Members drummer_jay Posted August 13, 2003 Members Share Posted August 13, 2003 Hey everybody... I've decided to sell my beloved car and buy something older that is capable of pulling a 6x12 trailer. I want to stay under 3000.00 and prefer a SUV over a truck. I'm kinda leaning towards an older Chevy blazer or something. Any advice would be appreciated!! Thanks, jason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kayak Posted August 13, 2003 Members Share Posted August 13, 2003 I use to have an early 80's Blazer with the 2.8L engine. PATHETIC! But, I've also had an S-10 pickup with the 4.3L engine, and a friend of mine had a newer Blazer with the same engine. VERY impressive in the power/pulling department. That said, if it were me, I would consider a truck with a cap, or a full size van, just because backing up a trailer can be such a pain in the arse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rickkreuzer Posted August 13, 2003 Members Share Posted August 13, 2003 Alot of what you should be looking at is based on weight. A very important aspect of towing often overlooked is not what can it pull, but what can it STOP! Always always always make sure you have good brakes! With that size trailer, I'd recommend something with a Class III hitch not because you're pulling 5K lbs, but because it actually helps with the stability of the trailer. Most SUVs are going to be fine. I'd try to go with something with a V6, like a Ford Explorer or a Chevy S10. They're more suited for towing than most others--especially at that price range where you'll be purchasing an older and possibly quite used one. Also, kayak, a little trick I use for backing....YMMV....... 1. When backing a trailer, grip the steering wheel at the bottom instead of the top. 2. While you're backing, if you want the trailer to go to the left, simply take your hand to the left. Go right for right. 3. Practice in an empty parking lot. You'll look silly, but you'll look a whole lot less silly than if you've hit another vehicle. Try to back into a parking spot, or around a curve. 4. Use a spotter. Nuff said here... 5. Go slow. 6. If you aren't successful, pull forward and try again! Rick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members soundtecwannabe Posted August 13, 2003 Members Share Posted August 13, 2003 Check out 4.0L Jeep Cherokees for a cheap suv that can also fit alot of crap in the rear. Only downside is rear springs tend to sag with towing. I've added an extra leaf to counter that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMS Author Craig Vecchione Posted August 14, 2003 CMS Author Share Posted August 14, 2003 Since the used market is catch-as-catch-can, I'll give you some general things to look for in a used towing vehicle. If there's no hitch, be sure that an aftermarket Class III hitch is readily available. Same for lighting. Pep Boys, etc have lighting kits that connect or snap into existing harnesses. Make sure you can get one. Go 2WD. 4WD is not needed and lowers towing capacity. The only time it helps is dragging a trailer up a boat ramp. If you're doing this with your gear, you've got bigger problems than I can address here. Go automatic. Never try to tow anything bigger than a lawn mower with a manual tranny vehicle. Can you say clutch? Never buy a used vehicle that someone else has used for towing. Look for something that's never had a hitch installed. Most people don't know squat about towing, and the last thing you want is a 3,000lb vehicle that's been dragging 13,000lb across country for the last 8 years..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members IsildursBane Posted August 14, 2003 Members Share Posted August 14, 2003 For schlepping gear, you might be better off w/ a minivan than with an SUV. I don't know how much minivans can tow (they can at least tow a good-sized boat), but they typically have a lot more cargo space than an SUV. -Dan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dirtyragamuffin Posted August 14, 2003 Members Share Posted August 14, 2003 Originally posted by IsildursBane For schlepping gear, you might be better off w/ a minivan than with an SUV. I don't know how much minivans can tow (they can at least tow a good-sized boat), but they typically have a lot more cargo space than an SUV.