MY Daily Driver/Tow Vehicle Thread

Sorry, but I had to make my own. Even if it was to end up like every other thread where I should be using a 3500 quad cab duallie with the diesel!

Looking for a dual duty vehicle for a 25mi/day commute (gas mileage not THAT important) on our windy little back roads, plus towing a few times a month to the local track, plus a 200mi round trip about once a month for events. I will be flat towing at first and then getting a trailer when funds permit. Car weight is 2250lbs, tires/spares/tools weigh 200lbs or so.

4wd would be a plus around where the new house is, but not required.

The wife wants to be able to drive it 'sometimes' which in my mind is crazy, but it's about par for the course. "Pickup" is probably not in her vocabulary. She wouldn't drive my little rcsb 1500 Ram. Fullsize van is probably out as well.. wouldn't fit into the neighborhood.

I have 4k to spend, might be able to stretch that a little especially if swmbo wants to use it.

Looking at:

Yukon/Tahoe Explorer/Expedition Grand Cherokee

One vehicle in particular is a GC with selectrac and the 4L which seems nice but I'm worried about the short wheel base.

I am not sure how the Explorer stacks up to the larger Expedition, and if there are years to get and avoid with either.

For the Yukon/Tahoe 99 up I think is desirable due to the presence of the LS motors.

I would rather a Burban or Expedition with a BIG motor but they're out of my price range right now and the mrs is down on such a large vehicle.

Not sure if there's anything obvious I'm not thinking of.. other then pickups/vans.

So.. yeah.. this is the internet.. tell me what to do so I can do the opposite!!

I have owned 3 99 or earlier suburbans with the 5.7 and a 99 Tahoe with the same motor (pre LSx) All were excellent for towing and DD use. Not a single complaint about any of them.

No need for a "big" motor, the 5.7 is more than up to the task unless you are hauling something pretty big, I towed a 55 Chrysler New Yorker with my 94 and that wasn't a problem.

They are pretty cheap these days too.

I think any one of those will do the job. I prefer the look of the Tahoe/Yukon (in govt. issue black too) and I've never had any love for the Cherokees based on the repair & tire bills of relatives.

I had a neighbor who pulled a 40' fishing boat back and forth from PA to the NJ coast for years with a V8 Explorer. It looked ridiculous but it worked. AFAIK he is still doing it.

Roadmaster Wagon
Long wheelbase, decent highway mpg, creature comforts, 350 V8.
Added bonus, woodgrain!

Do you have kids to be hauling in the backseat? Otherwise I'd say skip the SUV's and go straight to the pickup. I find the bed a hell of a lot more useful than a trunk.

They are not as cool, but what you are looking to tow could be easily done with a mini van. I have been towing my miata on ~800lb trailer with tools, spares, etc filling the back of the van. With only a 3.0L engine it does pretty well. I do most of my towing at 70mph roads with gentle hills. Your 4k budget could easily buy something newer, with even more towing abilities (awd or 2wd astro).

I towed a SpecMiata with an Astro and it was fine. If I were buying a used tow vehicle right now, it would be the best full sized van I could find. The extra interior volume is great to have at the track. Short of mulch or manure, you can haul almost anything a pickup can, or use the car trailer for whatever won't go in the van.

DeadSkunk wrote: Short of mulch or manure, you can haul almost anything a pickup can,

whats wrong with mulch in a van, who needs air fresheners when you have that fresh cedar scent?

As much of a Jeep nut as I am, I'd say the Tahoe or Suburban is the best choice here. But, if you decide you want something more nimble, you'd be better off with a Jeep cherokee, not a Grand. The transmission is bullit proof and the 4.0L will last for ever.

Van is out, already have an 06 Odyssey and although I thought about putting a hitch on it she'd be out a car when I'm using it. It's supposed to be 'hers' but mine will have to be as well.

The only reason I was looking into the Burban or Excursion with a larger motor is that it's much more pleasant to tow with TORQUE. A buddy of mine had a 2500 V10 Ram that would just run circles around mine towing compared to my 360 powered 1500. Nice to have, but definitely not necessary.

She's very NOT interested in a full size van or Astro. My family had an Astro when I was quite a bit younger and it was a great van. Caprice/Roadmaster/etc is also out. Pretty much anything 'badass' is going to be ruled out. I have her and the two kids to support, so keeping the race car is enough to keep me mostly sane!

Yes about the kids to be hauling around, it will get occasional use with the two in the back. They're little now but will get bigger, which is why I was looking at the vehicles above and not single cab pickups. That and swmbo won't drive one.

Might have found an 00 Yukon with higher mileage in my price range. We'll see. Thanks for the input on the Jeeps.

'cuse me sir...what means ye by "swmbo"??

She Who Must Be Obeyed

Currently pulling my toys with a '03 V8 Explorer. Wife drives it everywhere and loves it. Two tone leather interior Eddie Bauer with heated seats for those cold winter mornings. Not sure how much you'll buy with $4k though. Mine was $6k.

For Explorers they'd be in the 97-99 range for ones with about 150k.

There don't seem to be as many cheap cars as there used to be..

Paul_VR6 wrote: There don't seem to be as many cheap cars as there used to be..

Just months ago, every beater Explorer and truck was worth $4,500 and pulled off the road.

Xterra/Frontier

/thread

i dunno about /thread.

they're not particularly cheap to get. don't have much power. and are one of the least efficient vehicles suggested here. reliable maybe.

Did someone say Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser?

Yeah a co-worker of mine had an Xterra and I was not impressed by anything about it really.

Sucks everything good is off the road with the help of my tax dollars.

In other news I accidentally found a cheap S6.. bad.

Early Pathfinder? Outback? I'm drawing a blank for options... I guess Miata isn't the answer for once.

ohh, yeah I didn't catch the whole "affordable" thing... (the 05+ frontier/xterras have plenty of power and towing prowess, not so great on gas though)...

Old non-turbo 7.3 Diesel ford Superduty?

After some more discussion, snow tires for the race car is looking like it's going to be what's going to happen. I got the 'well you put all that money into it, why not drive it' argument. I don't want to drive it because I put all that money into it! 250+hp, fwd, 4.24 final drive, no sound deadening, loud exhaust, 10000000% front weight bias doesn't sound like what I want to drive all the time.

http://baltimore.craigslist.org/cto/1495561992.html

Too me, not caring about the gas mileage seems absurd. It's a 25 mile commute, not a 5 mile. I'd get something older and more badass but only drive it for towing...not for a commute.

25mi/day it's really not far at all, I just moved down from 40mi/day and at one time I used to do 100mi/day. The different between 12mpg and 15mpg isn't THAT huge with the amount of mileage I'll put on it just driving.

That all being said I'm getting all seasons for the race car at least until we can 'afford' something else in the spring. Ugh.