Recommended Truck Tow Vehicles

The wife and I are considering buying a truck to add to our vehicle stable. A key consideration is of course using it as our TV instead of the Sienna. While the Sienna "works", I would prefer a more robust vehicle be assigned the duties.

We are leaning towards a V-8 Tundra 4x4 but would be interested in hearing what others think. We looked at Fords and Chevys but it seems like you get to 40K in a hurry if the websites are accurate whereas a similar Tundra looks to be 5K cheaper.

Any opinions out there?

[Wavery]

Originally Posted by M&M Hokie

The wife and I are considering buying a truck to add to our vehicle stable. A key consideration is of course using it as our TV instead of the Sienna. While the Sienna "works", I would prefer a more robust vehicle be assigned the duties.

We are leaning towards a V-8 Tundra 4x4 but would be interested in hearing what others think. We looked at Fords and Chevys but it seems like you get to 40K in a hurry if the websites are accurate whereas a similar Tundra looks to be 5K cheaper.

Any opinions out there?

Just curious why the 4X4.......most people that have 4X4s in California seldom or never use the capacity.

4X4 adds initial cost and weight. It also adds susceptibilities to problems. I have no problem with 4X4s but IMO they add an additional risk factor with little return unless you travel in snow areas or off-road.

We bought a 3-year-old Silverado last year for under $11K. I have the original window sticker on the vehicle and it was $32K new and it has about $3K in add ons. It's in "like new" condition and we have towed about 4K miles with it already with zero issues. Used trucks are going for a song. If you're careful, you could save a lot more money than you would ever spend in maintenance.

BTW, my son has an '08 Tundra 4x4 V8 and he gets about 9MPG towing his 21' TT and about 15MPG going back 7 forth to work. My Silverado gets between 16-17MPG towing. I don't know what the mileage is non-towing because we use it exclusively for towing.

I've always heard and seen good things about the Tundra but I've always been a Ford guy myself.

I recently bought a 2010 F150 XLT, 5.4L 2WD with factory tow package and built in brake controler on the dash. 6.5' bed with extended cab, Tow rating is 9800LB, 6 speed automatic. It was $33K, After rebates and discounts it was 28K before trade in. Empty it gets 21 mpg on the interstate if you keep your foot out of it. My point is that Ford and the others have a lot of deals so to get an idea of real cost you might want to go by a dealer if your interrested.

DW and I are still hunting for our first TM but I have towed a trailer with my F150 and it does great. It weighs in at 5200LB empty and has a full box frame so its very stable on the road even in bad weather and around Tractor Trailers. It took a while to get used to parking it though as I had previously owned a Ford Ranger. Lots of good choices out there!

BTW.. 4X4's are great if you need one but if you don't keep in mind that they get less fuel mileage, cost more to buy and cost more to operate. The thing that shocks most people is when they find out that a 4X4 actually has LESS towing and hauling capacity that the same vehicle in a 4X2. It's because the drivetrain adds weight and load to the vehicle. I do admit that I've always wanted one, I just never had need for it.

Thanks for the feedback Wayne. There are a lot of used 2WD trucks out there to choose from at prices similar to yours. As for the 2WD vs. 4WD argument, I am not convinced one way or the other fully. I lean toward the 4WD but concede that there would be rare need for it. There is rare need for things like fire alarms, seat belts, air bags, too, but they sure are invaluable when those admittedly rare needs arrive.

I am at least a couple of months away from making any decisions so there is plenty of time to think about it.

I got my Sierra, 4x4, crew cab, etc. for under 30K a little over a year ago, when GM had employee pricing for all. It was a better deal than used at the time.

I need to carry 5 adults, plus either 3 motorcycles or 6 mountain bikes or some combination in between. That left my choices with GM, Ford or Chrysler products. I don't think Toyota, etc. builds anything like my 2500HD.

Your towing needs are very likely much different than mine.

I like having 4x4 because I sometimes use the truck to go skiing in the winter. And, my favorite campsite requires that I cross a dry creek bed, dragging the TM rear hitch receiver on the ground. 4wd and low range is very helpful for that situation.

If you never get off of paved surfaces and never encounter ice and snow then 4wd is not necessary. You might consider a limited slip differential 2wd instead. I would not settle for less than limited slip 2wd.

Spend some time figuring out what your requirements are. If you are not sure, this is a good place to be thinking out loud.

