150's are they come under geared from the factory.
Again, thats just my expirance with the new F-150's. I have no towing expirance with the chevy or dodge, so I can't really comment on them.
that being the first 1/2 ton pickup he had owned in 24 years, and the first gas powered one in 16 years..
he kep the old 89' F-250 diesel around for "real towing"
after a few months, he yanked insurance on the old truck and parked it.
Having pulled with both, I'd venture to say the new 1/2 ton pulls almost every bit as well as the old 3/4 ton HD did.
The only things it misses out on, are the 1/2 tons sprigns and tires are softer(who woulda thought?) and the 7.3 had slightly more low end grunt than the 5.4 does.
As far as handling down the road, I think they are pretty close, on brakes the f-150's huge 4 wheel disc's stop it a bit better than the F-250 did, with OR without trailer brakes.
Having pulled alot of miles with the trucks, varrying from 500-10,000LB's.. I will say I never ONCE felt the truck "couldn't handle it" but I also know it doesn't pull like a 3/4 or 1 ton pulls like( or the semis I've pulled with for that matter
)the only gripe I've had with the F-150's are they come under geared from the factory.
Again, thats just my expirance with the new F-150's. I have no towing expirance with the chevy or dodge, so I can't really comment on them.
IMO, this about sums it up. I didn;t read any further cuaz im drunk, but the nissan is :rainbow: as are most things that are not (fulsize and) from the big three -- though i have not driven the tundra.4x4not said:
i'm not trying to start a flame war, but i've driven ford sine i was 15 -- yeah there are some p/u's tht are better than others in certain areas, but i think you need to do the leg work and drive each one for your self.
just my $0.03.... ;-)
Cowboyj
there is a thing called wind resistance, and trailer length also..kstomper said:
And I'm not talking cross country trips, I'm talking short trips to and from town, to different job sites, etc..
I put 600 miles on pulling my F-150(5700lbs) on a 3000lb trailer, across three states a few summers ago, it pulled just fine, just lacked power on hills.(long 6% grade dropped it to about 35mph)
hell we pulled D-4 cat on a tri axle pintel hitch trailer with it once...
It pulled just fine @ 30mph, for the 5 miles we had to go..
So you can keep your "some of that"
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Ive said it before, and I'll keep saying it until people start listening.. its not the fact that a 1/2 ton can't PULL the load, its the fact that it also has to STOP that load.
Scott
Scott
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