Better truck/tow vehicle - 2007 Tundra SR5 or 2008 Titan LE

[awesomesteven]

I am thinking about upgrading my tow vehicle. I currently have a 2005 x5 4.4 BMW. It can tow my '86 Sunsport with no real issues but I think I would be a bit more comfortable with a truck. I'm sure this will spark some debate with you guys due to preference but I wanted to hear everyone's opinion since it'll be the first truck I buy.

I'm trying to decide between a 2007 Toyota Tundra SR5 and a 2008 Nissan Titan LE. They are both very comparable to everything: both crew cab, about the same price/mileage, leather seats, etc. The only difference is that the Tundra has a 4.7L V8 while the Titan has a 5.6L V8 -although I know the Tundra won't have an issue towing my boat and since the boat is the biggist thing I will be towing it's not that big of a deal. Plus, it might save a bit on gas.

Everyone's opinions/comments welcome!

[Jetlink]

I've towed my Comp with three different vehicles with three different drivetrain packages. I've towed it locally with an RX350, locally and long distance with a GX470 and now my Denali. I mention this because the drivetrain package of the GX470 is going to be very near to the drivetrain package in the Tundra. I also hope Mapleleaf chimes in because he has a 5.7L Tundra now and he also has a 4.7L Sequoia that he tows his Conbrio with. The 4.7 liter will handle it just fine but it really can be a turd when it comes to acceleration and maintaining speed up even the slightest hills at highway speeds compared to anything with a larger engine. I actually get better gas mileage towing now with my Denali which has the 6.0L engine in it that I did with the GX. My vote would be the Titan for the greater displacement.

[Zim]

I tow my 20V with a Titan 5.7L and it does fine. Goes up and down hills well, accellerates fine, brakes fine, etc. The one drawback is the gas mileage. Not towing, it gets 12-13mpg and drops to 9-10 when loaded. Other than the gas, it's a great truck.

[whammond]

My 2007 GMC Sierra has no problems hauling my boat around. As long as you get a full-size truck, you shouldn't have any problems towing your boat around. Unless you are just going to be using the truck for towing, I'd base my choice around all the other important aspects of buying a truck, and just keeping the towing aspect in mind, not as the governing criteria.

And just saying...this is the third GMC owner in this thread that is happy with their towing vehicle...

[Zim]

And just saying...this is the third GMC owner in this thread that is happy with their towing vehicle...

Just as long as your Government Motors product doesn't come with the 5.3L turd of a motor, it should be fine.

[Jetlink]

Just as long as your Government Motors product doesn't come with the 5.3L turd of a motor, it should be fine.

I agree that the 5.3L is a powder puff of an engine and will always be hunting for the right gear and downshifting all the time as soon as you start up a 0.01% grade change. Again, there really is no replacement for displacement when it comes to towing. My 6.0L averages 16MPG since I took ownership of it last year. I average 18-20 when I am not towing and 11-12 towing, mainly at highway speeds or 5-10 MPH when I am at the lake. I hardly even notice the boat back there, only when I glance in my rear view mirror do I go, "Oh yeah, the boat is back there."

[haugy]

My buddy has the Tundra with the 5.7 (or 5.8 ) and it runs laps around my F-150 with the 5.4.

Most of the guys I run with run diesels, some gassers. But no one runs the Titan. To me that means a lot. I looked at them, but their small rear differential just looked like a grenade waiting to blow. I'm not a fan of Nissan interiors much though. I like the Tundras, a co-worker has the bodystyle right before these new ones. It's a nice truck, well put together, rides nice, etc. As for how it tows, no real experience.

Me, personally, I'd lean towards the Tundra before the Nissan.

[ramzak]

Be an intelligent Patriot, buy an F-150 and be done with it

[Zim]

Be an intelligent Patriot, buy an F-150 and be done with it

Ecoboost would treat him well :D

[Zim]

Q: What do you call a Ford F-150 with dual exhausts?
A: A wheelbarrow

Btw, no one offers a V8 with over 300 hp and over 21 highway miles per gallon like the GMC Sierra XFE. Not Toyota Tundra. Not Ford F-150. Not Ram 1500.

