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Posts: 56
| In the market for vehicle to tow a lund pro v 17 ft 90hp. What should I consider? Most driving to Canada from Illinois, but dealing with sand ramps. |
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Posts: 2323
Location: Stevens Point, WI | I might be a little bias but if it doesn't have a bowtie on it, then it's not worthy to have anything hooked up to it. It's pretty hard to beat the power of the Chevy Vortec's. I perfer a Chevy Silverado when I fish around home but for those long trips, the Chevy Surburban and Tahoe's are hard to beat! Those SUV's are so nice on those long trips, the safety and and comfort of being able to put your equipment inside is a very good thought! That's my personal opinion. |
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Posts: 1335
Location: Chicago, Beverly | something 4 wheel drive for sure. A Chevy Trailblazer with the straight 6 would be a good choice. Other midsize trucks would be ford explorer, jeep grand cherokee, dodge durango. But with those a v-8 may be best choice as the v-6's can leave something to be desired on the hp/torque side of things. Best to check the hp/torque rating on the ones you look at and only get a truck with FACTORY tow packages. Avoid trucks where you will need to install aftermarket tow package items like trans cooler and hitch. Avoid trucks where they do not have a normal truck axel. Jeep Liberty comes to mind on that along with several models of Japanese trucks along with ford escape. If you go Japanese make sure it has a normal axel up front and in back and a bigger engine that can handle towing. If you go pickup, smaller one to get would be dodge dakota with the v-8, larger any of the big 3.
If full size suv any of the big ones from the big 3 along with maybe one or two from the japanese like nissan armada... I reccomend sticking with the big 3 myself. |
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Posts: 326
Location: Plainfield IL | Dutchman-
Do yourself a favor and look for the comparisons from companies that test these products day in and out. Purchasing a tow vehicle is extremly important and doing your homework will payoff. Opinions are great, but they dont have all the facts. If you want the facts upon true tests then look to the following websites for insight as to make your decision. Each one of these sites will allow you to do side by side comparisons of all the vehicle specifications, warranties etc.....Granted you are not towing a heavy boat, but consider that most fisherman upgrade and you may look at a tow vehicle that is ideal now, but when the bigger boat comes along, you will be going through this again. The 6cyl just dont have the lo end torque of a V8 at a good RPM range. Take a look and compare.
jdpower.com
edmunds.com
consumerreports.com |
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Posts: 2427
Location: Ft. Wayne Indiana | Just like boats....
Get the biggest and best you can afford.
If you can afford a full sized, 4 door, long bed, 4x4 truck, then get it. If that is not in the budget, then find the biggest and best that you can afford.
The bigger and stronger the truck, the better it is going to pull it with any problems.
I would go with something with a V-8 so you can pull your boat, plus a weeks worth of fishing stuff up to canada, and your truck isn't straining to make it up hills, etc...
Get the biggest you can afford. |
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Posts: 1080
| Like Merckid...I'm brand loyal to the bowtie. There'll never be anything else in my garage or under my ownership. But I will not get into the brand loyalty debate.
I will give you some insight as to where I'm at currently with tow vehicle and boat.
Right now...I have a Crestliner 1750 with a 90hp as well. Much like the boat you have. Though it's not a heavy boat...it's still a decent sized boat. I pull it with a 2002 Trailblazer (which someone here mentioned) with the inline 6 banger. Very nice truck. It pulls the boat with no problems and I've had it down in some southeastern states that have some decent hills. This truck doesn't faulter at all going up or down hills.
however..I will tell you this...if gas milage is of a concern to you...do NOT look into a Trailblazer to pull your boat. On a GOOD day...I'm at 12 mpg. With headwinds on a highway or in-town stop and go traffic...you'll be looking at 8-10 mpg at best. So...for long trips...it may or may not be the best...depending on your wallet and budget. There's really no gas milage friendly SUV out on the market either..sooooo....
The trailblazer is plenty big enough. This past summer I took a trip south with four guys and all their gear for a four day trip and we all piled into this rig and my boat no problem.
As far as power though..the Trailblazer has plenty of power to pull this boat around town, on the highway at speed, up and down hills (I didn't say mountains as I haven't been in an true mountanious regions yet with it...) and in and out of boat luanches.
Like Hulbert and others here have said...go with the biggest truck that your budget/wallet will allow. Allow room for growth. Just because you have that 17 ft lund now..doesn't mean you'll always have that boat. You may not be thinking of upgrading now...but who knows...you may come across a boat for a steal of a deal that'll quickly change your mind without any fore thought. That's what happened to me this past summer. I was completely happy and content with my 'lil 14' Sea Nymph alum. fishing boat that weighed next to nothing...so...behind the Trailblazer...it was as if it wasn't even there. We had the Trailblazer before I bought the current boat I have now, the Crestliner. The Crestliner took me by suprise completely. We were not even thinking or considering a new boat. But we saw this steal of a deal of an opportunity knocking...so we answered. So..you'll see...I didn't have thoughts of buying a bigger boat. I will say this though...in about two years...we will be upgrading to a larger tow vehicle...for that very reason. You just never know when you stumble into the next "deal."
Personally...if we could afford it right now...I'd have a V-8 tow vehicle in the family. But there are many other factors that are keeping us from that right now. But for the time being...that Trailblazer is a really nice rig and does just fine with the size of the boat you and I have.
Hope this helps.
Edited by MACK 12/15/2005 2:33 PM
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Posts: 561
Location: Monee, Illinois | 1977 VW Bug Convertabile or a Tahoe |
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Posts: 2037
Location: lansing, il | with sky rocketing gas prices this past summer i went this route....
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Posts: 2091
Location: Stevens Point, WI | I pull my 17ft Tuffy with a 2003 Toyota Tundra V-8, pulls it with very little effort. If you look at reliability, problems, and longevity you won't beat the Tundra. It's better on gas than most other trucks too. |
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Posts: 561
Location: Monee, Illinois | Classic |
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Posts: 181
| I guess I am a ford guy, but they all make good trucks, go diesel if it is in the budget otherwise if you don't care on brand do as many comparisons as you can and go with Hulberts suggestion, BIGGER can be better!! I have an Expedition, it pulls my 24ft camper like a dream, and haven't had a problem with a boat yet. gas mileage in my truck could be better, have heard some good things about the chev. mileage, but these guys are driving chevy's so I don't know if I can trust them. Personally the only chev. I would own has to have a duramax. |
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Posts: 177
Location: Cohasset, MN | Don't forget one of the most important items - make sure you can tolerate sitting in the seat for many hours. |
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