Regarding drafting behind a big rig...

there was an episode on the Myth Busters not too long ago where they documented that you can in fact improve fuel economy by drafting behind a big rig, but also that you need not tailgate. Just follow the rig at the normal safe distance and it will help.

I ran a drafting test recently, using the mpg display in my Sierra and I gained about 1 mpg drafting versus not drafting. This was not using high precision test equipment.

[MudDog]

We traded in our 2002 Sienna for a 2010 Tacoma 2WD Pre-Runner w/tow package (6500lb tow capacity) last fall...mainly for the same reasons you're looking to switch. The Sienna worked and got us all around the West for the first year we had the TM, but we wanted something more robust with a much wider safety margin.

We went with the Tacoma rather than a bigger truck so we could still get it in the garage next to the TM.


A few cons for us when coming from a van like the Sienna:

1) Cargo area is not covered/secure unless you get a shell
2) You lose the 3rd row of removable seating (2-3 passengers)
3) Gas mileage in the Tacoma is about 5mpg worse than the Sienna

Depsite the cons, we've been very happy with the switch (we ended up getting a shell) and while the Sienna pulled the TM up and down the I-5 Grapevine without issue, the Tacoma feels much more solid....both UP and DOWN such grades.

I'm in the same boat as M&M, thought I wanted a '05/'06 Tundra because they're a bit smaller, but found out the tow limit is 6500 and gas mileage terrible. Started looking at bigger ones and like the new Fords. I need 4X4. Anyone here tow with a 4X4 F150? What is the gas mileage?

The newer Tacoma would work, but I'm concerned about the lower HP for towing here in the mountains with a ATV in the bed and a TM on the hitch!

Originally Posted by Redhawk

I'm in the same boat as M&M, thought I wanted a '05/'06 Tundra because they're a bit smaller, but found out the tow limit is 6500 and gas mileage terrible. Started looking at bigger ones and like the new Fords. I need 4X4. Anyone here tow with a 4X4 F150? What is the gas mileage?

The newer Tacoma would work, but I'm concerned about the lower HP for towing here in the mountains with a ATV in the bed and a TM on the hitch!

I'm using a 2007 F-150 4x4 crew cab with the big Triton V8 to tow my 2720SL. Mileage locally (not a lot of stop and go) without the TM is 15-17, depending, and up to 19 mpg on the Interstate with little wind while in Colorado. At lower altitudes (trip to Vermont, for example), I'll tend to lose a couple of mpg -- perhaps due to the additional air density causing more drag. Keep in mind that we always travel with quite a bit of stuff in the truck, both in the back seat and in the bed (we have a shell, too).

With the TM attached I get from 11 (uphill, steep Rocky Mountain grades, or 35-50 mph headwind) to 17 (rare -- 62 mph on I-25 with a tailwind). Overall with the TM it runs around 13.3-15.5 mpg.

Originally Posted by Redhawk

I'm in the same boat as M&M, thought I wanted a '05/'06 Tundra because they're a bit smaller, but found out the tow limit is 6500 and gas mileage terrible. Started looking at bigger ones and like the new Fords. I need 4X4. Anyone here tow with a 4X4 F150? What is the gas mileage?

Redhawk, my mileage is very similar to Larry N's. I have a 2006 F150 4x4, 5.4L engine (330 cu. in. Triton), 3.73 gears, Super Cab, 6.5' bed with a tonneau cover. Messing around the area running errands and stuff, I get 16.5 to 17.5 mpg. Interstate driving without a trailer I get 20+ mpg @ 65 mph. Back roads with few stops lights in the rolling hills around here....again right around 20 to 21 mpg. Flat land back roads with few stop lites then I get 21 to 22 mpg.

Towing with my 2720, I got anywhere between 14.5 to 16.3 mpg. Figure in back roads in the mountains with plenty of manuevering, those figures went south.

Now towing a conventional travel trailer weighing in at 5500 lbs. ready to camp, my mileage is now around 11 mpg on the interstate, and 11.5 to 12 on the back roads with a few stops and starts.

I do consider myself a very conservative driver, with gas mileage as a priority over speed and jack rabbit starts.

Regarding installing a Prodigy in the Tacoma....As I usually have to spend time figuring out which end of a screwdriver to use, I had it installed. They used the wiring in the Tacoma and what came in the box. I expected it to take at least an hour or maybe two for them to install it so I brought a book along to read while waiting. It ended up taking them less than a half hour and $41....So that is an alternative if you don't want to get your hands dirty...

Mike Anderson