Boat and Suv Questions

[BillsTheBassMan]

Hey OFC,

 

I have been doing a lot of research over the last few months on what boat and suv to buy.

 

I am nearing the time to close on a early 90s Crestliner 17ft deep-v aluminum. It has a newer 90hp outboard and the owner has agreed to multiple tests including a compression test. The seller and I do not know the weight (almost impossible to find specs). I am guessing it is approx 1700lbs with trailer/motor/boat/light gear. Does anyone have a more accurate guess?

 

My main question/problem is finding my next vehicle that will accommodate towing this boat and my daily needs. I am looking at v6 models under $20k, 2008 or newer around or under 100k. I prefer a factory tow package (which is really limiting my search). I am mainly looking at Jeep Grand Cherokee, but would consider an Acadia and maybe a Honda Pilot. Everytime I get close to the right vehicle something throws it off. If you could help me with any/all of the following questions that'd be great.

 

1) Do I need 4x4 or AWD? I have found an Acadia with a tow package at a reasonable rate but its FWD. It's rated for 5k TC

 

2) Are aftermarket hitches/transmission coolers as good as a factory tow pack? I could have a vehicle tomorrow if it wasn't for the lack of tow packages.

 

3) Will I need heavier brake pads or trailer breaks? With either the Acadia or JGC I seem to have plenty of pull.

 

4) Should I lean towards diesel JGC models for towing purposes?

 

This will be my first boat and I want to make sure that I am well equipped with the right vehicle to tow it safely for years to come.

 

Any insight is appreciated

 

Thanks

Ryan

[chris.brock]

some guys will say you'll need 4wd for launching the boat, I don't think so though, get 4wd if you want it for snow or off road stuff

 

sounds like you might a little over cautious, I don't think it has to be that complicated and doesn't require a super heavy duty tow vehicle

 

I like diesels (I wish more car/ truck models were available with diesel engines), but I don't think it's necessary

[Fisherpete]

If I was in your situation, I would go 4x4. My boat package weighs around 1000lbs, and on most ramps and in most situations is fine, but there have been a few times that I barely was able to get the boat out with my FWD Ford Escape. I used to drive a Jeep, it was a great tow vehicle.

[porkpie]

You can add all of the aftermarket towing gear no problem, don't worry about that! I would always go 4x4 though, it is one of those things where if you need it, you really need it. There are a few hairy launch ramps that I might not have made it out of without 4x4. No input on the type of vehicle, I've only ever had pickup trucks or Japanese SUV's.

[Gerry]

The thing with tow vehicles is not the pulling abbilities, its the stopping and controlling in evasive maneuvers. I once had a Lund ProV 1800 with a 150HP weighing approx. 2700 lbs and towed witha Ford Explorer V8, 2x4. I had 2 incidents with this that tought me a valuable lessen......if you tow something heavy, tow it with somwething heavy. The 1st incident involved the inability to stop. Here I was driving and sort of daydreaming and come up to a 4 way stop. Although I was late in applying the brakes I thought that I had plenty of time and space. Well let me tell you that my boat felt like I had a freight train hooked up at that moment and it pushed me through the interesection....luckily I didn't hit anyone or anyhting. From that moment I decided that I will never have a boat without its own set of brakes.

 

My 2nd inciednt occured when I launched on a sandy beach, again with the Lund. When it came time to pull out I had to back in to where the rear wheels were half submerged. The rear wheels spun and I sunk in to the axle.....had to get towed out. From that moment I decided the 2x4 Explorer had to go.

 

I had a 3rd incident with this rig. Thisd happened while driving on Hwy11 south of North Bay when this idiot decided to pull out in fron of me. I could not avoid hitting him unless i swerved into the left lane. When I did this the boat again became 4 times heavier and it decided it didn't necessarily want to follow me. It greatly increased the turn that I intended to make to avoid the accident and I almost lost control. So here again my Explorer wasn't heavy enough.

 

The rig that you are looking at 1700 lbs might be OK with a mid-size SUV.....i.e the new Pilots, Jeep Cherokee. A 4x4 may not be necessary if the ramp you intend to use is a good one and that you will only be using it in warmer weather.....i.e no ice and snow. I've have had 4x4s ever since I got rid of the Explorer 2x4 and althought they are less fuel efficient, they are necessary for me. Hope this helps.

[Lape0019]

I guess I am lucky in that my tow vehicle is not a daily driver. She sits in the garage during the Fall and winter ad gets driven occasionally on the weekends. Unless it is Boating season, there is no need for her to move.

