Towing vehicle suggestions

[icefisherman]

Well my trusted Pathfinder has finally given up on me....won't be easy to replace it as I need something that:

 

a) Can tow my Lund 1700 Pro Sport and trailer - combined weight on one of those highway scales without disconnecting it from the truck is about 1300 kg

Be more economical than the Pathfinder. It was killing me on the gas bill....from home to Lake Erie and Back - 1 tank of gas and at today's prices ....don't want to think about it.

c) to be able to fit me, the wife and 2 kids when going camping with the boat. So SUV preferred.

d) Not too big so it can be used in town as a second car (rare occasions and very few km's)

e) Better to be import as I am not big believer in US made ones.

f) Did I mention not to be too expensive...

g) fairly recent year/low km's so I can use it for few more years....say 3-4 years old or thereabout

h) no the color doesn't matter ;-))

 

I know....not an easy combination...but seeing the boat in the garage right when the salmon season is about to start is not a happy picture as you all can imagine.

 

Appreciate all your advice as always.

 

Cheers,

Ice Fisherman

Edited April 17, 2012 by icefisherman

[atvaholic]

Well my trusted Pathfinder has finally given up on me....won't be easy to replace it as I need something that:

 

a) Can tow my Lund 1700 Pro Sport and trailer - combined weight on one of those highway scales without disconnecting it from the truck is about 1300 kg

Be more economical than the Pathfinder. It was killing me on the gas bill....from home to Lake Erie and Back - 1 tank of gas and at today's prices ....don't want to think about it.

c) to be able to fit me, the wife and 2 kids when going camping with the boat. So SUV preferred.

d) Not too big so it can be used in town as a second car (rare occasions and very few km's)

e) Better to be import as I am not big believer in US made ones.

f) Did I mention not to be too expensive...

g) fairly recent year/low km's so I can use it for few more years....say 3-4 years old or thereabout

h) no the color doesn't matter ;-))

 

I know....not an easy combination...but seeing the boat in the garage right when the salmon season is about to start is not a happy picture as you all can imagine.

 

Appreciate all your advice as always.

 

Cheers,

Ice Fisherman

Maybe not exactly what your looking for but can tell you what I use in case you go looking that way.

 

I have a 2010 Toyota Tacoma double cab and regularly tow a 19 foot travel trailer (about 4500 lbs loaded) with no issues. It also fits me the wife and 2 kids. I get 24 - 25MPG on the highway, but only get 10 - 12MPG when towing the big beast.

Edited April 17, 2012 by atvaholic

[Pigeontroller]

I don't think you'll find a more economical vehicle to tow a 1300kg boat...

[jedimaster]

If your trailer weight is right(seems highi to me)....

 

You need something with a towing rating higher that 3600 pounds. That in itself blocks out a number of good suv's

Here is a quick list of those greater than 3600 pounds towing capacity...

 

Liberty

Trailblazer

Durango

Envoy

Pilot

Ascender

Commander

grand cheroke

mountainer

montera

pathfinder

xterra

4runner

fj cruiser

wrangler

 

You can use that a base list and then narrow down fuel mileage, then get a black one.

 

I have a liberty and I am very happy with it. For 4 people its plenty roomy, small enough to park in the city, real 4x4 not awd will get your boat out of the water, likely as good on fuel as any other, and they are dirt cheap. A plus is that is has independant front suspension so that makes the ride a hell of alot better than a wrangler.

[Rod Caster]

Brand new 4 door dodge ram. Less than 30 for a new one with a v8. I'm not a chrysler fan, but you cant argue with the price.

[jedimaster]

yah a shortbox quad cab ram is just as good on gas as any suv.

[bigbuck]

While towing a fairly heavy load, nothing will get much better than 15mpg other than a three quarter ton diesel. If you want to tow, you have to pay for fuel, that is the bottom line. Any of the midsize suv's should be able to do the job for you and shouldn't be too bad on gas while normal driving. Good luck, you are searching for the holy grail of tow vehicles, great fuel economy during towing and when not pulling a load.

[ecmilley]

yup there all tough on fuel, gm giving away seirra with the 4.8 vvt engine and 4x4 29k dodge similar they do get overall great fuel mileage these days if you can find it used liberty crd diesel best of all worlds can tow and get respectable fuel mileage, other than that 4 door taco or another nissan all decent enough

[icefisherman]

If your trailer weight is right(seems highi to me)....

You need something with a towing rating higher that 3600 pounds. That in itself blocks out a number of good suv's

 

 

 

Well I weighted it twice and it showed about 1200 something kgs...so I round it up to 1300kg....this is with main motor, kicker, trolling, full of gas, all fishing gear, riggers, etc. It could be slightly higher but not by much as I wanted to actually completely disconnect trailer from the truck and then weight it but the scale people didn't let me do that.

1300 kg = 2860 Lbs

My pathfinder was rated to 3500 Lbs and was pulling fine for 5-6 years though a bit slow at the big hills...I believe many 6 cyl. SUV's are rated at 3500 Lbs so those should fit the bill, no?

[icefisherman]

While towing a fairly heavy load, nothing will get much better than 15mpg other than a three quarter ton diesel. If you want to tow, you have to pay for fuel, that is the bottom line. Any of the midsize suv's should be able to do the job for you and shouldn't be too bad on gas while normal driving. Good luck, you are searching for the holy grail of tow vehicles, great fuel economy during towing and when not pulling a load.

 

I would love the Tacoma but am scared of the price tag even for a used one...

