what tow vehicle to buy????

[Andy C.]

Hello guys; I am in the market to buy my First tow vehicle and i am not sure what to get. It will be to tow my 63 corvette to shows. I plan on getting a Featherlight or ATC aluminum trailer with a V nose. Some guys say buy 2 wheel drive and some say 4 wheel drive. Some say to get a gas engine and some say diesel? Some say short wheel base is OK and some say long wheel base is what I need? I am thinking on buying a higher end vehicle such as a GMC Denali, Lincoln navigator or Cadillac Escalade to replace my Benz and to use to tow as well. Which one of these 3 would be best?? or I may go to a lower end vehicle such as a Ford F150 or 250 pickup truck or a GMC pickup and replace my Honda Odessy? Any ideas, suggestions and input would be helpfull as I want to do this only once. Thanks

[Terry R.]

Re: what tow vehicle to buy????

I use a Cayenne S that works alot better than the Denalli i used before. No EZ lift or sway bars needed.

[Kent K.]

Re: what tow vehicle to buy????

Lots of campers use Chevrolet Surburbans. Diesel may be better than gas. Recommend a long bed configuration if you're going the pick-up truck route.

BTW - About 2 months ago, I traded my '94 Chevy short bed 2-door pick-up. Bought it new and installed a transmission cooler. Pulled loaded trailers to 7 Springs and Bloomington Gold in Springfield along with miscelanneous shorter distances. Trips were about 1100 miles each way. It did fine at 70 mph. If I did it again, I'd get smoething bigger.

Happy New Year, Kent

[Justin B.]

Re: what tow vehicle to buy????

Wow, Benz and Porsche SUV's. Going in style. You guys will definetely look the best pulling into the shows but those vehicles will not come close to the pulling power of a diesel truck. A car and an enclosed trailer is a heavy load especially going up hills. Plus, going down the hills can be a little scary with vehicles not intended for heavy loads. If you have to have luxuries on your tow vehicle, the American made trucks have them too. Get something that will do the job good. The goal is to get yourself and your Corvette to the shows safely. Besides, you wouldn't wear your $300 desinger blue-jeans to change your oil would you?

[Terry R.]

Re: what tow vehicle to buy????

I've pulled my trailor and car with a F-250 diesel and I feel more comfortable with that 5'000 lb Porsche stopping and starting. Wouldn't know about the $300 blue jeans. Just kidding, but the Porsche does a heck of a job.

[john daly]

Re: what tow vehicle to buy????

Looks like the HD Chevy pickups can tow up to 10,500 gvrw with the regular 1500's able to tow 8,100 vs. 7700 for the cayenne. There are good deals right now on Siverado's....

[Jim D.]

Re: what tow vehicle to buy????

We have 2 2006 2500HD Silverado diesel 4X4's at work. I drive one of them daily (when it's not in the shop). All I can say is, no way would I spend my money on one of these pieces of crap. Both have aprrox. 30K miles and have had a multitude of problems.

[Joseph T.]

Re: what tow vehicle to buy????

Excellant values available on low mileage 4 year old Heavy Duty vehicles..loaded with comfort features. Half the price of a new vehicle.

Get at least a 1 ton long wheel base 4wd vehicle..with towing package.

Ride in style, comfort and safety..without overloading your vehicle.

Gas mileage and gas price has forced prices down on these workhorses.

$25,000 will be more than enough to buy a great tow vehicle. If you can stand the sound of a Diesel..even better for highway and strength.

Joe

[George C.]

Re: what tow vehicle to buy????

Toyota recommends GM vehicles for towing power. I say GM.

http://jalopnik.com/cars/pickup-trucks/toyota-at-texas-state-fair-to-race-leaving-towing-to-chevy-304526.php

[Edward S.]

Re: what tow vehicle to buy????

