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Old     (mikebu)      Join Date: Aug 2008       10-03-2012, 3:40 PM Reply   
I have a 02 Chevrolet 2500 HD crew cab 4x4 with the 6.0 engine and tow a Supra 21V. I live in the Seattle Area and like to drive over to my Dad's house in Richland, WA to go on the Columbia River in the summer. This involves driving over Snoqualmie Pass.

I know this is hard to answer but will I be happy if I switch out my 2500 HD with a Ford Eco boost crew cab pickup? Will it tow over the mountains as well as my 2500 HD?

My 2500 HD can maintain 50+ mph up the hills if I drop it down to 2nd gear. Because of the poor gas mileage I hardly drive it anymore unless I am towing the boat or our Travel Trailer.
Old     (polarbill)      Join Date: Jun 2003       10-03-2012, 3:53 PM Reply   
From the reports here I wouldnt' be surprised if it tows better, at least from a motor/power standpoint. Maybe the bigger HD truck(2500) will do better handling the boat but in my opinion both are somewhat overkill for towing a supra 21V, even across I90.
Old     (hatepain)      Join Date: Aug 2006       10-03-2012, 4:01 PM Reply   
It will blow you away, I was. I tow over 2 all summer long and could not believe how the Eco just wanted to keep going and going up the pass. I do not like to tow faster then about 65 and I had to hold it back climbing Stevens Pass. I'd be surprised if it didn't tow better than your 6.0 because I had a 2002 Denali with the 6.0 in it and I know how they do.
Old     (Houstonshark)      Join Date: Jan 2011       10-03-2012, 4:14 PM Reply   
My buddy has the same truck you have but with a 6" lift and big wheels and tires. His truck tows well but you are right, the gas mileage sucks! My 2011 F150 Platinum Ecoboost blows it away. At 60mph, my truck will maintain speed without dropping from 6th into 5th over most overpasses while towing my Tige RZR. Mileage while towing is pretty decent at ~ 14mpg. I average around 18.5mpg with mixed city and highway driving but can easily get 22mpg on the highway if I stay below 70mph.
Old     (tyler97217)      Join Date: Aug 2004       10-03-2012, 4:49 PM Reply   
From what I have heard the Ecoboost will blow your 6.0 away. No real experience, but have heard very positive things from lots of people.
Old     (majestic)      Join Date: May 2008       10-03-2012, 4:54 PM Reply   
I have a 07 2500 with the 6.0 and just ordered my 2013 ecoboost last week. I can't wait to get it as I know it will tow better than the Silverado. I have towed my boat every year up I-90, then over blewett pass to Chelan and the Silverado is a horrible tow vehicle in my opinion. The truck shifts way too much and likes to be in the higher RPM range and the trans gets pretty hot. Go drive the ecoboost you should be impressed quite a bit without the boat in tow. I would think the 5.0 in the F-150 would still tow better than the Silverado from my experience.
Old     (dougr)      Join Date: Dec 2009       10-03-2012, 5:58 PM Reply   
i have an 2011 with 40k on it, tow about 300 miles a week, 100 each way to the lake plus around home, (untill winter that is) i have had many trucks. diesels etc and the ecoboost is amazing. I am towing a 2012 enzo 244 plus 4 adults in pa. pa is all hills, not over 3000 elevation, but we climb the laurel summit to get to the lake and it will pull 60 mph all day long. you can actually run it to death and it never stuggles, never gets hot and the tranny stays below 210 even in the dead of summer. you will love it. good luck
Old     (mikebu)      Join Date: Aug 2008       10-03-2012, 6:04 PM Reply   
We'll damn it that wasn't what I wanted to hear

The 2500 HD has been paid off for quite some time and only has 70,000 miles on it. I might have to look into replacing it next spring.

Thanks all...
Old     (wakebordr11)      Join Date: May 2001       10-03-2012, 7:25 PM Reply   
How many miles do you tow a year? 70k in 10 yrs is chicken sht. If its paid for and not a maintenance nightmare and you have a solid all around town car I wouldn't buy a 36-40 truck just to go 60 up a hill instead of 50...
Old     (pprior)      Join Date: Jan 2012       10-03-2012, 7:47 PM Reply   
The eco will definitely outpull, especially at altitude because of the boost keeping power levels up vs. naturally aspirated drop. Whether it's worth it or not, well that's a different decision and I would tend to agree with wakebordr11.

(eco owner)
Old     (timmyb)      Join Date: Apr 2007       10-03-2012, 10:21 PM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by mikebu View Post
We'll damn it that wasn't what I wanted to hear

The 2500 HD has been paid off for quite some time and only has 70,000 miles on it. I might have to look into replacing it next spring.