-Dan. +1! I'd much rather have a minivan than an SUV. The American brands aren't as dependable, but can tow more and will likely have more space, and are a bit cheaper. Most of them don't use as much gas as a comparable SUV. More space, more useful overall, can tow at least as much, and are a bit safer in general. This definitely comes into play when you're tired, groggy and sore driving home after a tough gig....You'll probably find a much better deal on a minivan than an SUV since they're not as sought-after these days. I think that's a much better choice than an SUV anyway. Most of the folks I know who have gear to schlep use a van or minivan, or a station wagon...all with a hitch on em. In fact, I can't think of anyone who attemps an SUV for gear hauling. I know a guy with a Jeep Grand Cherokee V8 and I can't imagine it holding more than a coule cabs and a small rack in the back. Guzzles gas, though, and is tippy on the highway. $.02 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members drummer_jay Posted August 14, 2003 Author Members Share Posted August 14, 2003 good thought... however, I'm selling my SPORTS car for this. I'm 21 and not ready to drive a mini van everyday yet!! So that ones out!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dirtyragamuffin Posted August 14, 2003 Members Share Posted August 14, 2003 Originally posted by drummer_jay good thought... however, I'm selling my SPORTS car for this. I'm 21 and not ready to drive a mini van everyday yet!! So that ones out!! I'm 22 and have been thinking about trading my Jetta on a Passat Wagon with a hitch...mainly because I refuse to drive an automatic transmission (absolutley, positively hate em) and you just can't find vans (or SUVs) with manuals. I figure a Passat wagon can hold more cargo than most SUVs, can tow a couple thousand pounds of trailer, and gets waaaay better gas mileage than van/SUV. Also not a chore to drive around when it's empty like both vans and SUVs are....and I do like VWs. So I guess THAT'S my $.02... EDIT: of course, I'm not saying go get a station wagon, as of course your needs are greater than mine. The point I was trying to make is that for me, it's a matter of going with the best mix of versatility, practicality, efficiency, reliability and my pickiness. Me, I'd be looking for a daily driver than can occasionally haul, and not the other way around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kerOseen Posted August 14, 2003 Members Share Posted August 14, 2003 When done right, a mid 90's dodge ram van can look pretty "cool" or whatever, they also hold a crap load of gear, they're arguablly more dependable than other american brands, and they're easy to drive. IMHO, they're definetly not in the "mini-van" catagory. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members IsildursBane Posted August 14, 2003 Members Share Posted August 14, 2003 Originally posted by drummer_jay good thought... however, I'm selling my SPORTS car for this. I'm 21 and not ready to drive a mini van everyday yet!! So that ones out!! As a guy who bought an SUV at age 20 (when I could afford it), and is now trying to sell it at age 22 (now that I can't afford it), I suggest you not waste your money on an SUV. Yeah, a lot of minivans are pretty queer looking, but some of them aren't bad. The older Dodge Caravans are pretty decent looking, as are the Chevy Astro vans. Both look good stock and can be done up rather nicely. The Astro vans suck balls, though, if you're in the passenger seat. My dad had an extended Aerostar that looked and handled like crap but could hold an ungodly amount of stuff. Vans have a lot more room, because you can take the seats out. Loading/unloading is easier because of the sliding doors. You really don't want to buy an SUV that's going to be in your price range. You'd wind up with something pretty old, and w/ a 4WD, there's a ton more stuff to go wrong. And in Iowa, you don't really need 4WD. -Dan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members J. Posted August 14, 2003 Members Share Posted August 14, 2003 Wow Audiopile! I've never heard of a Chevy Van getting that many miles on the original engine and transmission! I only hope that my vehicle can go that long (side note... I have a '98 Chevy Prism with 87K that I had to put an $1800 new AC system in...d'oh!). I do know a guy that used a mid 80's Ford Econoline 150 for his polka band. He put 250,000 miles on the original engine and tranny before he sold it. At that point it used about a quart every 3,000 miles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members IsildursBane Posted August 14, 2003 Members Share Posted August 14, 2003 Originally posted by J. Wow Audiopile! I've never heard of a Chevy Van getting that many miles on the original engine and transmission! I only hope that my vehicle can go that long (side note... I have a '98 Chevy Prism with 87K