Need help with ideal setup (within budget)
Hey everybody! So me and my lady are planning on hitting the open road in around a year, and could really use some advice on an ideal setup. We have neither the tow vehicle or trailer. A little ...
Forum Discussion
I'm not going along with the idea that a $3500 tow vehicle is necessarily worn out. Prices drop quite a bit regardless of condition, on age alone. I just sold a Ford Ranger with 36,000 miles for $3000, 13 years old. When I was shopping TTs I found an eight year old supercab F-250, 45,000 miles, equipped with class V hitch and 18,000 fifth wheel hitch, for $4500. A RV dealer was using it for local deliveries and moving things around on the lot, and that price was for anyone buying a trailer with it.
4Runner, though, is not a good choice for towing a full-time size TT, unless you can full time in a very small space. Singles can learn to do that, can be a bit more difficult for couples, even more for just friends.
Old, low mileage potential tow vehcles exist, they are just hard to find. Particularly in the 3/4 ton category, where really good work trucks come off lease at 1-3 years with modest mileage and prices close to half of new, or owned trucks come out of the fleet at 8-12 years, really low prices, but totally worn out. Hard to find the in-between.
Used TTs are even more difficult at your price. Yes, age brings them down to that price rage, all sizes, but you'll look at a lot of 10-15 year old wrecks before you come across one well enough cared for to be usable without a lot of up front repair or rebuilding.
I've only looked a little at the conversion van market, but most of what I found was if they are old enough to have a $5000 or under price, they are also pretty well worn out. Most were bought for family travel, bought a high prices so "we have to keep it and use it" and got a lot of trips before finally deciding to sell the thing.
Full size U.S. made trucks the past 10-15 years, especially those in HD categories, had heavy enough running gear to be good for 100,000-150,000 miles if well cared for. They could be good for that much more, or they could be starting to be troublesome, and need some expensive work to extend the usefull life. Most of the ones you'll find for sale at low prices will be in the second category, i.e. "the value of this is just not high enough for me to spend $3000 more on a new ..." whatever it is that it now behaving as is near end of life.
4Runner, though, is not a good choice for towing a full-time size TT, unless you can full time in a very small space. Singles can learn to do that, can be a bit more difficult for couples, even more for just friends.
Old, low mileage potential tow vehcles exist, they are just hard to find. Particularly in the 3/4 ton category, where really good work trucks come off lease at 1-3 years with modest mileage and prices close to half of new, or owned trucks come out of the fleet at 8-12 years, really low prices, but totally worn out. Hard to find the in-between.
Used TTs are even more difficult at your price. Yes, age brings them down to that price rage, all sizes, but you'll look at a lot of 10-15 year old wrecks before you come across one well enough cared for to be usable without a lot of up front repair or rebuilding.
I've only looked a little at the conversion van market, but most of what I found was if they are old enough to have a $5000 or under price, they are also pretty well worn out. Most were bought for family travel, bought a high prices so "we have to keep it and use it" and got a lot of trips before finally deciding to sell the thing.
Full size U.S. made trucks the past 10-15 years, especially those in HD categories, had heavy enough running gear to be good for 100,000-150,000 miles if well cared for. They could be good for that much more, or they could be starting to be troublesome, and need some expensive work to extend the usefull life. Most of the ones you'll find for sale at low prices will be in the second category, i.e. "the value of this is just not high enough for me to spend $3000 more on a new ..." whatever it is that it now behaving as is near end of life.
