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Posts: 335
Location: Pulaski, WI | Looking to downsize. Only need to be able to tow 3,500 lbs. What's a good V6 tow vehicle? I lean more toward SUV's than pickup trucks.
Thanks |
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Posts: 136
Location: Dane Country | Ford Edge or Explorer would do the trick. |
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| Shopping for the same myself and have narrowed to either Ford Explorer, Jeep Grand Cherokee or Dodge Durango. All rated higher than 3500 - so if I had to go smaller I'd choose something with trailer sway control (maybe Dodge Journey, I'm sure there are others). I'm also hearing the new Ford Escape (total redesign) has Ecoboost, 4wd, tows 3500 and gets upper 20's for mpg. Lot better than my old V8! |
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Posts: 458
| If you get an Edge get AWD. |
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Posts: 201
| Even a Minivan is rated for 3500 lbs. The real question is how big do you want it to be inside? |
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Posts: 136
Location: Dane Country | You also have to look at a safety stand point. I tow with a 1997 Ford F250. Big block 460, auto,2wd, and an auto trans. Pure overkill. But I can to anything, stop fast, never stress the drivetrain no matter how steep of a mountain. I get roughly 14-16 mpg at 60 and my towing delivers between 12-13.5 mpg. I owe no money and she has never left me stranded. She has 110,000 miles on her. I changed the original tires at 88,000 miles, did it's first tune up, tranny flush and coolant flush at 90,000 miles. Last week replaced the original front rotors at 109,000 miles. I don't think I could ever sell her.
If you buy to small of a vehicle towing will be miserable. It's not all about mpg.
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Posts: 1638
Location: Minnesota | chevy Equinox awd |
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Posts: 94
| get a diesel I get 19.8 miles to the gallon at 70mph on cruise control, regular level driving. Towing I drop to 15.6 I have a 35 gallon tank (stock) 546 miles to the tank with the boat behind me. Im towing a 20 foot 4 inch fiberglass bass boat with a 200 merc the truck wont even hit a passing gear going up a big long hill. They run forever and diesel fuel cost the same as low grade gas. If you ever want a camper it will pull that too. My only suggestion is to get the long bed, and not a chevy the duramax is made overseas now |
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| I'd put a Toyota 4Runner on the shortlist. Great reliability, good towing capabilities, and strong resale.
TW |
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Posts: 395
Location: NW WI | smbrickner - 8/23/2012 1:42 PM
Even a Minivan is rated for 3500 lbs. The real question is how big do you want it to be inside?
Our 08 Dodge mini with the 4.0L can easily tow 3500 lbs. 260+ ponies and max torque right in the towing RPM's. Newer 3.6 Pentastar engine has even more ponies. Have heard the 11 and 12 Chrysler Corp mini's' AC is not up to snuff though. |
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Posts: 619
| Easy choice for me would be no other than a chev t blazer.. has inline 6 cyl w/ 270hp..can buy an used t blazer very reasonable price as well. |
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Posts: 63
| Jeep.. inline v6 325000 miles still can tow quite a bit.. They last forever.. |
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Posts: 177
| Never thought I would own a nissan but I have a pathfinder and its a great tow vehicle and family suv |
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Posts: 395
Location: NW WI | Slow Rollin - 8/24/2012 8:40 PM
Easy choice for me would be no other than a chev t blazer.. has inline 6 cyl w/ 270hp..can buy an used t blazer very reasonable price as well.
We had an extended TBlazer and can attest to the towing ability of them! |
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Location: Sun Prairie, Wisconsin | Have to say I agree with ski glider. The standard V-6 can pull 6000 pounds... Also, it has been very reliable. The heating/Air system works fine, but is not the best I have owned. However, few V-6 vehicles tow like a Pathfinder and the Bose sound system rocks.
Edited by Badgerpat1 8/26/2012 4:48 PM
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Posts: 833
| I will diminish myself and admit I tow with a 2009 Sienna. Such is having two little ones. The minivan has pros and cons while towing, assuming it is equipped mechanically to tow. (yes mine is)
Pros:
1.) Can you store 9'6" Custom Rods inside your vehicle and not have them obstructing anything in any way? I can!
2.) Can you store tons of tackle, nets, gear, 4 dudes, other crap, plus about 10 of the 9'6" rods from #1 above? I can!
3.) My vehicle rides smoother than silk because it is designed to keep soccer moms happy. (see #1 under cons)
4.) All the advantages for a young family that a minivan offers. (I have 2 little ones, so this is a pro for me.)
Cons:
1.) The minivan does just about everything well... except looking cool
2.) The minivan is also usually FWD which means you will get stuck on a ramp with a soft gravel surface or a significant slope. This is annoying and potentially trip ruining, it also means some lakes you might not be able to safely visit without a buddy in a 2nd vehicle. (I keep a tow strap in my van, it happens) I fish metro about 95% of the time so this isn't a deal breaker for me.
