Most dreaded learn me of all: Family Truckster Edition

I hate dailying large vehicles, I loathe it. Recently SWMBO, who previously enjoyed driving such vehicles, has learned the joys of driving the small and nimble (Thanks 986, really thanks...) and though there are currently no little ones, it's on the short list of action items to do and I need another tow rig. So, people hauling, 6500+ towing, daily driver (ugh) edition.

I'd love a Ford Everest, but of course we'll never see it stateside. Is there an ETA from GM on the diesel Colorado options? I love the return of the full size van and offerings from Ford and Nissan, but couldn't bring myself to daily one. I love the powerplant of the Eco-Ram, but am not a fan of the rest of the truck. What other options should I look into?

Any particular reason why the tow rig must be a daily driver?

mainly to avoid adding another vehicle to the fleet without subtracting another. It doesn't need to be, but I'll likely end up driving it into work once a week or so.

Vans are hard to beat in this role. Your other option is a full size SUV. Suburban maybe?

I vote Suburban as well if you need something really big.

captdownshift wrote: there are currently no little ones, it's on the short list of action items to do

How long will it be until you need more than one child seat? Might wait until then to buy that 7 seater and just get what fits the bill right now. Diesel Colorado due out for 2016.

This is what we have. It will tow 5k lbs, seats 7. 290 Hp V6 - Get's about 25 mpg on the highway and is just a damn pleasant place to spend a few hours:

Yeah, I'm going to go with the rest of the group here. Express or Suburban would be the only things I could think of that have the towing and the people hauling, but they're both excessive in size.

Maybe another of the fleet could be replaced by a small/nimble/rewarding hatchback, say a Mazda3?

Diesel Excursion. Really, sometimes excessive is perfect.

I'm going through this same poop right now. Looking for something in the 5k range though. I want good gas mileage and ability to tow a car+trailer and ability to seat 3 rows. Minivan, ford flex, highlander hybrid, full size SUV, not worried about type of vehicle or trans type and drive axle(s).

I'm finding two general groups of vehicles with 3 rows:

1. Can't tow much at all (3500 lbs or less) and 20 MPG (minivans).
2. Can tow a E36 M3ton (most about 8500 lbs), but get about 15 MPG (full-size SUV).

Almost seems like the best option is to spend 2k on a 2001 suburban and spend the other 3k on the extra gas it will need, since I estimate fuel costs to be about $600 more per year at 15 mpg than 20.

The kicker of this whole thing is this: I don't need 3 rows right now, but our rear-facing carseat hardly fits in ANY car/sedan/wagon backseat while also leaving room to sit in front of it. So I don't want to buy a full size car if it doesn't have tons of interior space and towing as well. I hate to own two cars when one will do... compromises... grr.

05-09 V8 4Runner rated for 6700lbs towing (IIRC), and if you get one with the XREAS suspension (standard on Sport Edition models, optional on others), it's actually pretty enjoyable to drive, fairly nimble, and has a seating position more similar to a car than a truck. I miss mine quite a bit (wife wanted a real 3rd row, so we had to get a Sequoia, which is not fun at all to drive).

Not the biggest interior ever, but can handle a couple kids and a weeks worth of stuff pretty easily.

irish44j wrote: 05-09 V8 4Runner rated for 6700lbs towing (IIRC), and if you get one with the XREAS suspension (standard on Sport Edition models, optional on others), it's actually pretty enjoyable to drive, fairly nimble, and has a seating position more similar to a car than a truck. I miss mine quite a bit (wife wanted a real 3rd row, so we had to get a Sequoia, which is not fun at all to drive). Not the biggest interior ever, but can handle a couple kids and a weeks worth of stuff pretty easily.

What was your fuel economy? fueleconomy.gov says 15/18 (16 combined), hardly a tick above the suburban (at 14/18/15). but I like to see what people actually get rather than ratings...

rcutclif wrote:

irish44j wrote: 05-09 V8 4Runner rated for 6700lbs towing (IIRC), and if you get one with the XREAS suspension (standard on Sport Edition models, optional on others), it's actually pretty enjoyable to drive, fairly nimble, and has a seating position more similar to a car than a truck. I miss mine quite a bit (wife wanted a real 3rd row, so we had to get a Sequoia, which is not fun at all to drive). Not the biggest interior ever, but can handle a couple kids and a weeks worth of stuff pretty easily.

What was your fuel economy? fueleconomy.gov says 15/18 (16 combined), hardly a tick above the suburban (at 14/18/15). but I like to see what people actually get rather than ratings...

ah the old fuel economy thing again, lol.

