New GM 6 cylinder Trucks. Does anyone tow with them?

[{tpc}]

I've been considering a new tow vehicle, and now that I live close to work, leases are an option. However, a lot of the lease deals involve trucks with a 6 cyl engine instead of the 5.3 v8 as I currently have now.

That said, does anyone have any experience with these engines as far as towing goes? I'm a bit hesitant about it since my last attempt with a inline 6 gm vehicle didn't work out. I'm trying to make my towing experience easier and more comfortable.

I've heard good things about the ford ecoboost engines, but really not a ford guy. I've trying searching the internets for info about the 6 in the silverados and towing and such, but that info seems few and far between, which makes me think most don't use them for that, unless the tow isn't really very significant.

[camperbrian]

I can't speak for the Silverado 6 cylinder, but I would recommend taking it for test drive as well as the Ecoboost. I wasn't a Ford guy either until I drove an Ecoboost. I really like it. It has no problem towing my trailer.

[Bmackr6]

I have a keystone Springdale 260TBWE a little heavier than your passport.
I have a 2016 f150 super crew with 2.7 ecoboost and I do NOT lack power at all.
I live in the southwest and hasn’t been a mountain pass I’ve struggled on yet.

I used to be a Chevy guy too.

[busterbrown]

Don't forget about RAM's. Probably the best bang for your buck. The 1/2 tons drive like a Mercedes. Take a look at the reviews on new 2019's. Nice truck that should pull your Passport very comfortably. You'd probably get a steal of deal on a 2018.

[Frank G]

The 6 cylinder in my Ram 2500 pulls just fine, decent fuel economy about 20 empty and 10/11 pulling the 5th wheel. No complaints with the power.

[travelin texans]

Don't have any info on the GM 6 bangers or the Rams, am definitely NOT a Ford fan, but curious about leasing, most call it fleecing, a truck. I've looked into it in the past & unless I owned a business & was as able to write off the lease it was cheaper in the long run to just buy it in the beginning rather than make payments for x number of months & then pay nearlyfull price.

[sourdough]

IMO leasing isn't really for a TV.....and you are right, although I have leased (one SUV) I can't make the numbers work in my head.....you get a lower payment but when you're done you have nothing. You can buy the vehicle for the residual but it is usually too high in my mind, or, you can finance it again....which doesn't make sense to me either. So, I just buy them.

As far as leasing for a TV I don't know that I would want to do that. The one thing that bothered me for the time I leased my vehicle was the little disclaimer that said you had to pay for ANY excessive wear and tear, mileage, can't make any modifications to the vehicle at all etc. We came out great but it looked like new when turned in and had far fewer miles than what we had paid for. There are so many things that could happen to a TV when pulling, or mods you want to make to the suspension or other things; I would be leery of it.

Not exactly on point with your question but some thoughts that I would worry about. As far as a 6 cylinder for a TV; what is your trailer? I didn't see that. What about the 5.3 don't you like? You want to make the towing experience easier and more comfortable - I'm afraid a 6 cylinder towing, with the exception of the 3.5 Eco, would be just the opposite. JMO

[ftrupe]

I too have a 3.5 ecoboost and it pulls my 23RB with ease. Good gas mileage also when not towing, which is why I went with the Ford.

[66joej]

The 6 cylinder in my Ram 2500 pulls just fine, decent fuel economy about 20 empty and 10/11 pulling the 5th wheel. No complaints with the power.

Had a 2013 Ram 1500 with 5.7 Hemi. Pulled the TT like nobody's business but the payload killed me. 1500 Rams do not have a decent payload. YMMV

[Wmeili]

One thing to consider is the ford ecoboosts are turbocharged. This adds considerably more torque and horsepower. I don’t believe the gm or ram gasoline six cylinders are so they would not have the same pulling power

[jkohler70]

The stubborn brand loyalty men have for trucks has always amused and perplexed me. It seems that GM is a little "behind the curve" when it comes to innovation of their light trucks. Ram is using coil springs for a better ride and dropping a small diesel in their 1/2 ton. Ford is using boosted engines and aluminum to increase payload.

[{tpc}]

In the end I'll probably just have to stay with the current truck. I have no issue with the GM5.3l, its been a good engine for the almost 100k I've put on it, and I bought it used (and am still paying for it).

I like the GM vehicles because I have been able to do quite a bit of work myself to the current one. Hence why I wanted to stay in the family. That and my wife leases a GM vehicle, and it seems with leases nowadays you have to have a lease already to get the favorable pricing and whatnot.

For those that asked, my trailer is listed in my signature, but its a 2300bh.

As far as the Fords go, I was never really impressed with the interior styling, but I looked today, and it looks a lot nicer than I've seen in the past. Looking at the ratings for the ecoboost engine vehicles, and they seem a lot more favorable in most every way.

As for leasing a TV and not having anything in the end, that doesn't worry me so much. The wear and tear could be an issue, but I'm willing to take that risk. The mileage I think I can get away with but that is always in flux and would have to be watched.

In the end, by the time I pay off the current vehicle, I won't really have "much" left anyways. With 266k on the clock and another year and a half of payments, I either have to ride it into the ground, or get rid of it. Appraisal suggests that I could pay it off and have a small down to put towards the lease.

