Hey all,After a year or so of fighting with my 2012 Nomad 173 and a 2012 Nissan Quest, I am ready to give up the goat and buy a truck that can rightly tow even this little trailer.I have found that the Quest just makes me too nervous. The hitch is SO low and the engine really works when under the weight of the trailer. So I am ready to buy a truck. This will be a third vehicle for our family and not meant to be a daily driver. We're going used, quite used in fact to keep it a reasonable out lay of cash.I guess I don't really need advice on type. The trailer is roughly 3000 pounds fully loaded. We're planning on a F150 1/2 ton or Chevy 1500, but we've also REALLY liked the Honda Ridgeline and even tried on with our trailer, it drove GREAT.Here's my question. I plan to buy the truck and mainly keep it with my trailer at the storage lot about 3 miles from my house. Now I do plan to every 2 weeks at least go up and switch off the truck for my Chevy Cruze. Then I will drive the truck for 3 or 4 days and then switch back. In the winter, I might even keep the truck with me at the house and drive it more daily while keeping the cruze in the garage. So since this truck isn't going to see daily use, what special precautions do I need to take?Thinking:Fluids?Tires?Paint, do I cover?Also, I am looking at something with the 100k mark on it or more. I plan do the 100k service to whatever I get right away. But, what else might I need to consider along the way?

Our truck only gets used for towing the trailer in the summer and plowing snow in the winter. Occasionally we will drive it when we have one of the daily drivers in for service or loan a car to family. We just change the oils when it needs it and keep the gas tank full while stored. It has gone six weeks and 3 weekend trips without even being unhooked from the trailer. We unhook the umbilical cord and put the tongue jack down to take a little pressure off the equalizer hitch and truck springs, but don't know if that is really required. This has worked for us with no issues.

Our son has a fairly new 3/4 ton diesal GMC. In the winter it left the driveway maybe 6 times, LOL. In the summer it pulls his small fifth wheel maybe 5 times for weekend, 2 hour trips and then about a six hour trip to his holiday camp. (what a waste of a great truck, LOL). It gets serviced as it is recommended and other than that sits in the driveway. My vote is the chevy 1500

My experience. We had 2 everyday cars and a TV just to pull the TT. Having a vehicle just for pulling the trailer turned into a big expense and inconvenience. We finally traded in the TV, and one of the everydays on a vehicle that could do double duty, Actually a Chevy Express van. Inexpensive, practical, versatile, easy to drive. Take the seats out, if you need cargo room. It was a very smart move for us.

Dump the quest, buy a 1500 suburban or an Expedition. Problem solved and your pocket book will be MUCH MUCH happier.Having a third Dedicated TV is not all its cracked out to be. I have a perfectly good dually sitting in the yard... I have put 5k miles on it in 1.5 years. I am personally looking to downsize my camping experience. Smaller trailer, smaller truck that I can DD... and much happier overall. Thanks!Jeremiah

GoDogs has the right idea.If you run all the numbers on it, from cost to purchase, insurance, taxes, maint, etc, etc....I think you will find it might make more sense to get rid of the Cruze and the Quest both, and replace with something like the Ridgeline, a Frontier or Tacoma.

Tips for maintaining a third vechile as a tow only

28 Replies

gmw_photos
Explorer
Sep 03, 2013
pk1023 wrote:
jerem0621 wrote:
Dump the quest, buy a 1500 suburban or an Expedition. Problem solved and your pocket book will be MUCH MUCH happier.

Having a third Dedicated TV is not all its cracked out to be. I have a perfectly good dually sitting in the yard... I have put 5k miles on it in 1.5 years.

I am personally looking to downsize my camping experience. Smaller trailer, smaller truck that I can DD... and much happier overall.

Thanks!

Jeremiah

Well yeah, but you know dumping the Quest isn't just that easy. We have a loan on it and plus my wife does love the van.

With 2 school age boys, she wanted room to haul them and their friends. So the van stays because what makes Mama happy makes me happy.

As for the Cruze, I just love it too much. It drives great, gets an easy 34 mpg combined and looks sharp.

I drive 12 miles in the northen burbs of Indianapolis for work. Taking a big truck to work each day is just a nightmare. So I think this solves a big issue.

