PDA

View Full Version : Advice on a Tow Vehicle



Vanamp
11-16-2013, 10:57 PM
I have been lurking on the forum for a while and have learned a ton about wakeboard boats. I am hopeful that this spring that my wife and I will be able to buy our first boat. We currently have a jet ski and use it like a boat (wakeboarding/skating). Our budget has us looking at older Mobius LSV or similar v-drive 20 ft. boats. We need a tow vehicle and I have NO experience with towing anything bigger then our old jet ski.

Here is what we need:


We have 2 cabins in the family both 3 to 4 hour drives away mostly highway. We would leave the boat at one cabin most of the time and tow it home or to the other cabin 3 to 4 times a summer.
We live in Minnesota so the terrain is pretty flat
We are looking for 4 doors. We are planning on starting a family soon.
Need something nice but any extra money spent on tow vehicle is coming directly out of the Boat budget money. Need to find a nice balance
We have a kia spectra at home for everyday driving and tow vehicle would get used sparingly at home.



Questions:

Do people tow with SUV's or should I be thinking truck all the way?
What type of engines should I be looking for (liters and v6, v8..)?



Any thoughts/suggestions/info. would be greatly appreciated. Just looking for the best bang for my buck so I can spend more on a boat.

Woody929
11-16-2013, 11:15 PM
My wife's vehicle is our tow vehicle, a 2011 suburban. I have a company car (Prius -woo whooo), and we've got 3 young kids so we needed something that would get the job done, and haul the kids. When we got our first boat, I made her trade in her cross over & get a Yukon. The Yukon served us well until we had twins.

It looks pretty comical in front of our house in the summers with all 3 things out.

Vanamp
11-16-2013, 11:24 PM
My wife's vehicle is our tow vehicle, a 2011 suburban. I have a company car (Prius -woo whooo), and we've got 3 young kids so we needed something that would get the job done, and haul the kids. When we got our first boat, I made her trade in her cross over & get a Yukon. The Yukon served us well until we had twins.

It looks pretty comical in front of our house in the summers with all 3 things out.

I do electrical work and have a company vehicle too (ford transit). The biggest need for our tow vehicle is to keep the cost as low as possible so it does not kill our boat budget, But it also needs to be reliable.

I have been looking at the F150 ecoboost trucks but I just don't know what to look for as far as engines go. I want it to tow well but not be overkill.

gregski
11-16-2013, 11:45 PM
I towed my Sanger ski boat with a GMC Envoy. That boat is around 2500 lbs and the Envoy had enough guts from the V-6 to pull it and the trailers have breaks, so that's not a huge issue. However, I was putting some pretty harsh wear on the rear diff/axle and suspension. My mechanic was practically begging my to get a bigger truck (even though it was making him money).

My wife came with a 4-door Silverado (and a very little, out-board run-about, maybe 1000 lbs wet). This truck pulls soooo much nicer. Now that we have an LSV, which comes in around 3500lbs, I wouldn't even consider pulling it with the Envoy or anything smaller than a Yukon or Suburban built on the larger truck chassis. A pickup truck with a V-6 would probably be just fine too. You can get plenty of power from the smaller engines but that's not the issue.

The 4-door truck works nicely for us with a family. It seats 4-5 comfortably since it is wide, and up to 6 when we need it. We did add a soft tonneau top to keep the cargo dry. The only downside compared to a large SUV is having room for the dog to be without stepping on the back seat passengers. But the 4-door trucks are a bit less money than the large SUVs.

bergermaister
11-16-2013, 11:50 PM
My dad's advice - "Get more than you think you'll need"

Older half tons and SUVs will do the job but be working pretty hard. Newer, say 8 yrs or less (ballpark) typically have higher HP/TQ and tow ratings - in general.

I've towed the same boat with an Expedition, 1/2 ton GMC, and now F350. I'm sure you can guess which one is the best.

Woody929
11-17-2013, 12:12 AM
Seems like there are a lot of Ford guys here :-)

I've always been a GM guy, but I must admit that I'm infatuated with the F350. In Feb I'll have to trade in the kick a$$ Prius for a Ford Cervix. I'm not sure which is worse. I couldn't ever justify the F350 as my daily driver, that would probably cost me $100/wk to just go to the office and back. The Prius is only $39 every 2 weeks.

wolfeman131
11-17-2013, 12:30 AM
The Prius is only $39 every 2 weeks.

That's a low cost until you factor in the the loss of pride & dignity.

Woody929
11-17-2013, 12:35 AM
That's a low cost until you factor in the the loss of pride & dignity.

I know, but I gave that up a long time ago. It does look rather funny when I have the boat at the house, the family has to go somewhere in the suburban, and I back the Prius up to the LSV to make it difficult for someone to drive off with my boat.

cornrickey
11-17-2013, 03:01 AM
find yourself a nice first generation power stroke extended cab and be done with it. By now the tranni would have been replaced with a updated one so that's no worries. Decent fuel mileage and it can sit for long periods of time without issue.

Suprahunter
11-17-2013, 10:48 AM
I have been towing boats since 1984 with everything from a Toyota 4 cyl truck to a 1 ton 6L. Here is what I have learned ,if possible get a 3/4 or 1 ton with a strong tow package most 1/2 tons are just cars with a bed. You will never regret having too much vehicle. Towing with a short wheel base small engine economy vehicle can differently be a white knuckle experience. It can also be dangerous especially when the unexpected happens. Remember stopping is even more important than towing. Its also very hard on the equipment and will cause more frequent breakdowns. Your choices are PU trucks, SUV s or full sized vans all are built on truck chassis. Go as heavy duty as you can over kill is always best for a tow specific vehicle . I chose a 2005 GMC 12 passenger savana van 3500 6L 373 rear gear HD tow package. It has the ability to tow about anything and the inside space to haul 12 passengers or remove the seats and haul a ton of cargo. It was cheap because the PUs and SUVs are in and vans are the red headed step child now. Not pretty but tows and hauls great. It also gets better gas mileage towing than the 6 cyl I used to have . You don't need a Diesel they tow great but with the added cost to purchase higher fuel and high maintenance most never even hit break even over their gas counterparts. They do have the wow factor but it comes at a cost. What ever you get make sure it has the added towing equipment like trans cooler and HD suspension to handle the load.

sandm
11-17-2013, 11:09 AM
tow vehicle would get used sparingly at home.



based on this information, I would suggest a used +/- 75kmiles on the odo expedition or tahoe. you should be able to find one in the 10k range well taken care of. they should have lots of life left and will meet the door requirements. I would wonder why you would be looking at anything new(ford ecoboost) for something that is admittedly going to sit in the driveway most of the year.

