Mirror Mirror on the wall....who's the cheapest bastard of them all?

[James McDougall]

Acadia is a 2012 and definitely getting on now. It's a Domestic vehicle....so It's starting to rattle and have small issues that are annoying me. It pulls my 215 Wake absolutely no problem and like a boss, full loaded with a full tank of gas.....never an issue. The thing is rated to pulling around 6,000lbs so I'd be getting close with a 255.....but with a 215 I'm really well inside of It without any issue.

 

[Need A Vacation]

Acadia is a 2012 and definitely getting on now. It's a Domestic vehicle....so It's starting to rattle and have small issues that are annoying me. It pulls my 215 Wake absolutely no problem and like a boss, full loaded with a full tank of gas.....never an issue. The thing is rated to pulling around 6,000lbs so I'd be getting close with a 255.....but with a 215 I'm really well inside of It without any issue.

TY!!!

We had a ‘15 Traverse, but due to being my wife’s company vehicle, it reached it end mileage and had to be replaced per the company. She now has a Ford Escape I’m not a ford fan... Main reason, I cant stand the door chime!!! Lol

Our ‘06 Buick Rainier (Chevy Trailblazer) towed our ‘99 Crownline 182 BR just fine.... I figure it was about 3600lbswith fuel and gear. It’s rated for ~5500lbs, so it should tow the 215 ID pretty good as well (I hope anyway!!!). It only sees towing when we go camping, so wont be very often. Though if w end up with a 5r (fifth wheel camper) down the road, I could just tow the boat behind it.

 

[Elliott]

As for a truck, I looked at everything, and I purchased a 2017 Toyota Tundra last year. When I say everything, I am including the GMC Canyon / Chevy sibling diesel. It looked great on paper, and it was the most disappointing test drive that I have ever taken - very noisy and extremely slow. I bought the Tundra with more equipment (Limited Premium trim, Crewmax cab and 4x4) for over $4,000 less (actual final deal prices) than a similarly equipped Ford F-150. The Tundra is a beast; I also tow my 6,500 loaded RV travel trailer. The Tundra is: tight (rattle free), transmission does not hunt (I never even use the Tow/Haul mode), gas mileage is about the same as the others (when similarly equipped to tow - not the advertising numbers with the smaller engine and/or the non-towing differential ratios) and has the roomiest cabin (rear door is the same width as the front door - a big deal with passengers, dogs or gear). It does ride more like a truck, but it handles loads and towing without any modifications/add-ons to the suspension. Despite all of the advertising hype, the Tundra produces more torque underway (transmission gears 3-5) than does the F-150 with the big Turbo engine, and the Tundra is much cheaper to service/repair. My family's other vehicles over the last 20 years, they are: Subaru Outback (sold after 10.5 years with under $200 in repairs total), Honda Odyssey (sold after 9.5 years with under $200 in repairs and still had the original brake pads at 147K miles), Honda Element (still own after 8 years with no repairs) and Acura MDX (still own after 3.5 years with no repairs). My office had lots of issued domestic trucks and cars, and they were often being recalled and/or repaired.

Toyota Tundra is the only full sized truck that Consumer Reports recommends.

 

[swatski]

As for a truck, I looked at everything, and I purchased a 2017 Toyota Tundra last year. When I say everything, I am including the GMC Canyon / Chevy sibling diesel. It looked great on paper, and it was the most disappointing test drive that I have ever taken - very noisy and extremely slow. I bought the Tundra with more equipment (Limited Premium trim, Crewmax cab and 4x4) for over $4,000 less (actual final deal prices) than a similarly equipped Ford F-150. The Tundra is a beast; I also tow my 6,500 loaded RV travel trailer. The Tundra is: tight (rattle free), transmission does not hunt (I never even use the Tow/Haul mode), gas mileage is about the same as the others (when similarly equipped to tow - not the advertising numbers with the smaller engine and/or the non-towing differential ratios) and has the roomiest cabin (rear door is the same width as the front door - a big deal with passengers, dogs or gear). It does ride more like a truck, but it handles loads and towing without any modifications/add-ons to the suspension. Despite all of the advertising hype, the Tundra produces more torque underway (transmission gears 3-5) than does the F-150 with the big Turbo engine, and the Tundra is much cheaper to service/repair. My family's other vehicles over the last 20 years, they are: Subaru Outback (sold after 10.5 years with under $200 in repairs total), Honda Odyssey (sold after 9.5 years with under $200 in repairs and still had the original brake pads at 147K miles), Honda Element (still own after 8 years with no repairs) and Acura MDX (still own after 3.5 years with no repairs). My office had lots of issued domestic trucks and cars, and they were often being recalled and/or repaired.

