Tow Vehicles

[Lowrange2]

So, I've finally got financially stable enough to buy the truck that I want. The problem is that I don't know what truck I want. lol

I'm leaning more towards a Chevy/GMC. I've had Fords all my life but I'm ready for a change.

Now, my guess is that I'll maybe pull the Jeep on a 16' trailer 2 or 3 times a year on a 3-600mile trip. Then assume I'll pull 100 miles once a month.

I can't decide if I want a 1500 or a 2500.

How does your 1500 pull your trailer and Jeep? Should I get a 2500?

I'm looking to spend no more than 15,000.

Must be crew cab, must be 4wd, single rear wheel. 2004 or newer.

PS: I sure do like the way a diesel engine sounds. lol

What newer trucks are ya'll towing with?!

 

[49erRider]

Your going to be hard pressed to find a crew cab, 4x4, newer than 2004 for less than 15k especially if you don't want one with close to 200k miles. Diesel will nearly be impossible to find at that price.

Anyways I have a Dodge Ram 1500 HEMI Mega Cab that tows just fine.

 

[043500]

Get the 3/4 ton...you will prbably never need more truck...but with the half ton you will prbbaly always want just a bit more than it can handle.

That being said don't overlook ford or dodge. I'm a dodge guy and I can tell you the cummins up until late 2004 will spank a ford of chebbie in the fuel mileage dept. (not sure on newer trucks. I got 18 city/22 hwy out of my early '04 cummins 1 ton. 15 +- towing 10K. I know of 2 friend's with fords who can't get better than 13 empty.

My friend here in Ocala picked up an '03 dodge 2500. Cummins, auto, 4wd crew (quad) cab for $13K. 112K miles.
I see a lot of them go on e-bay (granted all over the US and not all close by) for under $15K. And with the cummins...I'd feel comfortable buying it with up to 200K miles.

The cummins is also easier to work on (more room being it's an I-6 instead of a V-8).

But at any rate...get the most truck you can afford...that way you won't have to afford it later. And regardless of what truck you buy...have enough money in reserve to either replace the clutch (if you get a manual) or to rebuild the auto if you get that. ESPECIALLY if you know the truck was used to tow. None of the big three build a tranny worth a crap (and the GM "ALLISON" is not an allison...GM designed it and Allison assembled it.)

 

[Paintballa0788]

Your going to be hard pressed to find a crew cab, 4x4, newer than 2004 for less than 15k especially if you don't want one with close to 200k miles. Diesel will nearly be impossible to find at that price.

Anyways I have a Dodge Ram 1500 HEMI Mega Cab that tows just fine.

not true....
there are several 250s n 350s in my are with the ole trusty 7.3 and anywhere from 80k to 150k for 9k and up that are 4x4 4dr auto and in very nice shape.
Hell found one last night with ranch hands, 46s, 20s, 7.3 with full banks set up, and loaded for 12500. But yea, u just have to look and you can find one.

Good luck with search~paul

 

[49erRider]

not true....
there are several 250s n 350s in my are with the ole trusty 7.3 and anywhere from 80k to 150k for 9k and up that are 4x4 4dr auto and in very nice shape.
Hell found one last night with ranch hands, 46s, 20s, 7.3 with full banks set up, and loaded for 12500. But yea, u just have to look and you can find one.

Good luck with search~paul

Hmm maybe Charlotte is a higher market because I looked for a while and wasn't able to find a deal like that.

 

[256offroad]

I tow with an 04 duramax that has 220k miles on it. Get 18 mpg in the city and 21 on the highway and about 13 to 15 towing. It has a Hypertech tune and edge juice with attitude as well as a full MBRP 5" turbo back exhaust.

It will roast the tires through second gear pulling our 30ft camper. I hardly know the xj is back there when I tow with it. Had a 1500HD with the 6.0 gas motor before and it towed the xj just fine. But didn't tow the 8500lbs camper very well.
I wouldn't hesitate to run against any stock mustang or camero or charger. And that's in a 220k mile truck

ive always been a chevy man and love there interiors. Way better than the dodges and fords. A lot of truck for the money.


If you get a cummins get a 6spd there autos suck had a buddy go through 2 before he traded his in on a 6spd

 

[Cnickgo]

The 02 2500hd has been great to us. The one forewarning about buying a Chevy Duramax; if you do get one, avoid 01-04, or be prepared. They put the injectors inside the valve cover, and they fail 30-50k. We are looking at the 4th set of injectors for this truck, this time out of warranty.

 

[256offroad]

The 02 2500hd has been great to us. The one forewarning about buying a Chevy Duramax; if you do get one, avoid 01-04, or be prepared. They put the injectors inside the valve cover, and they fail 30-50k. We are looking at the 4th set of injectors for this truck, this time out of warranty.

I agree. Its more of stay away from the lbz duramaxs. Ours is an 04.5 so it has the lly. We have that many miles and have had 2 injectors replaced.

 

[Paintballa0788]

Hmm maybe Charlotte is a higher market because I looked for a while and wasn't able to find a deal like that.

