|
|
Posts: 544
Location: Alsip, Il | My 2000 Blazer is racking up the miles and I am not sure she is going to make another season. She has a 6 cylinder and does pull the boat ok. My brother-law's 8 cylinder Tundra seems to pull my boat without as much effort. I am interested in a new vehicle because of all the possible rebates on 2003's. I found a conversion van I belive with a 6cyl. (3.9 magnum engine whatever that means), also what do you think of Durango's it seems you are getting alot for a reasonable price? Need Input! Thanks, Al |
|
| |
|
|
Edited by Sponge 8/23/2006 10:30 AM
|
|
| |
|
Posts: 1294
Location: Stevens Point, Wi. | Al, whatever brand you buy, be sure to get a vehicle that is factory equipped with a towing package. In addition to the hitch and wiring, the advantages to a towing package usually include increased cooling for both engine and transmission and a larger battery and higher amp. alternator. Also, don't shortchange yourself on the engine, go with a V8. Next, READ the owners manual for towing recomendations. Good luck. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 941
Location: Freedom, WI | Had Dodges, they like to drink the gas. I now own a full size GMC with better fuel economy and more room. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 378
Location: Michigan | Not sure how large your boat is, but I just put a Durango on the used car market because it just doesn't cut it pulling my Triton 189. I have a 99 Durango with the 5.2L engine. I really don't think the horsepower is the problem, but more the short wheelbase. My boat/trailer package weighs right around 3000-3200 lbs and that boat moves the old durango around pretty good going down the road.
I actually really like the Durango and haven't had too much trouble with it mechanically. It is a lot of truck for the money, but I just don't think it does a great job towing the weight I need it to. One real negative is my Durango was absolutely terrible on fuel economy. I could only get 8-9 MPG while pulling the boat going down the highway... 12 MPG without pulling the boat.
Prior to the Durango I pulled the boat with an older Ford F150 with no trouble what so ever. I hardly knew the boat was there.
I just picked up a 2003 Chevy Silverado Z71 extended cab with the tow package!!! I drove the Tahoe too, but just couldn't swing the payment. I purchased the truck on July 29 and got $5500 of from dealer and manufacturer incentives. Great time to buy! This is my first brand new vehicle. Plan to tow with it for the first time this weekend.
Edited by Chadster 8/27/2003 9:27 PM
|
|
| |
|
Posts: 20281
Location: oswego, il | Dodges are bad on gas. The dodge shorty full size conversion is the cheapest van of any kind on the market however. Not sure i would want to pull the musky rocket with it. Why not get another blazer? |
|
| |
|
Location: Minneapolis, MN | If you are getting a lot of truck for the money ask yourself why? The resale value of a vehicle tends to be a very good indicator of how good a vehicle it is. IMHO that is why there is such a huge disparity between say a Durango and a Tundra.
I own a 2003 (current model) GMC Yukon and its a POS. Been in the shop litterally dozens of times. My next vehicle will be the SUV version of the Tundra called the Sequoia. The Toyota V8 is a stump puller and is rock soild. It was originally put to work in the Lexus many years ago.
As stated above, make sure you get a tranny cooler at a minimum. Many trucks can move a boat, not all can stop it well and if you don't get the heat out of the tranny, it will eventually fail. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 1310
Location: Washington, PA | I've heard nothing but bad about the durango's. If you're looking for dependability, look for a Toyota, I hate to say it, but it's the truth.
Edited by tomyv 8/28/2003 7:50 AM
|
|
| |
|
Posts: 364
Location: in the white boat | Big fan of Tahoe/Suburban here too. Currently on my 3rd Tahoe.
Recently convinced another friend to buy one and he doesn't know how he got this far in life without it. There are 7 Tahoes/Yukons between my family and friends, and the number is growing rapidly. My dad covers 5 states in his sales territory and has over 70k on his '02 Yukon. He's done nothing but regular oil/tire maintenence.
