Toyota Tacoma vs F150

[moombadaze]

I just dont see the taco as being that better of a tow vehicle myself. Dont rush, she likes her ridgeline, I'd keep an eye out for a dedicated tow vehicle, maybe a older grand cherokee with a V8 2wd, should be able to find a non 4x4 up your way cheap as most would want the 4x4 for winter driving

[moombadaze]

Mike come back to florida for a visit and you will, saw a guy towing a 22 ft cuddy style fishing boat, 250hp outboard,double axle trailer with a Toyota highlander the other day. Poor vehicles ass was dragging

[trayson]

Ridgeline / Tacoma? Potatoe Patatoe

They are honestly in the same category. Your really not gaining anything with the Tacoma, if your wife is that happy with the Ridgeline then don't waste your money to buy a different vehicle with a higher, longer, or just a payment to begin with.

I personally NEVER see a Tacoma pulling a large boat, I see people buy a Tundra and pull the boat but not a Tacoma, this is still in the small truck family.

Well, the difference is 5000 pounds tow capacity (Ridgeline) vs. 6500 pound tow capacity. so while you might see them the same, the specs are different enough to not honestly be in the same category on ratings.


Did you read my stuff? My wife IS that happy with the Ridgeline and the only reason we're even considering a change is because we're leery of the transmission on the Ridgeline being a weak point and causing the 5000 pound tow rating.

I figure a lot of people won't understand our desire to not have a bigger truck than we need. All those trucks with the big tow capacities have big outsides, and that means they're harder to maneuver, harder to park, harder or impossible to fit in the garage. Cindy and I aren't big people that need a lot of interior space. we only have our 55 pound 9 y/o 1/3 of the time. The vast majority of the time the bed and back seat of the Ridgeline are empty. it drives 8 miles to/from her office and to the grocery store 85% of the time. Our towing is 10 miles to/from the launch a couple times a week. 2 or 3 times a year we might go 35 miles to the lake. one trip a year to Hagg lake for Wake the world @ 50 miles each way. one 150 mile trip to lake billy. So honestly not a lot of towing.

I know the general consensus is probably "get more truck than you ever think you'll need" but I really don't want to have a giant truck that we can't park, maneuver, or fit anywhere. That's why I asked to keep in mind my goals and priorities.

I dunno. maybe there isn't a right answer. Life is about tradeoff's and I want just enough truck that I don't have the negatives of a big one.

[brain_rinse]

Jeep Grand Cherokee

[trayson]

I just dont see the taco as being that better of a tow vehicle myself. Dont rush, she likes her ridgeline, I'd keep an eye out for a dedicated tow vehicle, maybe a older grand cherokee with a V8 2wd, should be able to find a non 4x4 up your way cheap as most would want the 4x4 for winter driving

I thought about getting a dedicated tow beater. Adding another insurance payment, another parking spot taken up, another vehicle to maintain, another rig to pay licensing on... I really thought about it and was researching 1st gen Durangos that could be had for under $5k with a 7k tow rating. But we've already got 4 vehicles and a motorcycle for the 2 of us and are looking to thin out the herd, not add to it. Plus, having a dedicated tow beater that just sits all winter long while the boat's winterized isn't an attractive option for here. Even being aggressive, the boat sits for 5 months a year.

[mmandley]

Maybe you misread my post, I was basically saying your fine in your Ridgeline vs a Tacoma. it also sounds like only a couple years of the Tacoma follow that spec the 15 I just looked at said 3500.

Also they are in the same category, they are both less then 1/2 ton trucks, they both have the same size breaks, and such. Tow Capacity difference might be the fact the Tacoma isn't as heavy as the Ridgeline.

I am actually saying if I was you, and a 1/2 truck was not really in your liking then might as well stay with the Ridgeline. If the trans goes then have it rebuilt for a couple Gs and bullet proof it.

[trayson]

Maybe you misread my post, I was basically saying your fine in your Ridgeline vs a Tacoma. it also sounds like only a couple years of the Tacoma follow that spec the 15 I just looked at said 3500.

Also they are in the same category, they are both less then 1/2 ton trucks, they both have the same size breaks, and such. Tow Capacity difference might be the fact the Tacoma isn't as heavy as the Ridgeline.