I should mention, I come from a house that had 6 cars for 3 people during most of my childhood. My dad liked his cars and made investments. We'll ride to his funeral someday in his 1987 Grand National and it'll be just like the night we picked it up when I was 10.

Well, yes, for sure, it's only money.
So to your question, I believe the car companies would consider the use you are proposing of this third vehicle to be "severe duty", so a good place to start, would be to look at their schedule for maintenance for that level.
I hope your storage area really is "secure", because the possibility of vandalism while the truck or Cruze is sitting there is certainly a possibility. We hear, far too often about folks having their trailers broken into in these so called secure storage lots.
texasclarks
Explorer
Sep 03, 2013
Well, with everything you said it looks like a dedicated TV is in order...you like your Cruze, DW likes her Quest, and you are nervous pulling TT with the Quest. Nobody said this hobby was cheap!

Just get into a routine with exercising it and don't fret! I would NOT by new but I am sure you can find good used TV!
pk1023
Explorer
Sep 03, 2013
jerem0621 wrote:
Dump the quest, buy a 1500 suburban or an Expedition. Problem solved and your pocket book will be MUCH MUCH happier.

Having a third Dedicated TV is not all its cracked out to be. I have a perfectly good dually sitting in the yard... I have put 5k miles on it in 1.5 years.

I am personally looking to downsize my camping experience. Smaller trailer, smaller truck that I can DD... and much happier overall.

Thanks!

Jeremiah

Well yeah, but you know dumping the Quest isn't just that easy. We have a loan on it and plus my wife does love the van.

With 2 school age boys, she wanted room to haul them and their friends. So the van stays because what makes Mama happy makes me happy.

As for the Cruze, I just love it too much. It drives great, gets an easy 34 mpg combined and looks sharp.

I drive 12 miles in the northen burbs of Indianapolis for work. Taking a big truck to work each day is just a nightmare. So I think this solves a big issue.

I should mention, I come from a house that had 6 cars for 3 people during most of my childhood. My dad liked his cars and made investments. We'll ride to his funeral someday in his 1987 Grand National and it'll be just like the night we picked it up when I was 10.
gmw_photos
Explorer
Sep 03, 2013
GoDogs has the right idea.
If you run all the numbers on it, from cost to purchase, insurance, taxes, maint, etc, etc....I think you will find it might make more sense to get rid of the Cruze and the Quest both, and replace with something like the Ridgeline, a Frontier or Tacoma.
jerem0621
Explorer II
Sep 03, 2013
Dump the quest, buy a 1500 suburban or an Expedition. Problem solved and your pocket book will be MUCH MUCH happier.

Having a third Dedicated TV is not all its cracked out to be. I have a perfectly good dually sitting in the yard... I have put 5k miles on it in 1.5 years.

I am personally looking to downsize my camping experience. Smaller trailer, smaller truck that I can DD... and much happier overall.

Thanks!

Jeremiah
Go_Dogs
Explorer
Sep 03, 2013
My experience. We had 2 everyday cars and a TV just to pull the TT. Having a vehicle just for pulling the trailer turned into a big expense and inconvenience. We finally traded in the TV, and one of the everydays on a vehicle that could do double duty, Actually a Chevy Express van. Inexpensive, practical, versatile, easy to drive. Take the seats out, if you need cargo room. It was a very smart move for us.
loulou57
Explorer
Sep 03, 2013
Our son has a fairly new 3/4 ton diesal GMC. In the winter it left the driveway maybe 6 times, LOL. In the summer it pulls his small fifth wheel maybe 5 times for weekend, 2 hour trips and then about a six hour trip to his holiday camp. (what a waste of a great truck, LOL). It gets serviced as it is recommended and other than that sits in the driveway.
My vote is the chevy 1500
memgrove
Explorer
Sep 03, 2013
Our truck only gets used for towing the trailer in the summer and plowing snow in the winter. Occasionally we will drive it when we have one of the daily drivers in for service or loan a car to family. We just change the oils when it needs it and keep the gas tank full while stored. It has gone six weeks and 3 weekend trips without even being unhooked from the trailer. We unhook the umbilical cord and put the tongue jack down to take a little pressure off the equalizer hitch and truck springs, but don't know if that is really required. This has worked for us with no issues.

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Tips for maintaining a third vechile as a tow only

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