Help picking a TV

[lee4019]

Hi Folks

I need your help. I have decided on a TT. The gvwr is around 3500 lbs. I would like to get something that can tow 5000 lbs. With cash and trade-in I have about $12,000 to spend.

Here are the specifics

1. Prefer a truck, but would look at suv.
2. Daily driver 60% Towing 40%
3. Must be able to tow 1 1200mi roundtrip, 3 to 4 600 mi round trip and 3 300mi roundtrip per year.
4. 4 wheel drive
5. Last me 5 to 6 yrs

I found a 02 Toyota Tundra V8, that fits number 1 and 4. Kinda worried about the gas millage for daily driver.

Any input is appreciated
Thanks

[boosTT]

lee4019 wrote:
Quick question

Is there a good way to get a ideal of towing capacity using horsepower and torque ratings? Mainly for older vehicles that are not in the towing guides.

The tow guides go back pretty far. Searching google for 1999 tow guide finds it.

Find the same generation truck in the tow guides (ie: 1994-1998 silverado) and compare from there for a general idea.

btw- half ton is what you need. The 2004-2006 F150 would be ideal for your budget.

[fickman]

fickman wrote:
I towed ... 4,800 lbs. ... just fine. . .

*With proper sway control and weight-distribution bars.

[fickman]

I towed a 22' TT that weighed 4800 lbs. at the scale with my 2003 Chevrolet Silverado extended cab 2WD LS 5.3 liter with 3.42 gears just fine in 3rd gear. I averaged just over 10 mpg towing and could get over 20 mpg on the freeway when not towing.

That same truck (or up through '06 for the price point) would be great. A 4WD will likely have 3.73 gears and tow even a little easier.

If you don't need a full crew cab, the extended cabs will get you more bang for your buck (higher payload, better fuel economy, and a lower price at the same mileage and options).

[Ric_Flair]

you need a doolie

[wintersun]

parkersdad wrote:
I will never buy a half ton again. In my opinion a 3/4 ton will make you a happier camper. Payload runs short quick on a 1/2 ton.

To pull a 5,000 lb. maximum load you recommend getting a heavy duty truck designed to tow 17,000 lbs.? Talk about gross overkill. Might as well recommend a 8 lb. sledge hammer for pounding in nails. Yes the sledge hammer will do the job but silly to recommend one.

Any 1/2 ton pickup will easily handle the 5K tow load and provide at least 30% better fuel economy, have a much gentler ride, and use less expensive tires and shocks.

Toyota have been rated number one in reliability for the last 5 years in a row. I have had 5 Toyota pickups, a Dodge, Ford, 4 Chevy, and without a doubt the Toyotas were the most trouble free and in total I put more than 700K miles on them. Everything worked perfectly on them after 10 or more years of use on the road and off the road with tight steering, no gear whine, wheels staying in alignment and no nuisance problems with the interior. Far different than the other trucks in every respect.

My last Chevy gas powered truck had problems with corrosion, tie rods, undersized brakes and warping rotors at 28K miles, shocks that failed after 32K miles, CD player failed, clock failed, shorts in the interior lights that would drain the battery, blown head gasket at 78K miles, and every emissions component under the hood was replaced.

The Toyota should have a 4.37 or thereabouts set of years. If it does it should easily handle the 5,000 lbs. of trailer load up any grade in the country.

[Tystevens]

lee4019 wrote:
Yeah I like the Burb and was looking at maybe 2006 Tahoe/Yukon. I'm worried about early trucks. Fords have spark plug problems, Chevys have piston slap and dodge has tranny problems.

Don't know how "early" you mean, but I agree with others that the generalized problems are very much overstated. Our '05 Burb was mechanically perfect over 135k miles (meaning not a single mechanical issue), and I know probably more than a dozen people with the same or similar vehicle who have had perfect or nearly perfect service (the Suburban is the official vehicle of Utah suburbs, after all!). I'm sure Fords and Dodges of the same vintage would be equally likely to be trouble free.

One note on the Tahoe vs. Suburban - if you aren't going to use the 3rd row seat much at all, the Tahoe is great. But if you are planning to put humans in the 3rd row very often, going with the Suburban/Yukon XL is a no-brainer to me. Cost the same, drive the same, same fuel economy, but with a couple feet of extra space that becomes extremely usable when you have people in the 3rd row.

[Road_Ruler]

APT wrote:
Overkill? Yes! But $12k buys a really nice 2005 crew cab half ton pickup/SUV that gets 12-18mpg. That's what a 2009+ 3/4 ton GM 6.0L gets with far more capability and ease of towing, in far better condition. 2000-2005 Trailblazer, Explorer, Durango, Dakota, all get 15mpg like the half tons with bigger V8s! Why bother?

