Compact pickup choices

RobertN · Mar 29, 2006

Around Folsom Lake, I see quite a few folks tow 17-21' ski boats with Forerunners, Tacoma's, Rangers ect. A 21' ski boat is not light; I believe my neigbors Ski Natique is about 3000lbs or there abouts(they tow with an Excursion diesel). They probably do ok for the local tows, but I wouldn't want to take them over Donner or up to Tahoe with a compact.

FWIW, my Kubota B8200 with FEL, scraper and 16' trailer is about 3500-3900lbs.

In your case, I would make sure you have a sufficient size dual axle trailer; brakes on both axles. Get the full tow package on the pickup. Make sure it is wired for a brake controller, and get a good quality controller.

One thing of note about this thread, I am surprised at how poor of mileage some folks are reporting with compact trucks. I would agree with others; might as well get a full size 1/2 ton and get comparable mileage.

Also, do you need 4x4? 4x4 drops your weight and tow rating on any truck out there. Mileage is not as good, and costs more to maintain.

Jagmandave · Mar 29, 2006

If you're concerned about the overall size, I might point out that a Tacoma is almost the same size as a current Tundra, so there are a couple of ways you could go. I have a '05 Tundra V-8, the mileage rating is exactly 1 mpg lower than the Tacoma with the big V-6. I'd buy a Tundra now, before next year's "Big" Tundra comes out. There's almost no difference between a Tacoma and a Tundra in price anymore either, unless you buy a base 4cyl Tacoma....

KentT · Mar 29, 2006

I've owned & towed with the following pickups, in sequence:

Ranger 4cyl, 2WD, 5 speed, standard cab -- worthless to haul over 500 lbs, much less tow. Will pull a 4x8 trailer but only if you have too...

F-150, 5L 2WD, 4 speed, extended cab -- towed good. but a REAL gas hog

Ranger, V6 4WD, automatic, extended cab -- towed OK up to about 3,000/3,500 lbs total. Weight/balance were critical due to soft rear suspension.

F-150, 4.9L 4WD, 5 speed, extended cab-- disappointing when towing over 3,000 lbs or so. 5 speed was a car tranny and simply not geared for a truck nor the torque curve of the big six. 1st, 4th and 5th gears were all too high. Constantly downshifting all the way to 3rd on steep freeway hills with a loaded trailer.

Ram 1500, 5.2L 4WD, automatic, Quad Cab -- towed with 4,000 to 5,000 lbs (total) OK up to about 50/55 MPH. Couldn't maintain any higher speed in OD, and dropping out of OD dropped gas mileage to 9-10 MPG when towing.

Dakota, 4.9L 4WD, automatic, Quad Cab (true 4 door) -- overall, the best towing machine of any of them. Note that it tows better on the freeway at 65MPH than at 55MPH -- that speed matches the torque curve of the engine better with my 3.55 gears. Tows fine at 65MPH in OD if not in the hills, with so signs of strain, overheating, etc. If I were doing it again, I'd order it and get 3.90 gears instead of the more common 3.55s.

My next PU -- should it come to market will likely be the Jeep Gladiator. A 4WD extended cab compact/midsize rated to tow 5,000 lbs, yet has a small diesel with about 25MPG when not towing....

If I made a living with my pickup, I'd drive 2500/3500 size diesels. Since my pickup is also my commuter vehicle for 15,000 - 20,000 miles per year, and I must have 4WD in the New England winters -- I want something that I can park at the office or store, and thai I can turn around in less than 40 acres...

I like my Dakota... too bad a diesel isn't available for them.

Your mileage and experience may vary....

NOTE: I cannot recommend strongly enough that you use a load-leveling hitch and trailer brakes on ANY 1/2 ton or smaller PU if you're going to tow over 2500 to 3000 pounds total.

George2615 · Mar 29, 2006

If you're looking for mileage, get the compact truck. You might get over 20 MPG. If you want to tow a tractor with a compact your mileage will drop about 60 - 70%.

I agree with BadDog, I also have the Chev. with Duramax and Allison. I average 18.5 MPG not towing and 14.5 while towing my Mahindra 2615HST w/ loader and rear attachment and the truck isn't broken in yet. I did'nt even get that mileage with my previous 02 Chev. 4x4 with a 4.8L V-8. You won't get that with a compact truck while towing.

If you are firm on a compact at least get the biggest one you can with a V-8.

A friend of mine recently came over and borrowed my trailer which weighs about 2300# to pick up an 800# riding mower. He hooked it to his Ford ranger which had a 6 cyl. and said he'd never do that again. He was scared to death with 3100# pushing him. Said next time he'll call me.

Good luck on your decision.

rdln · Mar 29, 2006

My next PU -- should it come to market will likely be the Jeep Gladiator. A 4WD extended cab compact/midsize rated to tow 5,000 lbs, yet has a small diesel with about 25MPG when not towing.... 

when is that thing coming out anyways?
Hope it is not priced like a commander /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

Birdhunter1 · Mar 29, 2006

( I am looking for a compact pickup truck. 6cylinder, extended cab (not the huge crew/club/quad) 4X4. ..........
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Ford Ranger, Dodge Dakota, Nissan Frontier, Toyota Tacoma. )

One guy I work with had a Ranger Supercab 4wd with a 4.0 V6. Another guy I work with has a Chevy S-10 supercab 4wd with a 4.3, my cousin had a Dakota with the 318 V-8.
I had a F-150 reg. cab 4wd with a 4.6 and I got better gas mileage and could safely handle and tow more than either of those three trucks listed above.

More horsepower, better mileage, bigger truck... go figure.

Those bigger V-6's in smaller trucks suck for gas mileage purposes and you woudl be much better off with a hlaf ton Ford but you could settle for a Dodge 1/2 ton and still be ahead.

KentT · Mar 29, 2006

The Jeep Gladiator will likely a 2008 model, if it happens at all, based on a stretched frame of the 2007 Wrangler. There's been "mule sightings" of even a 4-door version of the Wrangler that would likely share the same stretched frame.

I'm hoping it does make it to market -- I've talked to a couple people who own the diesel Liberty and they love them...

Obviously a lot of the people on here don't drive and park 4WD full size pickups in city traffic every day... /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Durbob · Mar 29, 2006

If you are looking for a new truck go compare prices of the Chevy silverado with a dakota and you will find the Chevy can be bought for less money.

Dur

Joe1 · Apr 1, 2006

I wouldn't write off the "rebadged" trucks just because they have american counterparts. The Mazda may be a Ford Ranger, but it's a Ranger with a much better warranty.

About a dozen years ago, I met a seasoned citizen driving a Rnager with I believe the 2.8 V-6 towing an 21.5' 5th wheel RV. He claimed it did fine in the western mountains. He did have the 3 speed automatic. I though it was way overloaded, but he claimed he had been towing for quite a while with it, and with reasonable expectations it provided reasonable response.

I wouldn't do it, but he was a happy camper.

Sigarms · Apr 1, 2006

I realize you want a compact truck, only going to offer my observations.

I've owned three Toyotas. One 4 cyl regular cab, a 6cyl regular cab, and since I got married, picked up a T-100 extra cab 6 cyl.

Overall no regrets, and my next truck will most likely be another Toyota, but it will be a V8. I've also read here on this forum that Toyota might be coming out with a diesel (sp?) which I could get really excited about (I know they have them, just not in the U.S so they should already have a good track record).

My reasoning for the change is the "power" to gas mileage ratio (if there is such a "thing" /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif), and the price difference between the trucks, which if you look, really isn't that much between a "compact" and "full size".