I am actually saying if I was you, and a 1/2 truck was not really in your liking then might as well stay with the Ridgeline. If the trans goes then have it rebuilt for a couple Gs and bullet proof it.

Maybe I don't understand transmissions well enough. Let's say that the Ridgeline tranny took a dump. If it was rebuilt, what could possibly be done to make it more robust??? Maybe Stacey could chime in on that.

Because yes, if the Ridgeline transmission wasn't a concern, there'd be no reason to be considering shopping for something different because we're basically happy with all the other aspects of it.

[trayson]

I think you really should try to talk your wife into a touareg because its actually smaller then the ridgeine and tows about 2700 pounds more then then it plus it seem's like the touareg would fit you and your life's needs perfectly.

You're hilarious. I get it. Post one silly video to the off topic section and this is what happens.

I don't even like touaregs. I've never wanted to own one. I certainly wouldn't want to maintain one. Do I think it's cool that they made one? Sure. Do I think G-wagons are interesting and unique? yep. I think that Range Rovers and Land Rovers are cool rigs too. Wouldn't own either of those. The wife likes her Honda reliability that she's had over the years. She doesn't want a Euro car or SUV.


In all honesty, I'm not even super excited about having a typical SUV, even if it does haul the boat well. We've already got our Audi wagon and that has a ton of capacity with the seats down. The Ridgeline was unique in that it was SUV-like but had a small truck bed for those occasional things that wouldn't fit in a wagon or SUV (like our washer/dryer). So I guess that's why I'm not rushing towards the Grand Cherokee or something like a tahoe or durango.

[mmandley]

For transmissions you can get better clutches, Kevlar, stainless steel internals and things like that.

When I had my Z28 I blew the trans after the engine rebuild. Had Kevlar bands and stainless steel shafts installed.

Tis us also what diesel owners do after they build the engines to make all that crazy power.

For your case I just don't think you need to trade in. I know your wife likes her car.

Also having a tow rig sit all winter like the boat sues and then ask it to tow is inviting breakdowns when towing.

[Ian Brantford]

Well, the difference is 5000 pounds tow capacity (Ridgeline) vs. 6500 pound tow capacity. so while you might see them the same, the specs are different enough to not honestly be in the same category on ratings.

Howdy. Given the rating inflation that has historically happened with makers of body-on-frame trucks, I would be skeptical of the 6500 lb rating for the Tacoma. Did anyone believe that the old Ranger could safely tow over 7000 lbs with a tow package? I didn't think so.

Here is a fuller explanation of rating inflation, along with the new towing standard that the manufacturers supported until they realised how embarrassing it would be until they could redesign new generations of trucks.
http://www.tundraheadquarters.com/bl...ing-standards/
For more updated information, google "SAE J2807".

I too was skeptical of the Ridgeline. Then I did my homework and found many other owners who towed right at the limit for thousands or tens of thousands of miles, often through mountains, with no problem. The consensus in the Ridgeline Owners Club is that Honda is very conservative about its ratings, removing the need to apply one's grandfather's "only tow 80% of the rating" rule of thumb.

After purchasing a Ridgeline, I did an extensive test against my father's late 1990's Silverado, switching the XLV around and trying various acceleration, braking, and simulated emergency manoeuvers. They were remarkably similar.

Actually, I pushed the Ridgeline a bit harder in simulated emergencies. I was never able to break loose that rear independent suspension, much less send the truck and trailer on the "wild ride" that you can get with an underqualified traditional body-on-frame truck. The suspension is super stable and the extremely rigid unibody welded to the ladder frame doesn't transmit waves of flex.

I have been towing using the Ridgeline ever since, usually just a few times a year for 50-100 miles at a time. The only issue has been a bad axle on the trailer. The truck hasn't faltered.

Did you read my stuff? My wife IS that happy with the Ridgeline and the only reason we're even considering a change is because we're leery of the transmission on the Ridgeline being a weak point and causing the 5000 pound tow rating.

Do you have any objective information to support this fear, apparently of transmission failure? I can see it being a problem for the couple of tuners who might try to put a supercharger or turbocharger into a Ridgeline, increasing the torque through the system. That's not the same as applying a heavy load -- the stock engine will not send more torque to the transmission in response, and the transmission is designed to handle the engine's maximum output under load.