Toyota Tundra is the only full sized truck that Consumer Reports recommends.

I would agree!
I have a Landy with the 5.7, LOVE that truck, what a solid power plant/transmission.

BTW - I started running it on 93 gas recently and won’t be going back. I know! This is not in line with the title of this thread whatsoever! But I even had my wife (who drives a 2016 4Runner 4.0) switch to use premium - and she’s hooked.

Zero issues with either vehicle but they are still fairly new.

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[NewBoater]

I would agree!
I have a Landy with the 5.7, LOVE that truck, what a solid power plant/transmission.

BTW - I started running it on 93 gas recently and won’t be going back. I know! This is not in line with the title of this thread whatsoever! But I even had my wife (who drives a 2016 4Runner 4.0) switch to use premium - and she’s hooked.

Zero issues with either vehicle but they are still fairly new.

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What differences do you guys notice with premium? My 2014 sierra Denali with the big 6.2 engine says regular gas is ok in manual and believe it or not I get better gas mileage with regular as I’ve tried it a few times on tests. With premium I can tell the engine has a little more pep though (maybe more hp?). I use premium when towing to Gaston each year pulling the boat but regular rest of the year.

 

[swatski]

What differences do you guys notice with premium? My 2014 sierra Denali with the big 6.2 engine says regular gas is ok in manual and believe it or not I get better gas mileage with regular as I’ve tried it a few times on tests. With premium I can tell the engine has a little more pep though (maybe more hp?). I use premium when towing to Gaston each year pulling the boat but regular rest of the year.

Kind of my experience, too - I get very similar or slightly worse fuel economy running on premium gas (93 octane vs 87, both E10). But I now figured this out... basically - I think I drive a little different on premium - the truck pulls a little stronger/sounds a little happier which in turn makes me more comfortable pushing the gas a little more. Or something like that.
I thought I was just making this up in my head... but after some reading and some experimenting I came to the conclusion that the gain of power on premium in a Toyota is a real phenomenon.
https://jetboaters.net/threads/premium-vs-regular-93-or-87-octane-for-your-tow-vehicle-toyota-trucks.19891/

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[biffdotorg]

How's that GMC Sierra treating you? I will disclose that I'm an immigrant from Britain....so I've never owned a truck. My wife has ordered me to trade in our Acadia for one in the next six months because I've destroyed the interior with all the DIY I've done to our house with drywall, 2x4s, blah blah blah.......always looking for input from people. Because I'm not FROM here, I'm one of the few people who truly has zero loyalty to any particular truck brand....so I'm taking notes.

Well, since you asked, and this thread has derailed, I guess I will respond here. And please don’t let me turn this into a debate, as I truly love the offerings from all the major truck MFG’s. My buddies have F150’s, Rams, and Chevy’s. They are all nice trucks and at the prices we pay, they have to be, or we would not spend the coin.

Here is my truck experience, just to put some weight behind my opinions first.

2004 Chevy Colorado LS Z71, I5 engine
2008 Chevy Colorado LT Z71, I5 engine
2012 GMC Sierra SLE, Non-Z71 5.3ltr Crew Cab
2015 GMC Sierra SLT, Z71, 5.3ltr Crew Cab
2018 GMC Sierra Denali, Magnetic Ride, 5.3ltr Crew Cab

My daily commute is roughly 15 miles one way on city streets and interstate. My weekly towing is either our 242LS, Two waverunners, Two Snowmobiles, or our Arctic Cat Wildcat.

Longest tow was bringing the 242LS back from South Carolina this past April to Dilworth, MN (Somewhere near Fargo. Check out the highlights on www.biff.org)

We averaged 22.9mpg running superslab down locked in at 75mph for the first 1500 miles. We got 11mpg towing the 242LS the 1700 miles back. I think that was pretty impressive. My best mileage to date on this 2018 is 27.3mpg over 77 Miles. So this was not just riding the wind, although it helped.

One of my buddy’s called BS on me and said anyone can play with the electronics and fake good mileage. And he said there is no way my Denali would get better mileage commuting in town over his F150 with 10spd tranny. So we reset out meters in the morning and did our commute. He shut right the hell up when he saw the video I posted to my YouTube channel the very next day.

23.7mpg commuting to work on city streets. I didn’t rub salt in his wound, when I got over 24mpg on the ride home. So obviously I was not playing the wind yet again.