 

Couple years ago I almost bought the new (then) RAV4 6 cyl version...this is trully my dream SUV love the look of it....super sexy ;-))...amazing engine, great economy both loaded and not, perfect for in town....perfect for me all around....but those damn things NEVER EVER seem to go down in price even 2007 or 2008 are still well over $10K...but yes if I manage to find one of those at a good deal I'll be set for a looooong while ;-)

 

Cheers,

Ice Fisherman

[kickingfrog]

I was just reading an article about 2009 Toyota highlanders. That might be our next tow vehicle.

[blarg]

I was pulling my boat with a mini van, it only weighs about 1800lbs all in, but the van definitely didnt like coming up the ramp or backing up the driveway, have a new ram now, i moved the boat last week and it was so odd backing up a small grade idling and not feeling it at all.

[cram]

Highlander - tow rating of 4900lbs, i believe. Great vehicle in general.

[danbouck]

I just got a 2012 Dodge Caravan for a tech at work and it's great on gas. It's completely loaded with tools and parts and currently sitting at 10.2L/100km. I was never a minivan fan but it's great. It has a 3600lb towing capacity.

[jedimaster]

Well to tow around 2900 pounds on a vehicle rated for 3500 pounds is stretching it. The suv's in the 3500pound towing range are generally car based suvs, with small trannies, no tranny oil cooler, small brakes and no real 4x4.If you tow your boat regularly ou will want the extra headroom provided by going above the 3500 pound (class 2) towing capacity. A Pathfinder is a fairly stout vehicle, so don't be mislead that because your pathfinder is rated for 3500 pounds any other vehicle rated for 3500 pounds will also work fine.

 

Be pracicle you are going to have to eat up he gas to pul that kind of weight safely. Don't forget you not onley need to get your boat to and from the lake safely you will also need to actually be ablt to pull it out of the water. and on a gravel ramp, an awd is not likely going to cut it.

 

I would say your top bet is a liberty diesle, or a truck of some sort, maybe a dakota quad cab, or a 1500 of brand X.I have always liked th tacomas but they had some major frame issues in the late 90's and got a bad name. These issues were resolved though.

[Fish Farmer]

You said you want a TRUCK SUV go all the way and by a Ford F150 Crew 4X4.

Brian "Misfish" I thought you would have chimed in on this one???

Just yanking your chain bud, But I do like that Dodge Ram Laredo.

Towing a boat and trying to save on gas, I don't think your going to win.

[Raf]

get a v8 for towing. my grand cherokee v8 gets better mileage towing (and on the highway not towing) than my previous 4.0L I6 regular cherokee did - it is slightly thirstier in town. the v8 does not have to work as hard -- you're at the upper end of 6 cylinder towing limit which means they'll have to work pretty hard.

[BillM]

Towing and mileage really don't go together. We get about 9mpg pulling the 5th wheel and the boat with my oldmans Duramax, can easily pull 15-16mpg with the boat only. But that's way overkill for what you're looking for.

[Roy]

My next one will be an 8 cyl. if they still make them by then.

[scugpg]

Ford explorer v6 eco boost 4x4 if/when it comes out. Really nice looking ride and should be good in gas with the eco

[BillM]

Ford explorer v6 eco boost 4x4 if/when it comes out. Really nice looking ride and should be good in gas with the eco

 

F150's with the EcoBoost have been a bust in the mileage department. I doubt the Explorer will do much better.

 

Replace that silly V6 turbo gasser with a small displacement turbo diesel and then you'd see some nice mileage numbers

Edited April 17, 2012 by BillM

[icefisherman]

Well guye appreciate all the input and opinions here...so far based on your suggestions and on my list of requirements it seems the three top choices are:

 

1) Toyota RAV4 V6 - no one has said anything bad about it. Glowing reviews everywhere. And I have been following this vehicle ever since it came out in 2006. Amazing top quality engine, 269 hp, and 246 lb-ft of torque. Very economical too...with about the same mileage (19 mpg city and 27 mpg highway) the 4 cyl has, but much much more powerful. Very good look (wife should be happy;-) 4WD so no problem pulling the boat at any ramp under any conditions. By the way I have never had issue with the Pathfinder in that department. With that motor and 35oo Lbs towing capacity I should be laughing pulling my boat and I bet it'll have much better economy than the Pathfinder. Only if I can find a good deal on one. Maybe from the US....as they seem much cheaper there though made next door in Woodstock.

 

2) Toyota Tacoma. Most of the above applies here as well. Very highly regarded vehicle...never had a truck before but if any this maybe the one I feel good about. Towing shouldn't be a problem with 5000 lbs towing capacity. And again I am sure the millage will be better than Pathfinder. Same applies here though - good finding a good deal on one.

 

3) May have to consider going back to Pathfinder or XTerra mainly because of the lower prices...hope they have improved their economy in the last 10 years though....

 

I have heard some horror stories about the Jeeps...good things about the Ford Trucks but it'll be a huge jump for me to go to that kind of a vehicle, not to mentioned it is US made...which is not that big of an attractant in my books...so...not much other choice left really....

 

 

 

Cheers,

Ice Fisherman

Edited April 17, 2012 by icefisherman

[cityfisher]

id recommend my jeep but its a pig on gas.. its an 04 v8 limited... i get avg on the hwy 15l/100km .. NOT towing... towing my buddys ranger... 18l/100 on the hwy

 

100$ to drive to the cottage and back

[ratherboutdoors]

I have had good luck with my Tundra, I pull an 8000lb fifth wheel. You don't want to know how much fuel it goes through though. My theory, what I save on repairs I spend on fuel... so far anyway!

[cram]

Does a Rav4 have the weight to tow a boat like that?