Edited by esoxjunkie 8/28/2003 8:06 AM
|
|
| |
|
Posts: 69
| Hiya,
Judging from the experiences a couple co-workers have had, I wouldn't go near a Durango. One guy just flat-out hated the thing (ride quality, handling), the other had numerous tranny problems. Both dumped them in less than a year.
I'm the one EsoxJunkie talked into getting a Tahoe, and I freaking love the thing. Mine was used, and on the high side mile-wise, partly due to $ (new ones have a pretty hefty price tag to say the least) and partly because I like the older body style with the 'barn door' back doors. Mechanic looked it over and said the engine's in top shape, and it doesn't burn a drop of oil. The engines in the pre-2000s are reliable (5.7L Chevy has been around a while - heh) and the towing power is great. Ride-wise, it's like driving a couch, and I was AMAZED at the agility. I thought it was going to be like driving a bus compared to my Cherokee, but it's a lot lighter on its feet than you'd think for a big vehicle. I HAVE heard less positive things about the 5.3L Tahoes (2000 model year on up) as far as reliability but don't know a great deal about them so take that with a hefty grain of salt.
Another good one, from what I've seen/heard, is anything with a Hemi. Towed a ski boat (more like a ski barge) with my sister's new Hemi-powered Super Cab last week, and the thing is an animal. Not stellar fuel economy obviously, but you can knock down a building with the thing if you need to. Ride was first rate too.
Really, when it comes to towing, there truly is 'no replacement for displacement' as the old gearhead's saw goes. Before I got the Tahoe I towed with a Jeep Cherokee with a 4L v-6. It did the job, but the smaller body didn't exactly breed confidence when hauling a big boat, and the engine really roared, plus the transmissions in lighter vehicles just aren't meant to lug that much, whatever the manual says (my Cherokee manual said it could pull 5k lbs. Not far it couldn't...)
One of the biggest things with towing is following the manual when it comes to NOT towing in overdrive (as someone has already said) and getting a GOOD transmission cooler. An engine oil cooler isn't a bad idea either. My Tahoe has one tranny cooler already, but I may put an auxilliary cooler on as well. Never heard of a tranny going kaput because it ran too cool.
Anyhow, a vote for the Tahoe. My .02
RK
|
|
| |
|
Posts: 1294
Location: Stevens Point, Wi. | RK--not true about running to cool. Trans. fluid can actually gel if too cold, causing restrictions and thus overheating. Catch 22. Too much of anything can be just as dangerous as too little. $$$ might be better spent on more frequent trans. services and a trans. temp. gauge. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 1137
Location: Holly, MI | Avoid the Dodge conversion van. Conversion vans in general (my opinion) are junk. All aftermarket, non OEM junk bolted on to a stripped cargo van. They just don't hold up. Also look at the numbers. No dodge full sized vans on the roda, tons of Fords and some chevys. My brother tows us around with a Ford Ranger extra cab, 4.0 liter, 4x4 and it sucks gas like crazy. Maybe it is just him or his. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 335
Location: Orland Park | Toyota Sequoia. I pull a Ranger 519 with it, and you don't even know the boat is back there. I have 70,000 miles with not a single problem.
SEQUOIA, no questions asked. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 2384
Location: On the X that marks the mucky spot | I run a Durango with the 4.7L and I think it pulls great. The 2 boats I've had were a 21' fish and ski (heavy as hell and no brakes) and a 21' bass boat and I can do 75mph w/o a problem with either. I do many trips 1-3 hours on the highway and have never had a problem with the boat having it's way with me. Don't get an old one with the 5.2L engine! That engine goes through 2x the gas and the tranny's suck!. The 4.7L are also great on gas. I'm on the road for my sales job and get 20mpg highway when I'm nice on the accelerator. I'd get another one after my experience with this one.
