Sequoia or Expedition

[wakesetterDD]

Hey ya'll... looking for your take on a tow vehicle.  I have a 99 VLX (3000lbs) with a tandem axle (no idea on weight; hydraulic brakes are broke currently), need to seat 6-8; will only drive the vehicle May/June/July/August- up to 10,000kms per year (some with the boat).  I do want to take the boat through the Rockies from Alberta into BC or or from Alberta into Montana.

'02 Sequoia will tow 6200lbs; has 220k kms (137k miles); requires zero major maintenance for 5 years.  Should hold value relatively well.

'07 Expedition will tow 9200lbs; has 255k kms (158k miles); it's a Ford so it might have some issues (transmission, engine, etc.)... but I won't drive it much and it has all the bells and whistles (comforts for trips- DVD, power tail gate, power fold rear seats).

[jjackkrash]

We had an 05 Sequoia it was bullet proof for 12 years and 150k miles until we sold it for no reason other than the wife wanted a newer and smaller ride.  I suspect it will go for another couple hundred without blinking.  That said, it wasn't my favorite tow vehicle and I am not sure how it would tow loaded with 8 people plus a heavy boat.  I thought it was a little floaty and underpowered towing.  If you can find an 07 or newer Sequoia on the newer full size Tundra platform with the 5.7l I would do that.

My personal bias would prevent me from buying an older Ford SUV with that many miles, but I don't claim to have any real evidence supporting that bias. 

Edited June 15, 2020 by jjackkrash

[dlb]

Try to look for something more recent.  You will want to have the newer transmissions, multi speed 6 or 8 speed.  Better for hauling over the passes.

[RyanB]

Both Expeditions and Suburbans are used as livery vehicles in the mountains. It’s pretty common to see them with over 300,000 miles, so I don’t think i would be that concerned about the longevity of the Ford. 
 

That said, the vintage you are considering has the 5.4 Triton which is far from a powerhouse. 
 

Personally, if I was looking in that price range, I’d probably look for a full size GM SUV. If you really want something good for towing, find a 2500 Burb with the 8.1. That was my first full size SUV I had for my current boat. It was an 03. Somewhere around 120,000 miles when I bought it. Didn’t put any money into it while I owned it and sold for more than I bought it for. 

[jjackkrash]

5 minutes ago, RyanB said:

Personally, if I was looking in that price range, I’d probably look for a full size GM SUV. If you really want something good for towing, find a 2500 Burb with the 8.1. That was my first full size SUV I had for my current boat. It was an 03. Somewhere around 120,000 miles when I bought it. Didn’t put any money into it while I owned it and sold for more than I bought it for. 

My sister was closing in on 500k miles on a similar year Burb, but she got sick of the gas milage and bought a little Kia.  I agree 100% on the GM/Burb recommendation.    

Edited May 21, 2020 by jjackkrash

[wakesonthesnake]

We have towed our lsv with a 12' Expedition quite a bit.  The triton will take that boat wherever it needs to go.  They are a solid engine you can run as hard as you want even if they are a bit under powered by today's standards.  They do like fuel when towing, and empty.  It shares most of its running gear with the F150 so it is built to tow, the major difference is the independent rear suspension which allows the third row seat to fold flat.   I would also run a suburban with the 8.1, do not know anything about the toyota.  Whatever you do, get the brakes fixed if you are going to tow with a suv.

[dlb]

The 07 GMC Yukon’s have the 6.2L option.  At 400 HP there is plenty of power in those rigs.

[wakesetterDD]

I would go with the 07 or newer Sequoia if I could afford one...  

Considering 07 'burb or Yukon Denalis (6.2L engine).  Thanks!

[RTS]

I recently sold an '02 Sequoia that I was the original Owner of with 165,000 miles on it.  For 10 years, I towed a '02 Sunsetter LXi around with it (lighter boat) with a single axle trailer.

The Sequoia was rock solid reliable over the 19 years I owned it.  It ran like a watch up until the day I sold it.

That being said, I would not recommend it for towing the boat you described through any mountains or for any considerable distance.  I live in Florida, and the biggest hills I climbed were Highway overpasses on my 10 mile round trip from storage to the ramp.  That experience would make me very hesitant to use the Sequoia for the mission you describe.  Just not a whole lot of (extra) power, and even my Sunsetter squatted the rear end significantly.  Towing a heavier boat through the mountains and I would imagine you will be lucky to get 8 MPG.  I was getting 10-11 towing the Sunsetter on flat roads.  But my trips were short, so I never felt the urge to get a beefier truck.

I realize the Sequoia is rated to tow 6000+.  But sometimes just because it can doesn't mean it should.  I think this is the case with the '02 Sequoia.

[srab]

I have a 2000 Toyota Tundra.  I had a 2004 Ford Expedition.

The Tundra (4.7L V8) tows the boat fine here (600 ft above sea level here), but it sucks gas while doing so (7-8 mpg), and there is not a single second that I am not fully aware that I'm pulling the boat.

The Expedition (5.4L V8) would pull so comfortably that I'd often have to remind myself that the boat was back there.  But, maintenance on the Ford was ridiculous!  I decided I needed to sell it as soon as the extended warranty expired.