3.) Gas mileage isn't great, I get about 12-14PH, but Sienna is a larger vehicle. From what I hear this might be a wash with most SUV in a similar size range.
You can get a AWD Minivan which would mitigate #2 from the cons, but I found out when I just replaced my tires that if I had purchased that feature the tires would run me about $250 a pop. Definitely a give and a take on that one.
So there you have it. Minivan is a mixed bag, but it does present some solutions to typical musky angler vehicle storage problems due to the very large storage capacity. If you do go this route I would highly recommend a Weathertech or similar mat in the rear end. Eliminates all the issues one has with hooks and carpet.
Edited by Brad P 8/26/2012 6:41 PM
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Posts: 40
Location: Canada, Eh! | If the primary purpose of this vehicle is to tow and/or a highway cruiser than reconsider your v6 decision. Many v8s will pull as good MPG numbers on the highway as their v6 counterparts and will tow better (they just dont have to work as hard) It is city driving where the v8s lose.
I went from a 4.0L jeep to a 4.7L jeep and get better mileage towing and on the highway in the 4.7. it's not my daily driver though, I have a little 4 banger for that. |
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Posts: 582
| A good rule of thumb is get a vehicle rated to tow double what you plan to tow. so if you find a truck that is rated to tow 6000 lbs, what you actually tow should not exceed 3000 lbs. Just my opinion, but i find this to be a good rule of thumb. |
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| Currently running a jeep grand cherokee 4.0 i6, very happy with it. Can fit 9'+ rods in it, excellent 4wd, and the 4.0 is nearly bombproof (just rolled by 230,000 on a 2003).
My next vehicle will be anothe grand cherokee, but it will have the new v-6 turbo diesel - which is coming out next year. It will be interesting to see the specs on this!
sc |
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Posts: 258
Location: Mayville, WI | Did some digging on the diesel for the Grand Cherokee - 3.0 v6 w/ 241 hp & 406 lb/ft of torque @ an expected 23 mpg city / 33 mpg highway! They're also rolling out a new 8-speed auto that is expected to bump up the fuel numbers!
No towing numbers yet...
sc
Edited by scmuskies 8/29/2012 8:26 AM
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Posts: 6
| I just returned from a 5 hour drive to sayner wi with my 2008 ford explorer 4.0 liter 4 wd. I towed my 14 ft boat filled with camping gear and averaged 17.8 mpg at 75mph. The explorer is rated to 6500 lbs towing capacity. I have the third row seating option as well for running the kids around town. I would also consider a 4 door toyota tacoma with a cap on the back. |
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Posts: 292
| I run a 4wheel drive tacoma and i get 22 mpg towing and city driving. |
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Posts: 3
| Nissan xterra |
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| double J - 8/23/2012 8:12 PM
get a diesel I get 19.8 miles to the gallon at 70mph on cruise control, regular level driving. Towing I drop to 15.6 I have a 35 gallon tank (stock) 546 miles to the tank with the boat behind me. Im towing a 20 foot 4 inch fiberglass bass boat with a 200 merc the truck wont even hit a passing gear going up a big long hill. They run forever and diesel fuel cost the same as low grade gas. If you ever want a camper it will pull that too. My only suggestion is to get the long bed, and not a chevy the duramax is made overseas now
The duramax is NOT made overseas. It was originally when it was made by isuzu, but now gm is making it themselves right here in the USA. |
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Posts: 279
| muskiehunter2 - 8/30/2012 8:44 PM
I run a 4wheel drive tacoma and i get 22 mpg towing and city driving.
What year is it and what kind of boat are you towing as this sounds really hard to believe. I have a 98 4runner and towing im lucky to get 16mpg. |
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Posts: 678
Location: Twin Cities, MN | Slow Rollin - 8/24/2012 8:40 PM
Easy choice for me would be no other than a chev t blazer.. has inline 6 cyl w/ 270hp..can buy an used t blazer very reasonable price as well.
Yep, my 2003 EXT with an inline 6 has performed very well for me. Just flipped 125,000 miles. Some small things starting to go, but not the engine. |
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| ttrap - 9/3/2012 11:31 AM
muskiehunter2 - 8/30/2012 8:44 PM
I run a 4wheel drive tacoma and i get 22 mpg towing and city driving.
What year is it and what kind of boat are you towing as this sounds really hard to believe. I have a 98 4runner and towing im lucky to get 16mpg.
I have an 09 Tacoma and get unreal mpg. It is the first truck I have had that does better than what is listed in the specs. I have similar experience. Perhaps a bit better city.BR |
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Posts: 279
| Yeah i would say so they are listed at 16mpg for a v6 city and 20 highway. |
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| Look at a toyota rav4 with the 6v use it to pull my 18 foot tuffy around getting 18 mpg. |
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V6 Tow Vehicle?