 

For your questions and realising this is your daily driver:

 

1) Do I need 4x4 or AWD? I have found an Acadia with a tow package at a reasonable rate but its FWD. It's rated for 5k TC

-No you don't need 4x4 or AWD, but there will be instances you will wish you got it if you decide against it. There are ramps out there that you will regret using if you don't have one of those systems. If I could choose 1, it would be 4x4 because you can choose when to use it instead of waiting for it to kick in.

2) Are aftermarket hitches/transmission coolers as good as a factory tow pack? I could have a vehicle tomorrow if it wasn't for the lack of tow packages.

- I have no issues saying that an aftermarket hitch is just as good as a factory one. As for a trans cooler, for the weight of your boat, I do not even believe you will need one of these. If you want to have one installed, it won't hurt, but it is something I just don't think is required. Having said that, I got caught up in the 0% financing on a new truck that has all of these toys. The problem I had was my monthly payment for a new truck was the same as a $20,000 truck that was a few years older all because I could only finance the older trucks up to 48 months. Again, my trucks sits a lit so when it is paid off, it will still have less than 100,000K's on it so I figured it was worth my while to just buy new and have this things for 10 - 15 years...

3) Will I need heavier brake pads or trailer breaks? With either the Acadia or JGC I seem to have plenty of pull.

-When your vehicle is rated for a specific towing weight, items like your suspension and brake pads are taken into account. Again, you don't need heavier stuff. Trailer brakes are always good but I would not worry too much about them if they are not on the rig you are looking for.
My rig weighs in at just over 2000lbs and I barely notice it behind the vehicle. If I have my dad’s fiberglass deck boat (Just over 3500lbs)on the other hand, I know its back there even though it has trailer brakes!

4) Should I lean towards diesel JGC models for towing purposes?

- I don't know much about the Jeep's towing capacity but I would not limit yourself to this vehicle on the towing side. If you are thinking more about your daily driver, this may be a good route for you but remember that maintenance is a whole lot more expensive on diesel engines and with the higher price on diesel, I just don't think you would be saving all that much in the long run.

 

I know I spend about $50.00 on an oil change and for a VW to have the oil change/water separator replaced it is close to $150.00. I would imagine that would be close to the price on a JGC.

 

If I had to choose between the three vehicles you listed, I would go with the Acadia if you could find it with straight 4x4. The problem is, I believe they are only available in AWD (I could be wrong but this is what I remember). I believe this is the largest of the vehicles you are looking at and that is why it would be my top pick. After that, I would go with the Jeep and I honestly don’t even think I would try to tow with a Honda Pilot. It may be more than capable but I just don’t think of Honda as a tow rig.

 

 

So to go on and on, but I hope you find it useful!

 

Adam

[BillM]

 

I know I spend about $50.00 on an oil change and for a VW to have the oil change/water separator replaced it is close to $150.00. I would imagine that would be close to the price on a JGC.

 

Adam

 

Adam, I can step you through any fuel filter change on a TDI (Or anything else to do with that engine to be honest) It's a $25 part and takes about 5mins.. I've also got a bunch of TDI related vendors you can get parts from instead of getting bent over by the dealer.

[lookinforwalleye]

Refreshing knowing somebody is actually concerned about towing safety...too many people want to tow with Yaris!!!

 

I tow with a 2008 Jeep Liberty similar weight as you with no issues, super vehicle in my opinion and you can pick one up pretty cheap.

Edited February 27, 2014 by lookinforwalleye

[aznphil]

Ryan,

 

I am in the exact same "boat" as you. I've been researching like a mad man the past year so let me share some info:

 

I'm almost 99% on a lease or lease taking over on an F150, 4x4. As said before the tow accessories can be aftermarket. My second choice was a used 09 Honda Pilot, ~100k, <$20k. Definitely a tow worthy as well as do-everything vehicle. The main factor for me was knowing the added stress/maintenance when towing. Now compare a brand new vehicle w. warranty w. a 5 yr old (albeit Honda) in its mid life, which will cost more in terms of upkeep/repairs after another 4-5 years of use.

 

Mind you its not needed for the boat you describe, but it will def. give you a peace of mind compared to all other candidates. I myself have not found "the boat" for me yet, but I can't stop dreaming of a >17ft repowered bassboat, so I'll keep looking until I do find her.

