Tow vehicle discussion #2047

I need a tow vehicle that can handle 4500LBS. It will also do daily driver duties. It needs to carry four adults all day if necessary. I live in downtown Toronto. My lot is 19 feet wide. I park on a parking pad off a lane way (alley way). A full size truck is not going to work. Nor a full size van (Astro too) or SUV.

I'm looking at Quad cab Durangos (other small pickups that came as Quads?), Jeeps (Liberty's mostly), and Nissan Pathfinders because they can be had with manual transmissions. I prefer towing with a manual. What others should I think about. I'm also considering unconventional tow vehicles. 5 series BMW, other big sedans. Any thoughts on those (particularly from folks who have towed with those before, I know we have more than a few folks who have spent time in Europe).

Thanks as always.

Don't discount the Astro. They are likely smaller and have a tighter turning radius than the Durango. No manual trans, but they are stout and can handle your 4500 lb requirement. Can be had for next to nothing around here. My friend bought one two days ago. Loaded '99. Everything works, very clean. $1500.

Durango, four door Dakota, SWB Explore or SWB Tahoe, four door (06+) Wrangler (check this), maybe a Frontier ?

I'm not sure that any sedan, aside from massive sedans of the 70's, can safely tow 4500lb. Volvos were well known tow-ers, but they were only rated at 3300lb.

Physics dictates that a long wheelbase is always better for towing. An I-6 Grand Cherokee will give a much smoother tow than an I-6 SWB Wrangler, for example.

I fear you may be looking for a mythical beast.

EvanR wrote: I'm not sure that any sedan, aside from massive sedans of the 70's, can safely tow 4500lb. Volvos were well known tow-ers, but they were only rated at 3300lb. Physics dictates that a long wheelbase is *always* better for towing. An I-6 Grand Cherokee will give a much smoother tow than an I-6 SWB Wrangler, for example. I fear you may be looking for a mythical beast.

5000lbs for a Buick Roadmaster and kin. 5000lbs for '95 and earlier Crown Victorias with tow package as well.

I vote for Caprice, Crown Vic, S10, Trailblazer, Blazer, or Ranger/Explorer. Just make sure the Explorer is NOT the 4.0L. The later ones came with the 4.6L as an option.

m4ff3w wrote:

EvanR wrote: I'm not sure that any sedan, aside from massive sedans of the 70's, can safely tow 4500lb. Volvos were well known tow-ers, but they were only rated at 3300lb.

5000lbs for a Buick Roadmaster and kin. 5000lbs for '95 and earlier Crown Victorias with tow package as well.

if you can find the cadillac fleetwood version of those beasts with a factory tow package they're rated at a whopping 7000 lbs!

2nd Gen Trooper.

Roadmaster/Crown Vic is a good option for "alternative" vehicles, but make sure you have the transmission cooler goodies and whatnot.

Personally, I'd be going with a 4Runner.

brick nose bronco. still pretty small wheelbase for it's size. cheap. plenty of power. reliable. i squeeze 16 or so out of mine with the factory 4:10's and a 4 inch lift with 33's and i seem to have a better turning radius then 95% of things it's size. Fun fact, some of the early vw buses had a 1 ton rating

WilberM3 wrote:

m4ff3w wrote:

EvanR wrote: I'm not sure that any sedan, aside from massive sedans of the 70's, can safely tow 4500lb. Volvos were well known tow-ers, but they were only rated at 3300lb.

5000lbs for a Buick Roadmaster and kin. 5000lbs for '95 and earlier Crown Victorias with tow package as well.

if you can find the cadillac fleetwood version of those beasts with a factory tow package they're rated at a whopping 7000 lbs!

This.

Thanks for sharing it, very helpful for me.

I had a 98 Cherokee that was rated to tow 5k. I can tell you when we got to the higher end of that range, 4000-4500 lbs, I didnt feel as safe because you could really feel it pushing the Jeep around. YMMV

mineman_bruce wrote: brick nose bronco. still pretty small wheelbase for it's size. cheap. plenty of power. reliable. i squeeze 16 or so out of mine with the factory 4:10's and a 4 inch lift with 33's and i seem to have a better turning radius then 95% of things it's size. Fun fact, some of the early vw buses had a 1 ton rating

And the sheer weight of these is a plus for towing in respect to not allowing the tail to wag the dog.

How far are you towing on a regular basis? I know a guy who uses a late model V8 Grand Cherokee ('05 ish?) to tow his A-Stock C5 on a dual axle trailer. It's gotta weigh at least 4500 lbs.

93-98 Fullsize Blazer / Yukon 2 door.

gmc acadia, but it's an auto. A quad cab dakota isn't all that small, but if that is what you want you could cross shop a tacoma or a fj cruiser. Maybe a vw toureg? If you can get a diesel liberty, you'd be in real good shape, but get sway control for your set up.

Since there is no budget or reliability constrains, I'll say Land Rover Disco. You can even find them with manual trans. How's that for left field?

fanfoy wrote: Since there is no budget or reliability constrains, I'll say Land Rover Disco. You can even find them with manual trans. How's that for left field?

ooooooo I like that.

Or something like this?

A bit far for you, but easier on the wallet.

fanfoy wrote: Since there is no budget or reliability constrains, I'll say Land Rover Disco. You can even find them with manual trans. How's that for left field?

more like left in a field...

Thanks for the info so far. Budget; up to $10K, happier around $7500 as that leaves more for entry fees this year. Probably 4-5 tows of up to 8 hours plus 2 hour jaunts for track days and such.

I know it's not a manual, but has anyone towed with the X5? There are quite a few around that fit the budget. The Airstream guys love them for towing and stability. Was there a thread here recently suggesting the transmissions are made of glass?

sachilles wrote: gmc acadia, but it's an auto. A quad cab dakota isn't all that small, but if that is what you want you could cross shop a tacoma or a fj cruiser. Maybe a vw toureg? If you can get a diesel liberty, you'd be in real good shape, but get sway control for your set up.

Thanks, I'm opening up to autos.

Yes, sway control and brakes are mandatory. I won't tow without them.

Jeff wrote: Thanks for the info so far. Budget; up to $10K, happier around $7500 as that leaves more for entry fees this year. Probably 4-5 tows of up to 8 hours plus 2 hour jaunts for track days and such. I know it's not a manual, but has anyone towed with the X5? There are quite a few around that fit the budget. The Airstream guys love them for towing and stability. Was there a thread here recently suggesting the transmissions are made of glass?

If you look hard enough, you could get a manual in the early 3.0 X5. And I think it still tows 5000lbs with that combo. But as far as reliability, I don't think it will do any better than those Land Rovers I linked.

Sport trac explorer.....the later ones with the v8 are nice. I've pulled more than your requested amount with my parents '10 v8, but just don't load the trailer heavy on the front, the IRS in the back doesn't like that.