My Denali has Active Fuel Management which is able to temporarily deactivate four of the eight cylinders. I get 14-16 mpg towing and my truck weighs over 6000 lbs.

That's all fine and good... but can it pull a space shuttle through LA?

[Jetlink]

It must be a full moon or something tonight or the planets have aligned...

[awesomesteven]

That's all fine and good... but can it pull a space shuttle through LA?

You never know...
haha

[2500HD]

i think my forum name says it all

[James]

Last time I towed with my silverado 1500 my spider gears in my rear end tore up. Is it likely to be from towing that caused this? Btw my truck is lifted 9" and has 35" mud tires... Not ideal for pulling the boat haha

[Jetlink]

Btw my truck is lifted 9" and has 35" mud tires...

This right here is probably the root of your issue. Did you beef up your drivetrain at all when you did these mods? I beefed up my drivetrain on my 88 K2500 when I lifted it and threw bigger tires under it. I would still manage to find weak points in the drivetrain and address them as needed but I started out by beefing up the rear end especially and the transmission as well. If you haven't done any of that I would before you go out towing anything heavy again.

[wotan2525]

I've only pulled with the newer, 5.8 Tundra but I was really impressed with it. Mileage was crap but my boat is HEAVY and I was nervous even using this truck to pull ~300miles round trip. Had no issues at all.

Older Ford F-150 5.4 sort of sucks for towing and I've got 3 friends with those trucks dead in their driveways with valvetrain issues.

Ecoboost is awesome. If I was in the market for a new truck, I'd be going with something like this.

Also -- my brother just bought a 2002 F350 w/ the 7.3 diesel. I'm AMAZED at the deal that he got on it. It's in like-new condition, no rust, 150k on the clock, every option and he scored it for <$13k w/ 3.9% financing. That's a heck of a lot of truck for that kind of money.....

[jasun]

Be an intelligent Patriot, buy an F-150 and be done with it

My 5.7 Nissan Pathfinder is made in Smyrna TN. :o

It pulls my salt just fine. I did install a Air Lift Kit in the rear to help with Sag though... Milage sucks, but it does good!

[ramzak]

My 5.7 Nissan Pathfinder is made in Smyrna TN. :o



Money ends up with the Japs though...

[QUOTE=ngavdba;94680]Q: What do you call a Ford F-150 with dual exhausts?
A: A wheelbarrow

Btw, no one offers a V8 with over 300 hp and over 21 highway miles per gallon like the GMC Sierra XFE. Not Toyota Tundra. Not Ford F-150. Not Ram 1500.

QUOTE]

I am a CONSERVATIVE, and as such, I will no longer buy vehicles from companies Obama bailed out. I drove Tahoe's until that day. Sold both of them and bought an F-150 for me and an Explorer for the wife.

[awesomesteven]

I'm not too worried with gas mileage. Everyone knows what they are getting into getting a truck. Anyways, anything would be an improvement for me. I average. 17.5 mpg (god only knows when towing) and I have to buy premium so regardless it'll be a nice little break.

[blackout_58]

I've towed with a 2003 SR5 and I currently tow with a 2012 SR5 Crewmax and in my opinion I would say the Tundra, but that is from someone who has not ever driven a Titan.

[villain]

i would get a newer diesel to tow. yes fuel is a little more, but i also get 18mpg not towing with my 6.0 excursion (egr delete, head studs, full exhaust, k&n intake, edge chip) and when im towing either a new z3, or rz4 tige for demo's i get about 16-17. well worth the extra fuel price IMO

[Jetlink]

I am a CONSERVATIVE, and as such, I will no longer buy vehicles from companies Obama bailed out. I drove Tahoe's until that day. Sold both of them and bought an F-150 for me and an Explorer for the wife.

That doesn't sound like a rash decision at all. I can understand selling them if you truly did not like the vehicle anymore. Plenty of municipalities and companies have received some form of funding or financial protection from the government at times. Heck, pretty much all of the big airlines took a bail out from the government post 9/11...do you still fly the most convenient airline or do you know or even avoid doing business with the evil companies that received a handout from the government or just a handout from the Obama government? Just curious is all...