The real issue is keeping the lease payment low and having a 24 month lease. This should keep some of the wear and tear down. Unless some sort of windfall occurs, I have determined that as long as I have my trailer I will never not have some sort of truck payment, so why not have a new one every two years?

That said, should job or home change, that could be out the window dependent on distance.

Getting back to the topic though, the lease deals on GM's seem to be best priced on the v6 vehicle, which is why I asked the question in the first place.

[MarcS]

I didn't think it mattered on engine for GM lease deals. I really like the 5.3l in the 15 Silverado I had. Multi displacement was great for fuel mileage.

[{tpc}]

I would think it matters because engine size effects cost? But would be great to know that it doesn't.

At that point its just if I can get away with a DC or crew cab.

[JRTJH]

This is just a comment from a casual observer, but you state your current vehicle (a 2007 Tahoe) has 266K miles on the odometer. That is an average of 26.6K annual miles. Every lease I've seen that is "affordable" is limited to 10K or less per year. You're looking at a 24 month lease with 52K miles. That won't be the "advertised rates" rather likely to be 2.5 to 3 times the advertised rates. At that kind of lease payment, you can buy one cheaper.

If you're considering a lease vs buying, talk to a "GM lease specialist" and get the real price of a 26K per year lease. Then you can make some valid decisions. I'd suspect that you won't find a $199.99 per month for 24 months with $1000 owner loyalty kind of offering. More likely it will range closer to $600 a month with a significant penalty for each mile over 50K.

[MarcS]

I always see tons of lease deals on double cabs advertised. All depends what they want to move the most of. Ford just had their lease deals on F150s. GM and RAM usually follow suit or vice versa. It is obvious the big three have truck wars all the time for bragging rights.

[{tpc}]

This is just a comment from a casual observer, but you state your current vehicle (a 2007 Tahoe) has 266K miles on the odometer. That is an average of 26.6K annual miles. Every lease I've seen that is "affordable" is limited to 10K or less per year. You're looking at a 24 month lease with 52K miles. That won't be the "advertised rates" rather likely to be 2.5 to 3 times the advertised rates. At that kind of lease payment, you can buy one cheaper.

If you're considering a lease vs buying, talk to a "GM lease specialist" and get the real price of a 26K per year lease. Then you can make some valid decisions. I'd suspect that you won't find a $199.99 per month for 24 months with $1000 owner loyalty kind of offering. More likely it will range closer to $600 a month with a significant penalty for each mile over 50K.

Makes sense. However, I bought the truck used with 172k on it. I've had it a little over 4 years now I think, but lets call it 4 years. Thats 24k per year. Still well over the 10k mark that most lease deals go for. However my commute when I bought the truck was about 5 times greater per day than my commute now.

I've put together my daily commute, at least every single thing that is measurable that I can think of and overestimated that. Best I could come up with is 5300 miles per year. So I doubled that. 10.6k. So I figure I'd start my looking at the 10k mark, and up that to 12k if it seemed cost effective.

FWIW, the last GM dealer I talked to, said it wouldn't be a problem to get me into a DC silverado with the 5.3l for $200 a month (lease). But I know that they will say whatever to get you in the door. I've done all the calculations online with my supplier discount and everything else, and it seemed fairly close, so I felt that it was at least worth checking into. That was last months deal though, not sure what the current ones are.

Anyways, nothing ventured, nothing gained I guess. I think its safe to say, that no one here uses a (newer) gm v6 product to tow with, or is willing to admit to it lol.

Thanks for all the info about all the other stuff though! :)

[ken56]

Was at the dealer today and looked up tow ratings....I know...I know....The 3.6L V6 is rated to tow 7000lbs. The 2.8L turbo diesel is 7700, and never got to see payload on a door sticker.

[sourdough]

Was at the dealer today and looked up tow ratings....I know...I know....The 3.6L V6 is rated to tow 7000lbs. The 2.8L turbo diesel is 7700, and never got to see payload on a door sticker.


Keep in mind that tow ratings are usually very optimistic by the manufacturers. Generally you will exceed one or more of the other, multiple limitations before you can get to the max tow rating. On the other hand, with a 6 cylinder (non boosted), maybe you could get to the max tow rating!! Just don't know that I would want to pull that much and listen to that little thing scream and die.....:D :flowers:

[notanlines]

Kohler, ok, I'll poke a stick through the fence one time. You took the opportunity to take a shot at all three real truck manufacturers, but you drive a Kia. I guess when you gather with the manly-men after work for a cold one
you talk about big tires, DEF delete, triple towing and airbags.....Yes, I am having a little fun at your expense, but better to boost your Kia than to bash truck owners and vehicles of the big three.

[sourdough]

Kohler, ok, I'll poke a stick through the fence one time. You took the opportunity to take a shot at all three real truck manufacturers, but you drive a Kia. I guess when you gather with the manly-men after work for a cold one
you talk about big tires, DEF delete, triple towing and airbags.....Yes, I am having a little fun at your expense, but better to boost your Kia than to bash truck owners and vehicles of the big three.


:facepalm: Lay that stick down for a second and it's gone!! :lol: