Towing recomendations for the "family"

[RSTPerformance]

The RST "gang" has a lot of vehicles to tow with from a crew members small regular cab F150 to my brothers F350 super cab dually... If we don't like those options we have my 38' motor home with cat pusher and bump out sides or even Tim's new (used) Peterbilt tractor. Ray (Dad) also has a newer Dodge Durango that he tows an open trailer with.

I (Raymond) however have never had a tow vehicle... That may change! Last Friday someone rear ended me at a significant speed and may have totaled my car (waiting for estimate). Since we bought Rob's BMW wagon for my wife last year, the wife has given me the green light to get a truck or SUV if the Honda is totaled. Budget isn't that high though with one car payment, a mortgage and son in daycare. I am looking at something between $10,000 - $15,000.

This is probably a similar budget to a newer racer or one with a family looking to replace a tow vehicle so I figured I would post her for discussion... Building a race car is nothing compared to what it could cost you just to get to the track!

For me, I want something somewhat nice as it will be my daily short commute driver (remember I am replacing my current car). I plan to have the family in it once in a while to go to daycare, out to dinner, or camping so it needs to be a four door (Crew Cab or SUV). I know it wont be new, but I am not looking for an old clunker.

Quick internet searches show that there are some options for 100,000 mile and up vehicles from 2005 - 2010. I am leaning my searches towards nicer F150's or lower model F250's but I just started looking at some of the SUV options like a Yukon... that really has me wondering what is best???


The F150 (or similar) is a hugely popular truck so they are a dime a dozen, parts should be cheaper for them. A Crew Cab has four doors and are a lot nicer than they used to be. Plenty of room for the family of four, plus the dog, but it is limited on towing capacity.
An F250 or similar would be nice as it would tow without any issues and you can even hook up a bigger enclosed trailer or other heavier loads. However the truck overall would not be as nice as a smaller one for the same price.
An SUV would be nice as the entire family could ride in style. They are much nicer inside and provide a lot more "comfort" for daily driving. Stuff would also stay dry when it rains at the track. Obviously you have to be more "gentile" to keep it nice, you cant just toss the tires in the pick-up bed.

So what are your recommendations for a racer who has to keep his family in mind when trying to also make it to the track on their own?


thanks for the advice :023:



Raymond "becoming more independent from my twin every year!" Blethen

[jwasilko]

A common problem on many of the pickups (especially up here) is brake lines that rot out after 5 year or so. Be sure to check for that. There were some recent truck threads on the brown board, too.

Can't help with more than that, my track hauler's a Freightliner :)

[jimmy p]

A common problem on many of the pickups (especially up here) is brake lines that rot out after 5 year or so. Be sure to check for that. There were some recent truck threads on the brown board, too.

Can't help with more than that, my track hauler's a Freightliner :)

+1 on that!
I have a 2004 Ford that I have owned from new, its got 50,000 miles on it and it lives a charmed life for a truck.
Sits on a blacktop driveway, only driven to tow or for errands & parts runs.
Its "over" maintained and washed regularly.
This charmed truck blew out a rear brake line a few months ago coming out of my driveway.

My mechanic friend who works on my truck when I don't have space in my garage or time said he has is a steady stream of trucks my age and much newer coming in for the same thing. All showing rusted out brake lines, with blow outs.

I needed my truck quickly so he repaired it with a new steel line, but at a future date I may convert the whole truck to stainless lines front to back.

Watch out for those rusty brake lines...

[spawpoet]

If you are seriously looking at SUV's I would consider the Nissan Armadas. They have a really solid towing capacity of just over 9,000 lbs, and I have heard relatively good things about them in terms of reliability. I've towed with a Pathfinder the last 5 years, and I'm looking to upgrade myself. Despite the fact that my Pathfinder is on the small side to be towing a car around, I've gotten 250k miles out of it. Helps to be towing in Fla. with no significant elevation changes, but I'm still impressed with how the Nissan has held up. Enough so that the Armada is at the top of the list for me right now. If you want to go the pickup truck route, the Titan is the same platform as the Armada, with at least the same towing capacity, and there are a ton of four door Titans out there. I really wanted a Titan, but my tow vehicle is my wife's daily, and she prefers an SUV. The big knock I've heard on both the Titan and the Armada is that they are gas hogs. Most reports I've heard were that they only got around 14-15mpg.

[JLawton]

I've used my tow vehicle as my daily driver, off and on for a long time. Current one is a Dodge 1500 with Hemi and four doors and the previous was a Ford F150 Super Crew. Loved them both, no complaints. The Ford I traded in with 160K miles. Never had probalems with brake lines but maybe it's different with a truck that sits a lot. It's going to be tough to find something really good in that price range.............

The SUVs are nice but you're going to pay more than you would on an equivilent truck.............

[Matt93SE]

Is fuel mileage an issue? the larger V8 SUVs (and trucks) like the Tahoe, Titan, and Armada get abysmal gas mileage around town and even worse while towing. think 10-12mpg around town!!

Not that diesel is a ton better, but my bigass F250 with 7.3 powerstroke gets 17mpg on the highway and about 14mpg around town (about 10mpg while towing my 24' enclosed that's usually loaded to capacity).

Then again, diesel costs 30% more than gasohol so take that into account too.

