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Posts: 335
Location: Pulaski, WI | I've been thinking about trading my Yukon in for a Highlander Hybrid. Anybody know if they can stand up to towing? My boat wieghs about 3,000 lbs fully loaded.
My other option is keep the Yukon till it drops and get an econobox.
Thanks,
John |
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Posts: 199
Location: Sandusky, OH | JLR,
I see the towing max for the hybrid is 3500 lbs.; I sure wouldn't want to tow a 3k lbs. boat with one. It would be pretty harsh on the drivetrain, and not the safest handling rig (insufficient braking and sagging suspention). I've used a Ford Escape (same tow capacity) to tow a 15' Boston Whaler (maybe 1200 lbs?) quite a bit, and while it handles fine, I don't know if I would want to tow much more. I'd either go the econobox route, or maybe look into the new hybrid Tahoe/Yukon when it is available. Better mileage than your current Yukon but can still tow something like #7000.
I'd probably save the money and buy the box.
Eric
Edited by bluegill 11/26/2007 8:40 PM
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Location: Athens, Ohio | Googling Highlander Hybrid Towing, I found this for ya:
Towing capacity
In this category, the Highlander Hybrid proves to be the workhorse, especially for buyers who need to tow a boat or other equipment. The Toyota has a maximum towing weight of 3,500 pounds; the Ford Escape Hybrid has a maximum towing weight of 1,000 pounds.
Winner: Highlander Hybrid
there's more if you try it. m |
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| I had a Yukon and thought the wheelbase was too short, creating a sway on the highway. The Highlander is 5 inches shorter. Depending on what boat you have, it could make for a lot of work to drive it on the highway. I wouldn't want to be at stop light in front of anyone towing any rig near its capacity. Check the brakes on that vehicle but I think they are shared with the Camry. Will that be enough to stop a boat in tow when someone pulls out in front of you or a light turns red sooner than you anticipated?
I think the marketing people come up with tow ratings. Do a quick search and you will find out that there were lots of people suing Yota for overstating the tow capacity of the 4Runner, resulting in lots of failures. |
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Posts: 5874
| Guuest has it right. Tow capacity does not accurately reflect the braking ability of the vehicle, IMO. I know someone who towed a Ranger 620 with a Highlander. I would not ride with him a second time, and I would not allow him to drive behind me. It was that bad.
The new Hybrid Yukon is going to be a pretty awesome vehicle. My bro-in-law was in on the design of the machines that will build this tranny in Toledo PowerTrain plant. He told me a lot about it, and said it was going to be a very good vehicle. I'd wait for that dude to be released. |
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Posts: 13688
Location: minocqua, wi. | i agree Shep ... i watch what some guys will pull and what they pull it with and just cringe ... not sure you have ever been there but i was once as a kid driving a 1/2 ton truck with a big utility work trailer ... well let's just say i was in the position of being pushed instead of pulling ... it's not a fun situation and it can happen too easily. don't go to an unsafe scenario ... i think it's half ridiculous what some of the auto-makers are allowed to rate for towing capacity to begin with. |
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| i'm really looking forward to the release of the full-size hybrid truck/SUV platforms.
my truck right now should be just about ready to get traded-in when those hybrids become available in the 2nd year market.
if for some reason you have to tow a larger boat with a smaller or medium-size tow vehicle, at a bare minimum make sure the trailer has brakes.
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Posts: 8845
| JLR:
In order to accurately calculate your vehicles towing capacity, you need to subtract the weight of accessories and cargo, including your passengers. You said your boat weighs 3000# fully loaded, I presume you've weighed it? In the case of the Highlander, you've got 500# of "leeway".
Sounds like plenty, but think about it: Suppose you have a camper top and a bedliner, that's a couple hundred pounds right there. You and your buddy: 400#. Your dog: 50# Two Monster lakewoods: 50# 20 gallons of gas in the boat: 160# 30 gallons of gas in the truck: 240# Your gear, two cases of beer and a cooler, and you're over 1200# that needs to be accounted for when calculating what you can REALLY tow with your truck.
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Posts: 734
Location: Watertown, MN | JOhn
Like Shep and Sled stated I would go with a bigger vehicle if you pulling a boat that big, easy on the tranny and you will not be going down the road at max capacity of the vehicle design. Do you have trailer brakes on the trailer? I will always error on the safety side when choosing a tow vehicle, trailer for boats. I to cringe when I see 6 poppers pulling some big rigs, it looks like the boat is pushing the vehicle down the road, and if they had to make a sudden stop would they make it?
Good luck
Troyz |
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| It will be interesting to see if the price of the new full size hybrids will be lower than the cost of a diesel pu. |
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Posts: 5874
| Maybe. You pay nearly a $7000 premium for a diesel, and it is on a 3/4 ton platform. The Hybrid trucks and SUV's will be on a 1/2 ton frame to start. Even if they are the same, fuel mileage will be better, and the fuel costs less per gallon. |
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Posts: 1462
Location: Davenport, IA | Take it from someone who does tow w/ a light vehicle...don't do it if you don't have to. My Javelin with all the gear in it is probably pushing 3,000 lbs. My Jeep has a 5,000 lb towing capacity, but it only weighs 3300 lbs itself. I couldn't imagine a heavier load without brakes. Its bad enough as it is. |
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Posts: 13688
Location: minocqua, wi. | wheel-base is HUGE too fellas ... weight means nothing either direction when your tow vehicles wheels get too close to each other ... |
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Posts: 8845
| Shep, the $7,000 premium scared me off, and I bought the gasoline engine instead. My buddy, with the same truck (his is a diesel) gets more than twice the mileage I get with mine. At $3.15/gallon, it takes about 50,000 miles to get that $7,000 back in fuel savings. Add in the fact that diesel is actually cheaper, and that diesel engines both outperform and outlast their gasoline counterparts?