I tow with a '00 ford f150 with 150k on the clock and it does great. would love to have a new rig, but I think I put 1500 miles on it since march. not a wise investment to have a depreciating asset sitting.

Buckeye LSV
11-17-2013, 11:29 AM
Their are plenty of 1/2 tons and full size suv on the market that will do the job just fine and wont break the bank and leave more $$ for the boat. Trucks are sitting on lots everywhere and you can always upgrade if your needs change. I like the pickup route, its handy to have a truck around for those weekend projects.

gregski
11-17-2013, 12:29 PM
Take the advice of needing anything larger than a 1/2-ton truck with a grain of salt. No doubt, larger trucks make better tow vehicles. But you asked about your specific situation: flat-grade towing of a ~3000 lb boat, 3-4 times per year. A 1/2-ton 4 door pickup or a full size SUV will fit your needs perfectly. Anything more is overkill, and my experience is that anything less will be insufficient.

If you also needed something to pull a 5th wheel trailer or frequently haul rocks or bricks, that would be a totally different situation.

parrothd
11-17-2013, 01:34 PM
I have a Durango, 02, paid 3k, be sure to check the tow rating on anything you buy, usually on the door jam or glove box, it's the gearing that makes all the difference.. You don't need to spend a lot, I get 11-12 mpg towing.. mine is rated for 6200, was looking for the 3.92 gearing which is 7200lbs, both are overkill. Just keep in mind when you add up everything, boat, fluids, gas, gear the total weight us closer to 5000lbs..

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

BensonWdby
11-17-2013, 02:55 PM
On the lighter side - we pulled a 1998 MC Prostar from Farmer City Illinois to St. Croix Falls WI , in August, at agressive hwy speeds - with a 6 cyl Rav4. We did not have any tranny temp monitoring capability - but it drove well enough.

My 2001 Durango with small V8 pulls our 1999 Mobiuis OK - but I hate that truck so much I can't wait to get rid of it.

parrothd
11-17-2013, 05:27 PM
The best advice is tow insurance, this is not on your auto policy, boat us sells it for an extra $30, gives you 600$ or 100 mile tow coverage and helps locate a tow provider, only a few can tow a boat! I learned this the hard way..

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

Vanamp
11-17-2013, 06:24 PM
Thanks for all the input. It would be nice if the used car websites would be able to filter by tow capacity. Does anyone have a good resource for looking up towing specs. For older vehicles?

moombadaze
11-17-2013, 08:16 PM
But you asked about your specific situation: flat-grade towing of a ~3000 lb boat, 3-4 times per year. A 1/2-ton 4 door pickup or a full size SUV will fit your needs perfectly. Anything more is overkill, and my experience is that anything less will be insufficient. gotta agree with this. use to tow my 03 lsv with a dodge Dakota 4 dr with a v8, worked just fine for local tows and even hauled it 9hrs to Lake Lanier one year with the bed full of camping equipment.

parrothd
11-17-2013, 08:28 PM
From 2004…there's other years.. But you still need to check each vehicle cuz gearing options can change it..

http://www.edmunds.com/car-reviews/top-10/top-10-vehicles-for-towing.html

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

94Boom
11-17-2013, 11:10 PM
I have a 2000 GMC dually crew, 6.5 diesel. Overkill for most things but it sure is nice to tow with. Not a rocket ship by any means. My kids hate it because its ugly. it has 600,000 kms on it (think that translates into 400,000 miles). I purposely have never put a trailer hitch on my 2011 Toyota Highlander. My list of trucks in order of ownership starts with an 85 GMC 1/2 ton, towed great, cheap to maintain. Had this when I had no kids and started racing. 99 F250 next towed great but always seemed to be steering it while towing. 2000 GMC ext cab, comfy ride towed alright but terrible brakes for towing. 83 crew cab dually with 6.2 diesel, towed great but truck was worn out. now up to current dually. Best advice I read on here was if you are only towing 3 or 4 times a year a 1/2 ton would work good enough for you. To make life easier on you make sure you have trailer brakes, once you have them you wont go without them. No need to blow a lot of money if its not going to be used daily.

BensonWdby
11-18-2013, 08:41 AM
Google knows everything:
just Google this: "towing capacity chart"

http://www.onlinetowingguide.com/guidelines/towing_capacities.html

beat taco
11-18-2013, 01:36 PM
http://boise.craigslist.org/cto/4178481449.html

I would shop 3/4 suburbans and get the nicest one my budget allows. It would have to be 96 or newer to get the vortec engine and it has to be a 3/4 ton. The frame, transmission, axles, springs, cooling system, braking system etc. are all upgraded on a 3/4 ton. The biggest one being the transmission, a 4l80e is pretty bomb proof where as the 4l60e in a half ton is weak at best for pushing a suburban let alone towing.
For the money I don't think they can be beat. You could go small block 5.7-6.0l or big block 7.4-8.1l. I'm partial to the big blocks but we have a lot of mountain passes around here. The only thing that will replace mine is a diesel truck.

Sharpshooter
11-20-2013, 08:19 PM
My 2011 4 door silverado with towing package works great and has plenty of room for family


2013 Moomba LSV

Ian Brantford
11-20-2013, 11:53 PM
Hi, Vanamp. Here is my take.

Please consider how your life is about to change with children on the way and with a second vehicle coming into use. How likely is it that the second vehicle will remain in limited use. This will put everyday usefulness on a higher priority. One vehicle will become "hers" and the one that she prefers less will become "yours".

