What does Ford think the Maverick is for?

[oldgeek]

I will rent one when necessary but I don't have any place to park one...

Ah, but this one FOLDS!! Never have folded it, but it would be handy if needed.

1195 lb. Capacity, 48-5/8 in. x 96-1/4 in. Heavy Duty Folding Trailer

Amazing deals on this 1195Lb Capacity 48-5/8In X 96-1/4In Folding Trailer at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

 

[Ranger850]

I was at a car show earlier this summer, at a Ford dealership. A Couple and their 20-something YO College aged daughter were in the middle of picking up their Maverick for her to start FSU summer courses. Mom said the Maverick was perfect and when she was done with it in 4 years, Dad would be getting it.

This is the Maverick They picked up.

 

[superj]

Ya know, they make these little things called utility trailers that would work excellent for exactly what you describe doing. Arguably even work better than a truck for what you are doing. They can be purchased for cheap. When properly sized for the task described they could be pulled behind nearly any vehicle with more than three wheels. Sounds like someone needs a/an <insert SVU/car name here> and a small utility trailer more than they need a truck.

i did the utility trailer on an suv for years and it sucks. i still have the utility trailer for when something is to physically large for the ranger but having to store the trailer, buy tires that rot from sitting, pay for plates that hardly will see the road, and than having to park way out and all that junk, i would just take a maverick. than you have to mow around another thing in the yard, and weed eat around it. i added a hitch receiver to my riding mower so i can move the trailer instead of having to hook it to one of the trucks to make that easier.

my utility trailer is just a rolling trash can now. i have to replace the tires, again, so i can haul it to the dump to throw away the stuff that won't fit into the city trash bins we roll to the curb each week.

i guess if someone doesn't have a utility trailer and they have a truck, that trailer life sounds nice. just like someone who is stuck using a utility trailer might think the truck life sounds nice.

to me, having a truck outweighs a utility trailer ten fold. even if its a super useful looking maverick that get great gas mileage and probably has the same carry capacity as my current ranger edge that didn't even have a tow receiver on it when i got it

 

[stmitch]

The utility trailer approach made sense when you were pulling it with a car that got 30+mpg instead of owning a truck that got 20mpgs.

But I'm not sure the small car/SUV + utility trailer combo is beneficial in a world where the Maverick hybrid gets 40mpg and can do both the small car/SUV jobs and the utility trailer jobs in one convenient vehicle.

 

[racsan]

my 2011 escape is a pretty good tow rig, granted its got the 3.0 (thats no longer available in a escape) . I think its rated at 3500 towing. I bet I was close to 4000# when I brought my ‘63 ford 2000 home on the trailer. It was a 100 mile round trip at least , so a good 50+ miles put on towing at max+ and it had no issues. I tried towing the flatbed with the tractor on it with the ranger -once. It didn’t like it at all, 4 miles to get to 50, tail wants to wag the dog above 45 so back off the pedal, braking quickly- forget about it! I got halfway to my destination, (was taking it to a tractor show after work) called Bren and had her bring me the escape after work , I changed tow vehicles and she drove the ranger on home. Im considering a older F150, 94-96 with a 302.

 

[Snoranger]

Im considering a older F150, 94-96 with a 302.

If you find one with a 351W, You should consider that too. (It was an option, but it’s less common) You’ll get the same gas mileage but more power.

 

[sgtsandman]

Any idea how they come up with ratings? I'm pretty sure I've heard of instances where they had something rated for X but slashed that number (without any actual changes) to get into a different vehicle class for tax reasons or something. I bet low ratings are due to some strenuious test... stopping distance from 60mph and max brake temp or something.

It's an insurance/lawsuit thing. With as sue happy as our country is, the vehicle manufacturers and insurance companies set the ratings up so they don't usually have to pay out unless the is an obvious issue with the vehicle or trailer that caused the issue instead of stupidity of the operator. I can't speak for other vehicles, but I know the 1997-2001 Honda CR-V's have a 2,000# tow limit in Europe. I the U.S., it's 1,000#. Transmission type doesn't matter. But Honda Europe does require that the trailer has brakes. I suppose that may be a more common thing over there with the smaller vehicles. I know a lot of states here don't require brakes on trailers until they hit or break 3.000#. PA requires trailer brakes at 3,000#.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Im considering a older F150, 94-96 with a 302.

IMHO, I’d seriously consider one with a 300-6, they make for a good tow rig. Not fast, but boy do they pull. I ended up beefing up the suspension and swapping the M5OD for a ZF-5 plus changed the axles to 3.55 gears and it has zero problems pulling. It was alright before the mods, but the equipment trailer we have would flatten the springs and my changes made it more enjoyable to put it to work.

 

[1990RangerinSK]

I *might* be open to learning to tow a trailer, but it's a second vehicle to keep licensed, and to park. I'd rather have ONE vehicle that can do everything. So, Ford, thanks for the Maverick.

 

[JoshT]

...stupidity of the operator.

... and there we have it. 90% of vehicular issues in this country can be summed up with those four words.

I *might* be open to learning to tow a trailer, but it's a second vehicle to keep licensed, and to park.

Really not a lot to learn. Mostly being mindful of the capabilities of the towing vehicle and trailer, learning how to load the trailer, and getting used to how the vehicle repsonds with it. The hardest part is getting used to backing with one.

I don't know how it is in Canada or other states, but here in GA it's a 15-20 dollar tag fee each year for a trailer. I can't really speak to the space issue as I've got three acres and plenty of space to park a trailer of any size. That said a utility trailer of the size to be pulled behind a smaller car, truck, or SUV seems like it would be easier to manage than a second vehicle. Relatively small and easy to move around by hand. Some of them can even be folded and tucked in a corner as another poster said.

I should also mention that though I am proposing trailers in leiu of trucks, I one 1 trailer and 4.5 trucks. The one trailer is about a 7x16 flatbed put together to move vehicles, atvs, or what ever else. Built it 4 or 5 years ago and might have used it one time. I think that's soon to change though.

 

[Lefty]

There is a saying in Texas, "All hat and no cattle." Perhaps in this new age, this new generation of family friendly pickups, we truckers should start something similar, "All cab and no bed."

 

[rusty ol ranger]

So what's the consensus? Get the MORE expensive Escape AND a trailer to do what the cheaper, "non" truck Maverick can do without the trailer?

Buy a used 4.0 ranger with a tow package and outpull them both

 

[Blmpkn]

There is a saying in Texas, "All hat and no cattle." Perhaps in this new age, this new generation of family friendly pickups, we truckers should start something similar, "All cab and no bed."

Hey now, some of us like to haul around all bed and no cabs with our all cab and no bed.

I had most of the '65 8' bed in my no bed for this one

 

[rubydist]

I think its fitting that you show us photos of your Ford towing GM products...

 

[Blmpkn]

I think its fitting that you show us photos of your Ford towing GM products...

Have a few more!

We like the parts for our toys to be cheap and plentiful lol.