Inexpensive Tow Vehicle

Soundguy · Mar 16, 2004

I just looked in the manual for my GMC yukon.. it also mentions the engine/tow package limitations for allowable towed weight. Must be a common situation...spec the advertisements as 'comftorably equipped'.. show prices starting at base model..

Soundguy

slowrev · Mar 16, 2004

Interesting how they show the base price but talk about what it can do fully equipped /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif I also read that UHaul will not rent a trailer for use with the Ford SUV's. ( Status Upgrade Vehicle)

BubbaJr · Mar 16, 2004

I had a similar situation to you when we bought our property. I was leasing a Mercury Mountaineer, and needed a better tow vehicle. So I looked around and found a 1990 3/4 ton 4WD Chevy pickup and used that to tow my tractor back and forth to the property until we got the house built and moved in. At that time the lease was up on the Mercury and I then leased an F150 4WD with the tow package. I paid about $6K for the Chevy and got about $4.8K in trade-in on the new Ford. I feel that I got my $1200 worth out of the Chevy as it would have cost me a LOT more to rent a truck for that time period. And it handled the tractor (Kubota B2910) and trailer just fine. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Zork · Mar 16, 2004

Hi, you could get an older 87-89/90 Jeep grand wagoneer V8 360 at 44-4700 lbs empty. You might get in the teens for mpg. I can squeeze 16 hwy out of mine. You'll need a weight distributing receiver hitch and brakes on your trailer. I've had a 12k lb trailer 1800 empty behind mine but it wasn't fully loaded. It did pull flawlessly loaded as compared to being empty. The grandwagoneer is a goody if you find one that is or has been reliable and you know something about cars.

AndyM · Mar 16, 2004

Hi, you could get an older 87-89/90 Jeep grand wagoneer V8 360 at 44-4700 lbs empty. You might get in the teens for mpg. I can squeeze 16 hwy out of mine. You'll need a weight distributing receiver hitch and brakes on your trailer. I've had a 12k lb trailer 1800 empty behind mine but it wasn't fully loaded. It did pull flawlessly loaded as compared to being empty. The grandwagoneer is a goody if you find one that is or has been reliable and you know something about cars. 

As a matter of fact, I've was looking at those on Ebay the other day. All of them came fully loaded those years, and they really hold their value well for a 15 year old vehicle.

California · Mar 16, 2004

( re. an older 87-89/90 Jeep grand wagoneer V8 360. )

That brings back memories! I've had two Wagoneers. They worked well to get into my gold mining claim in the Sierras no matter what the 'road' looked like. With passengers, baggage, mining gear, etc aboard. Great expedition vehicle.

See the attached photo made 25 years ago. I put it there, took the photo, and drove right out. That was a 304 with 4 speed MT and got 15 mpg.

I loved driving them but bad reliability drove me away. More recently, my neighbor sold his, about a 1990, after replacing two rear differentials in the first 100k miles. My Trooper has been night-and-day better than my Wagoneers.

I just looked on ebay and I'm surprised how much these sell for. I'm not surprised at the long list of renovated parts specified on the better ones.

Still, since they have the tow capacity I will include Wagoneer in the short list.
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Charlie_in_TX · Mar 22, 2004

I would also look at the '99+ GMs with ecab and 5.3l v8. I had a 270lb 6'2" adult in the rear for a 10 hour trip. He had no complaints. I had one with the 4.8l and got 20mpg at 70. Got a high of 22. The motor was slightly overloaded with a 19ft SeaRay 4.3l I/O and weekend camping gear, not brakes. The rest of the truck handled it fine.

My buddy has a 5.3l in the same truck. He usually gets 21mpg with a 4wheeler on a 1500lb capacity trailer, 500lbs of feed, gear, food, guns ect going to the deer lease. Higher empty.

rockyridgefarm · Mar 22, 2004

My buddy towed my 4310 with loader and hoe (about 6000Lbs...) from the Ozarks to home behind a '93 dakota 318 automatic. It never even dropped out of overdrive even in the hills and got great mileage. Later models won't even go into overdrive with the load.

Poncho · Mar 22, 2004

I agree with Joe1... get an older full size truck for towing the big stuff and keep the smaller SUV for daily driving. I've got a 2000 Crew Cab 2500 with a turn over ball gooseneck hitch.... I towed a 2 horse trailer with 2 horses for years behind a 95' 4dr Tahoe and never felt comfortable... that much weight does wreck havoc on your drivetrain and suspension. I now pull a 3 horse slant load 29' gooseneck and once you go gooseneck... you never go back, it's night and day.

texbaylea · Mar 22, 2004

I use a 1993 GMC K2500HD turboDiesel for towing. I bought it new and plan to keep it for another 10 years. It is now worth 5000-8000. Very comfortable, I am 6'6" 240 lbs and have no comfort problems. Weighs 5300# with a GVWR of 13000. even with 150K miles gets 16-17mpg. With any tow vehicle be sure and have trailer brakes. I would not use any other vehicle if possible however we also have a GMC 1500 Suburban that hauls 5000# easily. Thats about an L3130, loader and 16' utility trailer. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif