Tips for maintaining a third vechile as a tow only

[pk1023]

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?

[Big_Love]

I have been considering the same option of adding a dedicated TV. Most folks tell me don't get a diesel if only driving occasionally or for short trips. Gassers usually require less maintenance in the long run and are cheaper to purchase.

[time2roll]

I let mine sit pretty much as is until needed. No monthly excercise etc. I put a shade in the windshield, lock the door and walk away. Fuel can be empty or full as I make no special effort. The solar power on the trailer maintains the truck battery through a trik-l-start combiner. All maintenance is done by miles. No extra maintenance by time but I may adjust that some.

I agree with getting a full frame truck not a unibody.

[racer93]

another issue is this junk they call gasoline these days. The ethanol does not "sit" well. You may need to keep an additive in it to keep it from separating and collecting water. Research how the government mandated fuels are costing us money. Here in NC/SC we can still find 100% gasoline and its only @25 cpg more and it increases your mileage and better for your engine.

[Dadoffourgirls]

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.

I understand on the Quest. Has your wife driven a recent Suburban? In summer of 1998 I bought a Suburban to haul multiple trailers, getting rid of wife's minivan. She was furious that I was making her drive it. In fall of 1998, I put a for sale sign in the Suburban, to go back to minivan as I had completed most of my landscaping and was no longer needing the Suburban. She was more furious that I was going to get rid of it. We had a Burb/Yukon XL until last summer.

It became a dedicated TV, but I was putting too much money into it sitting. The brake rotors would get surface rust, and destroy the pads. I was doing maintenance on a vehicle that I was barely using. Additionally, I was concerned that I would not have as reliable a vehicle when towing.

[lee4019]

The way I maintained a extra vehicle was, pick a day, every week or two and drive it all day. Get the fluids running, wheels turning, battery charging, etc. That also was a easy way for me to justify the minimum insurance payment, tag fee and property tax payments.

Also nice to know that I had a backup, in case the main car was out of commission for a few days.

"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?"

I would look at something that you feel is reliable enough to make the longest camping trip your going to make.

[clubhouse]

I have a dedicated TV, '07 2500 LMM Duramax/Alison, and wouldn't have it any other way. I really enjoy driving it so I find some reason to use it most weekends, usually small 20 mile trips. I maintain it just as I do my daily driver and have had no issues yet. Bought it used, and now annually I put 5k-6k miles on it. I think this truck will last me years and prove to be money well spent considering ill be wearing out a much less expensive and more fuel efficient daily driver...which I put 30k+ miles a year on.

[trail-explorer]

Forget the Ridgeline, it's a "psuedo truck"

[pk1023]

eddeeeee wrote:
We have had our Sequoia in the garage as a dedicated tow vehicle for 4 years now. We keep up the maintenance, and drive it once per week long enough to get everything up to operating temperatures. We have 4 kids, so finding a 20 mile trip to take it on is no problem at all. As for the cost, since we drive so much, the monthly gas savings between 14 mpg and 32 ( for my Nissan cube ) pays for the payments, maintenance and insurance on the cube.

Yeah you're right on the lines I am thinking. There's a great savings to be had with my little Cruze 4 banger engine, 34 MPG combined because I have a light foot.

So that means I can get 2 trips to work and back for the price of 1 in a truck in gas.

My longer term plan is to get a Volt or something similar. My company offers free electric vehicle charging and will for the forsee able future because we are the traffic cop for the power grid.

But, they are expensive up front. However I see the days of paying for gas coming to a complete end for me going to work!

[eddeeeee]

We have had our Sequoia in the garage as a dedicated tow vehicle for 4 years now. We keep up the maintenance, and drive it once per week long enough to get everything up to operating temperatures. We have 4 kids, so finding a 20 mile trip to take it on is no problem at all. As for the cost, since we drive so much, the monthly gas savings between 14 mpg and 32 ( for my Nissan cube ) pays for the payments, maintenance and insurance on the cube.

[PAThwacker]

We have a dedicated TV: 2004 k2500 sub quad buckets.
Its my pick up, kid toter, extra friend, camper tow, vacation use, sits around, 3rd vehicle, and on and on.

Get the best multi use dedicated TV!

[jerem0621]

We are Disney people. We really enjoy it too. There may be 500 other pics like it but they are my pics of my family. We are not rich but we do save for these trips, typically one a year.

Last year we combined camping and Disney and stayed at Ft Wilderness... It was amazing.

We all spend our money how we want, the point is to make memories with your family as long as you can. The kids really don't care what it is, they will only care that you were there.

Many of the reasons I love Disney vacations is the same as my camping vacations. Safety... I feel safe vacationing at Disney or at a campground in general. That's something that's really hard to put a price on.

Can't say the same when I was vacationing in New York, Paris, Atlanta, at a hotel etc etc.

Thanks

Jeremiah

[EnricoG]

I have a dedicated tow vehicle too. I keep it at home and drive it to work once a week, plus the occasional trip to Home Depot or Ikea. I just do the regular maintenance on it. I also fully charge the battery before we go camping.

E

[ls1mike]

I have four vehicles. My daily driver is a 1998 Supercharged Regal and the wife has a 2013 Equinox. I keep the stuff I pay off if I like it and it provides good service. The only thing I am making payments on is the Equinox.
I have a 2000 Trans Am WS6 that comes out on nice days and a 2002 Silverado 2500. It has 34500 miles on it. I only use it to tow and picked it up with no options for 12,000 with 23,000 miles on it.
these two combined maybe see 5000 miles a year on a heavy year.

The deals are out there. I have always had a dedicated tow vehicle. Before this truck I had an 89 GMC one ton. Gave me great service even though it sat most of the time. I put 180,000 miles on it. I did start and drive it (just like the current truck) a couple of times a month.

I couldn't keep either truck inside, but I am lucky to live in Western Washington, pretty mild year round, and no rust. My 89 looked new on top and underneath when I sold it to a buddy cheap.

Make sure you keep the tank full. I change the oil every season and do a tranny pan drop and fill every season as well. As with all my cars they get brake fluid flush every 2 to 3 years. Coolant swap every 40,000 to 50,000 miles (or every 5 years). The rest of the stuff gets changed when it needs it.

I can't tell you what truck to buy as that is personal choice. But job one should be keeping the wife happy. 🙂
Happy shopping.

[Hoosierman]

After you get done with all the great State campgrounds in "OUR" wonderful state, start with Kentucky next. There are a lot of caves to camp at and explore in both states too.

I agree with keeping the TV inside, my diesel sat outside for 5 years and the weather really took a toll on it (rust(only 20,000 miles in 7 years)).