The biggest factor that is missing in this thread is safety. If you are very careful, you could select a vehicle that is old/cheap/big/reliable (with reliable being the hardest to satisfy). However, most vehicles that are cheap (say, $5000-ish) are also too old to have modern safety systems: crumple zones, stability control, stable unloaded suspension and generous airbags. I consider these to be important enough that I would not put a vehicle on the road without them. Most older trucks and truck-based SUV's were made to comply with minimal requirements for commercial vehicles. In a collision, they have the weight advantage, but don't really protect occupants with energy absorption. Even better is to help avoid collisions in the first place with good handling, torque distribution and stability control. These safety features didn't start becoming fashionable for trucks and truck-based SUV's until the mid-2000's (Ford, Honda, some Toyotas) through the late 2000's (for the rest).

If you really need a tow vehicle only a few times a year, how about renting one? This used to be next to impossible because rental companies never trusted people to know how to tow, but it's much easier in many areas now. This would reduce your costs and give you all the modern advances in design. Rent a different model each time and maybe buy your favourite a couple of years later IF and when you have more money. Increasing your fixed costs when a family is on the way would be best avoided.

Regarding your question about trucks versus SUV's: trucks are specifically designed to tow/haul and some are good at carrying people, while SUV's are made to carry people and some can tow/haul fairly well. That said, there can be significant overlap and some models are quite good at both tasks.

Regarding tow ratings, there are precautions to take:
1. Many manufacturers inflate their tow ratings. Some even boost them from year to year with no design changes. It's what happens when a company's marketeers have more say than their engineers. For more details, check this thread: http://www.tundraheadquarters.com/blog/trailer-tow-rating-standards/ . I have not done the research to see if manufacturers have actually followed through on their promises with the recent SAE J2807 standard, but any such compliance would only be with vehicles that would be too new to spare your budget.
2. My impression about tow ratings is that most of them are based on mechanical strength and say little about handling. To find out more, you'll have to crowdsource it by spending time on owner forums to find people who have the same make, model, mechanical configuration and towing loads that you want to research.
3. Towing limit specs may assume that the tow vehicle contains one driver, zero passengers and zero gear.
4. Some vehicles (mainly SUV's) may have two towing limits: one for boats and one for general cargo trailers. Usually a higher limit is there for boats under the assumption that they are better balanced to minimise sway. I would only believe the lower weight figure, as such waffling indicates that the rear suspension isn't tight enough to control a boat near the limits if you also have rear passengers/cargo.

When it comes to reliability, the enormous variety of models, drivetrain options and suspension options can be daunting. Again, my advice is to crowdsource it. As has already started happening here in this thread, you'll want find people on various truck forums who have kept track of what choices stood up over time and which did not. However, the first stop for crowdsourcing should be Consumer Reports and their long-term reliability surveys. From these, they short-list some recommended vehicles.

I'll save you some trouble here. CR has just two (2) recommended used trucks:
1. Honda Ridgeline
2. Toyota Tundra

CR has nineteen recommended SUV's, but only two of them have adequate towing capability:
1. Toyota 4Runner (4th generation from 2003 or newer)
2. Toyota Sequoia

I excluded the Honda Pilot because the first generation of it has the dual towing rating that I mentioned above (see "waffling"). Later generations are probably too expensive for you.

CR has lots more SUV's in their "towing" category, but all of them have poor long-term reliability.

So, if you are willing to budget in the range of $8000-15000, you can choose from the above models in year ranges that may suit your needs, as well as have the safety features that I'm recommending.

Personally, I went with a Honda Ridgeline to tow my Moomba XLV after months of research. I am glad that I did. It's up to the task of towing, plus it's a phenomenally better everyday vehicle to own and drive than the other choices. I have used bigger and smaller tow vehicles. There are lots of armchair critics who like to bash the Ridgeline using supposition (or outright lies) because of its very different design, but lots of former full-size truck owners have seen the light and moved to this upper-midsize truck. It's a good modern replacement for people who prefer the heavy-half-ton models from 15+ years ago, before all of the full-size trucks became huge.

For you, I recommend just spending a few hundred a year on a rental if a good one is available in your area. This will limit your expenses, as well as keep you from having to buy TWO tow vehicles (a cheap one, followed by a good one when you realise how much you want to use it).

Best wishes on getting what you need. Enjoy your new boat when it comes along too!

Boatdrinks797
11-20-2013, 11:55 PM
The biggest incline in MN you will likely encounter is at the boat ramp. I've heard great things about the eco-boost and my buddy tows a 20ft enclosed trailer with his long distances and loves it. I have a newer yukon that works great, but I would drive around town in a go-cart if I could.

I saw an old suzuki sidekick towing a huge pontoon last year and damn near ran off the road when i saw it!

rdlangston13
11-21-2013, 06:24 AM
Any half ton truck with the larger V8 option should be fine. And a 3500 lb boat with a trailer, fluids, and all gear is more like 5,000 lb.


Sent from my iPhone

kaneboats
11-21-2013, 12:47 PM
I've seen old Tahoes go 300k. Service your transmission. Let it sit around but put the battery on a tender. You can get one cheap and do a little service and it will do the job fine. If you find a 4wd one you might use it some days in MN when your other vehicle isn't going anywhere.

Wax
11-26-2013, 11:08 AM
I've towed all sorts of stuff with all sorts of trucks. I used to tow a double jetski trailer with a 4cyl stick shift S10 back in college lol, now I still even pull our current double with my wife's 08 Saturn Vue 4cyl. When I bought my Supra, I had a new (06 I believe) Nissan Frontier 6cyl 4x4 stick shift extended cab. It pulled and stopped just fine, tow capacity was 7500lbs supposedly. ANY half ton truck or large frame SUV is perfectly fine for your towing needs (even most V6 models), and many smaller framed trucks and SUVs will do the job just fine properly equipped; the statement that a half ton truck is a car with a bed is just silly. My dad towed our fifth wheel across the country my whole life with a new half ton he leased every 3 years, never a problem until he upgraded to a 36ft trailer...then we went to a 3/4 Duramax back in 02. I will suggest however that if you are not very experienced towing, then a half ton or large framed SUV will be easier to tow with due to their weight as the boat will have less effect on the vehicle.

