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Old 03-02-2014, 09:08 AM   #41
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ETI shows $400(CAD) plus installation for a Reese hitch. That seems very competitive given the prices I see on the internet. I would pay a bit extra to have ETI make sure my short bed Silverado was set up properly.
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Old 03-02-2014, 09:21 AM   #42
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Having owned and driven diesel pickups for 25 years now, pretty much since Dodge came out with the Cummins in their line. I admit they have their place. I toss around the idea of the 5.0TA when I retire, a few years from now. I do agree that Powerstroke diesel will get as good of fuel economy towing, and have tons of power to spare, but that economy is lost with diesel fuel running anywhere from 15-25% more expensive than gasoline. But for me, I will be glad to get rid of the beastly truck that I need now for work, and get something like the Frontier. Heck, I rarely use my diesel for towing my Escape.

Plus, this economy is only better when towing. If you need the diesel for other uses, then this can be factored in too, and make it more viable. If the truck will see a lot of use other than towing, and the huge capacities are not needed, then I would go for a bit smaller truck myself, something less of a beast for toodling around in.

Best of both worlds, is if they would introduce more diesel engines in the smaller pickups. These engines exist throughout Europe and Australia, we just need manufacturers to bring them here.
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Old 03-02-2014, 09:31 AM   #43
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The new Dodge Ram 1500 with the diesel option is selling like hotcakes. 6,000 pre-sold already and the next 6,000 will go into the dealer network. I think it's really going to give the new Ford F-150 ecoboost with aluminum body a run for its money. IF the Dodge is successful, look for the other manufacturers to follow suit.
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Old 03-02-2014, 10:14 AM   #44
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While I do understand that the 2500 may be as economical in fuel as a smaller truck while towing the Escape, the maintenance costs would still be high, and "too much truck" implies lots of other concerns, such as with maneouverability.

While we're spending someone else's money, and making plans to buy products which don't yet exist there's always the 2016 Chevrolet Colorado diesel. This is one of those already existing engines which Jim Bennett mentioned.
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Old 03-02-2014, 01:10 PM   #45
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Nissan plans a diesel Frontier...
Nissan Frontier Diesel Runner Truck | Nissan USA
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Old 03-02-2014, 02:10 PM   #46
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That Chevy and Nissan news is surely welcome. Great to see these options become available in the future. That 5 litre engine in the Nissan does sound pretty huge though.
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Old 03-02-2014, 02:17 PM   #47
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Not sure either of these compact future diesels will have any increase in towing capacity or carrying capacity, just better mileage. If they are inadequate now, adding a diesel does not change the facts. A lot of the manufacturers are adding diesels to their line ups to meet the minimum average mpg requirements industry wide numbers set by the government.
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Old 03-02-2014, 02:46 PM   #48
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I had a 2011 Frontier short bed. Recently upgraded to a 2014 RAM 1500 as I am buying the new 5th TA. I did not feel the Frontier would have been adequate for the new 5.0.
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Old 03-02-2014, 03:34 PM   #49
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Originally Posted by onetim View Post
Nissan plans a diesel Frontier...
Nissan Frontier Diesel Runner Truck | Nissan USA
Although I knew about Nissan's diesel full-sized Titan, the mid-sized Frontier project was new to me; thanks for the link, but this is just a project, not a production commitment. The Colorado diesel is announced for production.

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That 5 litre engine in the Nissan does sound pretty huge though.
The 5-litre V8 is in the Titan, where that is a reasonable size (small by current V8 full-size standards, 2/3 of the size in heavier pickups). The Frontier project uses a 2.8-litre engine, about what Nissan routinely sells in a Frontier in other parts of the world; the point of the project is to show a Cummins diesel, since that's who they are now working with.

In the UK, for instance, the Frontier (which is called a Navara there) comes only as a diesel, with a choice of a 2.5L 4-cylinder or a 3.0L V6. The project is about marketing, not technology.

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Not sure either of these compact future diesels will have any increase in towing capacity or carrying capacity, just better mileage. If they are inadequate now, adding a diesel does not change the facts.
Very true. If the engine is not the limiting factor, changing the engine won't help. Although a different engine with suitable installation (lots of cooling) might increase the GCWR, the limit for many is the GVWR... they could pull more trailer, if only they could handle the hitch weight. A diesel won't fix that.

The Colorado is smaller than a full-size but still pretty big - bigger than the old Colorado - so it is likely of interest to some Escape owners; the diesel might make the fuel consumption more palatable to them.
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Old 03-02-2014, 04:20 PM   #50
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Brian B-P View Post
The 5-litre V8 is in the Titan, where that is a reasonable size (small by current V8 full-size standards, 2/3 of the size in heavier pickups). The Frontier project uses a 2.8-litre engine, about what Nissan routinely sells in a Frontier in other parts of the world; the point of the project is to show a Cummins diesel, since that's who they are now working with.
That makes better sense, I guess I just skimmed too quickly. I saw the Chev engine was a 2.8 litre as well.