Thanks all...
The paid off trucks pull a lot better than the ones with payments. But if you want a payment, that Boost is fun to drive! All you have to do is test drive one and you will feel the difference.
Old     (nitrousbird)      Join Date: Sep 2008       10-04-2012, 2:52 AM Reply   
If gas mileage is the only reason to get the Ecoboost, you will never make up the financial difference with a payment on a 40k+ truck. My Avalanche is getting a bit long in the tooth (2002 with 144k on it). But it is pretty reliable, and since I have a company vehicle it isn't used a whole lot, so I'm just going to drive it into the ground. Hell, if it dropped a tranny or motor - which it has no signs of doing - I'd just fix it.
Old     (dougr)      Join Date: Dec 2009       10-04-2012, 8:00 AM Reply   
if i owned the chevy and only towed a little. i would keep it and run it into the ground. i use my truck everyday for work. I drive aprox 45k plus a year, so the ecoboost is getting aprox 20mpg average. I was tired of having 2 cars, 2 insurances, etc etc.
Old     (alans)      Join Date: Aug 2005       10-04-2012, 8:20 AM Reply   
I have a 2011 Ecoboost. My boss has a 2003 2500 HD with the 6.0. We are boat dealers and tow boats on a daily basis at an altitude of 5,600' and sometimes over a 11,000 pass (Berthoud Pass). The speed limit is 55 mph. The Ecoboost can cruse up it with a 6,000 boat/trailer at 60 mph in 5th gear and 2200 rpm. The 6.0 drops in to 3rd and 2nd and can barely hang on to the speed limit. Not sure how they do at sea level, but there is a drastic difference at altitude. They both burn a ton of fuel when towing. My ecoboost will get 22 on the highway when not towing and the cruise set at 72.
Old     (polarbill)      Join Date: Jun 2003       10-04-2012, 8:55 AM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by wakebordr11 View Post
How many miles do you tow a year? 70k in 10 yrs is chicken sht. If its paid for and not a maintenance nightmare and you have a solid all around town car I wouldn't buy a 36-40 truck just to go 60 up a hill instead of 50...
This^
Old     (saberworks)      Join Date: Sep 2010       10-04-2012, 10:16 AM Reply   
So you can only go 50 up snoqualmie pass with the diesel? Seriously? I thought they were supposed to tow so much better than gas engines?
Old     (polarbill)      Join Date: Jun 2003       10-04-2012, 10:26 AM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by saberworks View Post
So you can only go 50 up snoqualmie pass with the diesel? Seriously? I thought they were supposed to tow so much better than gas engines?
He has a 6.0L gasser right now not a diesel. Plus I am guessing it has a 4 speed tranny vs a 6 speed in the Eco.
Old     (davenk)      Join Date: Feb 2008       10-04-2012, 10:43 AM Reply   
I have an ECO and tow a Tige Z1, it tows great. I live in the flatlands, but have towed in northeastern part of the country and it tows great. With that said, if your truck is paid off and you have minimal usage, run it into the ground - of course I can see your fear - towing all over the place with a 10 year old truck, the last thing you need on the way to or form the water with the family is a breakdown on an older truck. I no nothing about Government Motors trucks but if it works keep it and save the money. If you have the cash and want to buy the EC, go for it, you will NOT be dissapointed!
Old     (alans)      Join Date: Aug 2005       10-04-2012, 11:09 AM Reply   
Since the OP is talking about a 6.0 GM gasser and the fact that GM does not make a 6.0 Diesel, I assumed everyone would know that the 2500 HD 6.0 is a gasoline engine. My mistake, sorry for any confusion.
Old     (skuhleman)      Join Date: Aug 2011       10-04-2012, 1:19 PM Reply   
Hey, I just sold my 2000 Sierra 2500 with the 6.0L with 302,000 miles. I loved that truck. Never had any problems out of it until arouns the 250k mark. Replaced starter, alternator, transfer case servo and that's it for big parts. I say keep your chevy and just keep the maintenance up. Mine started smoking some around 275k but most of its life was pulling goose neck trailers. But at 300k miles it was still getting 12.5 mpg city/hwy mix. And 10.9 mpg average towing a 4k boat. At 7000lb trailer it dropped into the 8 mpg range.

Never driven the eco boost. But here in texas I towed the boat hwy at 75 without ever having to down shift. So yours may need a tune up?