After the Nissan I went to a 00 F350 diesel just becuase I wanted a big lifted diesel, of course towed great but was terrible on maintenance costs. Got rid of that and went to a 04 F150 with 5.4L, which also towed great.

After that I went to a 02 Avalanche (sweet North Face Z71 edition) because we had a baby and my wife said our truck needed to be crew cab. It was by leaps and bounds the best vehicle I've ever owned. If you don't need a full bed (I do now only because I pull a 5th wheel), I strongly suggest finding a used Avalanche. Any year will suffice. You can even get them in 3/4 option (the first gen), but gas mileage suffers due to the larger engine options and is way overkill for your needs. You don't need any more than the standard 5.3 to pull a boat. The Avalanche rides like a Cadillac but has the capabilities of a truck (it's the same frame as a Tahoe/Yukon). It's heavier than a half ton truck and the weight is more balanced, so it handles like a dream in snow. It towed awesome, got admirable gas mileage for such a large truck, and had so much versatility. Now that I'm talking about it I kind of want to sell my fifth wheel and get another Avalanche lol! The most recent gen came out in 07 I think, so you can probably find a used newer gen reasonably priced these days.

I started driving much further for work and we bought a couple small cars, so the Avalanche just sat there until the weekend when we used it to pull a boat. I had only paid $15k for it, but I still couldn't stand having a payment on something that barely got used. I sold it and got a 98 Dodge Ram 4x4 half ton 5.9L for really cheap ($1800) just as a hunting/towing vehicle. I really only towed within 15-20 minutes of my house. It worked perfect for that purpose and was rusty but trusty. I even bought my first small fifth wheel and pulled it with that truck.

After that we moved closer to my work (and moved to a lake) and I figured I could drive a truck every day. I bought a 07 Ram 3/4 ton quad cab with a hemi. That truck was awesome, but after 8 or 9 months of spending $800/mo on gas (we had moved 40 miles closer to work, and I was still spending the same on gas as I was before in my car lol), I decided to lease a new smaller car. Once I did that, kind of same thing as with the Avalanche, I couldn't justify a truck payment when it was sitting there.

I sold that (for $2200 more than I paid) and bought a 2000 Dodge Ram 3/4 ton with the 5.9L, fully loaded leather 4x4 with 185k on it. It's in great shape except for a little rust over the rear wheel wells, and I paid $3000 for it. I put new ball joints on it and it's good to go. I now pull my 25ft fifth wheel hundreds of miles with it, I pull my double jetski trailer behind my fifth wheel even, it pulls the boat with no trouble (I don't pull it much due to it being on the water year-round), and I don't feel bad that it just sits there when not in use because it just has cheap PLPD insurance (MI is no-fault state) and I don't pay a dime for anything else on it other than routine maintenance.

So, moral of my story, if it's not going to be a daily driver then don't be picky and get whatever used good condition truck/SUV that's capabable of pulling your boat and that you can get for the best deal. If you have a choice and want the best versatility for a tow vehicle that still has a lot of interior room (and you don't need a full truck bed), I strongly suggest finding any year Chevy Avalanche.

gregski
11-26-2013, 11:56 AM
<lots of trucks>
Is that 7 trucks since 2006? My story is the exact opposite: I bought one in 2000 and I'm still driving it. I sound boring by comparison.

uniwarking
11-27-2013, 08:52 AM
I've been really happy with my '12 F150 Ecoboost, pulls the mojo with ease. It's my daily driver and it's great for long haul family road trips. The gas mileage certainly isn't that of a Prius but it's great for a supercrew cab pickup that can pull stumps when you need it to.

Wax
11-27-2013, 10:38 AM
Is that 7 trucks since 2006? My story is the exact opposite: I bought one in 2000 and I'm still driving it. I sound boring by comparison.

Yes that sounds about right. I didn't even mention the V6 4x4 S10 I had after that little 4cyl S10, then decided I wanted a full size so bought a 03 Ram quad cab, then traded that in on the new Frontier. Kept going back and forth between big truck and small truck lol, trade off space for gas mileage and couldn't decide. Now I just decided it makes more sense to have a big cheap truck and drive a good gas mileage car (averaging about 32 in my Mazda3).


I've been really happy with my '12 F150 Ecoboost, pulls the mojo with ease. It's my daily driver and it's great for long haul family road trips. The gas mileage certainly isn't that of a Prius but it's great for a supercrew cab pickup that can pull stumps when you need it to.

Once my lease is up on my car I'm going to strongly consider going to an Ecoboost and only having one vehicle. I like driving a truck every day, but they are just getting to the point of decent enough gas mileage to do so. I need the full 6' bed for my fifth wheel and if it's my daily driver I need a quad cab, and it looks like Ford is now making the F150 with the full bed with a quad cab since I've seen a few on the road. My big hang up for trucks as a daily is I need quad cab with the full bed, and that's been only a 3/4 ton until now but I don't want to only get 12mpg (not willing to pay for a diesel, too expensive). Plus the Ecoboost is a beast, higher tow rating than my 3/4 ton dodge. I don't think any of the other manufacturers are doing quad cabs with full beds (except Dodge, but their "quad cab" is basically an extended cab with full rear doors, the Hemi is a hog, and their new V6 with the 8speed trans that gets 25mpg can't tow much).

EricU
12-01-2013, 01:55 AM
...Our budget has us looking at older Mobius LSV or similar v-drive 20 ft. boats. We need a tow vehicle and I have NO experience with towing anything bigger then our old jet ski.

Here is what we need:


We have 2 cabins in the family both 3 to 4 hour drives away mostly highway. We would leave the boat at one cabin most of the time and tow it home or to the other cabin 3 to 4 times a summer.
We live in Minnesota so the terrain is pretty flat
We are looking for 4 doors. We are planning on starting a family soon.
Need something nice but any extra money spent on tow vehicle is coming directly out of the Boat budget money. Need to find a nice balance
We have a kia spectra at home for everyday driving and tow vehicle would get used sparingly at home.


...Just looking for the best bang for my buck so I can spend more on a boat.


Lots and lots of variables,
What kind of budget are you looking at for a vehicle?
Do you own your own house?