 

If you're adamant about used then just get a Honda (Toyotas are overpriced).

[BillM]

That rig is going to be over 1700lbs if you're including the trailer...

[MrSimon]

V6 SUVs like Explorers, Pathfinders, Acadias, Pilots, Libertys etc. will tow your set up adequately. However, if you are loaded down with gear and people, those vehicles will bog down on inclines and hills and will get terrible fuel economy.

 

A full size SUV like a Tahoe, Yukon, Expedition, Suburban, Aramada etc with a small V8 will get almost the same mileage (better than the V6 while towing) and offer you more space, more power, significantly better handling while towing, and a heavier duty trans, suspension, brakes, cooling system, and drive train.

 

A three or four year old Tahoe with the 5.3L V8 is a darn good vehicle and will be hard to beat for what you want.

[BillM]

The big thing here is stopping like Gerry mentioned, anything can pull a load for the most part.

Edited February 27, 2014 by BillM

[Lape0019]

 

Adam, I can step you through any fuel filter change on a TDI (Or anything else to do with that engine to be honest) It's a $25 part and takes about 5mins.. I've also got a bunch of TDI related vendors you can get parts from instead of getting bent over by the dealer.

 

Hey Bill,

 

Fortunately for me, I am not the one getting hosed . That is my uncles vehicle.

 

 

Refreshing knowing somebody is actually concerned about towing safety...too many people want to tow with Yaris!!!

 

I have never seen a Yaris pull a boat, but I did see a Kia Soul struggle to pull a 18' Larson bowrider at a nice launch! I don't understand what goes through some poeples heads!

[Freshtrax]

I grabbed a 2010 f150 super crew 4x4 with 45k on it for only 23k last year. There's deals to be had, the big dealerships don't like to sit on stock for long, especially if they sold the truck originally new, then took it back in on a trade or off lease, It seats six comfotably has room for the luggage in the bed, and can pull any boat I will ever own. In. My opinion super crew trucks are way more practical than SUV's.

[Raf]

i'm going to guess that rig is closer to 2500 lbs than 1700. esp with fuel and gear on it. a 17' lund side console, 90 4 stroke, and trailer weighs in at about 2500lbs.

 

i did tow said lund with a 6 cyl 4.0L Jeep Cherokee but it did leave me wanting a little more power especially in hilly areas. The 6 cyl Grand Cherokee is heavier than a reg Cherokee by quite a bit too.

Edited February 27, 2014 by Raf

[porkpie]

I grabbed a 2010 f150 super crew 4x4 with 45k on it for only 23k last year. There's deals to be had, the big dealerships don't like to sit on stock for long, especially if they sold the truck originally new, then took it back in on a trade or off lease, It seats six comfotably has room for the luggage in the bed, and can pull any boat I will ever own. In. My opinion super crew trucks are way more practical than SUV's.

You did well, very well! I bought my F150 screw for 31k out the door in 2010, at that time I couldn't get a decent used one with low k for less than 26k. It was a no brainer to buy the new one. I do agree that a full size is the way to go for towing, but they are a b@@@stard on gas otherwise!

Edited February 27, 2014 by porkpie

[lookinforwalleye]

V6 SUVs like Explorers, Pathfinders, Acadias, Pilots, Libertys etc. will tow your set up adequately. However, if you are loaded down with gear and people, those vehicles will bog down on inclines and hills and will get terrible fuel economy.

 

A full size SUV like a Tahoe, Yukon, Expedition, Suburban, Aramada etc with a small V8 will get almost the same mileage (better than the V6 while towing) and offer you more space, more power, significantly better handling while towing, and a heavier duty trans, suspension, brakes, cooling system, and drive train.

 

A three or four year old Tahoe with the 5.3L V8 is a darn good vehicle and will be hard to beat for what you want.

2008 V6 Liberty, 18 foot Stratos, 3 adults, all they gear plus camping stuff....no issue up or down a hill!!!

2012 Nissan Pathfinder V6, 18 foot Rinker I/O 4 adults plus all the gear....no issues up or down a hill!!!

Ford explorer V6, 17 foot Alumacraft Navigator, 2 Adults plus gear...lousy for towing no power to tow barely adequate!!!

 

I will take my gas mileage any day over a 5.3 Tahoe towing or not!!!

[BillM]

I would guess that the 5.3 will give you better mileage towing then any of those. ... V6's turn into complete dogs when anything is strapped to the back of them. Let alone the mileage they get when unloaded isn't anything to write home about in the first place.

