I'm hoping someone can help me with tow vehicle advice.
I'm considering a 26-ft. Travel Trailer (no slides) with a GVWR of 7,000 lbs. and the UVW is about 4500 lbs. without freshwater or propane. The trailer would be towed 2x/year between southern US and Southern Maine, and the reason I included UVW is that the TT's contents could be distributed partially into van for long haul travel, if that helps.
The towing van would also serve as "my car" the rest of the time. I do not need, or particularly want, seats in it other than driver's and passenger's because I would like it to be a van that I can eventually have someone insulate and panel, with a suitable floor, for VERY minimalist outfitting in order to take side camping trips without having to haul the 26-ft. trailer. Wish list: If it didn't hurt mileage or cost a ton more, one I could stand up in, but I think that's pushing my luck.
There are passenger vans and cargo vans and I don't know whether one is better for hauling than the other. In fact, I know next to nothing about them, only that a van would be my strongly preferred tow vehicle rather than a truck. I also don't know beans about diesel vs. gas, only that I've heard that when emissions became an issue, diesels did not play well with the emissions modifications, and that repairs are expensive, and may not perform well in really cold weather (and I would be driving it there in December). But that's all I know or think I know.
Can anyone suggest a particular van I should look at? I would be looking for a used one, ideally under $20K (and if possible, as far under that as possible) but if not, then as close as I could stay to that number. Reliability is very important to me.
Thanks very much in advance to anyone who can give me guidance.
I'm considering a 26-ft. Travel Trailer (no slides) with a GVWR of 7,000 lbs. and the UVW is about 4500 lbs. without freshwater or propane. The trailer would be towed 2x/year between southern US and Southern Maine, and the reason I included UVW is that the TT's contents could be distributed partially into van for long haul travel, if that helps.
The towing van would also serve as "my car" the rest of the time. I do not need, or particularly want, seats in it other than driver's and passenger's because I would like it to be a van that I can eventually have someone insulate and panel, with a suitable floor, for VERY minimalist outfitting in order to take side camping trips without having to haul the 26-ft. trailer. Wish list: If it didn't hurt mileage or cost a ton more, one I could stand up in, but I think that's pushing my luck.
There are passenger vans and cargo vans and I don't know whether one is better for hauling than the other. In fact, I know next to nothing about them, only that a van would be my strongly preferred tow vehicle rather than a truck. I also don't know beans about diesel vs. gas, only that I've heard that when emissions became an issue, diesels did not play well with the emissions modifications, and that repairs are expensive, and may not perform well in really cold weather (and I would be driving it there in December). But that's all I know or think I know.
Can anyone suggest a particular van I should look at? I would be looking for a used one, ideally under $20K (and if possible, as far under that as possible) but if not, then as close as I could stay to that number. Reliability is very important to me.
Thanks very much in advance to anyone who can give me guidance.