Edited by Muskie Treats 8/28/2003 4:07 PM
|
|
| |
|
Posts: 1462
Location: Davenport, IA | The 2004 durangos are coming out soon with a HEMI. Its got a little less horsepower than the full size trucks, but I believe its rated at 330 (vs 345 of the trucks) The look is changed a lot for the durango too. Its got the grill of the full size trucks and looks great. Also the Hemi gets better gas milage than the old 360. (5.9L) Gas milage might even be better than the 4.7. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 50
Location: Far Northwest Chicago Suburb | Just read an article on the Toyota Seqouia in Motor Trends "Truck Trend" magazine. It was a long term test for the vehicle, and at 36,000 miles the tab for regular maintenence was $5,800 bucks. Between tires, which seemed they were putting new ones on every 3,000 miles, and $100.00 oil and tranmission fluid changes every other week, someone would need a fat bill fold to take on the newer Toyota.
Had an 86' GMC 2500 heavy-duty 4x4 that sucked gas with the 5.7 liter carburated engine, but managed to give me 180,000 miles with only a manifold leak, and 4 sets of tires. Sold it to a friend who brought the milage up to 250,000 before she died. She was one heck of a truck!
Can someone tell me why a new full-size fully loaded pick costs as much as $40,000+, who needs leather in a pick-up!! or DVD! |
|
| |
|
Posts: 544
Location: Alsip, Il | Thanks for the advice, alot of good information. Al |
|
| |
|
Posts: 1916
Location: Greenfield, WI | I have used a 2000 Blazer to pull my Tuffy Esox Magnum with ease the last 3 years and 100,000 miles. I have just replaced that Blazer with a 2003 Trail Blazer. The motor is much more powerful. The ride is also much improved with more space inside for both passengers and cargo. I highly recommend this model. Chevy has monster rebates and loyalty cash programs
in effect now.
Good Luck. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 229
Location: Willoughby, Ohio | If you're going to be on the highway alot, why not consider a diesel? The engine, if maintained properly, will last forever. The fuel is readily available all along the interstates and you can tow anything short of the Queen Mary with one. After having my F-250 Powerstroke, I don't care to ever go back to a truck with sparkplugs. The newer diesels from the big 3 are all considerably quieter than their predecessors and produce very little smoke. Besides, diesels get better mileage than gas engines.
Edited by Worm Drowner 8/29/2003 3:33 PM
|
|
| |
|
Posts: 103
Location: Illinoise | I have a '98 Ford F150. It has about 90K miles and I have never had any problems with it. It rides great on the highway and pulls my boat with very little effort. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 58
| GMC 2500HD with the diesel. You cannot beat the mileage, 19-21 on the highway not towing at 75mph. 14-16 mpg towing a 32' 5th whl travel trailer.With A 9,200# gross vehicle weight, this is one serious truck, capable of just about anything you could ask of it. |
|
| |
|
| I just bought a new Olds Bravada. I was skeptical at first, but my dad sells them in the twin cities. I pul a crestliner 1850 sportfish loaded for bear. I love the truck it has a load leveling compressor to ensure an even pull. It has more horsepower than any V6 suv and when I was shopping for a new truck I was looking for a V8 and many of our favorites had less horsepower than the V6 in the Bravada. The ENVOY is the GMC counterpart. I went with the Olds because thaey are discounting them to move the last Olds products.
Hell of a vehicle. Lots of power, nice tow, classy look.
Fever |
|
| |
|
Posts: 326
Location: Plainfield IL | Just because a truck has hi HP doesnt mean its a great towing vehicle. Some trucks offer 270hp from a v6, read the fine print. The 270hp is @5800 rpms. The key to a great towing vehicle is foot lbs of torque and at what rpm. Some of the v8's have less overall hp than the v6, but the 8's max hp is at a much lower rpm. The 8's have significant improvement in ft lbs of torque and low rpms and this is where it counts. Go to edmunds.com and choose new truck. Edmonds will let you compare the trucks you are interested in side by side. On a side not Nissan is unleashing their new Full Size, its called the Pathfinder Armada. Boasts over 300hp and 370 ft lbs of torque. Check out the nissan website.