Well, let's just say I is stoopid! Over the life of my truck, I will probably spend $20,000 more on gas than I would have had I bought the diesel. And long after my truck is rotting in a junkyard somewhere, his will probably still be on the road. |
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Posts: 5874
| I've not seen diesel cheaper than 87 unleaded in several years. Nearly 3.50 per gallon here. Unleaded is 3.29.
I avaeraged 17 MPH towing the boat to Moline and back with a 2005 Chev DuraMax/Allison. My F150 gets about 10 towing my boat. That truck has 202K on it. It used to get 13-14 towing when it was newer. Diesels get better, but not twice the mileage.
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Posts: 8845
| Shep, with my 3/4 ton Silverado I average about 10 MPG around town and 12 on the highway, empty, with just me in the truck. I'd bet I get about 8 towing a boat. Even if diesel was $5/gallon it would be a better bet in the long run. |
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| You either have lead in the bed of that truck or you need a tuneup. I have a suburban towing a 620 that does better than 10mph at 80mph. |
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| one the most overlooked items is gear ratio. the same trucks with the same motors and different gears all perform drastically different. if you buy a gas truck get 3.73 minimum if not 4.10 gears will save on milage and transmission wear. |
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Location: Minneapolis, MN | 310+ horsepower 4.5 liter half-ton Duramax Planned for 2009
http://blogs.dieselpowermag.com/6210043/diesel-news/310-horsepower-... |
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Posts: 1462
Location: Davenport, IA | These half ton diesels will be cool if they aren't as highly priced as the 3/4's...Dodge is going to use a V8 Cummins...I'll definitely be looking at those in a few years. |
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Posts: 8845
| Unfortunately, there is nothing wrong with the truck. Mileage has been consistent(ly poor) since it was new.
P.S. you will actually LOSE mileage with a 4:10 rear end over the 3:73, not the other way around.
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Posts: 13688
Location: minocqua, wi. | i was going to make the same comment as EA did ... now, it sucks to be paying the money we are for diesel fuel, but i've driven 3/4 ton diesels now for 10 years and won't look back. a 1/2 ton diesel i would surely consider because the only drawback of the 3/4 ton is ride comfort ... everything else still is the best choice if you have a big boat. i get 21 empty (chipped) and about 17 pulling a 20' ranger ... but the "range" is what i like ... i don't have to get out of the truck for a long, long time ... well over 400 miles and that makes the trip shorter. i also drive a lot of miles and i like to be able to drive and not worry about what the truck is "worth" when i get off the road.
gear ration is huge ... my last truck was a 3500 dually dodge with a different rear-end ... HO Cummins was incredible, but the rear-end gearing left me with about 12 mpg ...
i'm driving the ford superduty now and it's got an enormous cab ... love this truck. also good to have a brother who is connected in detroit ... so i get to pay quite a bit less.
i've driven all three brands and made a few conclusions ... but, the perfect truck doesn't exist ... if it did, it would be the chassis of the ford powered by the cummins HO on an allison drivetrain ... and in my garage ... oops, it would have an extra leaf and bfg's and it wouldn't fit ... and would have to sleep outside  |
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Posts: 335
Location: Pulaski, WI | Thanks for the info guys. I'm not in any rush. The Yukon is certainly more flexible and if I ever win the lottery and get a 620 for Green Bay it will be able to pull it. Now what's a convertable that gets good mileage and attracts chicks?  |
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Posts: 40
Location: NEW LENOX | have you thought about the toyota tacoma? consumer reports gives it good overall.with good towing capacity, although a stiff ride. I'm looking at one myself was wondering if anybody knows any thing diffirent. |
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| One thing not mentioned in comparing the gas to diesel trucks is the maintainance costs. How much oil does a diesel engine hold again? Filters cost how much? And parts? Please correct me if I'm wrong. |
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Posts: 1120
Location: West Chester, OH | Convertible that attracts chicks? Honda S2000!
Attracted my lovely wife to the showroom & now have one in the garage.... |
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Posts: 13688
Location: minocqua, wi. | Guest .... tell me when your gas truck has 500,000 miles ... we'll compare then ok? |
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Posts: 1462
Location: Davenport, IA | Another thing about diesel maintenance costs...you don't have to change the oil as often. 13 quarts every 6,000 miles vs. 6 quarts every 3000....not much of a difference. |
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Posts: 1
| The 08 Tahoe Hybrid will have a 6.0 liter V8 that will produce 332 HP and 367lbs of torque....GVW of 7300 w/ brakes rated at 7700 due to the regenerative braking system that is on this vehicle. Price tag $53,000 give or take before discounts/incentives. Only options you can add will be a sunroof, otherwise comes set up like an LTZ + nav-20's.A comparable non-hybrid will run around $49,500 before discounts/incentives FYI these hybrids will be available in a very limited quanity. I sell at a pretty good sized GM dealership and our district rep told me yesterday that we would probably only be allocated one for the 2008 model year. Hope this helps...I personally would go w/ a diesel for resale purposes.. |
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