You can get into wakeboarding/surfing including a tow vehicle for under twenty grand or you can blow that much on a boat's stereo. You wouldn't be out on the water with the latest fad, but you don't need to either to enjoy a weekend on the lake. When one of my companies went belly up, I sold my '03 Natique that I bought brand new and spent two years wakeboarding behind a old Ski Sanger that I bought for $5,000 and sold earlier this year (after it sat on the side yard for two more years) for $5,500. If you don't think you can fix up an older boat to be sweet, check on some of the boats here on this forum, (Berg's for one)

So, if you are looking at a pre-'06 LSV style boat, they are relatively light. My personal tow vehicle is on '01 F250 with the 7.3L Powerstroke (on it's third tranny!) The newer 6.0Ls had their problems, but can be fixed/prevented. Look around and grab an older F250 or F350 four door if it is not going to be used that much. By the way, I own my own company and I would love to drive someone else's Prius (I am cheap).

Last week I had decided to buy a new Suburban to tow my RZ4 which is a pig (wayyyyy heavier than my Moomba) so I could carry all the teenagers also. After looking at what Chevy offers for $60k+ which is a small V8 on a half ton chassis, I have decided to pass for now and start looking for a clean low mileage diesel Excursion or test drive the new 6.2L gas Denalis (opposite end of the spectrum!) But right now for my money, buy used then with the money you save, purchase real estate.

BTW, if you don't own your own home and you spend $40k+ on a truck, you are a fool -- unless you got rich parents then go to town spending their money!!!

parrothd
12-01-2013, 02:13 AM
Just seems so wasteful spending that kind of cash on truck to tow a small boat.. $5k max for me...



Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

Wax
12-01-2013, 07:47 PM
I have decided to pass for now and start looking for a clean low mileage diesel Excursion

Those are great vehicles, have a friend with one from the early 2000s. He can basically afford anything he wants, and he sticks with that big old Excursion as his daily driver (his twin turbo Porsche isn't any more practical) and his tow rig. I think it has around 200k miles on it, maybe even more.


Just seems so wasteful spending that kind of cash on truck to tow a small boat.. $5k max for me...

I agree, couldn't be happier with my 2000 3/4 ton dodge for $3000. Does exactly what I need it to do, including pulling my fifth wheel with the jetskis as I mentioned before!

18843

patrick232
12-01-2013, 11:08 PM
Once my lease is up on my car I'm going to strongly consider going to an Ecoboost and only having one vehicle. I like driving a truck every day, but they are just getting to the point of decent enough gas mileage to do so. I need the full 6' bed for my fifth wheel and if it's my daily driver I need a quad cab, and it looks like Ford is now making the F150 with the full bed with a quad cab since I've seen a few on the road. My big hang up for trucks as a daily is I need quad cab with the full bed, and that's been only a 3/4 ton until now but I don't want to only get 12mpg (not willing to pay for a diesel, too expensive). Plus the Ecoboost is a beast, higher tow rating than my 3/4 ton dodge. I don't think any of the other manufacturers are doing quad cabs with full beds (except Dodge, but their "quad cab" is basically an extended cab with full rear doors, the Hemi is a hog, and their new V6 with the 8speed trans that gets 25mpg can't tow much).[/QUOTE]

The new 2014 Chevy and GMC have a 6 foot or longer bed in the 1/2 ton

Wax
12-02-2013, 10:42 AM
The new 2014 Chevy and GMC have a 6 foot or longer bed in the 1/2 ton

Thats really good info, I was wondering if the new one did. The last gen you could only get the 5 1/2 foot with a quad cab. Plus the new mpg is very admirable in the Chevy/GMC. In the half ton shootout they got as good of gas mileage as the EcoBoost unloaded, and better gas mileage towing. I didn't realize they had the regular bed with a quad cab now.

I really like the new design (I've always liked Chevy/GMC trucks best for exterior design), and I was raised on GM since I grew up near Flint. My parents have never bought anything but a GM product, and a significant portion of my family and my wife's family work for or retired from GM. I've always just bought vehicles based on my needs, but I've always had a soft spot for GM since I grew up with their vehicles.

maxpower220
12-02-2013, 02:23 PM
After 2 Chevy Avalanches, I really like the GM product. Since I have had my F150 EB, I don't miss the avy at all. The ride quality is just as good (if not better), the rear seat room is much more, and the EB is something else. As far as gas mileage, I'm pretty sure the Ford EB or 5.0 and the GM 5.3 will all be pretty close in gas mileage. I know enough people with Ram and Tundras to guess they will be slightly (or more) worse on gas.

I really like the gauge package in the Ford with the infomation screen. It tells a lot of info. Ram and GM have similar info, just not as easily viewed.

As far as towing, the EB is pretty stout. Looks and comfort will be subjective to the consumer. The towing ability of the EB is impressive.

As with anything, test drive for yourself.

Wax
12-02-2013, 04:46 PM
After 2 Chevy Avalanches, I really like the GM product. Since I have had my F150 EB, I don't miss the avy at all.

I think my point to the Avy was if he was looking for an older, used vehicle for a low cost (<$10k), I can't think of a better and more versatile vehicle from that era. Comparing my 02 Avalanche and my 04 F150 Lariat with the 5.4 I had (both were fully loaded with pretty much every option), I would choose the Avalanche even though I loved both of them. I will say though that when I was shopping for a low cost truck I was considering mid-2000's F150s with the 5.4 due to their high towing capacity along with trucks like my Dodge 2500; the decision only came down to price and the steal I got my truck for.

If he has the means to go out and get a brand new truck, it sure seems like the EcoBoost is a top contender from many people!

samvq1
12-09-2013, 09:50 AM
There are a lot of good vehicles recommended here. I'll share a quote that I heard when I was looking. "Almost any SUV or truck will tow a boat. The issue is stopping it". Whatever you decide to get, ensure that it is big enough to stop if someone pulls out in front of you while towing.

Ian Brantford
12-09-2013, 11:27 AM
There are a lot of good vehicles recommended here. I'll share a quote that I heard when I was looking. "Almost any SUV or truck will tow a boat. The issue is stopping it". Whatever you decide to get, ensure that it is big enough to stop if someone pulls out in front of you while towing.

