What will be a good tow vehicle

[Fonchy]

I got a 21' CC with gas , boat, engine and trailer is about 5000 lbs, I want to trade in my van for a vehicle to tow this boat, what will be a good tow vehicle, I was thinking about a durango with a 4.7l engine but the gas mileage on it is 14/18, any one with a good suggestion.

Armando

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: What will be a good tow vehicle

love my surburban, tow 23 ft deckboat, same weight.

 

[Fonchy]

Re: What will be a good tow vehicle

forgot to mention, no trucks, it has to be a family vehicle.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: What will be a good tow vehicle

If you want to leave out vans, pickups and SUVs based on truck chassis, I think you are going to have a tough time towing this.

 

[bjcsc]

Re: What will be a good tow vehicle

What do you mean, "no trucks"? I don't think you're going to find a sedan or wagon that can tow 5000lbs. A Durango is a truck...do you mean no trucks with beds?

 

[bjcsc]

Re: What will be a good tow vehicle

Hey bruce, we're on the same page with this one!

 

[Fonchy]

Re: What will be a good tow vehicle

I meant pick-up trucks, vehicles with beds on the back, more like tahoe, suburban, durango, land cruiser, etc.

 

[bjcsc]

Re: What will be a good tow vehicle

What kind of duty cycle? 100s of mile trips?, 5 miles back and forth to the landing once a week?

 

[Fonchy]

Re: What will be a good tow vehicle

To the lake and back less than 40 miles. Ill try to do as many trips as I can. But atleast once to the coast 3 hours away

 

[bruceb58]

Re: What will be a good tow vehicle

Hey bruce, we're on the same page with this one!

Actually, we usually are!

 

[Fonchy]

Re: What will be a good tow vehicle

and is going to be used for taking kids and going in long trips with out the boat. I want a good all aroung not gas guzzling vehicle, but I know all SUVs are.

 

[j442w30]

Re: What will be a good tow vehicle

Lots of different choices in that range. Did you look at a newer Durango or Grand Cherokee that has the Hemi engine, I believe they have the cylinder deactivation feature to save on gas. The Grand Cherokee also has a diesel option for this year that is said to get mileage in the low 20's. Chevy Trailblazer or Tahoe/Yukon or as Tashasdaddy said the Suburban or Yukon XL if you need the room. Ford Explorer/Mercury Mountaineer with the V8 or Expedition. Toyota 4Runner V8 or Nissan Pathfinder just off the top of my head. None of these vehicles will get great gas mileage, thats just the nature of the beast but if you're towing 5000 lbs you want something that can handle it. With gas prices being so high there are lots of these types of vehicles for sale, take your pick.

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: What will be a good tow vehicle

and is going to be used for taking kids and going in long trips with out the boat. I want a good all aroung not gas guzzling vehicle, but I know all SUVs are.

And I want a Ferrari performance from a Ford Escort !!!! LOL
Bottom line is that for the towing capacity you need there has to be limitations on the fuel consumption you will get.

 

[KM2]

Re: What will be a good tow vehicle

Get something full size for that much weight. The durango would be the smallest vehicle I would consider. FYI: The Chyrsler Aspen is the same basic vehicle and looks sharp.

Other than the durango I would look at the Tahoe/Yukon or Expedition. Just to be fair other vehicles in this class are the Toyota Seqouia and Nissan Armada.


I have towed the same 3500-4000 lbs with a Tahoe and Exped and they handled it well. I give a slight edge to the Exped when towing and the tahoe rides better when not towing. Vehicles were the previous models, years 2001 and 2004.


A vehicle capable of towing that much weight isn't going to get much better than 14/18. You will be lucky to get 11 mpg towing.

 

[SuperNova]

Re: What will be a good tow vehicle

Suburban with the 6.0, hands down for my money. I know I'll get a lot of flak for this, but I'll tell you I have an '01 2500 Suburban with the 8.1 and I get 18 on the highway even while towing. Around town is about 8 mpg though. They tell me the 6.0 does better, but I tow a 28' Nova III (gross weight full with trailer is about 8000 lbs) so I wanted the biggest I could get and they didn't offer a diesel for my year. The durango's and Jeeps with the hemi are getting about 14 even with MDS system which wouldn't activate while towing anyway and even then you have a weaker trans.
--
Stan

 

[gonefishie]

Re: What will be a good tow vehicle

Sequoia = Tundra without the bed.
Armada = Titan without the bed.

Takes your pick.

Surburban and Tahoe are good but the price tags are hot to touch. Matter of fact, all of the above are hot to touch, to me that is.

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: What will be a good tow vehicle

For that size boat a Durango or similar vehicle is too short of wheel base.
Gonna have some sway at highway speeds..

 

[nimmor]

Re: What will be a good tow vehicle

Have you considered a crew cab with a diesel. You will have room for 6-7 people and get better milage, I also would go with the manual transmission.

 

[Fonchy]

Re: What will be a good tow vehicle

I dont like trucks because I ont like leaving suff on the back and since my kids are in every sport imaginable putting and taking stuff in /out would be a pain and I carry 3 more kids with me when going to practices. and I know some of you are going to say put a camper shell or a cover, I dont like having stuff that I have to remove to put things in.

I kind of found two durangos 2006 SLT 4.7l 4x2 it does not have hitch but the dealer told me that they are going to put a hitch on it, this vehicle was bought from a rental car place. So does this mean that it came with tow package and the rental car place took it off because they dont want anyone towing with their vehicles or it did not come with one and they are putting one on an calling it a tow package. What does a tow package consist of???
Hitch, oil cooler what else because Im going to go check it out tomorrow

The other is a 2004 Durango 4x2 SLT with tow package and HEMI. It has 31,000 miles on it, so still has some factory warranty

Which one would be better
Thanks for the help guys/gals

 

[j442w30]

Re: What will be a good tow vehicle

Between those two I would take the HEMI version without a doubt. Others have mentioned that the wheelbase maybe too short for your needs and could lead to sway problems with the trailer.