[captpierre]

Purchased a new vehicle last fall and after much looking and asking the guys on this site went with a new Toyota 4Runner.

 

So far so good.

 

$38,500 out the door with the end of year rebate.

 

Other candidates were new Pilot, 3 yr used Tahoe (1/2 price of new).

 

Sucks to spend the extra $ on gas for the times you need to tow in a year.

 

But then there is the safety aspect of a larger vehicle.

 

Does your trailer have brakes?

 

[lookinforwalleye]

I would guess that the 5.3 will give you better mileage towing then any of those. ... V6's turn into complete dogs when anything is strapped to the back of them. Let alone the mileage they get when unloaded isn't anything to write home about in the first place.

Yes towing is not really about good gas mileage is it, but at the end of the day I will take my 29 MPG hwy non towing versus 17 or so a Tahoe would get any day. Not really sure what MPG I get when I tow and it don`t really matter now does it, we own boats and we need trucks to tow them. Boats and what tows them consume large quantities of fuel no big surprise!!!

If you want to play you gotta pay or buy a jon boat!!!

[Lape0019]

Yes towing is not really about good gas mileage is it, but at the end of the day I will take my 29 MPG hwy non towing versus 17 or so a Tahoe would get any day. Not really sure what MPG I get when I tow and it don`t really matter now does it, we own boats and we need trucks to tow them. Boats and what tows them consume large quantities of fuel no big surprise!!!

If you want to play you gotta pay or buy a jon boat!!!

What do you drive that you get 29mpg out of a tow vehicle? Right now in the middle of the winter, I am averaging 30mpg on my 4cyl equinox. My 2013 sierra with a 5.3 V8 and a 6 speed is averaging 20mpg. In the summer months, I average around 35mpg in the equinox and 23-25mpg in the truck. The new trucks with the MDS systems and 6 speed transmission are really good at reducing fuel consumption but I do not know too many tow vehicles that actually get 29mpg. My old f150 (15mpg) was about as bad regularly as my sierra is towing so I am not complaining there.

[Pikeslayer]

Just another option to consider;

My boat fully rigged (115 Merc, 9.9 Honda, Bowmount + gear), tandem trailer & 115 L of gas was scaled @ 2,850 lbs w/ tongue weight of 255 lbs.

Trailer is equipped with surge breaks that are inspected/serviced every year.

I tow with a 2008 Hyundai Veracruz w/ 3.8 L & AWD. Touch wood, I've never had any ramp or breaking issues & I average approx 19 L/100 K towing to Parry Sound (slightly better on the downhill return trip ).

On the other hand, my Outlaw tows a 16 ft tinny with a 2010 Santa Fe, 3.5 L FWD and he has ramp challenges on gravel/wet/muddy launches.

Bottom line;

1. do your homework and study the owner's manual of any vehicle you are considering purchasing.

2. Due diligence on your trailer maintenance and pay attention to your tires.

3. Don't exceed the maximum speed rating. Lesson learned & fortunate I have the tandem trailer.

4. Get the CAA RV Premium package

[Freshtrax]

You did well, very well! I bought my F150 screw for 31k out the door in 2010, at that time I couldn't get a decent used one with low k for less than 26k. It was a no brainer to buy the new one. I do agree that a full size is the way to go for towing, but they are a b@@@stard on gas otherwise!

Mines not horrible int he summer 12/13 L/ 100km mixed driving city ,hwy, towing, It's krept up to 14 with winter gas.

[Raf]

my v8 grand cherokee gets about 10-11l/100 on the hwy and about 12-13l /100 towing on the hwy -- both summer figures. i am only towing ~ 1000lbs though. i do keep it at or below 110km/hr when not towing and 100 or less when towing.

 

i dont really want to discuss city figures. fortunately most of it's driving is done on 80km/hr+ roads without lights and traffic.

Edited February 28, 2014 by Raf

[BillsTheBassMan]

Wow guys, I really appreciate all the info, a lot of really good information has been posted. I am snowed out from getting home tonight but I will try and post pictures of the boat when I get home. I think I am set on a 4x4 at this point but I will look at vehicles without the hitch as aftermarket seems ok.

 

I will do long tows about 10 times annually so a big tahoe is out of the question.

 

My understanding on the jeep liberty is that the wheel base is too short for really effective towing but owners seem to have no problems with them.

 

Again, I appreciate all the information.

 

Ryan