R_H |
|
| |
|
Posts: 78
Location: Pardeeville, WI | First off let me say im partial to foreign vehicles because thats all ive ever driven.
But my dream is someday to own a 1998 or newer Toyota Landcruiser or that new Pathfinder Armada. Also Nissan is coming out with its full size truck this fall also which should be a monster.
If I were you and you were going to go American I would probably stick with a full size Ford or Chevy. They hold their resale. Otherwise as another poster mentioned having a Suburban would be cool. If you ever go camping and things get tuff you can sleep in it. Also you can pull an apartment building down with one of those and you will probably live thru just about any accident. With all these reckless wannabee teenagers cruising around thinking that the fast and the furious is the coolest movie ever with their stupid 4 feet tall spoilers & driving a hundred miles per hour I would go big for safety purposes. I'll be damned if Im going to let a drunk 16 year old try killing me or my family
Full size Dodge trucks sure look awesome but I have heard of nothing but bad news from people who have owned them.
Look into a Landcruiser before you buy. The things are bulletproof.
Edited by BTPF 8/29/2003 5:24 PM
|
|
| |
|
Posts: 50
Location: Far Northwest Chicago Suburb | I have some good news about Dodge full size pick-ups. My father has been through one ram 2500 HD 4x4 that performed with flying colors(185,000miles,1997year). His second truck now is a 2002 2500 4x4 camper special rear-end. Great truck with the 4:10 rear axle and by far is the most powerful pick-up I have ever been in and drove.
I'm 6'4" tall and need the leg room, and the ram is the only pick-up I fit comfortably in (great seats!!). The chevy's have no thigh support on the seats, and my knees stick out a foot. The seats are to low, and if put up high my head is nearly touching the roof.
With no front axle, how in the heck do you throw a plow on the front! I saw a guy last winter with a brand new chevy 2500 HD truck with an average western plow. Well the chevy's rear end looked like it was about to lift off the ground, and the front nose was practically touching the ground. The truck looked like it was hurting to move! They drive more like a car then a truck.
I was driving back from Hayward in the dodge ram 2500 with the camper special rearend, when a lifted chevy(2003 2500 HD)came on the highway. Well the dodge was still taller stock. His pipes sounded nice, though.
Fords just are the worst trucks ever made. Sorry Found On the Road Dead implies. My uncle went from a dodge to ford 250 superduty fully loaded except leather, and it is falling apart. Helped him one summer landscaping and drove it to sugar grove, and back to barrington for a week. My teeth hurt from the awful ride, chevy topkick rides better! The dash was rattling from regular road travel, and the exhaust was rough. The thing has a 460, but no power what so ever. Step on the gas and nothing happens.(2-year old truck,yikes!) He is now looking at the chevy 2500 HD duramax, it has the same tranny that is in the 6500 topkicks! He always tells me that he wished he never got rid of the ram.
The interior is the ugliest for a truck, when are they going to change that dumb steering wheel, it's the same as in their cubevans. The cloth has been made of the same material and texture since 1993, and its the same in every ford vehicle! Can you say fade in a week of sun. cheapOO!
The ones who applaud Ford trucks usually drive the 250 or 350 powerstroke, and pop in the banks system to the diesel. I believe hp climes radically so does torque and tire spinning is fun. How much does that cost? I would like to see a stock power stroke compared with cummins and duramax (stock). I'll take the cummins diesel any day of the week! Sounds like a semi, with the same gusto! HD six speed manual, cool!
And please no transmission hacking, those are for people who abuse their trucks, don't know how to pull a trailer properly, run and gun, and don't know what tranny fluid is!