We actually had the V6, since I only needed to tow about 4500, which the V6 does fine. So it was a bit better than the V8. It was my wife's DD (short trips, constantly) so her mileage sucked. On some road trips on the highway we got it into the low 20s here and there. But I'm sure the fueleconomy site numbers are fairly accurate. It's not an "efficient" SUV in terms of MPG. But it is a hell of a lot more fun to drive than a Suburban. It doesn't feel like a "big truck"...it feels like a car that sits up high but can also off-road, IMO.

The V8 4runner is full-time 4WD, whereas the V6 can run in 2WD. That also hurts the v8 mileage.

Currently we have a Sequoia with the same 4.7 V8 that was available in the 4Runner. It's a fuel pig for sure (though the Sequoia is a lot heavier than a 4Runner). I only drive it for towing (it gets about 10-12mpg towing my race trailer), and my wife gets not much better doing all city driving. I think last weekend we probably got about 17 doing rural highways down to my parents' house 400 miles round trip. IDK, I don't even keep track anymore since I can't really do anything about it. I buy my cars because I like them or they suit my needs. Fuel economy is a nice idea, but never high on my list of cares.

I figure it this way: Yeah, you could find a crossover or something that gets 5mpg better. But for us we don't put many miles on the trucks (probably 6-7k per year, compared to 20k per year on my WRX), so it doesn't really matter that much to me. WRX I do 23-24mpg and have to run Premium, daily commuting. So really it costs just as much in gas as an SUV would, lol.

In reply to rcutclif:

Did you see my post 3 above yours? The Ford Explorer / Flex does everything you are asking for as long as you get the Factory Towing package.

NGTD wrote: In reply to rcutclif: Did you see my post 3 above yours? The Ford Explorer / Flex does everything you are asking for as long as you get the Factory Towing package.

Yes, I did. And the newer explorer/flex is just about everything we want in a car, I just can't stomach the newish prices. (i'm seeing about 10k minimums for 09 and up...)

I just replaced an 07 Explorer V8 bought lightly used in 08 w a new 2015 Explorer, trading the 07 w 150k miles for I think 8K. The Explorer fit almost all the requirements. I hope I don't miss the V8 while towing - specs suggest I won't. If you don't like the price go shop new Yukons and sit in the 3rd row, then the Explorer seems like a bargain.

Get one of these... http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/build-projects-and-project-cars/1992-ford-f600-looong-bed/96272/page1/

rcutclif wrote:

NGTD wrote: In reply to rcutclif: Did you see my post 3 above yours? The Ford Explorer / Flex does everything you are asking for as long as you get the Factory Towing package.

Yes, I did. And the newer explorer/flex is just about everything we want in a car, I just can't stomach the newish prices. (i'm seeing about 10k minimums for 09 and up...)

Explorer only started production in 2011, so yes you won't find any below $10K. The Flex would be your only option.

The Chevy Traverse/GMC Acadia can tow 5.2K lbs, with Factory Tow Package.

Edit: Rating is not 6800 lbs its 5200. Rating without Tow Package is only 2000 lbs.

In 2014, 6500 Pounds limits you to:

Audi Q7
Full-Size Vans
Full-Sized Trucks
Full-Sized SUV
Dodge Durango
Infinity QX 80
Grand Cherokee V8/Diesel
Mercedes GL & ML
Range Rover
Toyota Tacoma V6 (only certain ones)
Toyota Tundra V8
Toyota Land Cruiser
Porsche Cayenne
VW Touareg

You can apply that to used vehicles and get a good idea of what is out there. If it were me, I'd go for a Touareg. Even the base V6 is rated to 7700 pounds (although some argue that as crazy) and the V10 Diesel can tow anything. The interior is the nicest you will find...basically its the Phaeton of SUVs. Amazing vehicle for a DD and the gas won't be as bad as a giant V8.

My second suggestion would be a Suzuki Equator. It is a rebadged Nissan Frontier, so parts will be no problem. It is rated to tow 6300 pounds and it has 4 doors and a bed. The defunct Suzuki brand may help lower the buy in compared to other trucks. They are not too bad as a DD and gas consumption is above pitiful.

The last option is a Dakota/Durango. The Dakota can easily tow 7500 pounds and while not great on gas, it is a real work truck that you can haul stuff in. The Durango is pretty good at hauling people. Best of all, they do not hold their value well. People are always complaining how they can't get a decent price for models that are in great shape. Keep the small car as a DD and get the cheapest green Dakota with peeling paint you can find for hauling/towing.

In reply to pinchvalve:

From your list with 3rd row seating option (I think I got this right):

• Audi Q7
• Full-Size Vans
• Full-Sized SUV
• Dodge Durango
• Infinity QX 80
• Mercedes GL & ML
• Range Rover
• Toyota Land Cruiser