I'm hoping to get a wakeboard boat for next season. My dad has a currently-empty boat lift, but of course we'll sometimes need to tow the boat out for repairs, etc... <BR> <BR>We don't have a vehicle that can tow more than 2000lbs, and the boat would be around 3600lbs. <BR> <BR>Any suggestions on the cheapest tow vehicle? Or would it just be better to rent a truck for the few times a year it is needed (do they even rent trucks with trailer hitches)?

Make friends with someone who likes to wakeboard and has a truck. <BR> <BR>-Steve

most car dealerships have rentals. When my truck went in for repairs they gave me a rental truck for free. it had a tow hitch, but said i couldn't use it. .. HA HA!!! put my ball in the receiver, put my pig-tail in the adapter, and hooked up the boat. <BR> <BR>they also said, that if i did tow with it, there would be no way for them to know. ... essentially told me it was ok, as long as they didn't know about it.

Go buy a 70's or 80's Chev/Ford half ton pickup.

Uhaul...$20-30 a day and $.69/mile, and they are fine with towing.

Just learn to service/repair your own boat. Thats what I did. Its pretty easy.

While we're on the subject of Tow Vehicles.... <BR> <BR>has anyone towed with a Honda Ridgeline? I'm in the market for an efficient and econonic truck. <BR> <BR>The ridgeline has 4 doors, 4x4, 247 hp out of a v6, and 20 miles to the gallon on the highway. It looks like it might have just enough room in the back for 2 dirtbikes too. <BR> <BR>It may never tow a boat long distance, but it would be cool to know that it could. The rating is 5000 pounds which is the same as american 1/2 tons, and it weights 6000 pounds.

When we moved from Seattle to Spokane 4 yrs ago, we used a 24' U-Haul truck. They told me I could only tow their trailers with it &amp; could not tow my boat with it. <BR>Of course they don't know if you do it. But if you had an accident, insurance coverage is going be questioned. <BR> <BR>I wasn't terribly impressed with the Ridgeline. 5000 barely tows the lightest inboards any of us own. And if you fill it full of gas &amp; gear, plus a couple of friends in the truck, then your over it's limit. If your just using it for short trips, go for it. But don't go very far or up/down any big hills with it. <BR> <BR>BTW, my 1/2 ton Chevy is rated for 7700 lbs &amp; gets just shy of 20 mpg on the freeway. <BR> <BR>To the OP, call around to "rent a dent" type car rental places. They will have a truck you can rent that will tow your boat.

I just picked up a Ridgeline in Vegas a couple of Months ago and pulled my VLX with it for the first time today.. It worked really well.. I went 80 miles and it pulled no problem at 60-65mph.. <BR>On a side note I have owned quite a few vehicles in my life and I have yet to enjoy one as much as the Ridgeline... <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/588333.jpg" alt="Upload">

Thanks Bill. You're right, the tow rating is higher; for years though, a lot of half tons were rated at 5k pounds. <BR> <BR>Our boat stays at the delta in a storage unit. So I'm only towing about one city blocks' distance to the ramp. Tow capacity is at the bottom of my priority list though.

We tow with a Honda Pilot, which is about the same as a Ridgeline. It works great. We tow at least 1,000 mi/year with it.

Thanks for the advice. <BR> <BR>If I rent a truck, it needs to have insurance that will cover the boat. So far I haven't found a rental place that will do it. <BR> <BR>I don't think I'll be trying to do the maintenance myself. My dad is definitely more mechanically inclined, but I'd be too worried about trying to fix something so expensive without really knowing what I'm doing. <BR> <BR>Something else I will check into is whether the dealer will tow the boat as needed. I know my Jet Ski dealer will do that, but it's about $100 per trip. Still, that's a lot cheaper than buying a truck, but I'll see what I can find in really old trucks as someone mentioned.

I've never heard that uhaul can't be used for towing your own trailer. I couldn't find it on their website either. I can't imagine your personal insurance wouldn't cover any accidents. Uhaul is the most laid back company I've dealt with, I can't see how they would really care. I've towed with them a few times and know others who have also.

Menards rents for $18/hr. They don't care what you tow, just bring it back full of gas.

We have had three boats. Our last two never had trailers. We just paid the $50 on the water service fee. Sometimes even cheaper then that if you go with someone other then the dealer. Is this not an option for you? You would be surprised how few time you HAVE to bring the boat out of the water. We have never had to.

Don't worry about finding a truck that has insurance to cover your boat. That should come under your boat insurance and most boat policies have towing insurance. Check with your policy and if you have that, you just need to find a truck that allows you to tow and provides coverage for their vehicle while you tow. <BR> <BR>Man I wish I could find on water service for a $50 upcharge. That would be the way to go for sure if available.

The cheapest tow vehicle out their is a 1970's era buick or cryslter sedan or wagon. Those things have 350 cc engines and weigh a ton. You should be able to pick one up for a couple hundred bucks with lots of dents. <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/589107.jpg" alt="Upload">

<img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/589111.jpg" alt="Upload">

this should do the job <BR> <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/589253.jpg" alt="Upload">

I have a friend that owns one of these F650's, he tows a x45 with it. Man what a truck, he frequents the delta and lives in San Jose. Its way over kill. Even with a cat engine it gets 18 mpg.

Go with a 1/2 ton chevy, 1987 or newer fuel injected. Will last for ever and you wont look G** as you do pulling with a van converted into a truck like a rigeline. Go SOCKER DAD GO!!!!

Most dealers will come out to your house for basic maintenance, we do for a 50 dollar charge, call your dealer and see if they will come out to your house, that will be the cheapest way IMO.

Todd (antoddio): <i>I've never heard that uhaul can't be used for towing your own trailer. I couldn't find it on their website either. I can't imagine your personal insurance wouldn't cover any accidents. Uhaul is the most laid back company I've dealt with, I can't see how they would really care. I've towed with them a few times and know others who have also.</i> <BR> <BR>I looked on their site too. They don't advertise the restrictions. Call them and ask sometime. <BR>Better yet, tell them you want to rent one of their little trailers &amp; they you drive a Ford Explorer. They won't rent it to you in either case. &amp; Neither scenario is listed on the website. <BR> <BR>Ken, that beast is INSANE!

uhaul /budget will not rent you a truck with a trailer hitch , home depot does though and its way cheaper than uhaul or budget its like $20 a day and gas

Plhorn, <BR>That got me thinking of a National Lampoon Lake Vacation, Here comes the Griswalds!

mine is in dry storage about a mile or two from the dealership. when i need them to service it, i call the storage facility to authorize them to have access... they pick it up for free, and put it back when they are done. <BR> <BR>plug.. ronnie at waterski boats dallas.

You could always rent a trailblazer for pretty cheap from any car rental place, they all have a hitch standard and are rated for at least 5000lbs.

We get out our shop to do the towing. $80 a couple times a year. That's a whole lot cheaper than buying even a cheap car and keeping the insurance up on it. <BR> <BR>It was even cheaper than renting a car considering the closest place to rent a vehicle was still 20 miles away.

I called Rent A Wreck (<a href="http://www.rent-a-wreck.com" target="_blank">http://www.rent-a-wreck.com</a>) and was told they have the F150 and do NOT have any anti-boat-towing policy. So maybe that will be my solution for next year.