Few! talk about venting! We should all talk trucks more often!
p.s. I have heard that the 1500 rams go through more problems than the 2500HD 4x4's. If you want or need a ram pick up buy the biggest one (2500-3500) because I believe they are made for more abuse, like towing, plowing, hauling, etc. Honestly I have been in and driven many different trucks, and suv's. From dodge, chevy, gmc, ford, toyota, nissan, and even the porsche cayenne turbo. The fastest's suv on the planet! |
|
| |
|
Posts: 335
Location: Orland Park | Well, I'm not sure about the regular maintenance on a Toyota Sequoia being around $5,800. Whoever did that test must have beat on that vehicle.:) Article must have been written by a die hard union guy. I get my oil changed and fluids checked every 4-5K miles, and at $30 a pop to get this done.....$500 over the almost 3 years I've had it? New brake pads at 50,000 miles........new tires at 60,000 miles..........that's it. Routine maintenance. Never had it back to the dealer for anything. I had 2 4-Runners before this, and NEVER a problem. My brake pads on the 4-Runner didn't have to be changed until I had almost 85,000 miles on it, and that is no joke.
I have a buddy in Minneapolis who bought a Sequoia after I talked him into getting one, and he said he would never buy another American truck again. Nor will I. We've had our share of problems with Jeep, Dodge, Chevy, and GMC. Toyota may be more money, but it won't drain your pocketbook 2-3 years down the road.
Also, during our trip to Minnesota from Chicago, I got close to 14 miles a gallon, pulling the Ranger 519 and a lot of camping gear.
Edited by Commanche Jim 8/31/2003 12:06 PM
|
|
| |
|
Posts: 228
Location: Downers Grove, IL | I'll back everything Commanche Jim said. While I only recently bought my Sequoia, my mother and my sister have driven them for 2 years and 1 year respectively with ZERO problems. These things are ROCK SOLID and ride ALOT smoother than Chevy's or Fords. I dont even have the "tow package" on mind (load leveling suspension) but doesn't seem to make a difference.
Admittedly, the price gap between these and GM trucks is pretty good size but in the long run, I think it's money well spent.
I just wish the U.S. could crank out cars/trucks half as reliable as the Japanese, but until they do, I'll stick with the imports.
...my two cents |
|
| |
|
Posts: 229
Location: Willoughby, Ohio | "The ones who applaud Ford trucks usually drive the 250 or 350 powerstroke, and pop in the banks system to the diesel. I believe hp climes radically so does torque and tire spinning is fun. How much does that cost? I would like to see a stock power stroke compared with cummins and duramax (stock). I'll take the cummins diesel any day of the week! Sounds like a semi, with the same gusto! HD six speed manual, cool! " Nick, Take a look at http://www.thedieselstop.com/ for stock v stock comparisons. The Cummins is the easiest to beef up and the new Duramax is a tough competitor but the 6.0 Powerstoke still puts out the top numbers. I suppose it's a matter of preference as to which one works for you. I'm 6' 6" and my 1996 F-250 is completely comfortable to drive. It's rock solid and runs great. BTW It's completely stock. No chip (yet), no exhaust mods. Might not be the fastest, but if I want to hot rod a bit, I'll take my Mercedes for that.
Edited by Worm Drowner 8/31/2003 9:39 PM
|
|
| |
|
Posts: 544
Location: Alsip, Il | Once again thanks for all the advice, I did end up getting a new vehicle last Friday night, what a long drawn out process it was. Anyways I ended up with 2003 Envoy and it has the heavy duty towing package, transmission cooler, some extras that I never had before and it is a 6 cylinder that is suppose to be able to pull up to 5720 lbs. I believe my basscat boat motor and trailer is around 3600 lbs. I really feel in love with a Silverado but got jerked around and it would be alittle hard for my 88 year old musky chasing father getting in and out of. I tell you what if any of you musky nuts is in the car or truck dealership and is honest (willing to make a fair deal), and within an hour's drive of chicago I would like to see you in three years or so. Thanks, Al |
|
| |
|
Posts: 364
Location: in the white boat | Congrats Alan, my mother and also my sis-in-law both drive Envoys. While they don't tow with them, they both love 'em.
I'm sure it will treat you well. |
|
| |
Tow Vehicles, Suggestions?