And yeah, my budget was basically the same as yours- I bought my F250 just before the first kid came along, but a $10k purchase was still a hit to the racing budget. BUT its a must-have if you're going to pull an enclosed more than 100 miles IMO.
For an open trailer, any 1/2ton-capable will do for just about any terrain, and most of the V6 SUVs (like Pathfinders and Land Cruisers) can pull them without too much difficulty.


Interior comfort? I'm a pretty spartan guy- give me a radio w/ CD slot, a cigarette lighter to charge my phone, and a bench to put my butt on. The kids are young enough not to care how comfy the seats are, and the wife is usually asleep on the long hauls so obviously her side is comfortable enough. ;)

[Ed Funk]

Tow them on an open trailer....enclosed would be too claustrophobic.

[tderonne]

Check out a van too.

More space inside, and it's dry and lockable. More seatbelts. And cheaper than a pickup or SUV with the same powertrain.

A bit overkill as a daily driver though.

[itracer]

Go with a Tahoe or Yukon, you already have the best pick-up money can buy: your brother's! That's what Jeff says. I have the truck and he has the suv. we trade when needed.

Just remember that the gas sucks. I found that owning the Golf for commuting was still cheaper with insurance and everything than the additional gas for driving the truck as a daily driver.

[MMiskoe]

Buy a car you like to drive to work and to haul the family in. Borrow one of the trucks you list at the start of the thread when you need it.

There is no such thing as a good tow vehicle that is also a good commuter/family hauler. You don't go surfing in your snowboarding clothes do you?

[JLawton]

You don't go surfing in your snowboarding clothes do you?


Matt, that is by far, the WORST analogy I've ever heard!! LOL

[MMiskoe]

Matt, that is by far, the WORST analogy I've ever heard!! LOLYou can't hit them all out of the park, but I do think I've done worse, you just weren't listening.

Now let's find Raymond a truck.

[benspeed]

I just scored a 2001 Four Winns Class C 26 for $8000 plus $1300 for shipping. E450 chassis with the V10. Should haul to the track just fine but not the best to haul the fam around town :-)

[ezanner]

Suburbans are great. Great family SUV.

[JLawton]

Go on Edmunds or Autotrader and start plugging in some of the suggestions and see what comes up in your price range with the mileage you're looking for.

I'm guessing you'll get the most for your money from a 1500 or 150 with four doors. I really don't think they're all that bad as daily drivers unless you're driving a whole lot of miles on your commute. The V8's should get between 14 and 17 mpg.... (my Dodge is rated for 19 mpg highway. it's got the feature where it kicks down to 4 cylinders when all 8 aren't needed. Granted, the best I've seen is high 17's for mpg)

[Ralf]

No problems towing with my 2006 VW Touareg and it still fits into the garage. 7716 pound tow rating. Trailer fully loaded is 7000.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ralf_lindow/10186283143/

[RSTPerformance]

Well... I ended up finding a clean 2008 Ford F250XLT Crew Cab 4X4 with 149K on it and picked it up for $11,000 which included NH sate inspection that ended up costing $300 for a tie rod, alignment, and sticker.

3620

Raymond "Should have plenty of room for the family, and the track!" Blethen

[JLawton]

Nice!!

[Abhi]

36213622Decided to replace the 2001 Chevy 2500HD Duramax with one of these today.
It's a Freightliner. It feels a bit larger than the Chevy, but does tow a lot better.

Anybody want to buy a Duramax with 80K miles?

Abhi

[StephenB]

Abhi, I think that was posted for less than a day before you purchased it! Nice truck :-)

Stephen

[Abhi]

Abhi, I think that was posted for less than a day before you purchased it! Nice truck :-)

Stephen

I was at 3D Autoworks getting my BMW looked at and bought it on the spot. Now to figure out how to drive it :)

[JLawton]

Are you serious Abhi or are you busting our stones? What the hell are you gonna do with THAT????

[Abhi]

Are you serious Abhi or are you busting our stones? What the hell are you gonna do with THAT????

Completely serious. It's registered as a pickup, so don't need a CDL.
As you know, I tend to run into stuff when towing, so Jennifer will be driving it.

Always wanted a real truck. It's even got a air horn :)

Wonder how the neighbors in my condo complex are going to react to this parked in front of the door?

Abhi

[benspeed]

That is badass - lookout for the condo police!

[jwasilko]

Congrats! Nice truck. I've got a FL60 that's my hauler. If you're near the North Shore of MA, I can suggest a really good indie shop that keeps my truck running and doesn't break the bank.

[JLawton]

Abhi, you never cease to entertain me!! LOL All you have to do is stick the Miata on the back of it. You dont even need a trailer!! It is a sweet truck. So what ARE your plans with it? Where are you going to keep it? What are you gonna pull with it?

[Abhi]

Jeff,
For now, going to use it haul my existing 26ft enclosed. Jennifer is planning on starting racing again, so we may be buying a two car trailer.
Planning to store it at Matt Kessler's shop, but he does not know that yet.
Dave Maynard at 3D who I bought it from, says he got 13mpg. I was only getting 15mpg with the Chevy Duramax, so it should not be too bad.
It takes 30 quarts of oil for an oil change and has a 170 gallon tank. :)

Larry Churchill is coming over this weekend to teach me to drive it. There sure are a lot of buttons and switches on the dash.

Abhi

[Matt Rowe]

Abhi,

First congratulations on a great looking tow vehicle. Secondly, don't focus too much on figuring out how to drive that thing. I'm hoping for some more close races with you this year. :)