Hey guys - I am considering picking up a SUV as a daily driver for the wife, and to perform towing duties during boating season. The boat is 25' on the trailer, weighs around 7k as towed, with a tongue weight around 500lbs. When towing we have around 500lbs of gear/passengers in the tow vehicle.

Towing would occur 2-3 times a month from april-oct in the dead heat of the arizona desert, so typically 110+ temps, 120-300 miles/trip and facing some serious grades. My nemesis is the "Jacumba" grade going into San Diego. This is a devilish stretch of 11 miles of 5-7% grades. Last time I pulled it was in Aug 10, and the temp display read 117* outside.

I am considering the 2008 Sequoia SR5 with the 5.7, vs a 2007 ford expedition. My main consideration is the 6sp transmission which both have. Obviously I would get a truck set up with the proper 'heavy tow' from the factory.

The Sequoia has the commanding power advantage, but a similarly equipped expedition can be had close to 10k$ cheaper than the Sequoia. 381hp/401tq for the Sequoia vs 300/365 for the expedition seems compelling.But I am pretty sure I could get long-tubes, a blower, and a dyno tune for around 5k if the expedition isn't up to the task and still pocket 5k$, and be close on hp and dominating on tq.

Im really on the fence about this - looking for opinions.

Please don't tell me to buy an F650 to pull this load - I am towing somewhere between 14-21 times/yr and want/need the convenience of a modern SUV the other 350 days.

Looking forward to your comments!

 

For reliability I would trade mine for a Toyota if the price was right today!

 

I cant see myself ever buying a Toyota, for the most part I enjoy cars that are able to stop and not accelerate out of control. but thats just me

 

Do yourself and favour and get the Toyota, there is a reason the ford is cheaper.

 

Yeah, becuase none of the 7 ford I owned ever did this....

 

I'm sure the sequoia is not without faults. If you can stand the look and your pocketbook is deep enough, get the sequoia. Otherwise, I don't think you can go wrong with the expy provided you give the expy a careful look.

 

Man I have to tell you...The Sequoia is an awesome vehicle. I drove one for 8 months as a company vehicle. The 5.7 v8 is SO smooth and powerful and that 6speed auto is fun to drive especially in manual mode. I cant even tell you how much fun I had driving it. Mine was the Limited, with full leather, heated and cooled, nav, moon roof, sliding rear window. It handles incredibly well for such and big SUV and rides fantastic.

To tell you how good these things are we had distributors calling us looking to buy all black limited Sequoias. They buy them and ship them to Saudia Arabia and parts of northern europe. If they stand up to those guys running them 80-90 mph in the deserts all day long...they are pretty darn solid suv's.

Id buy one over a Expedition, and I love the expeditions. If you saw the engineering and quality that went into the Sequoia, you wouldnt think twice about it.

what else can I saw...lol super comfortable and roomy inside, they look sexy, they sound sweet at WOT, very safe, your wife wont have a problem driving it....

Good luck

 

Jshalala,
It sounds like you work for Toyota.

 

haha no, before I went into banking I was a finance officer for Mercedes Benz, our dealership also sold Toyota and I drove a Sequoia when we didnt have surplus Benz's for demos. Like I said I drove 3 of them over the course of 8 months, I liked them better than the GL-class Mercedes. I drove several expeditions also that we had at our Ford dealer, they are real nice, just not as fun as the Sequoia in my opinion.

 

Sequoia
I used to sell Toyota's

Get the factory tow package not dealer installed (upgrade)BS
You wont regret it and making the payment.

 

Sequioas cause cancer! Expeditions cure cancer!

 

I never thought I'd see the day where a Ford can't get any love in a Ford forum.

The Expedition is every bit as well engineered and built as the Sequoia. They are reliable and comfortable. If you like it, buy it.

 

Your decision may not be why I choose a 2008 Expedition over the Sequoia. I love electric fold down third row seats. My 2001 Expedition you haad to take third row out for a flat floor, it seemed to be out when needed in ,and in when we wanted it out for cargo space. Not sure if any other full size SUV has the stay in fold flat 3rd row, at least not the Sequoia and no one in else in 2008. Like I said due to kids and the stuff we do that is important to us.

 

that my reason that i want to upgrade to a newer one but man i love getting them tires squealing that 4v by far my fav engine XD but anyways back to th e topic i would choose the expedition even tho it does have less power because it has a TRUSTY 5.4T so im pretty sure it wont have problem with the engine also the Expedition is More spaceshes and also if it matters i see a hand full of video of expedition crash test cant say that about the seqoya

ps:seqoya took the 3row seat idea from the expedition

 

You will be stopping with the Expedition that's for sure.. You will be stopping at the dealer every few weeks to get all sorts of annoying problems fixed like leaking windows, paint issues, misaligned body parts, transmission shifting issues. Of course after dropping all of that money you will be happy to enjoy the same level of red carpet service as the guy who bought the used focus for 10k.