Cheap tow-pigs: Ford vs. GM

I'm about to start shopping for a cheap 3/4 or 1-ton tow pig in the $2500-$3000 range. It'll be used for infrequent but occasionally long-distance towing, and occasional around-town errands. Obviously condition is the biggest factor when shopping at the bottom end of the market, but I'd like to get some overall input from others with more experience.

I've spent quite a bit of time/miles in late-90's Ford E250 cargo vans and box trucks. Other than finding someone who knows the twin I-beam suspension, and coil pack failures, they were decent enough vehicles. These were fleet vehicles at my last job, so maintenance was minimal and abuse was high. They also had a late-90's Suburban with over 300k on it, also with minimum maintenance/maximum abuse, that actually still felt pretty solid and kept chugging along. I had a 99 1-ton Chevy cargo van a couple years ago, that I only sold because of our move to MS and the fact it had no a/c from the factory, but otherwise it was great and I wish I could have kept it.

I'm open to vans(cargo or passenger), SUVs(Suburban/Tahoe/Expedition/Excursion), or even pickup trucks(although I'd want either extended-cab or 4-door). I definitely want 3/4 or 1-ton for the upgraded drivetrain.

Given the parameters, which would you pick and why?

I don't think Expedition or Tahoe came in 3/4 ton.

I'm biased and like Ford trucks the best. (Coil-packs and spitting spark plugs aside)

Which one do you like better?  And which one do you fit into better?

I personally don't think any choice sucks badly.  And since you are planning some long haul towing, comfort and likeability really matter.

Expeditions definitely didn't come in 3/4 ton, as they were based on the F150, with the Excursion being based on the Super Duty. Tahoes don't appear to have had a heavy duty version either.

I would go with whatever popped up in my price range in the best shape on that budget, but I would put the odds on the one you find in the best shape in that price range being a Suburban.  That was what I ended up with the last time I went shopping with similar parameters.

In reply to MadScientistMatt :

I'm not finding many suburbans at all on the local craigslists, but dumb question - are the 3/4-ton suburbans marked with a "2500" badge like the trucks & vans?

Pete,  The more I consider your question, the more I want to change my answer.

Buying a truck (or any other vehicle) in this price range for a driver (and not a project car) requires a unique approach.
Because you have time on your side, and don't need to buy one to "get to work next week".  Be patient.  Study the market, go look at vehicles in person.

And by all means remember to consider the seller: you are buying the seller as much as the vehicle itself.  (Why Indy, what do you mean?)  Consider buying from a mature seller in a well known "good part of town".  NOT from someone who has neglected the maintenance.  This will probably have more to do with your successful ownership experience than whether you buy a Ford or a Chevy.

In reply to alfadriver :

I tend to agree. Really, I'm just hoping for any updated news/problems/fixes/etc. that may have been discovered on any of these since I was last shopping for one.

I have little experience with them, but gas Excursions - especially 2wd ones - are super cheap. Their gas mileage is abysmal, but that's sort of part of the deal with a vehicle like this.

Also consider the search term "Yukon".  It's the twin sister to the suburban.  The Yukon came in short and long wheel base. the Yukon XL is the long one.

Id hunt for a clean early 90s f250. Stays away from the common problems with the early 4.6/5.4 and can still be found pretty cheap outside of the salt belt. For infrequent use i lean towards simplicity in the mechanicals. 

Id also stay early 90s in a gm product but thats mostly because of my miserable experience with the 5.3 trucks.

dculberson said:

I have little experience with them, but gas Excursions - especially 2wd ones - are super cheap. Their gas mileage is abysmal, but that's sort of part of the deal with a vehicle like this.

Relative to the diesels, yes, but IMO all Excursions are overpriced for what they are.

In reply to Indy-Guy :

Very true and all excellent points. To be fair though I'm also budgeting for deferred maintenance and some problems that always seem to pop up after purchase. 

A couple more specific questions:

1.) I know the 4l80e is stronger than the 4l60e, but what trans is available in the Fords, and how durable is it?

2.) I've seen comments about problems from some of the LS engines, I think about cylinder deactivation? Are there certain years/engines this applies to?

3.) Since the Excursion was built on the Super Duty platform, does that mean they're all at least 3/4-ton?

In reply to Pete Gossett :

WHAT?  The fine vintage Ford F250 Turbo diesel challenge pig experience didn't convince you?

FWIW My fbrother lobbying for me to take his 4 door F350 LWB Turbo diesel to next year's challenge.  If that's not enough he has a 2002 diesel GMC Toter Home.

Excursions are all 3/4 ton.  They're basically an F-250 where the bed swelled up and turned into an SUV.  

rslifkin said:

Excursions are all 3/4 ton.  They're basically an F-250 where the bed swelled up and turned into an SUV.  