Yea, it may be.... I can pick up a pwrstroke or cummins and even a few dmax's from here to my dads in south fl like that one I described or more mildly built for that price.
Hell, as an off topic.... A guy just sold an 01 ford f350 cummins conversion on 52' Michelins fully loaded and built like hell for 12500 and the truck had just under 200k and everything else less than 75k....
Just gotta know where to look I guess.... 8)
But theyre all over... now you do get some people who think they have a gold mine(guy on cl here with an 01 225k on it, 7.3 38s n 20s wwith 08 conversion in front all and blacked out all around who wants 22k for it....) I mean just gotta know when to hold out and know when to fold. But that guys also had that truck up for sale for going on 14months.... lol
Nxt time you look get on auto trader or try Searchtempest.com. Searchtemp. allows you to search cl up to any distance around you and set your price and so on.... has helped me SEVERAL times.

Later~Paul

 

[Paintballa0788]

I tow with an 04 duramax that has 220k miles on it. Get 18 mpg in the city and 21 on the highway and about 13 to 15 towing. It has a Hypertech tune and edge juice with attitude as well as a full MBRP 5" turbo back exhaust.

It will roast the tires through second gear pulling our 30ft camper. I hardly know the xj is back there when I tow with it. Had a 1500HD with the 6.0 gas motor before and it towed the xj just fine. But didn't tow the 8500lbs camper very well.
I wouldn't hesitate to run against any stock mustang or camero or charger. And that's in a 220k mile truck

ive always been a chevy man and love there interiors. Way better than the dodges and fords. A lot of truck for the money.


If you get a cummins get a 6spd there autos suck had a buddy go through 2 before he traded his in on a 6spd

Haha, I def agree on the cummins part about the trannys.
But on the chevys I gotta disagree.... my dads had over 15 strokes(4 personal and 11 for his business) and they were all 7.3s and I LOVE them. I was raised on them and love theyre interiors and performance over a dmax anyday.
But really i think its just preference. I gotta buddy who tells me he'll never buy anything but a dodge cummins again, and your a dmax guy and I love the 7.3s... lol so I really think ya just gotta go look at what you want and decide for ones self. 8)

but, I will say(ive never been one to buy foreign) but my dad bought and 05 titan when he sold his bus and traded his stroke for it since he didnt need that much truck anymore, and even pulling his 30' center console dive boat with twin 250s on back it cruises down 75 runnin 80 to 85 like its not even back there.
So if your just gonna be pulling the cherokee some of your half tons work pretty daggum well. 8)
Just IMO~Paul

 

[Lowrange2]

Yeah, a friend of mine had to replace injectors in his 03 Duramax.

So, You guys think the dodge or Chevy 1500 will pull the Jeep on a 16' trailer with ease? I love big trucks but I don't particularly NEED something that big.

lol, this is my dads truck and it pulls jsut fine. I just like the looks of the Chevys better.

I want that! But in the Chevy model...

 

[PacificEd]

A lot of the late model 1/2 ton Fords are rated to tow 9K which is really getting into 3/4 ton territory. These are probably too new and out of the budget you have set.

 

[Lowrange2]

lol, yeah just a little.

 

[PacificEd]

Sorry I tried.

 

[256offroad]

Well then imho if your not stuck on a diesel get a chevy 2500 non hd 6.0 gas truck. A fully loaded low miles one could be had for around 10k

 

[Lowrange2]

Well then imho if your not stuck on a diesel get a chevy 2500 non hd 6.0 gas truck. A fully loaded low miles one could be had for around 10k

Thats about what I was thinking. A fellow Jeeper that I work with just bought a 04 2500 6.0 gas 4wd crew cab with some BFG MTs for $11,500.

 

[Lowrange2]

http://greenville.craigslist.org/ctd/2162577142.html
It's a shame it's DRW

 

[Lowrange2]

http://greenville.craigslist.org/ctd/2160709092.html

Perfect!

 

[rob92xj]

My Quad Cab 03 Ram 1500 towed my XJ with no problems.

 

[Team Willys]

Ok, here are my thoughts... stay away from a Ford... if you must get a Ford, it needs to be a manual trans and a 7.3, stay away, FAR away, from the 6.0 powerjoke. Chevys are nice, we have an 04.5 with an LLY, looks almost identical to Davids truck (256) only ours in crew cab. Its got about 150K on it and have had good luck with it. Its needed an injector plug and a fuel pressure regulator, and now we are having a small issue we haven't figured out yet. Also, the drivers seat wore out pretty quick (leather tore, its real thin) and the power functions in the drivers seat has been a little problematic. Its needed one front axle due to a busted cv boot and both Unitbearings have been replaced. So, I guess its been O-K. Im not a fan of IFS, In my mind, a truck needs to have a straight axle in the front, just saying. As far as fuel mileage, it kinda sucks... we get about 15 around town and about 11 towing, moderate driving, not hammering down. Now for my thoughts on a dodge... the cummins is unbeatable... literally a 1,000,000 mile engine. Get a 6 speed, not an auto, they suck. Also, dont overlook the 03 model year... they are the same as the 04. Also, they can fit 35" tires pretty easily with just a cheap leveling kit, try that on a Chevy or Ford and you'll be needing a lift... The only down side that I know of are that the dashes are prone to cracking, and the interior in general just isn't as comfortable as a Chevy or Ford, but are you wanting a real truck, or a cadillac?