I am shopping for my first truck. Till now, we have used a Honda Pilot SUV, which we enjoy very much. However, lately I have been hauling lots of lumber, stones, dirt, etc…, which would be better hauled in a pickup. On a few occasions I rented a pickup. Now I am going to buy one. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.
The pickup needs to accommodate 4 adults. The pickup will be used on a 56 acre farm with dirt roads. 4x4 is preferred. The pickup will be used for mostly local driving, but some long highway trips. I don’t care about aesthetics. I’m leaning towards an F150 XL SuperCab, but remain open to any suggestions. I am receptive to a V6 or V8. Some measure of fuel efficiency would be nice, but my expectations are low for a truck. I have no allegiance to any brand, domestic or foreign.
If you like the Pilot so much take a look at a Honda Ridgeline… It runs on the same chasis as the Pilot, is dead reliable, and has a very cool/usefull trunk as well as a two way tailgate.
If you like the Ford, I would go with their new F150 V6 Ecoboost 4x4. A friend just got one. The gas mileage has been better than sticker. He drives semi trucks for living. He has pull some good loads with it and said it did better than is old 454 Chevy. I am going to get one this fall.
Agree with “gsragtop”…If you must haul 4 people, don’t go off road or tow more then 3500 to 5000 lbs and then only occasionally, you may want to look at a Honda Ridgeline. It has converted several (3) former truck drivers I know who previously insisted on real trucks. It has one of the highest weight capacity ratings of any “real” half ton PU and drives like a car…which is to say, better then a truck with a frame.
I like the Ridgeline idea since it is virtually the same as your current Pilot. Another option is keep the Pilot and get a utility trailer. There are all kinds of sizes available, and some can even dump loads.
If your Pilot has 3rd row seats, take them out. Then buy one of the “Weather Guard” mats for the back that covers the whole area up to the back seats. I did this with a Toyota Sequoia and I can haul all kinds of stuff in the back without a problem. The Guard mats have a 3" lip all around which means even a liquid spill is contained. The mats are thick, non skid, durable, and easily removed and hosed down or pressure washed to clean. I have horses, so hay goes back there, buckets of water, grain, have hauled 2 X 4’s 8 footers, interior doors, all kinds of stuff from Lowes and Home Depot. If something is really big I haul it with my horse trailer.
“If something is really big I haul it with my horse trailer.”
Unless it’s a lawn tractor, most of the stuff that doesn’t fit in the cargo area can be strapped to the roof rack.
The Ridgeline and the F-150 with the 6-cyl get the same gas mileage. The EcoBoost engine will cost $2000 more than the standard 8-cyl, but you will pay that off in gas savings in about 2 years. The 4WD F-150 XL Crew Cab with the EcoBoost and tow package will cost about $34,000 including the $2000 rebate. That’s the Edmunds True Market Value; MSRP is $38,655. The Ridgeline RT is $28,400 TMV ($29,380 MSRP). The Ford has a slightly higher cargo capacity (1700# vs 1546#) but the towing capacity is more than twice that of the Honda (11,800# vs. 5000#). If you are still interested in the Ford Crew Cab I’d talk to the dealer about using the 6-cyl off road for your specific uses.