Tow vehicle help
I’ve started the search for a new tow vehicle and would like some opinions. It will be a diesel of some sort but that’s about where my decisions have come to a stop.
All I tow is our boat, which is a 2018 SAN 210. That said, I do tow it a lot. Our lake house is a 3 hour round trip which we do weekly in the summer and at least one 5+ hour trip each summer to a new spot. We live in Texas so the Lakehouse trip is relatively flat. I’ve looked at both half ton diesel options, the Dodge eco-diesel and the Titan XD diesel. Of course the 3/4 ton options are all of interest but the budget starts to get stretched with these. I want to stay under $50k. I can get a new Ram2500 for that but no where close in the Ford and until Chevy decides to put rear air back in their trucks I won’t buy one. Interior options are critical as we will drive this vehicle a lot. So, do I do a loaded 1/2 ton diesel brand new or a used 3/4 ton and roll the dice on used? Any goods/bads/uglies to be aware of? Will the 1/2 ton ride a lot better with no load? Any help would be appreciated. |
I have Chevy 2016 Z71 1500 truck with 5.3 engine that just turned 40k miles and I regularly pull my 2014 SV244 which is between 8000-8500lbs with tandem trailer (the tow package on truck is rated for 9300lbs). Course it helps to have hydraulic brakes on the trailer, sure your 2018 would have that option too. I pull my boat for at least 2-4 hours a week, and took a 5hr ride, one way, thru TN mountains a couple months ago to go to Norris Lake and truck did great. Obviously fuel efficiency when towing goes down....but I still "average" 18.4mpg on the truck. Plenty of power since that engine is fuel injected, and still has good braking.
I don't pull any other big objects around and did not want to buy a huge desiel truck simply to pull my boat for few hours most weeks....and then be spending more money on desiel fuel and getting less fuel mileage everywhere else I go since its also my everyday vehicle. Truck looks sharp and is very comfortable....I got the short bed 4 door so the back seats are also plenty large and we use it for family outings as well. I DONT have rear air bags on my Chevy as you mentioned above and have not noticed I don't have them either. Rear barely sags but I got specialty receiver so trailer rides level with truck....not sure why you need those air bags. There is no doubt a 2500 will be better.....just saying a half ton will do all you need as long as its rated high enough towing, would assume the 210 weights significantly less than my boat |
When I mentioned rear air, I was meaning AC to the back seats. Chevy is the only brand not putting AC vents for the rear seats. I rode in one a few weekends ago and the back seats was noticeably uncomfortable. It’s unfortunate because I think they are the best looking of the bunch.
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Oh boy, this is WakeWorld, so let me sum it up right off the bat:
If you haul anything larger than a canoe you will need at minimum a F650 PowerUmmins Dooley 6 Door lifted with 44's, the maximum available tune for a minimum of 9000 horsepower and 23500 foot pounds of torque. Anything less and you are a hazard to yourself and everyone else on the road and are simply waiting to have your enormously heavy boat push your truck into a flaming ball of death and destruction. Or, get a nice half ton truck or a comfortable SUV that is rated by the manufacturer that will pull what you need to pull, make sure your trailer and trailer brakes are adequate and in good working order, observe the legal towing speeds where you live and drive sensibly and leave an comfortable space cushion around your rig. |
I have a more than capable full size SUV now. I’m going to get a truck for my next vehicle and it will be a diesel of some sort. My question is, are the two half ton diesel’s worth a look and is the ride quality that much better in the half ton chassis or do I just go 3/4 ton and buy used?
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We tow our 2014 210 with a Durango RT and a grand cherokee summit. It works great.
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lol, totally misunderstood you on the rear air. I agree....you would think they would have air vents back there and hopefully they will pull head out of ass soon on that.
I have not seen either of the 2 new desiel half tons....bet they would be great tho and have plenty of power for you, usually bigger brakes too since they are rated for bigger loads. The upside to buying new....is the warranty and lower APR's, downside is the bigger depreciation hit. Used...less depreciation and possibly little less warranty. Guess APR will be dependant on credit anyway. Personally I like buying a new "leftover" and have done that on the last couple vehicles I have bought (0% APR) and my boat was also bought as new leftover. May not be possible with the desiel truck option tho I suppose, since its new. |
For me it comes down to stress on the vehicle, which really comes down to the terrain you tow over, speeds etc and how much crap you stuff in your bed and the boat. I went from a 1/2 ton that was tapped, but could pull my boat, to a 3/4 ton diesel that wasnt stressed. I don't tow very far but do tow alot and my 3/4 ton diesel Dodge does well. I will caution against the 07.5 to 10 cummins 6.7 as they didn't have the def and the exhaust system/EGR can be problematic for some, certainly was for me at 60K miles. The interiors on the 10+ dodges are way nicer too. Dodge parts quality, outside of the drivetrain, is about a 6/10 from my experience. My 09 has alot of broken interior stuff for no good reason now thats its got some years on it.
