Frontal Area

mkirsch wrote:

When I'm towing, I'm not in a race, so I don't mind having to run at slower than non-towing speeds, and I'm willing to accept the 8 to 12 mpg I get with the trailer back there.

When I started towing, I said that too. However, after a few years of crawling up hills with my little maybe-4000lb trailer behind a 4.8L V8 engine, the fun factor fizzled. I found that I was DREADING going places instead of looking forward to it, because I was going to have to drag that %$#@ trailer along, and drop down to 35MPH any time I hit a decent hill.

My guess is that there are more people like me than like you, who would prefer being able to at least somewhat keep up with traffic.

Dang... I wish you were close by. I'd take you for a ride in the Nissan Frontier with either of my trailers behind it. It will literally climb the 6% grades just southwest of me, on cruise control, and maintain 60 mph with my horse trailer on, with the quarter horse in it and all the gear for a show.....5000 lbs, plus or minus a little.
I've run this road numerous times, with both trailers on days that were over 100 degrees outside. Not a problem.

I can't speak to how good or bad your truck did.

But the OP didn't ask about a truck like yours. He asked about a Nissan Frontier with a 4.0 V6. I "can" speak about it. Even about it towing in Colorado. Here's a pic of the camper in Colorado.

EDIT:
As of right now, I have four trailers. Two GN ( a four horse GN, and my equipment trailer that I haul hay or the bobcat or the tractor on ) two bumper pulls ( two horse Titan or the Funfinder ).
We pull with the four trucks in the family and the company. Frontier, F350 dually, Silverado 1500 (6.2L V8 ) or F150 (3.5EB ).
All the trucks do the jobs they are asked to do, no problem.