Yes. Also, it must be stable enough to handle swerves, curves, dips and bumps.

The reason to be concerned about stability is not just vehicle size and suspension. There is a less-known failure mode that can lead to a "wild ride" in response to input from the road or an abrupt course change: frame flex. Body-on-frame designs can transmit flexion like a wave, making the truck bounce and buck instead of letting the suspension damp everything to get tires planted back flat on the ground. This is one reason why, among many older models, a 3/4-ton or 1-ton "feels" so much better with heavier loads. Some recent half-ton models, such at the F-150, have significantly improved this in the last few years. Certain well-built SUV's, such as the 4Runner, can tow better than what you'd guess for their size because their bodies limit flex.

Frankly, most full-size and mid-size vehicles will be fine for your boat unless they have some particular weakness. For example, I avoided earlier Pathfinders (which were big enough for my previous boat) because independent reviews said that they had weak brakes that were only adequate for the vehicle by itself due to anti-lock brakes. If you plan to upgrade the boat later, assume that when truck shopping.

The best way to know for sure is to tow a boat similar to yours during the test drive, and to have a somewhat challenging course planned. Since you don't yet have a boat or an adequate tow vehicle yet, soliciting help from a friend with both items would be in order. New vehicle sellers will probably not allow towing (because the engine and brakes aren't broken in), but it should be fine for a used vehicle.

And after writing all that, I still say that renting a tow vehicle is the best choice for the OP for the next couple of years. Virtually any vehicle costs thousands per year to keep. Spend $1000/year on a rental to reduce costs while getting "doubt removal" with recent models.

Wax
12-12-2013, 09:40 AM
The best way to know for sure is to tow a boat similar to yours during the test drive, and to have a somewhat challenging course planned. Since you don't yet have a boat or an adequate tow vehicle yet, soliciting help from a friend with both items would be in order. New vehicle sellers will probably not allow towing (because the engine and brakes aren't broken in), but it should be fine for a used vehicle.


Most dealers will allow you to take the vehicle for a few hours, or even overnight, if you seem very serious about buying the vehicle regardless of new or used. Take it home, hook up your boat, and go tow it around a little. They don't even have to know.

kaneboats
12-12-2013, 10:13 AM
Shoot, find the vehicle you like and then tell them you wanna drive to the house and tow the boat around the block with it. If it performs and is comfortable, you'll buy. They'll go for it.

irish-racing
12-13-2013, 01:16 PM
I have towed smaller boats, motorcycle trailers and other stuff with smaller vehicles like a Jeep wrangler and it was terrible. Not enough weight or power. We road the struggle bus. Then I had a GMC Sierra for a while and it did ok with boats, motorcycle trailers. About 3 years ago I bought my first F350 2002 with 250,000 miles and it was a great truck. Then I upgraded and bought a new F350 last year and I will never go back. I can tow anything I need and have no issues. I use it as a daily driver. I work 40 miles from home and because I like it more then my wife's Kia we usually take the truck everywhere. In 13 months I have 35,000 miles on my new F350. I know not everyone needs a diesel truck but for towing you can't beat it. Especially for longer drives. IMO diesel is the way to go. But what Kaneboats said... test drive something if it tows the boat fine then you got what you need. Good luck

mmandley
12-14-2013, 10:03 AM
Most dealers will allow you to take the vehicle for a few hours, or even overnight, if you seem very serious about buying the vehicle regardless of new or used. Take it home, hook up your boat, and go tow it around a little. They don't even have to know.

This works sometimes now a days. I recently bought a new rig, and the owners book says specifically no towing for 1000 miles. The dealer said absolutely not they would not let me tow with it. I called almost ever Ford dealer in my area and they all said no dice Jack.

Luckily I know some people with just as big a boat as mine that i trust their thoughts and keeping my fingers crossed it will tow well.

patrick232
12-15-2013, 04:33 PM
Mike, when looking to replace our 06 duramax i found one dealer in Columbus that said go hook it up and try it. I was surprised, I grabbed my dads 249 Glastron mid cabin that weights over 7,500 with trailer and non working breaks. I was surprised how will it did. Just can't get rid of the Duramax until it starts costing more than fuel, want 200k out of it. Only 10,500 more miles. Sorry about your F350, hope you enjoy the new F150

Wax
12-16-2013, 11:50 AM
This works sometimes now a days. I recently bought a new rig, and the owners book says specifically no towing for 1000 miles. The dealer said absolutely not they would not let me tow with it. I called almost ever Ford dealer in my area and they all said no dice Jack.

Luckily I know some people with just as big a boat as mine that i trust their thoughts and keeping my fingers crossed it will tow well.

Hence why I said they don't even need to know about it. Just take the color you don't want home, and then when you go back if you like the vehicle tell them you wanted black instead of red lol!

mmandley
12-16-2013, 12:52 PM
Hence why I said they don't even need to know about it. Just take the color you don't want home, and then when you go back if you like the vehicle tell them you wanted black instead of red lol!

HAHA sneaky, Maybe if i grabbed the cheaper XLT Eco that might have worked, but the trim package i have knows when you hook a trailer to it, the computer in the dash has all these settings and stuff for towing. It knows when you connect the trailer, it will remind you if you put the boat on it and don't connect the harness LOL.

All seriousness, every truck i have bought up here, the sales guy goes on the test ride, he tells you where you can and can't drive. They won't let the trucks out of there sight.

I remember buying cars with my grandpa and he used to bring them home over night all the time while shopping. IDK if things have really changed that much or what. I just know up here so fare the dealers won't let you have the truck alone. IDK maybe its the way i look? LOL i don't walk in the dealer with a fist full of hundos like I do when I buy my boats.

dusty2221
12-16-2013, 01:08 PM
$1's make the stack look bigger.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk

mmandley
12-16-2013, 01:33 PM
$1's make the stack look bigger.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk

True dat!!!

rdlangston13
12-16-2013, 07:30 PM
HAHA sneaky, Maybe if i grabbed the cheaper XLT Eco that might have worked, but the trim package i have knows when you hook a trailer to it, the computer in the dash has all these settings and stuff for towing. It knows when you connect the trailer, it will remind you if you put the boat on it and don't connect the harness LOL.

