WWGRMD? Winter commuter and 2500 pound tow rig

So I bought a motorhome and an enclosed trailer to haul dirtbikes or my 1954 Willys M38A1 Jeep.  I'm selling the boxvan and potentially the Corvette and 2001 Honda Insight too.  The BoxVan sale pretty well offsets the price of the enclosed trailer.  The trailer weighs about 2100 pounds unloaded.  A couple dirtbikes and the Big Red are maybe a thousand pounds, not heavy.  The Willys is 2700 pounds.  If I'm hauling the Jeep I'll probably only be using the motorhome to do it.  It's got the 6.8 liter V-10, so, 7-9 MPG as soon as you hook up any trailer.  I'd like to have something more economical and maneuverable to tow the trailer with when i'm just going for an afternoon dirtbike ride or whatever.  

Goals:

decent MPG while towing and commuting

comfy, gotta have heated seats

Different

Carry a mountain bike internally is a plus

The list:

Honda Ridgeline

Porsche Cayenne S

Panther platform, Lincoln Town Car, Mercury Marquis, Crown Vic

Acura MDX

Lexus RX350

So I actually just drove a 2006 Ridgeline the other day and really liked it.  A lot more than I thought I would.  I also test drove a 2008 Porsche Cayenne S and liked it a lot less than I thought I would.  

The Lincoln Town Car would make a nice winter beater, gets almost 25 mpg highway and can tow 2000 pounds.  I'm skeptical about that last figure.  If the hitch is strong enough, and the trailer has brakes on both axles, would 3000 pounds really be that much of a stretch?  

Pictures just for fun

Untitled by Petrolburner, on Flickr

Untitled by Petrolburner, on Flickr

Untitled by Petrolburner, on Flickr

Untitled by Petrolburner, on Flickr

NO on the MDX. Transmissions of glass for too long. I just don't feel comfortable with them. 

I towed with a Crown Vic for quite a while. I'd put a transmission cooler on it, and I'd also make sure that if you're using a Town Car that you get rid of any air suspension it has for real springs if you plan on towing. 

Frankly, my choice would be either the Cayenne for coolness or Ridgeline for utility. The Ridgeline makes the most sense. 

I like the 55 MPG in the Insight for trips up to Mt. Bachelor snowboarding.  I plan to make at least 30 trips up to the mountain this winter, it's about 45 miles each way from my house.  My commute to work is 14 miles each way, mostly highway.  Unfortunatley there's not much else I like about the Insight.  It has no cruise control, the door panels have no padding, it's just not a real nice car to drive.  It is a manual trans and super easy to park, has a good e brake and snow tires though.  

My trailer has way too much tongue weight for me to be comfortable hooking it up to my Corvette.  

It seems any of the Toyota V8 trucks or SUVs are stuck in the 10-15 mpg range.  The Tundra, 4Runner, LX470 or GX470.  I test drove a GX470 for fun awhile back and I liked it.  I owned a 2003 Tundra for 5 years and liked it.  

I'd be thinking Taco or Ranger if MPG is a priority. You can also tow that trailer pretty easily with a WJ Jeep, probably also a ZJ. I wouldn't expect to see much more than 15 mpg if you're towing that big box of aerodynamic suckiness. I'd concentrate on what the tow vehicle is like when it's NOT loaded, as that's probably the default state.

I've towed with my P71 a bunch of times. It gets the job done with minimal fuss. 

This is it towing the Ranger to the last Lemons race we ran. It has also hauled the Abomination around the state as well. 

I think Ridgeline may be the correct answer, but I really want to see you lift a Town Car, put knobbly tires on it, and mount a giant wing on the roof as an air deflector for the trailer... so do that instead.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯ said:

I think Ridgeline may be the correct answer, but I really want to see you lift a Town Car, put knobbly tires on it, and mount a giant wing on the roof as an air deflector for the trailer... so do that instead.

You can get the BFGoodrich All Terrain KO2 in a nearly stock size.  I'd do that.  They're just barely taller.  

Is there a wagon version of the panther platform?

Petrolburner said:

 

Is there a wagon version of the panther platform?

Of course there is, this is GRM after all.

https://barnfinds.com/frankenwagon-2000-lincoln-town-car-wagon/

B body wagon gets my vote.

https://portland.craigslist.org/clk/cto/d/2003-lincoln-towncar-cartierl/6715658464.html

Cayenne S is my vote. 

V6 Rav4 Limited?

Keith Tanner said:

I'd be thinking Taco or Ranger if MPG is a priority. You can also tow that trailer pretty easily with a WJ Jeep, probably also a ZJ. I wouldn't expect to see much more than 15 mpg if you're towing that big box of aerodynamic suckiness. I'd concentrate on what the tow vehicle is like when it's NOT loaded, as that's probably the default state.

I'm thinking this way too.  No need for a V8.  My ranger with 4x4 and manual trans is rated for 3500, but the automatics are good for 5000-6000 depending on year and options.  Not flashy, but great.

I had been looking for a Taco and quickly moved over to Rangers because the Rangers are nearly as bulletproof, the frames don't rust into raisin bran every 20k miles like Tacos, and I selected a pre-SOHC 4.0L. Half the price AND half the mileage of a comparable Taco. Tows my 3500 lb boat like a dream.