[Sirgonz]

If you are pulling long distances or a heavy load find a used dodge with the Cummings..... I never have a problem with power or even emergency stopping power.... unloaded I get 21-22 on the highway and 17-19 with the boat and the family and all our gear. it is an 04 2500 Quad cab short bed and I got it for 21k with only 50k on the odometer... I also think it rides better then a titan does just my 2 cents worth

[2500HD]

For towing and for the ride you just can't beat a duramax. Got mine like this for 13'500 with 107,000miles. Thats just barely broke in.
http://i1280.photobucket.com/albums/a494/2500hd1/IMAG0042_zps734beb22.jpg
Trim: LT Crew Cab Pickup 4-Door
Engine: 6.6L 400Cu. In. V8 DIESEL OHV Turbocharged
6.6 LITER DURAMAX DIESEL ENGINE
ALLISON TRANSMISSION
6" RANCHO SUSPENSION LIFT
DANA VELVET RIDE SHACKLES
SUPER SPRING LEAF SPRING HELPERS
HELLWIG SWAY BAR
COATED RANCH HAND FRONT & REAR BUMPERS WITH DUAL RECEIVERS
HELLA OFF ROAD LIGHTS
TEFLON COATED 16" RIMS
315 PRO COMP XTREME M/T TIRES
WESTON BLACK NERF BARS
EDGE PRODUCTS PROGRAMMER WITH DIGITAL GAGE
AFE COLD AIR INTAKE
CUSTOM 4" EXHAUST
RHINO LININGS SPRAYED BED & BUMPERS
A.R.E. COLOR MATCHED BED CAP
TINTED WINDOWS
PARROT STEREO/BLUETOOTH WITH AMP & SUBWOOFER

[Salty87]

Originally Posted by ramzak
I am a CONSERVATIVE, and as such, I will no longer buy vehicles from companies Obama bailed out. I drove Tahoe's until that day. Sold both of them and bought an F-150 for me and an Explorer for the wife.


That doesn't sound like a rash decision at all. I can understand selling them if you truly did not like the vehicle anymore. Plenty of municipalities and companies have received some form of funding or financial protection from the government at times. Heck, pretty much all of the big airlines took a bail out from the government post 9/11...do you still fly the most convenient airline or do you know or even avoid doing business with the evil companies that received a handout from the government or just a handout from the Obama government? Just curious is all...

additionally, many companies got into trouble when the financing they rely on dried up as the result of the housing fiasco. more of a domino effect than these businesses causing the problems.

along this line of thinking i'm sure you don't associate with people who defaulted on mortgages or who are underwater on their homes as the result of refinancing cash out of them? there's plenty of blame to spread around.

politics over...i've got a burban with the apparently dreaded 5.3. it gets my saltare where we need to go but admittedly it often needs high rpms to do it. that means first gear up the big hills in my neighborhood. rides smooth otherwise.

[TitanTn]

There's a BIG difference between the 4.7 Tundra and the 5.8 Tundra. If you're considering the 4.7, I'd just keep running the X5. I doubt the smaller Tundra would tow any better. If you're considering a 5.8 Tundra or the Titan, then it's just a matter of preference.

My Dad has the Tundra and I have the Titan. I've towed with both. They are both very solid towing trucks. I prefer my Titan and have been towing an 8,000 pound camper for about 5 years with it. Towing my Saltare is a breeze.

[Tim405]

welllllll..... I towed mine about 200 mi to from central OK to far Eastern OK every weekend...so, sold my 08' burb and got a 12' Jimmy duramax... yes, it's overkill but the mileage and power make life a breeze... but I tow alot of big stuff as part of the business so I can understand not everyone can rationalize dropping 60k on a tow rig if you can't part 179 the expense... I had a 02 F250 for a few years and loved it...but I think I love my GMC a little more...I think the Supra is probably by far the lightest chore the pickup has to endure...very good quality and comfort...minus the damn DEF tank BS - that's a fundraiser right there!