All seriousness, every truck i have bought up here, the sales guy goes on the test ride, he tells you where you can and can't drive. They won't let the trucks out of there sight.

I remember buying cars with my grandpa and he used to bring them home over night all the time while shopping. IDK if things have really changed that much or what. I just know up here so fare the dealers won't let you have the truck alone. IDK maybe its the way i look? LOL i don't walk in the dealer with a fist full of hundos like I do when I buy my boats.

They didn't have a demo model with 1,000 miles on it. This would be a huge selling point IMO. Have a demo in every engine option for people to tow with or whatever that has already been broken in. Then sell the new stuff and sell the demos at a discount at the end of the year. Everyone wins


Sent from my iPhone

skiyaker
12-16-2013, 08:13 PM
For a while I owned a GMC Acadia and I decided to tow my boat to Tennessee with it. I figured it has a 5200 pound tow rating so load her up and lets go. That falls into the "what the hell was I thinking" category. At one point I remember having the pedal to the floor with the tach on the redline going about 30 mph up a hill with a semi up my arse. I put a bit of wear on it that trip. The Acadia was the worst damn vehicle I've ever owned. We turned that thing into an expedition EL.

Wax
12-19-2013, 05:05 PM
For a while I owned a GMC Acadia and I decided to tow my boat to Tennessee with it. I figured it has a 5200 pound tow rating so load her up and lets go. That falls into the "what the hell was I thinking" category. At one point I remember having the pedal to the floor with the tach on the redline going about 30 mph up a hill with a semi up my arse. I put a bit of wear on it that trip. The Acadia was the worst damn vehicle I've ever owned. We turned that thing into an expedition EL.

That's a pretty puny tow rating for that vehicle, I'm actually surprised and shocked that it sucked that bad. I know people that tow a wake boat with their Traverse, they don't seem to have an issue but again maybe they just deal with it lol.

Plus isn't that the 3.6L? Uh oh GM, I hear you're putting that engine in the new Colorado...guess everybody will have to buy the 4cyl Duramax!

Buckeye LSV
12-19-2013, 09:53 PM
Towed old Response(2700lbs) with our Acadia with no problems or complaints for the last couple of years. Decided to take it to pick up the new LSV this fall and it did fine. Yea the LSV is more to the limits of the Acadia. Plenty of motor but the weight ratio is going the wrong way on that combo.

Now... I only tow the boat 1/2 mile to the top of the hill now so we will continue to use the Acadia some weekends. Yea if decide to take the boat on a road trip I going to take one of the trucks.

Just added a '14 eco boost to the line up, we'll see how it does come spring with the boat. If not still have my '10 with 5.4 and still my favorite to drive.( yes I have a truck problem!!)

skiyaker
12-24-2013, 01:40 PM
I probably had a thousand pounds of kids luggage beer etc in the Acadia at the time- I'm sure that didn't help

C.Hern5972
01-03-2014, 08:21 AM
I have a 13 Ecoboost and it has done great. I sold my 5.3 chevy and a denali 6.6 Duramax. Ive love this new truck and i tow allot with it. Test drive one and you might like it. I know loaded my boat, fuel, gear, people, coolers(fuel), im towing quiet a bit.

Boatdrinks797
01-06-2014, 11:49 PM
My wife just got an Acadia and I'm trying really hard to hate it, but it's got more interior room than my Yukon and gets great MPG's on the highway. I was wondering how it would work for towing in a pinch. The biggest hill's we have around here are at the boat ramp so shouldn't be a problem. I hate it when they are right!

viking
01-16-2014, 10:23 AM
to the op....we tow the boat with an 05 denali (regular not xl) and 07 duramax cc. Both pull the boat no prob. Of course the duramax pulls the boat as caboose behind our 9K lb 5'er so no yukon pales in comparison. But the yukon pulls the boat extremely well. If not camping, we load up all the gear and 3 kiddos and head out. It does have the 6.0L so that helps but not needed. I'm a bit spoiled though now so doubt when replacing it that I won't opt for the bigger powerplant. Many SUV's out there will do the job. But with kids and all the stuff that goes with them, the bigger the better both on room, HP, and tow load!

Buckeye LSV
01-16-2014, 07:22 PM
My wife just got an Acadia and I'm trying really hard to hate it, but it's got more interior room than my Yukon and gets great MPG's on the highway. I was wondering how it would work for towing in a pinch. The biggest hill's we have around here are at the boat ramp so shouldn't be a problem. I hate it when they are right!
Used our Acadia to pick up our LSV and put in and out a few times and it was fine. Wouldn't use it for a road trip with boat and gear, would opt for a heavier vehicle. We will be using both Acadia and F-150 this summer for tow duty. But for us now its 2miles to the gas station and 1/2 mile to ramp.

skiyaker
01-17-2014, 01:32 AM
Yeah I agree Acadia is fine for a few miles here and there just not the best choice to load up with gear and head down I75 through TN. We had a bad experience from the beginning because of service issues so I got sour on it pretty quickly. We tend to haul too much crap every where we go so once we had a third child we outgrew it. If they still made the excursion I would probably get one.

z28ke
01-19-2014, 01:17 AM
I'm a Chevy man so my vote is a 2000 model year or newer Tahoe/suburban/1500 rado, the newer the better depending on budget. I have a 06 5.3 Tahoe that gets the job done whether towing the boat or car trailer. In 2010 I bought a new 1500 silverado 6.2 liter and it towes like a beast!

kaneboats
01-19-2014, 01:34 AM
Jealous. I got the 5.3 in the 'burb. Wish I had a nice new one with a 6.2L. But, mine's just getting broken in. Only has 128k on it.

02tahoeindiana
01-30-2014, 05:12 PM
What others said about the 5.3 Chevy is true. It is a workhorse and does great towing. I have a 2002 Tahoe with 5.3 215,000miles original motor original transmission, a saab 9-7x with the 5.3 96,000miles and also a 2008 Denali with the 6.2L. The 6.2 is an absolute monster and does tow slightly better than the Tahoe but with the AWD and 6.2 it gets slightly worse gas mileage. I will be headed the 10hrs one way to Brostock the June with the XLV so with gear, coolers and people we will be at 6,000 pounds or more and I will be driving the Tahoe with 215,000 miles on it. Just hate putting miles on the newer trucks and the Tahoe tows great. I would say they are the best all around SUV I have owned.

