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Old Aug 25, 2008 | 09:05 AM
  #1  
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Hi All,
This is my first post and although new to the site and Ford trucks, I'm not new to Ford cars and now, like it or not, find that I have a need to get back into trailering, which is something that I used to do in the 80's in another life time.
I'll be pulling a 22 foot enclosed car trailer with a loaded weight of about 7000 pounds. Since whatever I decide to pull this trailer with will also double as the family second vehicle, I've been going nuts trying to decide whether it should be a pickup or and enclosed type vehicle such as Expedition. Trailering will be only 3 or 4 events a year and I don't want to pay the price for that for the rest of the year, by having a vehicle that is too big, noisey, horrible gas mileage (not towing) etc. My wife was dead set against any type of pick up until we recently rode in the pack seat of a friends 08 1500 Lariat (what's there not to like) and she pretty much realized that a nicely equipped truck doesn't have to ride like a 350 diesel.
In either case, I would have no use for a pick up other than to pull the car trailer to a few events a year..for the rest of the year, it would be nothing more than basic transportation with no other advantage over a passenger car. I thought an Expedition would be more car-like and pretty much get the tailering job done, probably not as effeciently as the pickup, but it would be more like a car the rest of the year, however I have to believe the trade off would be pretty crummy mileage...
I'm looking at used for both, right now thinking 2005 or 2006, 2WD. I have no use at all for 4WD and my towing will be pretty much flat, not much in the way of hills.
Sorry for the long post, but I'm really going nuts here and don't want to make a mistake with this.
Thanks again,
Fred
 
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Old Aug 25, 2008 | 11:54 AM
  #2  
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Im pretty sure we were all newbies on here at some point

If your just looking for opinions, I would go with a crewcab Lariat over an expedition, I dont thing there is much difference in ride, and fuel milage should be about the same.

I have a 2006 Lincoln mark lt w/5.4 and a couple mods. I average between 13 and 17 mpg city and highway depending how I drive (never easy).

go with at least 3.73 gears and make sure the truck you choose has a tow package for larger coolers etc. You cant go wrong w/a Ford Truck
 
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Old Aug 25, 2008 | 01:33 PM
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If you don't need a truck, why don't you rent a tow vehicle the 3 or 4 times a year you need it. Lets assume you drive 12,000 miles per year, that would = 230.76 miles per week. Figure gas cost $ 4.50 per gallon ( I wish). If you drive a car that gets 30 mpg, you would use 7.69 galons per week or you would spend $ 34.61 a week on gas. Now if you used a truck that got 15 miles per galon you would spend $ 69.23 a week on gas.
The gas savings would be $ 1,799.72. More than enough to cover 3 or four rentals.
 
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Old Aug 25, 2008 | 08:29 PM
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2006LT has a really good point if it was me I would rather have a pickup
 
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Old Aug 25, 2008 | 09:08 PM
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Personally, I would get a SUV. I love my truck, but in your case, the 3-4 times a year doesn't justify buying one.

I don't like to say it...and it actually bothers me...but the Expy is a horribly thirsty beast. It has 6 speeds with the 5.4 motor. And it gets roughly the same MPG as my truck. it's all about the weight. both are about 6,000 lbs

for me, I'll always have a pickup in the driveway...99% chance it will be Ford. and I tried to have an Expy also...but the Dealers think they are lined with gold or something


you should price comparison them. My F-150 Screw was cheaper (way way cheaper) than a comparible Expy. It rides slightly rougher, gets same MPG, and has better tow capacity.
 
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Old Aug 25, 2008 | 09:57 PM
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<TABLE id=HB_Mail_Container height="100%" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0 UNSELECTABLE="on"><TBODY><TR height="100%" width="100%" UNSELECTABLE="on"><TD id=HB_Focus_Element vAlign=top width="100%" background="" height=250 UNSELECTABLE="off"></TD></TR><TR UNSELECTABLE="on" hb_tag="1"><TD style="FONT-SIZE: 1pt" height=1 UNSELECTABLE="on">
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<TABLE id=HB_Mail_Container height="100%" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0 UNSELECTABLE="on"><TBODY><TR height="100%" width="100%" UNSELECTABLE="on"><TD id=HB_Focus_Element vAlign=top width="100%" background="" height=250 UNSELECTABLE="off">Roger Lt,
Your're pretty much right on the money, which is precisely why I had my car transported to the SAAC meet at NJ Motorsports Park in Millville, NJ two weeks ago. My thoughts were the same as yours. Does three of four meets per year warrant truck, trailer, insurance, storage, maintenance, etc, etc. As it happened the SAAC event was Thursday through Sunday, and eight if us were able to fill an Intercity car carrier that made the run from Long Isand to NJ and back..BTW that was $6000 for the truck (divided equally by eight. Our familiy Subaru Outback was filled beyond capacity with tools, equipment and a pop-up tent which was a necessity due to heat and rain at night. None of my buddies with enclosed trailers had to concern themselves with any of this for the obvious reasons. Since I also plan to run several open track events at NJ Motortsports Park this year as well as an equal number of car shows in the NY tri-state area, I can see that I would need some type of support vehicle whether I actually tow a trailer to an event or not. I figured the truck or Expedition, whichever it will be, will replace my wife's Subie. I'll also use it as my runaround vehicle. I'll then get an Accord or Camry for MPG's and general family use.
So again, my dilema is which way to go. Either way I'm gonna need a means or carting wheels. tires, jacks, jack stands, etc., when I open track, so the more I think about it, the more it looks like I might be doing a bit more towing than I originally planned...maybe 6 of 7 events a year.
Fred


</TD></TR><TR UNSELECTABLE="on" hb_tag="1"><TD style="FONT-SIZE: 1pt" height=1 UNSELECTABLE="on">So again, m

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
 
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