that I had to put an $1800 new AC system in...d'oh!). I do know a guy that used a mid 80's Ford Econoline 150 for his polka band. He put 250,000 miles on the original engine and tranny before he sold it. At that point it used about a quart every 3,000 miles. That prism is actually a Toyota. It should last for quite a while. -Dan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members theelmsrock Posted August 14, 2003 Members Share Posted August 14, 2003 http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=6154&item=2427654333 There you go. Even has a towing package w/transmission cooler. The 4.3 Vortec will pull just fine, and as long as your trailer has good brakes, and you load it right, you'll be great. 4WD IS good! If you have to load-in at an off-road place, or you live where there is snow, it's a must. If I didn't already a 93 Blazer like that, I would buy it. Mine has 16000+ miles on it, and the engine still runs like new. Smokes a lil somtimes when you first start it, but I keep good oil in it, and I run it hard! I'm on the fire department here, and many times I'm in a hurry. It's not unusual to have the tach up in the 4500-5000 RPM range often. The 4.3 vortec is a great engine, and holds up well. The person I bought it from was a fireman as well, and he drove it just as hard. Sorry for rambling, just want to give my bit of advice. Have fun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members agedhorse Posted August 14, 2003 Members Share Posted August 14, 2003 I've always used Ford trucks, had good luck with all but the '96 (lemon year). The 250HD was great for towing, but I don't worry much about fast acceleration and tend to drive conservatively. Last thing I want to do is need to stop in a hurry or run up somebody's ass! I have had both manual and automatics, I now like automatics but routinely got 100k on a clutch and brakes (towing about 20% of the time, service vehicle the other 80%) It's all in how you drive and also the terrain. I used to tow about 6500 lbs, and it takes a little "reprogramming" to learn a different driving style. You really must look ahead and plan your manuvers. Mark can add some really good info here as he has way more experience than I do. My current rig is a 6' x 14' (approx) trailer with tandem axles and electric brakes. Loaded weight is about 4000 lbs (thankls to PLX amps and generally paying close attention to weight of equipment and assemblies (no particle board or MDF) which is easier to tow, and I am using an F-150 with a 5.1L (?) V8 gas engine and automatic. Not a bad vehicle, but if you have a lot of hills, you may want a little more power. The system I carry can do 2500 seat rooms at a reasonable volume (to me) with a monitor system and 8 mixes. Packaging is verey efficient though. Tha happiest day of my life was selling my 1980 F-650 box van (a pretty big one at that) as it was expensive to register, weight fees, insurance and about 5 MPG or so. It was also not very reliable even though it had only 70k on it. I damn near gave it away since it would have cost way more than it was worth to repair etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members billiam Posted August 14, 2003 Members Share Posted August 14, 2003 Go for a Chevy van, at least 3/4 ton. Mine (1984) finally gave out at over 200,000 miles. The suspension was finally toasted, a bunch of leaf springs broke. I'm looking at replacing it soon with another, maybe newer, or an older one with a good body. I've rebuilt several vehicles, so swapping engines, tranny, etc. is not a problem and saves money in the long run. I've thought about the trailer route, but that is money for a truck AND trailer. And with a van I can get all the girls! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members J the D Posted August 14, 2003 Members Share Posted August 14, 2003 A front wheel drive vehicle will not tow as well as a rear wheel vehicle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMS Author Craig Vecchione Posted August 14, 2003 CMS Author Share Posted August 14, 2003 Just like to add some info regarding the earlier comments about towing with a minivan. I have to disagree with the stated opinion that minivans can tow a lot, or more than SUV's. A Ford Windstar will tow between 2,000 and 3,500lb. A Ford Explorer, between 2,500 and 7,300lb. Incidently, the manual tranny versions of the Explorer can tow no higher than 2,700lb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members agedhorse Posted August 14, 2003 Members Share Posted August 14, 2003 Originally posted by Craigv Incidently, the manual tranny