Andy, before I retired and towed my own car I had a new Avalanche with regular V-8 and 4 wheel drive. I was very pleased in how it ran both as a tow vehicle
and everyday driver. Had reg. suspension - when I used everyday it rode like caddy, weighed 3 tons, had room for 6 large adults and I averaged 18 mpg. When I retired and gas was going through the roof I sold it to get better mpg. I now kick myself that I got rid of it. Was also great for moving things that called for a truck. Good luck, Ed.

[Bryan L.]

Re: what tow vehicle to buy????

I've had both 1/2 and 3/4 ton Chevys and used them to tow a few cars. I'm partial to a 3/4 ton because to me they just pull better and feel more solid and stable out on the road. For an open trailer a full size half-ton pickup or big GM SUV will be fine. If you're thinking about stepping up to an enclosed trailer sometime I wouldn't consider anything smaller than a 3/4 ton or a 1 ton if the enclosed trailer is one of the larger ones.

I'm a Chevy guy since forever but the newer Ford diesel pickups are pretty nice haulers, just noisy as hell. I used a friend's Ford F-250 Powerchoke to pull his JD tractor about 200 miles. Don't know what the tractor and trailer weighed but it was a lot and the old Ford had no problem up and down the hills of E. Texas.

BL

[Patrick H.]

Re: what tow vehicle to buy????

I used my 2003 GMC extended cab/4WD truck to haul my 72 Corvette in an enclosed trailer from Michigan to the Boston National and back. I then used it to drive to Bowling Green, pick up my new 2008 and drive back home. I also used it to haul a small 5x8 enclosed trailer from Michigan to Yellowstone and back.

What I noted:

- If I were going to do any more towing than what I just did, and was towing "regular" enclosed tailers (i.e. not a lightweight Trailex) I'd be getting a bigger motor or a diesel. The GMC allegedly has 300 hp (and is far better than my 200hp 1994 Chevrolet was) but I'd want more if I were going to be doing any more towing on a regular basis.

- No way I'd personally ever get an 8 foot bed. These things are long enough without adding more length and weight. Odds are you'll want an extended cab or crew cab anyway and that adds enough length.

- Those little bump outs on the top 2 feet of the front face of an enclosed trailer? They'll give you 1.5 mpg better when you tow. I used two almost identical enclosed trailers thsi year, and got better mileage using the one with the bump out on the front. Else think about one of the trailers with a "pointy" front.

- If you're going to do a lot of trailering, don't even think of an open trailer. I think of the crap that hit the enclosed trailers over these several thousand miles and I was SO happy I didn't take an open trailer. Just drive the car instead and save on the hassle.

- I got better mileage if I didn't use cruise control. Accelerate down the hills, coast up as much as you can without having the trans gear down. It got to be fun in Montana when I was going 90 down the hills.

- Whatever trailer you buy, be sure you can exit on the driver's side. Just as importantly, make sure there is enough room to actually open your door without hitting the side of the trailer with your car door's lower edge. Even open trailers can have too little clearance to open your door.

Patrick

[Harmon C.]

Re: what tow vehicle to buy????

Andy
I have towed trailors with lots of different cars,SUV,s and trucks at least one millon miles. They all will work but I feel the safest in a dual rear wheel long bed pickup and a fifth wheel trailor. If you only plan on using a trailor for putting one car through NCRS judging you will save money by letting the the big boys haul your car and fly or drive to the meet. One thing to remember is drive slower with light tow cars and be alert for passing trucks and side wind gusts because they will push you around.
Lyle

[Terry D.]

Drive the car, no need for tow vehicle! *NM*

[Sandra H.]

Re: Drive the car, no need for tow vehicle!

Wouldn't buy another 1/2 ton Chev for pulling an enclosed trailer. I pulled several trailers, heavy, but not over the rating for the heavy duty, trailer towing package. Put thousands of miles a year on the truck almost always with trailer in tow...went through 4 transmissions and 3 sets of rear end gears. Finally a dealer told me the pickup wasn't made to tow trailers....so I politely(?) asked him why he sold me the towing package. Go with a 3/4 or 1 ton.