I actually haven't checked the MPG on the Ranger, but the 17 gallon tank seems to last about the same amount of time as the 27 gallon tank did in the F150 5.4L it replaced.  I'm guessing 16?  17?

I love the Cayenne idea, but I don't have a big enough wallet to fix the unobtanium parts.

I have a Cayenne S and while i think it will make an excellent tow vehicle and have every intention of towing with it (hitch has been sitting on my shop floor for months waiting for install..) it gets 15mpg empty and I honestly think you should write it off in favor of a Ridgeline based on your earlier comments. I also think a Town car with suspension mods is a pretty legit towing vehicle. It has basically everything going for it that a half ton truck does. It loses a little wheelbase but gains in lateral and roll stiffness. Same basic drivetrain capability with less weight on top.

A related thought - no matter what's doing the towing, it'll probabaly get better mileage if you put those toys on an open trailer.

I like the GX personally, but I may be biased. 

That being said, a flogged v6 is going to get crap mileage towing, but maybe better DD mileage. My v6 4runner SUCKS to tow more than 2k with IMO. But its also got lift/Armour etc its hauling around. I did tow out old RV trailer, to Bend and back a couple times, but it sucked, and the mileage was terrible.

Are you looking for a better tow rig or DD? It sound like DD to me, and if thats the case the Ridgeline might be best off your list. I wouldn't cross the Taco off tho.

Keith Tanner said:

A related thought - no matter what's doing the towing, it'll probabaly get better mileage if you put those toys on an open trailer.

Certainly true, but all my other riding gear, tools, etc will be in there too.  The whole point of my Motovan was to have it loaded and ready all the time.  The trailer  now fills that role.  Gotta be weatherproof and secure.  

The Cayenne had really goofy throttle tip in.  Also, the cruise control didn't work, and just the anxiety of it on a test drive (!) put me off.  It wasn't sporty  enough to even partially fill the hole the Corvette would leave.  I just love that car so much, even after several years. I always think about selling it when I'm away from it, then I get home and drive it and fall in love all over again.  It just checks off so many boxes so well.  

In reply to java230 :

You should see the mileage of a flogged Ford V10! 

Basically a better DD that can get the light towing job done.  Really leaning towards the panther body car modified to do the job.  

I've got a bike rack on the Corvette.  Any time the weather is nice enough to go mountain biking, I may as well drive that.  Parking lot security is the only downside and I could just throw a lock on it when I stop.  Disassembled bike might fit in the monster trunk of a Panther anyway.  

In reply to Petrolburner :

I had a Ford V10 

If you think the Panther can take that much towing that sounds like a plan! Why not a truck to throw the toys in the bed of? No towing needed?

java230 said:

In reply to Petrolburner :

I had a Ford V10 

 

If you think the Panther can take that much towing that sounds like a plan! Why not a truck to throw the toys in the bed of? No towing needed?

I hated hauling my dirtbike in the bed of the Tundra.  I'd get home, tired and sore, and have to unload everything into the garage.  Enclosed van or trailer is the only way to go in my opinion.  Also, road slush and grime doesn't ruin your stuff.  It's also a nice place to get dressed and drink a beer after the ride.  

What are the years that things happened to that chassis?  I think there's another P71 thread going right now.  I'll check there, but also, air ride suspension on the Town Car from the factory, good or bad?  What about an aftermarket air bag suspension?  Seems like that would be a good way to adjust height for cruising unloaded, dirt and snow road driving, and compensating for tongue weight.  

2003 and up has the most power and rack and pinion steering.  That Cartier L edition that I posted might be the ticket.  Privately owned, 158k miles, $4k, heated seats front and rear, radio that's not integrated with the climate control will be easier to replace, and 6" of extra wheelbase and legroom in the back.  I could be an Uber Black driver with this thing and get part of my trips paid for!  This would look great on BFG All Terrains with the white letters out.  

Well the one above is sold, but I did test drive  a '98 Town  Car locally.  The owner rode with me so I took it easy, but it had some wasted bushings up front and other problems that gave  it a weird feeling.  Tough to evaluate it against an 03+ front suspension.  Sounds like I just need to look for an 03-04 to get the good suspension, power and cable actuated throttle. I'm also going to hold out for factory heated seats, I've seen a few with this option.  

Any of the full size American RWD will do the trick if you're careful.  If I'm reading correctly, you sometimes haul a 2700 lb willys in a 2100 lb trailer, so to be safe we'll say 5000 lbs.

Ranger, Taco, Ridgeline (although that is a unibody truck, so just be aware that you're attaching a hitch to sheet metal), Canyon/Colorado, Caprice, Impala SS, Town car (without air suspension), Crown Vic.  Not much full-frame car options from Mopar unless you go back to the 80s.  Most of the car options should likely have a little beefing up in the suspension department.  They're pretty squishy.

I have a 96 Impala SS I'd consider letting go.  It doesn't currently have a hitch but they make them in several flavors.  I have towed 3500 with it before with no problems.  Heck of a Fly and drive to PA, though.