Also you can get a very clean 2000-2006 tahoe for under $10,000 or a 2007 and up for around $17,000

AlbertaBoy
03-29-2014, 02:51 PM
I picked up a new F-150 Platinum Ecoboost (with max tow package) this past June after having an Avalanche LTZ. I read all the reviews and specs on the towing capacity etc, but never did test drive it with the boat.
Loaded up the boat and truck for vacation having never towed with it and wow. :)
All I can say is the Ecoboost is awesome. So smooth and quiet. Really noticed the difference uphill...barely seems to be working where my Avalanche would scream especially towing through the mountains, at times struggling to get up to 90 km/hr.
Amazing what Ford accomplished with a V6.
Was worried I would miss the ride of my Avalanche but the Ford has not disappointed.
So far so good.

kaneboats
03-31-2014, 10:35 AM
What others said about the 5.3 Chevy is true. It is a workhorse and does great towing. I have a 2002 Tahoe with 5.3 215,000miles original motor original transmission,

Did you ever replace all the cooling system hoses on yours? If so, at what mileage? I'm thinking about doing this before summer as they are now over 12 years old.

02tahoeindiana
04-08-2014, 08:08 PM
I have not replaced any cooling lines or hoses on mine yet. Did replace the water pump last summer as the seal got leaky. But all my hoses seem to be in excellent condition still. Its remarkable for a 12year old vehicle especially as frequently as its driven. Ive considered flushing the radiator and transmission cooler this summer but it stays as cool as when we bought it in 02. The best maintenance on these trucks is driving them. Keeping the seals and rubber all in good form. If i ever let it sit for a few months i feel it would deteriorate but it has been driven nearly every day for 12 years straight.

kaneboats
04-09-2014, 10:05 AM
I did a full transmission fluid change on mine at around 70k. I'm going to do it again soon. I like to unhook the lines and let it pump out while I keep adding more. I throw away 2 gal. or so but get a pretty full change. Also drop the pan and clean it real good and put in a new filter. Might think about doing something like this. I'm going to grab some generic coolant hose and new clamps and start keeping it with me.

02tahoeindiana
04-09-2014, 12:05 PM
Ive definitely considered flushing the transmission and kept telling myself I would but now it seems I may be at the point where it could cause more hurt than help. 218kmiles on factory fluid and it still whips shifts with the corvette servo. Fear is that i could stir up so many particles i could end up clogging the valve body once its flushed and put back together. Have you added any upgraders, bigger cooler or corvette servo? Mine shifts so firm still its amazing. Plan on heading out to SC to pick up a new boat then pulling it all the way back then taking it 10hrs the other way to brostock and back so that will be the breaking point im guessing if it decides to start to slip that will sure create some heat.

kaneboats
04-10-2014, 12:24 PM
You will definitely find out if she's still a front line vehicle.

mmandley
04-10-2014, 08:56 PM
Ive definitely considered flushing the transmission and kept telling myself I would but now it seems I may be at the point where it could cause more hurt than help. 218kmiles on factory fluid and it still whips shifts with the corvette servo. Fear is that i could stir up so many particles i could end up clogging the valve body once its flushed and put back together. Have you added any upgraders, bigger cooler or corvette servo? Mine shifts so firm still its amazing. Plan on heading out to SC to pick up a new boat then pulling it all the way back then taking it 10hrs the other way to brostock and back so that will be the breaking point im guessing if it decides to start to slip that will sure create some heat.

I agree 100% do not flush a trans with that many miles on the fluid. The new fluid will be so abrasive it will eat out the seals and you will have leaks then a full failure.

I used to see this all the time at Ford when I was a tech. Old cars or high milage would come in 1 week for a big service and trans flush. Then come back the next week with trans leaks, just to be told the trans was trashed now.

The best thing you can do is change the fluid every 15-30K miles depending on if its a tow vehicle or hard city driving. Change the filter in the trans and keep driving.

I have personally never flushed all the fluid from a trans on my cars only drop the pan, clean it, replace filters, and refill it.

kaneboats
04-11-2014, 11:01 AM
The best thing you can do is change the fluid every 15-30K miles depending on if its a tow vehicle or hard city driving. Change the filter in the trans and keep driving.

I have personally never flushed all the fluid from a trans on my cars only drop the pan, clean it, replace filters, and refill it.

This is obviously the best route if done on schedule. But, it's also the one maintenance item so many people seem to skip. So, if I buy a vehicle with around 50-70k on it I'll do a full change and then do it again every time after that.

mmandley
04-11-2014, 11:34 AM
This is obviously the best route if done on schedule. But, it's also the one maintenance item so many people seem to skip. So, if I buy a vehicle with around 50-70k on it I'll do a full change and then do it again every time after that.

Absolutely, as in your case you have a system of flushing it all out each time so its ok. I would only be concerned if you have high mileage 100K+ or don't know the history.

Case in point, the Vette is turning 140K tomorrow, maintenance book shows it got a full trans rebuilt at 120ish but I will still only drop the pan, change filter and keep going. Just the way I do it lol.

On the diesels I had it was simple, the pan had a drain plug in it. I would drain them at 12K and refill, then change filter every other drain.

rdlangston13
04-11-2014, 01:06 PM
Absolutely, as in your case you have a system of flushing it all out each time so its ok. I would only be concerned if you have high mileage 100K+ or don't know the history.

Case in point, the Vette is turning 140K tomorrow, maintenance book shows it got a full trans rebuilt at 120ish but I will still only drop the pan, change filter and keep going. Just the way I do it lol.

On the diesels I had it was simple, the pan had a drain plug in it. I would drain them at 12K and refill, then change filter every other drain.

This is all we did at cadillac for a trans service. Drop the pan, change the filter, and top off with new fluid. You never got all the fluid in one hit but you diluted it enough doing this every 30k that it stayed pretty fresh.