albireo13 said:
Hi,
We are downsizing our house and plan to get a trailer in the next 2 years. I am now in a position to buy a new (used) vehicle. My Honda Accord is going away soon ( next month). I want something that can tow a modest travel trailer ... maybe 20' long. It will be for my wife and I.
My dillemma is that whatever I buy will likely be my everyday/commuting vehicle as well. My wife and I have separate jobs, no mass transit, and really only want to keep and maintain 2 vehicles.
I'm thinking a 3/4 ton pickup or a beefy SUV. Whatever I get will get crappy gas mileage but, I'm willing to deal with that.
Any suggestions ??? I'd love to hear what other folks have settled on.
Thx,
Rob
Rob
I just went through the same evaluation process as you are, but with slightly different objectives. You can see my "build thread" for the 2002 Dodge 3/4 ton Cummins I bought here (
http://www.cumminsforum.com/forum/98-5-02-powertrain/2023098-tow-vehicle-build-thread-ethyl-2002-dodge-2500-auto-5-9l-ctd-4-10-a.html).
While I don't have the towing experience that many do here, as an engineer I've managed to stay abreast of some of the technical issues, and as a farm girl, I have towed trailers on and off most of my life.
My decision was predicated on an objective to tow a 5th wheel which is substantially heavier than the TT you're thinking of (up to 12K vs about 8K to 9K probably for you) and to be able to tow it once or twice a month, in the mountains around Southern Nevada and in the Rockies for skiing, with occasionally cross country trips. For me, the 24V 2nd Generation Cummins was a good choice. I went into it knowing I'd have to spend some money on known issues such as the steering box, transmission, lift pump, etc., but, the basic powertrain should be good for a half million miles or more. I wanted a truck that I could reasonably expect to use for twenty years or more. In the decade and a half that this powertrain has been out, the issues with it have become well defined. So for me, I felt better knowing the weak points than I would have buying a new diesel with unknown weak points, warranty aside of course.
With your requirements I'd probably have gone with a good used gas V8. Were I buying new or near new and only wanted to tow 9K or less occasionally, the Ram 6.4L Hemi would be really attractive.
I'm getting about 15 to 16 mpg in my truck in mixed driving, but it's got the 4.10 gears for highest tow capacity. Guys with the 3.55's are reporting in the 20 to 22 range, but their towing capability is less than mine. I didn't buy it for the fuel economy. At 15,000 miles per year the difference in 16 and 21 mpg is only about $560.
I would suggest you figure out first what size trailer you are going to be comfortable with. If indeed a 20' unit at 9K or less is all you need, and you're only going to be pulling it every few months or so, an F150 crew cab might be a great choice. You can pick them up used for a song and they have reasonable towing capacity. Here's a useful link to the last 15 years of Ford towing guides (
http://www.fleet.ford.com/towing-guides/). You'll note for example that the 2010 F150 with 3.55 axle is rated to tow over 9K with the proper equipment, and over 11K with the 4.10. You'll want to DO YOUR HOMEWORK on any used truck to make sure it is equipped like you think it is!
It's easy to get caught up in the hype and just go big. I was seduced by the 1 ton dually call for quite a while, but my requirements just couldn't justify it. I neither need nor want a 14,000 pound or 16,000 pound trailer. My truck is rated to to 11,450, and that's going be more MORE than adequate for me, particularly with some minor upgrades to my truck as mentioned earlier. Figure out what you need in a trailer first, then spec your truck on that. I agree with those that say that, "No one ever wanted less truck when towing!" But you aren't going to be towing that often or that much it sounds like.
You can get a REAL nice used half ton in the six to eight year old and 80K range for about a third or less the price of a new one. The maintenance will be less, you'll get decent fuel economy, and it'll be easy to drive. I LOVE my 3/4 ton 4x4 diesel! But most people haven't driven trucks since they were 11 like I have.
Remember that, not spending money is rarely a bad idea. You can look at trucks free as long as you want. The minute you hand over those hundred dollar bills you're stuck. Take your time and really figure out what you want. Do the research on the engine and power train. For example, the Ford modular engines have an excellent track record, as do most modern gas engines. The 2nd and 3rd generation Cummins have perhaps the best track record out there, as long as you're ok with it being in a Dodge. The 1st gen's are great engines, but they're mechanical injection so lose some at altitudes. The 7.3L Powerstroke was a great engine, but getting one that's low mileage is hard these days. The 6.0L and 6.4L Powerstroke were ridden with issues that'll cost you four to five grand (just on the engine!) to prevent, but I know guys that have 15 year old 6.0L's that are perfectly happy with them (they've changed the oil and coolant religiously!). I rarely hear bad things about the Duramax, but I understand there are a few issues to be aware of. In any of these cases, if you lose an engine, you're out a BUNCH of money! With a gasser you're out a lot LESS money.
It's good to plan, but my suggestion is to try and be very realistic about what your real needs are and, sure, put in a margin for error/safety, but, unless you're just buying for the "toy" factor, there may not be any reason to take on the cost of ownership of any of the diesels.
Your idea of a third "commuter" vehicle is one a lot of people make. My opinion is that the cost and maintenance of that vehicle would be even more difficult to recoup than the cost of the diesel unless you're talking about something in the three to five grand range.
Good luck with your search!
Namaste
Kate