The half tons would obviously do the job, but when you load them down with a boat, people, camping gear etc more comes into play than just tow rating. Tow vehicle weight helps with the safety of all that lb rolling down the road. For instance my truck (7klbs) with my current boat (4500dry) rolling down the road is nearly 14,000 lbs. If it was a half ton that total would be closer to 12,5 Still alot of rolling mass and intertia to control. Just my .02cents. I don't mind driving my diesel every day around town personally. I also have a short commute |
I would be able to fit a a new Ram 2500 in my budget so I agree that I would get a much better product than what the older Dodge’s brought to the table. I work from home so my commute is a non issue but we will more than likely take this vehicle on road trips as we can’t fit the kids and dogs in my wife’s sedan.
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If you're interested, I'm considering selling my 2012 Ram 3500 MegaCab Dually (click my profile for a pic of it). I've owned it since day 1 and it doesn't even have 50k miles on it yet. It's also the last year of any diesel that doesn't have the DEF garbage too. And it'll be well under your $50k budget.
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I have a 16 Ram Eco diesel and it tows my 07 Epic 23V with ease. It likes staying in 7th gear while towing which puts the revs around 2200-2300 going 100-110 km/hr. I don't tow it a lot, it stays at the lake, 2 hours away, pretty much all summer. We do one annual trip to another lake which is 2 hours from home in opposite direction. Pretty flat here too. Not sure what my rig weighs. Dry weight on boat is supposed to be 3500 lbs plus trailer and full tank of fuel plus gear, maybe 6000 lbs total? Think my truck is rated for 8200. By the sounds of your towing patterns, I think one would do just fine. If you care, the unloaded mileage kills any half ton by a mile. I've easily gotten 34 mpg (28 us mpg) going 120 km/hr. This is the first truck I've seen actually get the advertised mpg. I would hook up to your boat on a test drive to see for yourself. I never test drove the Nissan diesel but I've heard good things about them. Happy truck hunting!
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Thanks for the feedback, just the kind of info I’m looking for. My Dad has an eco diesel as well and he says the same thing about the gas mileage, which is a bonus regardless of how much you drive or don’t drive.
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You can't go wrong with Ram Ecodiesel. These trucks are beasts with great mileage. Recently helped a buddy installing the headache rack and some led light bar on his Ram Ecodiesel and he confirmed he is getting 33mpg average.
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We’ve got a chev 3500 gas and have been very pleased when towing 10k plus. Definitely doesn’t have all the goodies but it’s the most comfortable heavy duty truck and it gets the job done.
If I were to go half ton it would be the tundra all the way. Such a nice looking reliable truck. With your 210 it would be more than enough for towing. |
I agree with this guy ^^^ . If I was set on a diesel truck it would be the Nissan . But if a gas rig wasn't off the table it would be a Tundra all the way .
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Have you looked at custom ordering from Ford? My buddy at work just took delivery of a F350 (SRW) 4x4 XL with the big cab (so the basic model) however he ordered it to come with the really nice dash (so all the nice electronics) that the $80k versions come with...he walked out paying $49k (not sure if that was OTD or + tax though)
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If you could deal with a gasser, my Tundra rocks. I'm around 7000 lbs on the hitch, does it very very well. and still rides nice around town. 380 hp yanks it around with ease.
Ram: less $ for a reason. wait till the dash starts rattling and you'll understand why they're cheaper. Not trying to knock anyone's rig, but after driving one for a few years, never again. |
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^^^
"Sometimes it is better to be silent and thought to be a fool, than to jump on your keyboard and remove all doubt". A Tundra is rated up to 10.5k, a bit more than a jet ski and some bark. |
That was for Alex, not J-Rod
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In all seriousness....I drove many half tons over the years and I did trade up to the Ram Diesel exactly a year ago. Yes the dash does rattle like Nacho says by the way.
The Diesel tows circles around the half tons. Loads of more power, stability, and efficiency, and more space. But I'll also tell you it gets old driving it around everyday. If you're the in-and-out of the truck all day driving around kind of person, it can get old fast. Parking lots, grocery stores, speed bumps that put you into the ceiling, and even bumpy dirt roads drive me crazy some days. Thankfully I have a little BMW to give me breaks. The Diesel truck are badass. But the compromise is overall drivability. |
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I have a 2014 Ecodiesel with 70,000 trouble free miles. I have always been a Chevy guy and had a Duramax before the Ram. I did not need a 3/4 ton so I said the first one out with a 1/2 ton diesel I'm buying it. I was disappointed when it was Ram. I think the Chevy looks better on the outside.
I did test drive all 3 top 1/2 tons and the interior in my opinion in the Ram is by far the best. My truck rides like a dream. I did order the air suspension which I love. It self levels and I can lower the hitch under the trailer and raise it into the receiver. I get around 18mpg towing and average 23 mostly city 28 highway. Diesel is not much more than gas here so it's a win win. |
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Meathead guarantee has a aluminum fishing boat that weighs 900 pounds with a singe axle trailer so that's why he got defensive about his Tonka truck HAHAHA.