Brother also has a 4wd diesel excursion.  Loves it but man it eats front rotors.

Pete Gossett said:

In reply to MadScientistMatt :

I'm not finding many suburbans at all on the local craigslists, but dumb question - are the 3/4-ton suburbans marked with a "2500" badge like the trucks & vans?

Yup.

In this price range, brand will be less important than condition.

In reply to Pete Gossett : are you really sure you need 3/4 or 1 ton?  I built my house using a 1/2 t regular cab  I hauled tons and tons of timbers so overloaded I rode on the bump stops.   I hauled home granite steps that weighed 4&1/2 tons (99 miles) 

I towed a tandem axle race car trailer all over the country. Over the Rockies and Sierra Nevada's  and even overseas

371,000+ miles  when I sold it the engine was original and had never been touched except to replace a leaking intake gasket. Original untouched transmission, original suspension untouched including original shocks.  It cost me about $1000 in parts to get to 371,000 Yes about  every 100,000 miles I replaced the brake pads and the third time I bought rebuilt calipers 

So what other than higher cost, worse gas mileage, and rougher ride why do you need the 3/4  or 1 ton size? 

Pete Gossett said:

In reply to MadScientistMatt :

I'm not finding many suburbans at all on the local craigslists, but dumb question - are the 3/4-ton suburbans marked with a "2500" badge like the trucks & vans?

Some of them may be, but the GMT800 versiosn like mine did not say 2500 on them. You have to look at the number of lug nuts on the wheels: 8 lug is 2500.

I voted with my wallet and went with the '02 2500 w 8.1 liter. No 5.3 or 6.0 versions here. I wanted the tow rating along with the driveability of the Suburban. I don't daily it so fuel mileage was of lesser concern over raw ability (since it was replacing a turbo diesel that I grew to hate but which had good tow capacity).

Tom_Spangler said:

dculberson said:

I have little experience with them, but gas Excursions - especially 2wd ones - are super cheap. Their gas mileage is abysmal, but that's sort of part of the deal with a vehicle like this.

Relative to the diesels, yes, but IMO all Excursions are overpriced for what they are.

I see them in the $3000 - $4000 range quite a bit, which seems pretty cheap for a 3/4 ton truck swelled up into an SUV.

frenchyd said:

In reply to Pete Gossett : are you really sure you need 3/4 or 1 ton?  I built my house using a 1/2 t regular cab  I hauled tons and tons of timbers so overloaded I rode on the bump stops.   I hauled home granite steps that weighed 4&1/2 tons (99 miles) 

I towed a tandem axle race car trailer all over the country. Over the Rockies and Sierra Nevada's  and even overseas

 

So what other than higher cost, worse gas mileage, and rougher ride why do you need the 3/4  or 1 ton size? 

 

For safety so he's NOT overloaded or under braked. You might have gotten away with it, but it was not safe nor smart to do. In my case, I tow a 9500 lb 35ft travel trailer and so I wanted the tow rating of the 2500 (12,000lbs) and I wanted a gas engine for quietnes, smoothness, and lower cost of maintenance.

frenchyd said:

In reply to Pete Gossett : are you really sure you need 3/4 or 1 ton?  I built my house using a 1/2 t regular cab  I hauled tons and tons of timbers so overloaded I rode on the bump stops.   I hauled home granite steps that weighed 4&1/2 tons (99 miles) 

I towed a tandem axle race car trailer all over the country. Over the Rockies and Sierra Nevada's  and even overseas

371,000+ miles  when I sold it the engine was original and had never been touched except to replace a leaking intake gasket. Original untouched transmission, original suspension untouched including original shocks.  It cost me about $1000 in parts to get to 371,000 Yes about  every 100,000 miles I replaced the brake pads and the third time I bought rebuilt calipers 

So what other than higher cost, worse gas mileage, and rougher ride why do you need the 3/4  or 1 ton size? 

 

My cousin tows his cayman track car all over southeast with a 2003 5.3 tahoe on an open tandem trailer with no real problems.  Gets 11-12 mpg.

That being said my f250 feels safer in braking department

Pete Gossett said:

In reply to alfadriver :

I tend to agree. Really, I'm just hoping for any updated news/problems/fixes/etc. that may have been discovered on any of these since I was last shopping for one.

So outside of the reliability questions, which one do you like the best?

In reply to Chris_V :twenty years no accidents no damage to truck

suspect it's plenty safe.  If you don't know what you're doing then a 2 ton may not be safe

If your not opposed to Van's this one is listed on the local car forum. I would trust it's history being in the same group  than a random vehicle. 

Ford Van