versions of the Explorer can tow no higher than 2,700lb I suspect that's because the average driver and the average clutch do not mesh well in the real world. It takes some skill to get good service from a clutch under high load situations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dirtyragamuffin Posted August 14, 2003 Members Share Posted August 14, 2003 Originally posted by Craigv Just like to add some info regarding the earlier comments about towing with a minivan. I have to disagree with the stated opinion that minivans can tow a lot, or more than SUV's. A Ford Windstar will tow between 2,000 and 3,500lb. A Ford Explorer, between 2,500 and 7,300lb. Incidently, the manual tranny versions of the Explorer can tow no higher than 2,700lb Don't the manual Exploreres get stuck with the smaller engines though? I could be wrong, but if htat's the case, then it's kind of moot. I believe Grand Caravans with towing packages can tow plenty more than that Windstar. I ought to mention too that my earlier comment about the American stuff being less dependable was considering just minivans. I'd bet a Caravan or Astro or Windstar or whathaveyou would be more liable to break down or have mechanical failures over time than a comparable Toyota or Honda. That being said, the American vans are built more for towing and cargo than the japanese ones. However, Chrysler has had a nasty track record of transmission and suspension problems over time. Fords have been known to have finnicky brakes and electronics as well as little hardware issues. I've seen Chevy owners who had to ditch their Chevys rather than get pretty serious overhauls once the miles get up there. I'd bet that Caravans are the easiest to find lots of examples of on used lots for cheap, as their resalve values are somewhat low and there have been so many out on the roads, both privately owed and in fleets. Unless you're looking at a Tahoe, Suburban, Expedition or some such which could clearly tow a whole lot more, I still think a minivan is a very sensible choice. An extended wheelbas mv would hold as much or more than most any suv besides Suburban, so you can probably get by with a smalelr tralier, which is more convenient. For full size vans, Fords and Chevys are all over the place, tough I know some pretty happy Dodge van owners. Also, VW Eurovans can hold an unGODLY amount of stuff, get MPG in the 20s, but can't tow all that much. You can usually find em cheap used, as they're not big sellers at all. Furthermore, I think Audiopile must be the luckiest Chevy owner ever to have that kind of reliability, especially over so many miles. I certainly can't think of any Chevy owner to ever, EVER have that kind of luck. In closing, I'd like to say that most of the 20-something minivan owners in these parts do OK with the ladies, cause it means they're in a band Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members J. Posted August 14, 2003 Members Share Posted August 14, 2003 Originally posted by IsildursBane That prism is actually a Toyota. It should last for quite a while. -Dan. Yeah, that's actually the big reason why I bought it. Consumer Reports rated it as one of the most reliable vehicles to buy used. It hasn't had any problems except the aforementioned AC system, which cost a mint. There weren't any rebuilt compressors available so I had to get a new dealer one. I still got rooked by the Tires Plus franchise though, as the actual Chevy Dealer would've done it for $1500 and a private AC shop would've charged $1000 for the same job. That's a hard lesson to learn, but I learned it well from this. Always shop around! The Geo/Chevrolet Prism is a rebadged Toyota Corolla just like the Geo/Chevrolet Metro is a rebadged Suzuki Swift. They don't make the Prism anymore but they have anyother joint GM/Toyota vehicle I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMS Author Craig Vecchione Posted August 14, 2003 CMS Author Share Posted August 14, 2003 Originally posted by agedhorse I suspect that's because the average driver and the average clutch do not mesh well in the real world. It takes some skill to get good service from a clutch under high load situations. That's exactly (I used to be in the auto industry in a previous life) why they do this. It's also why I strongly suggested never buying a used vehicle that's been obviously used for towing, regardless of transmission type. Originally posted by dirtyragamuffin Don't the manual Exploreres get stuck with the smaller engines though? I could be wrong, but if htat's the case, then it's kind of moot. Yes, the MT Explorers have the V6, but the equivalent AT-equipped models have higher towing capacity. Originally posted by dirtyragamuffin I believe Grand Caravans with towing packages can tow plenty more than that Windstar. Nope. Grand Caravan maximum towing is 1,800lb, base Caravan is 850lb. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dirtyragamuffin Posted August 14, 2003 Members Share Posted August 14, 2003 Originally posted by Craigv Nope. Grand Caravan maximum towing is 1,800lb, base Caravan is 850lb. The figures I saw for the Caravan were 3800, I beleive with towing package which included ClassIII hitch, which indeed isn't for all practical purposes better than the windstar but is much higher than 1800...so you're right, the caravan doesn't seem to be able to tow as much as I thought, but your figures were pretty low. Incidentally Ram van is rated at 8650 as far as I could tell. FWIW My folks tow a 20' Bayliner and a few different size trailers with their '97 Grand Voyager without any hassle. My mom's '97 Infiniti QX4 (nissan pathfinder) could never tow that, and I've stuffed as much in my Jetta as she could in that Infiniti I still say for towing, a van or truck would be better than an SUV for other reasons than towing capacity, but that's purely my opinion. I do have something of a bias--I just don't think SUVs are all they've cracked up to be. I think they're fiarly application specific, at BEST. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMS Author Craig Vecchione Posted August 14, 2003 CMS Author Share Posted August 14, 2003 Originally posted by dirtyragamuffin The figures I saw for the Caravan were 3800, I beleive with towing package which included ClassIII hitch, which indeed doesn't bettter the windstar but is much higher than 1800...so you're right, the caravan doesn't seem to be able to tow as much as I thought, but your figures were pretty low. Incidentally Ram van is rated at 8650 as far as I could tell. FWIW My folks tow a 20' Bayliner and a few different size trailers with their '97 Grand Voyager without any hassle. My mom's '97 Infiniti QX4 (nissan pathfinder) could never tow that, and I've stuffed as much in my Jetta as she could in that Infiniti I still say for towing, a van or truck would be better than an SUV for other reasons than towing capacity, but that's purely my opinion. I do have something of a bias--I just don't think SUVs are all they've cracked up to be. I think they're fiarly application specific, at BEST. I took this spec from Dodge's website. Having owned three SUV's and one minivan, I can safely say that my F-150 Super Crew is the best and most useful vehicle I've owned. Owning SUV's showed me what a waste they were, but the two years with the minivan were the worst time I've ever had on the road....they aren't fast, they don't handle for {censored}, and the interior is too 'finicky' to load with anything more manly than a TV carton. And I sure got tired of being passed, cut off, sneered at, etc. My 150 cost the same as the Windstar. Calling it 'fuel "economy"' would be oxymoronic, and it holds 6, not 7 passengers, but other than that it blows the van away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dirtyragamuffin Posted August 14, 2003 Members Share Posted August 14, 2003 Audiopile, not bad! Good rules to go by. Sad fact is, most folks don't care for their vehicle so well...but you're right, any vehicle that's really well taken care of will be dependable. I guess I think of reliability in terms of how much of an ass kicking the vehicle can take. Some cars do better than others in high-neglect situations. I certainly am not arguing with you! On an off-topic and more light-hearted note, a friend of mine has an '86 VW Jetta with about 600K on it Just yesterday, we were pulling up to a music store when the shift lever came unwelded from the rest of the whole kit-and-kaboodle. We were about 20mi away from home and tried getting the severed shift rod into gear with vice-grips. Didn't quite work, so he had to drive thing home stuck in fourth gear! The car took it like a champ (as did we; he didn't even stall the thing!), and he can probably get it fixed up by his mechanic for fifty bucks or so. He'd have to get it form Oshkosh to Racine, probably 150mi., so he's finally thinking that it might be time to let the old girl go. The rest of the car is fine, good engine, rest of the tranny is OK and aside form some rust and a broken door handle, you'd never guess its mileage. 18 years and 600K ain't a bad run! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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