I had CAI, dual exhaust, and a custom tune. 2 inch lift and 33" tires
Old     (mikebu)      Join Date: Aug 2008       10-04-2012, 1:51 PM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by wakebordr11 View Post
How many miles do you tow a year? 70k in 10 yrs is chicken sht. If its paid for and not a maintenance nightmare and you have a solid all around town car I wouldn't buy a 36-40 truck just to go 60 up a hill instead of 50...
I totally agree. But if I did this I could also get rid of my Honda Odyssey which is also paid for and doesn't get driven a lot either unless we are doing the family road trip thing. I have a new Ford Focus that does most of my daily driving but doesn't work real well with a family of 4 and our Black Lab who goes with us most of the time. I'm also insuring my teen age daughter's car so my insurance would drop $1000 a year if I went to 3 cars from my current 4. I have a son who will be driving in a year and a half and I don't want to know what that will do to my insurance rates

Thinking more about this I'll probably wait until my Focus is paid off in a couple of years...
Old     (saberworks)      Join Date: Sep 2010       10-04-2012, 2:34 PM Reply   
Ack, sorry, I saw 6.0 and thought diesel, probably because of all the conversations about the ford 6.0. Is it common to have that 6L in the 2500/3500? I know they make Ram 2500 w/the hemi but it's not a very popular configuration.
Old     (mikebu)      Join Date: Aug 2008       10-04-2012, 3:08 PM Reply   
In 2002 and probably other years the 6.0 Liter Gas engine was the stock engine for the 2500HD. I believe you could go add a 8.2 liter Gas or 6.2 liter diesel optionally.

When I bought this truck in 2002 I traded in a 5.2 liter Dodge Dakota extra cab and it was a major improvement...
Old     (bandsecurity)      Join Date: Jul 2008       10-04-2012, 6:54 PM Reply   
I saw this. Looks like some guys that have the 2500 are looking at making the switch or are considering it
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/tow-r...its-money.html

Nitrousbird, I am sure the Avalanche could blow them all away which is why chevy discounted them. They were just too scary good.
Old     (nitrousbird)      Join Date: Sep 2008       10-05-2012, 3:10 AM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by bandsecurity View Post
I Nitrousbird, I am sure the Avalanche could blow them all away which is why chevy discounted them. They were just too scary good.
WTF is your problem? Yes, Chevy "discounted" them like all the manufacturers are doing with trucks. Oh, you me discontinued, something they haven’t done yet as you can go straight to your Chevy dealer and order a brand new 2013 Avalanche; they even have a couple new options for this year. I get they will be stopping production; sucks but it happens.

They are a good truck. Reliable, ride very well, tow well, and are very functional. Doesn’t mean other trucks aren’t as good – and my suggestion to the OP was to keep his, using mine as an example of a truck used in a similar amount and why I’m keeping mine. Why blow money on a brand new truck when you don’t use the one you have very often and it is getting the job done?
As for the Ford, I’ll never buy one. I’ve owned a Ford vehicle and it wasn’t a bad experience (Mustang GT…other than it being slow, but was very reliable). My company vehicle is an F150…a real hunk of crap even with a whopping 66k on the clock and used for nothing but commuting. About to take it back to the shop – again – for its 3rd set of front tires and another alignment, rough idle that can never seem to be fixed, and more drivetrain vibrations.
Old     (jon_a)      Join Date: Feb 2003       10-06-2012, 8:19 AM Reply   
I just bought a 2013 F150 with the Ecoboost and LOVE it. I towed a Moomba Mojo from Knoxville to the Little Rock Arkansas area (9 hours) and averaged 11.8 mpg. Going over the "plateau" between Knoxville and Nashville is where this truck really shined. It held a steady 2200 rpm while going up hill/mountain and could actually gain speed if I wanted. I was very impressed.

This truck blows away all tow vehicles I have used in the past. This includes a 2006 GMC Sierra with the 5.3L, a 2008 GMC Yukon with the 5.3 and a 2006 Chevy 3/4 ton with the 6.0L gas.

This is my first Ford and I don't see me going back to anything else anytime soon. I would recommend it to anyone.
Old     (timmyb)      Join Date: Apr 2007       10-06-2012, 8:41 AM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by bandsecurity View Post
I saw this. Looks like some guys that have the 2500 are looking at making the switch or are considering it
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/tow-r...its-money.html

Nitrousbird, I am sure the Avalanche could blow them all away which is why chevy discounted them. They were just too scary good.
Interesting read! I like the 1st page of that thread and then it's everyone trying to tell why the diesel is better. I'm a "Chevy" guy (as is my entire family) and my next truck will be a Ford F150 Ecoboost, they are world's nicer than the Silverado is right now and IMO, nicer than the F250 too. Ford is stepping up their game with these trucks.
Old     (dougr)      Join Date: Dec 2009       10-06-2012, 12:57 PM Reply   
i really think they could come up with multiple maps for non towing daily driving and get an additional 5 or 6 mpg out of it. i really like mine, and its sprung well, handles the weight better than i would have ever thought.

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