[MESupra]

I think a big thing to consider is how much and what type of towing, highway vs town, 500miles vs 3000miles. For me, I don't trailer the sunsport more than 2 miles a year however, hauling the Yamaha Grizzly and gear a great I get better millage with the Denali (15.9mpg) than the Tacoma (14mpg). The Denali does not have to work nearly as hard and can maintain 75mph without issue, the Tacoma likes sub-65mph. Around town I get 19.5mpg with the Tacoma and 16.2mpg with the Denali.

After owning a 6.0 I would not hesitate to own another, esp. over the gm 5.3(decent) or ford 5.4(total dog). If you tow more than average and can afford a diesel it will more than pay for itself in fuel and fun factor, over the years.

If those are the only two truck options I would pick the Toyota, seems like the resale value alone would make it a better bet. However, I would not limit myself if possible. I have a co-worker who hauls a decent sized horse trailer with the Titan and really likes it.

[bens250ex]

I've owned a 99 f250 diesel, an 08 f250 diesel , and now I have an 2011 f150 5.0 . I was very sceptical as to how the f150 would pull since I have owned nothing but diesel trucks but I have to say the new 5.0 is pretty decent.

[awesomesteven]

Well, I decided. I'm pretty sure I'm going to go with the Tundra. I ended up looking at consumer reports and I like the reliability of the Tundra. I also talked to a few people that are extremely happy with theirs and one of them has 250k miles on his and it still runs like new.

My girl did find a Tahoe for a killer deal and is trying to convince me to go for it but I think I already made up my mind. Anyways, just like Zim pointed out. You never know when you need to pull a space shuttle through downtown LA...

[TitanTn]

Well, I decided. I'm pretty sure I'm going to go with the Tundra. I ended up looking at consumer reports and I like the reliability of the Tundra. I also talked to a few people that are extremely happy with theirs and one of them has 250k miles on his and it still runs like new.

My girl did find a Tahoe for a killer deal and is trying to convince me to go for it but I think I already made up my mind. Anyways, just like Zim pointed out. You never know when you need to pull a space shuttle through downtown LA...

Ultimately, you need to do what makes you happy. But I think this is a mistake if the driving force for the decision is towing. You'll notice that it wasn't the 4.7 that pulled the space shuttle through town. That engine just isn't meant for towing. It only has about 300 fl/lbs of torque which is the real number to watch when you're concerned about towing. The 5.7 Titan is about 385 and the big V8 from Toyota is 400. The 4.7 can't even compare.

The reliability shouldn't really be a concern either. The Titan first came out in 2005 and they had a few minor issues to correct, but nothing too serious. There are plenty of early Titan's with over 250k miles and have done nothing but brake and oil changes. Regardless, these minor issues were resolved with the 2007 Titan and the one you're considering is a 2008.

As I said before, if you're comparing big V8 to big V8, then it's just a preference thing. But comparing a 4.7L Tundra to a 5.7L Titan is as the ole saying goes. Apples and Oranges.

Regardless, good luck, and I hope you enjoy your new truck.

[awesomesteven]

Ultimately, you need to do what makes you happy. But I think this is a mistake if the driving force for the decision is towing. You'll notice that it wasn't the 4.7 that pulled the space shuttle through town. That engine just isn't meant for towing. It only has about 300 fl/lbs of torque which is the real number to watch when you're concerned about towing. The 5.7 Titan is about 385 and the big V8 from Toyota is 400. The 4.7 can't even compare.


The Tundra I'm looking at is the 5.7. While the 4.7 could tow the boat so can my 4.4i - I would be better off just keeping mine. But then again, that's the only thing I would be towing. Also, now that I've been looking and comparing both of them, the styling of the Tundra is becoming more attractive to me - but that's just personal preference.


Your girl has class. I would listen to her. Tahoe is nice and comfy and 320hp and 340 ft. Lbs. of torque are respectable numbers.

Well, she's convincing enough...I agreed to at least test drive that Tahoe this weekend

[TitanTn]

Oh sorry. I thought the first post indicated you were looking at a 2007 4.7L.

And yeah, I like the Tahoe option too. I've also towed with GM products for a while and they're hard to beat. Been around forever and have a track record like no other.

You've got some good options to pick from. Good luck.