I know elsewhere in the World, the new Ford Ranger offers two different diesel engines. They too need to bring this to North America, despite their concerns it would just be competing with the F-150.
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Old 03-02-2014, 05:05 PM   #51
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I am likely one of the few that tows with a Dodge 2500 by choice. Don't take this personal...but I do not agree with some of your thinking. We can set back and enjoy the ride while towing our 5.0. I am not brand loyal but this truck was built to tow. I have enough towing power to not be a henderence going up the steepest mountain passes. Stock mirrors that work for towing. Heavier tires, larger fuel tank, heavier brakes, cooling, cab space, and better crash protection than a Japanese import. I never give a thought about exceeding my GVWR of 9000lbs while towing. I get on average 20 mpg and the proven Cummins turbo diesel should be good for 500,000 miles. You might think I have more operating cost but not really. I average 20 MPG with a lot less stress on my vehicle which reduces parts and labor costs. I don't have a problem driving a larger American built vehicle. I had the my 2005 tow vehicle years before the Escape. So why go out and spend hard earned money saved for retirement years on a new vehicle that will depreciate with the miles of wear and tear while seeing the USA. I say if you already have a good full size tow vehicle, keep it and use it.
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Old 03-02-2014, 07:18 PM   #52
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I thought Dodge was owned by Fiat and built in Mexico.
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Old 03-02-2014, 07:27 PM   #53
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I know elsewhere in the World, the new Ford Ranger offers two different diesel engines. They too need to bring this to North America, despite their concerns it would just be competing with the F-150.
My guess is that we should give up on the Ranger - I think Ford is sinking too much investment into the F-150 to undercut it with a new Ranger; meanwhile, Toyota and Nissan don't see their mid-sizes as worth updating, so I don't think the industry is too worried about the Colorado taking sales from other brands.

If you want an unusual 5.0 tug, you could buy a Mercedes Sprinter, Ram ProMaster, or (coming this summer) Ford Transit in a cab-and-chassis configuration and add a deck or toolbox. Between these three brands, you have a choice of gasoline, turbo gasoline, or turbo diesel engines, and front wheel drive or rear wheel drive; all will be lighter and more compact than a full-size diesel pickup. The hitch height (and thus overall trailer height) could be nice and low, by avoiding the macho oversized tires and ridiculous chin-high box sides. This is done in Europe (I've photos of Sprinters and VW Crafters used this way), but I've never seen it here.

The Transit will use the same diesel engine which is available worldwide in the Ranger; they are re-branding it "Powerstroke" for North America, but it has nothing to do with the monster V8 in the Super Duty trucks. The turbo gas engine is Ford's: the same EcoBoost 3.5L V6 found in the F-150 and other models.
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Old 03-02-2014, 07:40 PM   #54
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David, there are no pickup trucks imported from Japan to the United States: that is too expensive due to protectionist tariffs, and so they are all built in North America, and in Toyota's case they are not even the same design as built in the rest of the world. The larger Toyota and Nissan trucks (Tundra and Titan) are unique to North America, and just as big and strong as the equivalent from the traditional "Big Three". But I think we all know by "Japanese import" you meant a Tacoma or Frontier.

I have no problem with the use of any vehicle which the owner is comfortable using, as long as it is within its capabilities. Lots of people here use full-size trucks for commuter cars, and although the cumulative effect of that sort of behaviour is disastrous for resource use and the environment, actually using these vehicle to work (such as towing) is a different matter. Many people just don't want a vehicle that big, and that's fine with me, too. I've gone grocery shopping in a 37-foot Class A widebody motorhome; it certainly works and I have no problem driving it comfortably, but I prefer smaller.
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Old 03-02-2014, 07:48 PM   #55
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Tim I am eating some crow on your point. After owning this truck 8 years, I learned tonight that it was infact assembled in Mexico for Diamler Chrysler but was not part of Fiat at that time. Thanks for correcting my error.
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Old 03-02-2014, 08:06 PM   #56
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After owning this truck 8 years, I learned tonight that it was in fact assembled in Mexico for Diamler Chrysler but was not part of Fiat at that time.
Made in Mexico? Owned by Daimler of Germany? Doesn't matter... we're all one big happy North American Free Trade market. Seriously - there is no major automobile manufacturer which is owned and operated in only a single country; the world just isn't that simple.

For anyone who can't get a mental picture of my proposed Euro-style cab-and-chassis alternative, here's an example with an older Crafter (VW's version of the Sprinter) and a trailer which appears to be bigger (at least taller) than an Escape 5.0 TA:


There are more examples from Streamer Trailer, but the point is just that there are options beyond what you see on the road every day. Of course, they're not cheap!
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Old 03-02-2014, 09:11 PM   #57
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Frontiers are built in Tennessee, just south of Nashville.

That link to the 2.8 liter turbo Cummins Frontier 2015 "project" left more questions unanswered than answered. I guess it won't be long to wait to find out...new model year is only 6 months or so away.
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Old 03-02-2014, 09:51 PM   #58
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That link to the 2.8 liter turbo Cummins Frontier 2015 "project" left more questions unanswered than answered. I guess it won't be long to wait to find out...new model year is only 6 months or so away.
New model year information is fed to the media well ahead of time, and always leaked to some extent; I have seen no suggestion in that area of a 2015 Frontier diesel. The Frontier/Cummins project looks like just a teaser, to get consumer reaction and maybe to keep potential buyers hanging on another year in hope that they can get one... which they won't be able to in the 2015 model year. Nissan does not label it as a 2015 model; they only mention that the truck in which they installed the engine is an ordinary 2014, and that the Titan/Cummins diesel will be available in 2015. It is just a "concept", not a "future vehicle", in Nissan's Future & Concept Vehicles.
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Old 03-02-2014, 09:58 PM   #59
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re-reading the Nissan story...the Cummins/Nissan project for the Titan started in 2010 and model year 2015 is touted as the year that it hits the dealers.

You're right, no model year is given for the Frontier. Dang!
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Old 03-02-2014, 10:42 PM   #60
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Frontiers are built in Tennessee, just south of Nashville.

That link to the 2.8 liter turbo Cummins Frontier 2015 "project" left more questions unanswered than answered. I guess it won't be long to wait to find out...new model year is only 6 months or so away.
Hi: LeonardS... That's "Were built in Tenn." Now assembled in Canton Miss. along with several other models of the Nissan Line Up. Alf
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