Ford 2.7eco 4x4

[bob caldwell]

Be fun to drive a 'coke can'..!

[keith_h]

Originally Posted by Taranwanderer

Or when you see your insurance rates for one if those new, aluminum bodied vehicles! Aluminum is way harder to fix in terms of crash damage, and the insurance rates bear that out. I know this because my wife bought a '14 Range Rover (aluminum body) and traded in her '09 (same model.) The insurance tripled in the '14 due to the aluminum. So your fuel savings due to the lighter weight will be eaten up by your higher insurance premiums. Yay Ford, yay aluminum.

There was no difference between what I pay for insurance on a 2015 and what I would have paid on a 2014 F-150 other than that due to vehicle age differences. Many of the web videos and auto magazine articles that claim aluminum is higher to repair are flawed in they repaired them the same way they would steel. They banged out the dents and used fillers which is not the way your typically repair aluminum. A couple have even come out an admitted that the repair costs were similar and in some cases lower when you use full panel replacement common for aluminum body repair.

[bluewoo]

I want to see a Colorado towing a 28 ft air stream! Hitch is over 800 lbs!

http://www.airstream.com/travel-trai...pecifications/
Car and driver

the Colorado Duramax is the best compact truck yet devised for towing duty: The strongest gas-powered model can offer 7000 pounds of towing capacity, whereas a two-wheel-drive diesel is rated to tug up to 7700. Go for the 4x4 diesel and the tow rating drops by 100 pounds, but Airstream’s big, 28-foot Land Yacht travel trailer has a base weight of 6586 pounds, thereby leaving the Colorado Duramax owner at least half a ton of room to add options, water, and cargo like 1200-thread-count sheets. And without the turbo-diesel’s deep well of low-end torque, the gasoline models won’t be as comfortable towing any size load.

[CWSWine]

Originally Posted by keith_h

There was no difference between what I pay for insurance on a 2015

Since you owned a 2014 Steel and 2015 Aluminum do you see any disadvantage to aluminum? Is there any difference you have seen between the two trucks that you can point to that aluminum body as being the reason for the difference? Why I ask is because I'm look hard at the 2017 HD aluminum trucks.

The only grips I have heard is from dealers saying the cost of equipment and training is high for the aluminum bodied F150.

[CWSWine]

Originally Posted by bluewoo

I want to see a Colorado towing a 28 ft air stream! Hitch is over 800 lbs!

2016 Airstream Land Yacht Floor Plan & Specs | Airstream
Car and driver

Couple months ago we looked at one on the showroom floor and the Payload was like 1050lbs. I don't remember if that gas or diesel Colorado but I think was gas but won't the diesel engine weight more than gas engine?

[bluewoo]

Originally Posted by CWSWine

Couple months ago we looked at one on the showroom floor and the Payload was like 1050lbs. I don't remember if that gas or diesel Colorado but I think was gas but won't the diesel engine weight more than gas engine?

I would think so!

The Ford 2.7 is more on the economy side vs 3.5 But right now gas is so cheap the towing wars are in full season. The Alum body went right to more payload and not better fuel econ so the 2.7 is going to tank(pun) that spot.

[bluewoo]

Airstream is 101.5 inches wide vs a mid size truck is 73 - 75 inches wide? You"ll need a set of Ram mirrors for sure - Fords 2.7 in a full size makes some sense @ 79 inches wide. My tundra with T mirrors is still hard to get a good view on the pass side and my camper is only 8ft wide - I dont even want to think about a mid size truck towing that large of a trailer?

[keith_h]

Originally Posted by CWSWine

Since you owned a 2014 Steel and 2015 Aluminum do you see any disadvantage to aluminum? Is there any difference you have seen between the two trucks that you can point to that aluminum body as being the reason for the difference? Why I ask is because I'm look hard at the 2017 HD aluminum trucks.

The only grips I have heard is from dealers saying the cost of equipment and training is high for the aluminum bodied F150.

I'm sorry about the misunderstanding. I have not owned a 2014. When I was shopping I sat down with my insurance agent and we went over the costs of the two models. One of my concerns was the 2015 would be a lot higher and if it was I would have looked more at a used 2014. It turned out the 2015 was about $14 dollars more due to it being newer and having a higher value. My agent said many of the insurance companies didn't expect the 2015 long term repair costs to be that much different at body shops that were experienced in aluminum body repair.

All I can compare the truck to is our 2001 Explorer with the 4.0L V6 but even there I only have 500 miles on the truck so nothing long term. One of the reasons we went with the 2015 over the 2014 really had more to do with the 2.7L and other equipment. To me the truck feels like a truck should and is solidly built. The doors are solid and other than the lighter tailgate I am hard pressed to feel a difference when opening or closing things. When it came down to getting the Ford or another brand the aluminum body did come into play somewhat. Mainly for its better resistance to corrosion than you get with steel. We live in the upper south so see some winter road salt. After having grown up in the upper Midwest and New England I have an appreciation for anything that reduces corrosion damage. Only time will tell how well the aluminum will hold up. I do think it will become common across more vehicles in the coming years. I also feel repair labor costs will go down as more body shops learn how to work with it.