[wax]

This is an interesting topic I've also seen on other forums. I mean we're talking under 5000lbs of weight...a Tundra with a 4.7 is perfectly fine, unless you're going to pull it through the rocky mountains every day. A diesel is way overkill for pulling a wakeboard/ski boat in my opinion. My father bought a Duramax diesel to pull his 12,000lb fifth wheel years ago, but ironically when he got a new truck last year he went back to a 6.0 gasser lol, it pulls it perfectly fine.

I've had a myriad of tow vehicles since I've owned my boat. I'd say with trailer and all my gear in the boat I'm around 4500lbs, sometimes more. Here's a list of tow vehicles I've had since owning my boat, in chronological order, and none have had any issue pulling it...I'll also include my purchase prices, all were bought used except the Frontier.

2000 F350 7.3 Diesel $15k daily driver
2004 F150 Lariat 5.4 $23k daily driver
2007 Nissan Frontier stick shift 4x4 $21k new, daily driver
2002 Chevy Avalanche $14k daily driver
1996 Dodge 1/2 ton 5.9 gas $2k used only to haul
2007 Dodge 3/4 ton hemi $10k daily driver
2000 Dodge 3/4 ton 5.9 gas $3k << this is my truck now, used only to haul

This is over the last 7 years. The one I'd like to mention most is the new Frontier I bought. Once gas started jumping up like crazy, I thought I'd get a smaller truck as my daily driver. I looked at Tacoma and Frontier, with were 7000lbs and 7500lbs towing capacity respectively. With 265 lb/ft of torque, my Frontier was no slouch (and it was $7k less than the Tacoma, similarly equipped). I pulled my boat to northern Michigan many times with zero issues going through the hills. Yeah I had to downshift into 4th sometimes (it was manual trans), but seriously it had no problems at all pulling the weight. A 4.7 Tundra with 300 lb/ft of torque can handle it just fine. I got rid of my Frontier because we started a family and i wanted a bigger truck (hence Avalanche). Then I bought another car, so got a cheap older truck just for hunting and to pull my boat.

The only reason my last two trucks have been 3/4 ton is because we bought a fifth wheel. I was driving the 07 daily when I bought it because we moved closer to where I work. I then decided I was tired of the cost of gas still, so bought a new small car and sold the 07, picked up a really nice 2000 ram for $3k cash that pulls my fifth wheel and boat no problem...as a matter of fact, I have a Double R endorsement and I'll be pulling our double jetski trailer behind the fifth wheel with that truck. To give you a comparison, that's a 245hp 335 lbs/ft torque motor...we're talking around 9000lbs with my whole setup. I'm not concerned about it. Would I do that through high elevation mountain passes? No. But I live in Michigan, and it can handle the smaller hills just fine.

My suggestion is get whatever you want, and whatever you get the best deal on. I personally wouldn't be concerned at all about a 4.7 Tundra instead of a 5.7. Any half ton truck is more than capable of hauling your boat. The only time I would ever be concerned about getting a more powerful motor is if I were pulling on very steep grades often. If you're not, then you'll be fine with whatever you choose. Whatever you get, if you're pulling your boat a lot, I'd consider installing a trans cooler if it doesn't have one as not all trucks come with one.

[wax]

BTW, if you really like the Tundra and are considering buying new, I suggest you wait until the new one comes out this summer. I've seen the new one in person and it's more aggressive looking than the previous model. I'm not sure if your plan is new, but if so my suggestion is wait until it hits dealers probably around August. At that time you can get the new one, or get a great deal on the previous leftover models!

[TitanTn]

Yeah, I agree that a 4.7 can get the job done, but it's not nearly as comfortable or even economical as a slightly larger 5.7. I would say that a 3/4 diesel is overkill, a 4.7 is marginal, and a 5.7 is just right. It's no fun towing with something that is "just" good enough to get the job done as long as you don't run into too steep of hills, etc.

[e4nash]

I am on my second Tundra....best truck I've had!!

[crystal waters]

Buddy of mine has the 5.7 tundra and pulls a 32 ft trailer with it (not fifth wheel) and absolutely loves it!
Says when he trades it in it will be for same again.