I still own the Tundra.  It continues to be remarkably maintenance-free.

 

That said, as much as I love the Toyota, for your purposes (driving through the mountains), I don't think that that 4.7L engine will be up to the task.

[wakesetterDD]

4 hours ago, srab said:

I have a 2000 Toyota Tundra.  I had a 2004 Ford Expedition.

The Tundra (4.7L V8) tows the boat fine here (600 ft above sea level here), but it sucks gas while doing so (7-8 mpg), and there is not a single second that I am not fully aware that I'm pulling the boat.

The Expedition (5.4L V8) would pull so comfortably that I'd often have to remind myself that the boat was back there.  But, maintenance on the Ford was ridiculous!  I decided I needed to sell it as soon as the extended warranty expired.

I still own the Tundra.  It continues to be remarkably maintenance-free.

 

That said, as much as I love the Toyota, for your purposes (driving through the mountains), I don't think that that 4.7L engine will be up to the task.

thank you.  this is very helpful.  

[wakesetterDD]

Yes I'm sure it's the case with the Sequoia, maybe even slightly worse!  We'll see how it goes... .the good thing about the Sequoia is that it won't break on my between now and whenever I need to sell it!

[Pra4sno]

I have had an '05 tundra and currently own a 1999 100 series land cruiser.  They both share the same 4.7 found in the seqouia, but the tundra had a 5spd and the LC has a 4.  The 4.7 asks for timing belts to be done every 90k which has an associated cost.  Despite that many people don't do them, my neighbors Sequoia is at 225k on her original belt despite my pestering she has it done.

The Tundra was a phenomenal vehicle and towed the echelon very well.  I am one that doesnt mind feeling the boat when I'm towing.  Motor winds up a bit on passes, but never skipped a beat. 

The cam phaser issues and anemic nature of the 5.4 wouldn't have me looking at a Triton motor.  I'd lean GM for that gen, or move up a few years to an Ecoboost.  

Edited June 14, 2020 by Pra4sno

[srab]

1 hour ago, Pra4sno said:

The 4.7 asks for timing belts to be done every 90k which has an associated cost.  

 

That is certainly a fair point. 

I considered timing belt change at 90K "routine maintenance," vs. maybe an unexpected/surprise maintenance issue.  So, when I stated "remarkably maintenance-free," I was excluding what I considered to be routine, or normal "wear-and-tear" maintenance issues (tires, brake shoes, brake drums, oil changes, spark plug changes, filter changes, transmission/differential fluid changes, shock absorber changes, battery changes, and, of course, timing belt changes [I am not quite to 180K, but recently had the belt changed for the second time]).

Glad to hear you're comfortable with the Tundra towing in mountainous terrain. Based on my experience with our little hills, and the mostly flatlands, here in south Texas, I didn't think that I would be.

Edited June 14, 2020 by srab

[PNWoke]

Steer clear from the triton motors there were so many problems.  Friend of mine just had to replace his motor in his 08 f150 at less than 100k.  +1 on the suburban.  I love Toyota’s and own a lot of them but unless you are going with the big current gen V8 they will struggle mightily in mountains.

[Pra4sno]

1 hour ago, srab said:

That is certainly a fair point. 

I considered timing belt change at 90K "routine maintenance," vs. maybe an unexpected/surprise maintenance issue.  So, when I stated "remarkably maintenance-free," I was excluding what I considered to be routine, or normal "wear-and-tear" maintenance issues (tires, brake shoes, brake drums, oil changes, spark plug changes, filter changes, transmission/differential fluid changes, shock absorber changes, battery changes, and, of course, timing belt changes [I am not quite to 180K, but recently had the belt changed for the second time]).

Glad to hear you're comfortable with the Tundra towing in mountainous terrain. Based on my experience with our little hills, and the mostly flatlands, here in south Texas, I didn't think that I would be.

I too put this in routine maintenance - figured I'd highlight it though as the other recommendations here have had timing chains.  For what its worth, across the handful of 4.7 powered vehicles that I and friends have had, the "not expected repairs" tally up as a few coil packs, a starter on a 4runner, and I did replace my fuel filter after some bad gas once. 

[wakesetterDD]

thanks all.  I went with an 02 Sequoia.  So far it tows OK.  I'm still waiting for trailer brake parts tho.  Accelerating seems fine but I'm starting to hear kind of knocking sounds when slowing down.  Not sure if it's the breaks or shocks.

[Pra4sno]

10 hours ago, wakesetterDD said:

thanks all.  I went with an 02 Sequoia.  So far it tows OK.  I'm still waiting for trailer brake parts tho.  Accelerating seems fine but I'm starting to hear kind of knocking sounds when slowing down.  Not sure if it's the breaks or shocks.

Check lower shock bushings, sway bar bushings, and then Jack it up and look for tie rod or ball joint play.  

 

Every 18 year old vehicle has rubber wear out, and Toyotas 4x4s usually can use a refresh of new ball joints around 200k.  

[Falko]

Glad to hear you went with the Sequoia. We had an '04 Expedition and it went to about 80k before the valve train started talking and the frame was a rust ball. I would have recommended an Armada, they have their little maintenance quirks but you can get one for decent money and they are known to run up to 350k+ and have nice power.