[CWSWine]

Originally Posted by bluewoo

I would think so!

The Ford 2.7 is more on the economy side vs 3.5 But right now gas is so cheap the towing wars are in full season. The Alum body went right to more payload and not better fuel econ so the 2.7 is going to tank(pun) that spot.

The aluminum savings didn't gain that much on payload on the F150's. The upper end GRWR in 2014 was 8200 and in 2015/16 they lowered to 7850.

[bluewoo]

Originally Posted by CWSWine

The aluminum savings didn't gain that much on payload on the F150's. The upper end GRWR in 2014 was 8200 and in 2015/16 they lowered to 7850.

Interesting

[MillerTime]

Originally Posted by keith_h

There was no difference between what I pay for insurance on a 2015 and what I would have paid on a 2014 F-150 other than that due to vehicle age differences. Many of the web videos and auto magazine articles that claim aluminum is higher to repair are flawed in they repaired them the same way they would steel. They banged out the dents and used fillers which is not the way your typically repair aluminum. A couple have even come out an admitted that the repair costs were similar and in some cases lower when you use full panel replacement common for aluminum body repair.

Our shops (we have 6 independent collision centers and are building 2 more) have our sheet metal rate between $46 -50 an hour, aluminum is almost twice that and is in th $90+ range per hour. And we only have 1 shop out of the 6 that has the many thousands of dollars of dedicated aluminum equipment and its own repair area and the certification to repair the '15s and up.
Aluminum cracks and tears where steel doesn't for alot of the same damage.
It's a nightmare for collision damaged 2015+ ford owners right now..... better make sure you have an extra vehicle or several months of rental coverage!

[B and B]

Originally Posted by Todouble

It's still the #1 selling truck for like 30 years plus. Obviously people like what they're offering or else they wouldn't be buying them. Ford Does seem to be the Guinea pig venturing down new paths that the others don't. I think it's great, others may be skeptical. I do see a mess of these ecoboost around hear and everything I've heard has been great. And i see ALOT in the campgrounds I visit.

X2 Also Ford innovated out of the recession rather than taking a handout like GM and Chrysler/Benz did.

[bob caldwell]

They'll be carbon fiber soon

[B and B]

Originally Posted by MillerTime

Our shops (we have 6 independent collision centers and are building 2 more) have our sheet metal rate between $46 -50 an hour, aluminum is almost twice that and is in th $90+ range per hour. And we only have 1 shop out of the 6 that has the many thousands of dollars of dedicated aluminum equipment and its own repair area and the certification to repair the '15s and up.
Aluminum cracks and tears where steel doesn't for alot of the same damage.
It's a nightmare for collision damaged 2015+ ford owners right now..... better make sure you have an extra vehicle or several months of rental coverage!

I agree with you on Aluminium repair issues, with GM and FIAT Ram moving to aluminium the industry to be in for auto work would be this exact market.

[schrederman]

Composites like carbon fiber are easier to fix than aluminum... However... the material is a bit more expensive to begin with... ... Actually... a LOT more expensive...

[bob caldwell]

Better to invest in scotch-brite....only polish required

[goduc]

Originally Posted by B and B

X2 Also Ford innovated out of the recession rather than taking a handout like GM and Chrysler/Benz did.

LOL, Ford borrowed money like the other 2 did, just for different reasons.
How would Ford have fared if they hadn't borrowed 5.9B to retool? Would they now be behind the other 2? Can't have it both ways.

Ford Motor Co. Does U-turn on Bailouts

[bob caldwell]

Since Ford [ if) is the best seller, we need to be glad!.......Makes all the others more affordable.....so keep on buy'n 'em!

[MillerTime]

Originally Posted by B and B

I agree with you on Aluminium repair issues, with GM and FIAT Ram moving to aluminium the industry to be in for auto work would be this exact market.

Im hoping the others will be smarter about it and leave the aluminum to the bolt on panels.....i guess we'll see.
Unfortunately composites and more aluminum is how its probably all going to be in the future. And more parts will be replaced instead of getting repaired.

[Taranwanderer]

Originally Posted by MillerTime

Our shops (we have 6 independent collision centers and are building 2 more) have our sheet metal rate between $46 -50 an hour, aluminum is almost twice that and is in th $90+ range per hour. And we only have 1 shop out of the 6 that has the many thousands of dollars of dedicated aluminum equipment and its own repair area and the certification to repair the '15s and up.
Aluminum cracks and tears where steel doesn't for alot of the same damage.
It's a nightmare for collision damaged 2015+ ford owners right now..... better make sure you have an extra vehicle or several months of rental coverage!

Thanks for illustrating my point.

That said, I dig the idea of corrosion resistance, living in the northeast (where plain old rock salt just wasn't good enough, so we started using salt brine on the roads a few years ago, and body/frame rust has accelerated ever since.) I assume Ford's frame is still made of steel, and the body is aluminum bolted on? Anyone have any insight as to what happens where steel and aluminum are bolted together?

I like the idea of carbon fiber--lighter, stronger, and rust-free. It's just that initial cost that stings...