SUV / Truck decision mental termoil

[jabecker]

Reply to Grizzlyone. The 8 speed transmission does downshift to 6 th gear going up hills. My Duramax never shifted on the same hills. My Duramax overall mileage was 14.6 for the 70,000 miles that I had on it. The ride was good for a 3/4 ton truck, but doesn't compare to the Ram for smoothness.

[Burr]

You asked for our thoughts - right? So I'll offer this.

Without some compelling other reason - ditch the whole camper idea, and downsize the pickup/SUV to a half ton size instead of the 3/4 ton class.

Save $5000-$10000 on the added cost of a 3/4 ton truck - maybe even more if you were looking at diesel, and then save the $15,000 - $25,000 for the trailer - and go the motel route instead. You can stay in a lot of motels for $25,000... Then you won't have to clean, wash the bedding, find a place to store it, get a bigger vehicle just to tow it.

I'm much like you. My pickup is a 97 with 210 K, have a 98 Honda that has 70K miles as my daily driver - spent most of it's life sitting in my FIL/MIL garage, and a 2004 Pontiac for my wife to drive. But I put a new motor in my pickup a couple years back, and I'm sure I'll have to put a transmission in it at some point - because I didn't want new truck payment book.

My vehicles stick around too. Rust is what makes them go away for me.

[Steven Pederson]

buy this guy.

https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/d...3842/overview/

[REW]

Steven,
The truck looks like the perfect truck. Now, do you have one on sale for $6,00 as opposed to $36,000?

[Fishawk1975]

Wow that's cheap !!

[Hanr3]

I too debated between an SUV and truck every time I buy another used vehicle. I like having my stuff locked up and out of the elements. Plus I like the extra cargo room when the seats are down, and when I need to haul people, the seats go back up. I have hauled more in my SUV's then most haul in their pick-ups. Including drywall, studs, plywood, bricks, groceries, wife, 5 kids, and 4 dogs, etc. SUV= Sport UTILITY vehicle.

Currently I own a Chevy Traverse, 7 passenger (4 captain chairs and a rear bench). The only requirement I had for the Traverse, must have the towing package. With the towing package I can tow 5,000 pounds, without it limited to 2,000 lbs. I'm a camper, tent camper that is. It's nothing for me to head to the lake for a 3 day weekend with boat in tow. Spend the weekend camping/fishing. Much less expensive to camp than stay in a motel/hotel. Cost me $20 a night at the state campgrounds and that includes electricity to charge my trolling batteries, hot showers, flush toilets, picnic tables, fire pit, and new friends. Plus a Saturday night fish fry. Hard to beat fresh fish you caught that day. Plus I know no one is going to mess with my boat while I'm sleeping 20' feet away in a tent.



Started out in a K5-Blazer and stayed in the Chevy SUV line since.

[Steven Pederson]

Originally Posted by Hanr3

I too debated between an SUV and truck every time I buy another used vehicle. I like having my stuff locked up and out of the elements. Plus I like the extra cargo room when the seats are down, and when I need to haul people, the seats go back up. I have hauled more in my SUV's then most haul in their pick-ups. Including drywall, studs, plywood, bricks, groceries, wife, 5 kids, and 4 dogs, etc. SUV= Sport UTILITY vehicle.

Currently I own a Chevy Traverse, 7 passenger (4 captain chairs and a rear bench). The only requirement I had for the Traverse, must have the towing package. With the towing package I can tow 5,000 pounds, without it limited to 2,000 lbs. I'm a camper, tent camper that is. It's nothing for me to head to the lake for a 3 day weekend with boat in tow. Spend the weekend camping/fishing. Much less expensive to camp than stay in a motel/hotel. Cost me $20 a night at the state campgrounds and that includes electricity to charge my trolling batteries, hot showers, flush toilets, picnic tables, fire pit, and new friends. Plus a Saturday night fish fry. Hard to beat fresh fish you caught that day. Plus I know no one is going to mess with my boat while I'm sleeping 20' feet away in a tent.



Started out in a K5-Blazer and stayed in the Chevy SUV line since.

does the Traverse allow you to haul a 4x8 sheet of plywood/sheet rock? Just curious because my Suburban barely fits it... and i haul a ton of crap like that. I know some Mini Vans can haul it. Haven't heard on crossovers.

[REW]

For hauling, a small utility trailer is a very good alternative to buying a larger truck that seldom gets used for hauling cargo.

If you think that you might be hauling 4x8 sheets of material - make a point to purchase a trailer that is at least 5x9.

The typical 4x8 trailer does not let you haul 4x8 sheets very easily due to the tight dimension.

Nice to have room on the side and ends when hauling freight which also saves on fingers.

For example one of these - of the appropriate dimension.

https://www.trailersuperstore.com/utility-trailers/

[Steven Pederson]

Originally Posted by REW

For hauling, a small utility trailer is a very good alternative to buying a larger truck that seldom gets used for hauling cargo.

If you think that you might be hauling 4x8 sheets of material - make a point to purchase a trailer that is at least 5x9.

The typical 4x8 trailer does not let you haul 4x8 sheets very easily due to the tight dimension.

Nice to have room on the side and ends when hauling freight which also saves on fingers.

For example one of these - of the appropriate dimension.

https://www.trailersuperstore.com/utility-trailers/

I have a 5x8 trailer, and a 8x14 trailer... I hate towing trailers, i want it in the bed or enclosed in the suv. Nothing worse than having to mess with a trailer.

I also live in a climate where i don't want to haul materials in an open trailer.

I miss my old F350 with 8' box.

[Kyle Posterick]

You can run a 5th wheel on a half ton as long as you keep it sensible, lots of 10k options out there to choose. Personally I would stay away from the dodge eco diesel, looks good until you pay 5k over the hemi and then cough up 180 for oil changes, mileage is nice but you never make up the money.

The 6.2 liter that GM puts in its 1/2ers and the 3.5 turbo Ford has would do well with what you propose. I have the 3.5 in a 15xlt and that thing pulls like a freight train, seen as high as 26mpg avg on a 120 mile trip, my lifetime is 17.2 with approximately 30% towing miles.

I personally feel both GM and Ford have better products over dodge. YMMV