Yes, why bother. Here is one guys towing solution for towing.....

"Initially 1999 Ford Explorer XLT 4.0L V6.
Currently 2007 Hyundai Sonata 3.3L V6. (MUCH better!)

[bikendan]

the '07 and newer Tahoe has a 5.3 v-8 with the AFM feature, meaing it can go to a v-4 when on flat roads.
it can average 21mpg on the highway.
i have the bigger/heavier Avalanche with the same engine and often average 20mpg making the 150 mile RT to Sacramento.

[PAThwacker]

APT wrote:
100 miles commuting is a tiny amount where unloaded fuel economy is not that important. I know people that do that per day, even each way!

Any 5.X liter mid 2000's half ton will do great as a do everything vehicle. Ford's 5.4L, GM 5.3L or 6.0L, Ram 5.7L, Nissin 5.6. Get one of those and you will be pleased. SUV or pickup form is only your preference. I prefer pickups, but 3 kids allows more personal space per person.

120 miles per day, dedicated tv owner!

[bmanning]

lee4019 wrote:
Yeah I like the Burb and was looking at maybe 2006 Tahoe/Yukon. I'm worried about early trucks. Fords have spark plug problems, Chevys have piston slap and dodge has tranny problems.

I was wanting a truck, in case a good deal on a 19' scamp came up. I was in a 17' casita and liked the size for me and my 14lb dog. So SUV's are getting a look.

Just an opinion, I think that many of the "common" problems get exaggerated; an extremely high % of Fords don't have the plug issue, the GM "piston slap" (from what I've read) is just a nuisance but not a true problem, and the vast majority of Dodge 47RE's, if not running behind a tuned Cummins, hold up without issue.

Having said that, going to a late model will absolutely get you "more" truck in the form of more trans gears, higher engine output, etc. so if it's in the budget you'll be happier.

As far as truck or SUV, try to gauge how often you'll use the pickup bed; if you will use it rarely or never, IMO an SUV brings more to the table.

I think you'd be quite happy with a mid-2000s Suburban or Yukon, as you mentioned.

[lee4019]

Yeah I like the Burb and was looking at maybe 2006 Tahoe/Yukon. I'm worried about early trucks. Fords have spark plug problems, Chevys have piston slap and dodge has tranny problems.

I was wanting a truck, in case a good deal on a 19' scamp came up. I was in a 17' casita and liked the size for me and my 14lb dog. So SUV's are getting a look.

[ktosv]

I would be looking for a 2005-2006 Suburban with the 3.42 axle. Ours towed our 5000GVWR hybrid great with 6 of us. It got decent mileage, we would get anything from 17mpg to over 20mpg on the highway depending on conditions and terrain. The wife pretty much got 15mpg in daily driving.

As APT mentioned, our 2011 Express 3500 is getting the same mileage on a daily basis and we get a solid 18mpg on the highway. Cruise at 55 MPH and I think it would top 20mpg.

[lee4019]

Quick question

Is there a good way to get a ideal of towing capacity using horsepower and torque ratings? Mainly for older vehicles that are not in the towing guides.

[Tystevens]

Wow, I hope some of the earlier posters were being sarcastic about the 3/4 ton mumbo jumbo. Find a 1/2 ton that you like and that is in your price range and get it. Problem solved.

I do agree with the advice about avoiding mid-sized trucks (ie, V8 Dakotas) and smaller motors, though. The midsized trucks are not often any more efficient than the full-size 1/2 ton, but lack capacity. For example, our Durango got worse mpg than our Suburban AND had less capability than the 'Burb has. All of the drawbacks, none of the benefits, in a sense. I suppose the one benefit of the Durango was a few thousand less $$ at purchase (which is how we got sucked in), but we regretted it for the next 3 years -- it didn't tow very well, had less space, generally wasn't as smooth or nice, and got 11 mpg around town/17 highway (with the 4.7 V8). FWIW, I would almost put the '02 Tundra in the midsized group. It was a little smaller, underpowered w/ the 4.7, and had far lower ratings than 1/2 tons of that vintage.

Likewise, the 1/2 tons w/ the smaller V8's wont usually get much better, if any, mpg, but they just have less power when you want it. See my experience with the Dodge 4.7, above -- our GM 5.3s have gotten better mpg with a lot more power. Similar anectodal experiences from people I know who went with the 4.x liter GM or Ford engines in 1/2 ton trucks. They regretted their decision.

Good luck!