So you ask, do I like my Denali, you bet I do. Mileage is amazing. I have over 14,000 miles in my first 10 months. Put on over 3200 miles on a road trip with my senior parents and rode in comfort the whole way. It’s no Buick, but it’s the best riding truck I have ever owned. Those jokers that love their Z71 off road, can keep it. There is no need for stiff shocks and rock plates for the average guy. When someone asks what the difference is between Chevy and GMC, it’s not just cosmetic. And that is not a badmouth to Chevy. In appearance there are nearly twins as stated. But factory reps tell me the amount os sound insulation, quality of interior components and in this particular model, Magnetic Ride Control are the real differences. Otherwise twins.

So the last point above, fuel, put in what the engine was tuned for. Today’s engines will adjust for the fuel you put in. You will find that putting in a different octane rating will effect it as it may not have adjusted from the previous octane. After 2-3 tanks, you should not be noticing that “seat of the pants” HP. I noted this mostly when fuel was $4.50/gallon and we switched to E85. When there was a $.50/gallon difference, it was cost effective to use. That was quick math based on the loss in mileage. E85 was great for HP, wow the power. It was truly reflected in mileage. But running 87 with ethanol is the perfect fuel for my truck with the mileage numbers posted above.

Fuel debates are as silly as oil debates these days. A person will put in what makes them happy, so spend your money the way you want to. Me, I will put in what is on the fuel cap. And all of my engines are current technology, so unless I am storing my engine with a full tank, I have no issues with Ethanol. They all work with it and that’s life. I am just careful how I store it, as others have agreed.

Good luck guys! Love what you own and enjoy it. Nobody makes garbage anymore.

 

[swatski]

Me, I will put in what is on the fuel cap.

Hmm... There are a lot of recommendations the manufacturers give for reasons that are not related to optimal performance.

Do you inflate your tires to what the door jamb sticker says? Do you use recommended gas can spouts? And so on... I see a whole bunch of stickers with recommendations I will never follow in my truck.

Fuel is no different, depending on circumstances. For a major manufacturer like Toyota to recommend premium gas use in their trucks would be... suicidal. Hence, the fuel cap says what it says. It is not wrong. But is it best, or optimal? Well, that depends!

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[biffdotorg]

Hmm... There are a lot of recommendations the manufacturers give for reasons that are not related to optimal performance.

Do you inflate your tires to what the door jamb sticker says? Do you use recommended gas can spouts? And so on... I see a whole bunch of stickers with recommendations I will never follow in my truck.

Fuel is no different, depending on circumstances. For a major manufacturer like Toyota to recommend premium gas use in their trucks would be... suicidal. Hence, the fuel cap says what it says. It is not wrong. But is it best, or optimal? Well, that depends!

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I agree with what you are saying, that many of these are purely that, recommendations. And with today's fuel systems, the adjust on the fly. For example, my truck will adjust based on the fuel in the tank, so anything from E85 to 93 should work fine, and the engine will adjust for it. But when the manuals says it is optimally tuned for 87, then that's the best place to start. And after 14,500 miles, I found it to give me the best mileage. (and the door jam is not the best place for tire inflation, just in case someone replaced the tires, I look at the tire and adjust from there)

As you all have agreed above, if I want a bit of extra HP, E85 actually does that (at a cost of course) But many engines with dated fuel controllers do not adjust, and putting in the recommended octane is the best bet. The average guy can only compare experienced MPG, or seat of the pants HP. For example above, that first tank of 93 dropped into a truck that was burning 87. Any chance that engine is acting like it has a tank of 87, but the 93 makes it feel more powerful. But possibly after a couple tanks of 93, the fuel system has adjusted and performance is exactly the same?

We used to joke about this when tuning Audi S4 and RS4 for track days. We literally hooked up the laptop and adjusted for a tank of 110 octane. (keep in mind, this was many years ago and I don't want to show my age by saying it was before the kids and their tuner cars got popular) Let's just say it was a decade before Fast and the Furious! HA!

So yes, the MFG recommendation is always a place to start. And with all the Yamahas I have owned, they have been spot on. Putting anything other than 87 in my 2007 Apex was foolish and provided poorer performance. Anything other than 91-93 in my 2012 Apex will give me poorer performance. Anything I tune my 2014 Viper for with a Power Commander, it will drink up and kick out the max HP. So it applies there too.

Oil and fuel thread opinions are like A$$holes, everyone has one. As I said before, do what makes you happy with your investment. But from my video above, 87 E10 in my particular truck puts out better numbers than most any 1/2 ton truck other than an Eco Diesel. So I am pleased.