Ahh, truck talk. When people asks my interests, I say dirt bikes, trucks, and hunting lol. I could talk trucks forever I have a 15 f150 platinum with the 5.0 and 3.73's 5.5 bed. It'd be the perfect truck had I bought a 6.5 bed and had towing mirrors.
I love this truck. I've found gearing plays a HUGE role in how these trucks feel. Plus, tow ratings vary largely. Mines "rated" at 10,900 where as the same truck with 3.31s is like 7400. Not that I'd regularly ever tow my max, but I have in the form of a dump trailer and mulch. Lol. Bumps stops were working, but the motor had no issues. My dad had a 5.0 with 3.31s at one point and I swore I'd never own one because I felt like it was gutless. Then I searched out the different gearing available and drove the 3.55 and 3.73. My truck feels like a damn mustang in a truck, and will pull it's ass off at high rpms.. I get (well, my wife gets) around 15 in the winter. Summer I get close to 17 mixed. 21 was my best on a vacation trip to FL on stocks. Pulled a 31' camper which weighed around 8k loaded to lake Norris this summer. 7.4. It took some getting used to these gas rigs and how they scream compared to my diesels I've had in the past. Once I got over high rpms, they do a great job working in the meat of their hp.. I liked my 6.2 in my f250 too. I don't miss my diesels very often with all the other headaches considered. If I was to buy another truck to pull heavy, I'd really entertain the new 7.3 gasser with 4.30s.. If I towed heavy daily, I'd bite the bullet and buy another diesel. Till then, big diesels aren't very appealing anymore.
I'm trading it off soon as my mileage is getting up there. However, I'm undecided. I'm considering a 3.5 eco max tow with 3.55 or 3.73 based off eco tow reviews.. I'm just not sure I can ditch the 5.0 3.73 combo though. A little monkey wrench thrown in recently is I actually won't find myself towing much with what I buy because my dad and I agreed to both buy new trucks, and I buy the half ton and he buy a 1 ton (which is ordered). Then depending on what each of us are doing, we can swap trucks either for pulling heavy or mpg trips. I'm making out there and it's saving me over 10k, but when I buy the 5er, he'll be making out. Lol. This towing situation alone also has me considering a 2.7, which I thought I'd never say. What I buy will mainly be my wife's grocery getter as I'm in my work vehicles during the week for the most part, but I still need to be able to haul bikes on weekends and have a place to haul deer in the winter.
For a little while I was contemplating selling our f150 and my 1500 work truck and buying my wife the new bronco and a nice transit or something I could put bikes or materials in. Then I remind myself it's nice only having 1 car note. Lol. My 1500 is just my run around truck for estimates, getting materials, or whatever and my 17 3500 extended van is the main tool/material/man hauler to work out of. Both are paid for though.
MX implements brief review of that baby dmax is convincing though. I may do a little investigating there. I haven't even considered one to be honest as I've always preferred my Ford interiors.
Those new frontiers look nice, but I know nothing about little trucks. I do know that I've ridden in a newer taco and felt damn near claustrophobic. Lol. Seems you're on a Nissan kick though, so buy what you're in to. I will say, with what you're going for, you may even consider an extended cab 2.7 f150. I don't know your budget, but even the xl with stx package is pretty sweet, however, the XLT or better is bad ass. If you go the Ford route, I'd point you to Sarchione Ford and could give you a solid contact there too.