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Good to hear how pleasing the air suspension on your truck.
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I know most half tons will do the job just fine, crap, my Armada does it just fine, but I tow long distances a lot and it sure would be nice to maintain speed on highways and not have to run high RPMS. Just not sure a half ton gas truck will be any better than just getting another full size SUV. Which is why I only asked about the two half ton diesels. I do agree the Tundra is a great looking truck, and if I bought a 1/2 ton gas vehicle that would be it.
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Spew all the opinion you want. If you think you have to have a 3/4 ton diesel to pull a 7000 pound ski boat, be my guest. I simply offered my opinion that modern 1/2 ton trucks are more than capable choices for the average wakeboard owner. I've owned half a dozen diesel 3/4 and 1 ton rigs since 2000, and they all towed great. But I got tired of getting my kidneys beat out of me on rough roads, having a couple 6.0 liter F250's leave me standing on the side of the road, and my last one (09 6.4 PowerStroke) got ****ty mileage and service costs were prohibitive. So until I consistently need to pull loads over 10K, my Tundra serves my particular needs quite well and I will continue to recommend a Tundra to folks who ask. I'm due for new truck, and I am looking forward to checking out the newer mid range deisels like the Ram and the Nissan. |
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Congratulations on all your towing qualifications though haha. |
I tell you one thing for sure, if Toyota could figure a way to buy that little Cummins and drop it a Tundra I'd pay cash for it tomorrow.
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The new tundras are the ugliest truck to ever hit the road for real. |
I say the same think about the Armada or any full size SUV, some throw a diesel in one and make a lot of people happy.
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Wakelash....you are a cliche wrapped up in a stereotype.
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I have a 2017 Tundra Limited and am very happy with it. I tow a boat about the same weight as yours, an A22, through 5,000 ft mountain passes in Arizona without difficulty. The engine turns at a little over 3k rpm in 3rd gear but that doesn't bother me. There is power to spare and the new 38 gallon tank gives it plenty of range. Would towing with a 3/4 ton diesel feel better? Sure, but the 25 days a month I'm driving the truck and not towing would outweigh the benefit; not too mention the reliability issues with the emission systems on the new diesels.
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Why is everyone whining like a crybaby about a diesel not being a good daily car lmao. Some people ( not me ) swear by having a lifted dually as a daily driver haha. |
Might as well just get a semi, that new boat rated at 8k will be too heavy for the diesel.[emoji23]
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...5d763dd536.jpg |
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Have fun with your repair bills. |
I've got a 6.2L Silverado 1500. Has gobs of power for towing, and it's an absolute rocket without a trailer. I completely agree that if you're just towing a SAN 210, a diesel is WAYYYY overkill. Maybe if you're towing a G23/24MXZ/25LSV/etc... then you can justify it.
Either way, I'm glad I didn't go with a diesel. Maintenance costs are way too high for me. I don't care if it's a Ford, Chevy or Ram, none of them are inherently reliable vehicles. |
Man you guys have really got me thinking, which is good I guess. So not a whole lot of love for the 1/2 ton diesel options and seems little to no opinions on the XD? I was hoping that would be the perfect mix of half ton ride and size with a little better towing than gas but not quite that of a 3/4 ton diesel. I know the gas vehicles tow the boat, just looking for something that doesn’t work as hard pulling at highway speeds.
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Another 6.2 sierra denali 1500 owner here. I pull a 24 foot supra with mine with no issues. I got 165k on the truck and if I was to get a new truck I would stick with a 6.2 gas over a diesel. My last truck was a duramax with built trans and about every thing done to it but bigger turbo and injectors. I like the 6.2 better because it's a 1/4 the price to sup up. And if do push the limits of the engine I can buy a junk yard 6.2 for about 2,500 verses 10,000 for a diesel. Without a trailer my 6.2 with headers and a custom tune would keep up with not beat, my old duramax that I spent thousands on to make fast.
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FWIW I'm super cheap and could never pay for a new truck, whether half ton or 3/4 ton. But I did recently upgrade my 7.3 excursion to a used 2014 f150 ecoboost.
More power and better towing on the freeway. Quiet! And for the other 335 days of the year soooooooooo much more pleasant to drive. The excursion was like driving a garbage truck. I'm at altitude in hilly terrain, and a few tow vehicles ago we had an 06 QX56, the armada's glammed out brother. The F150 totally smokes the Armada. (mpg does suck towing with your foot in it, but I knew that going in... I get in the 9-10 range towing at 70... but oh how well it tows at 70!) I tow a T22. For a smaller, lighter SAN there really is no reason for a 3/4 ton. All of the modern half tons should be fine. Re the Nissan, I'd recommend studying up. It's expensive, gets crappy mileage and is pretty weaksauce in the power dept. Reviews are not strong on that rig. |
That’s what I saw on the XD as well, guess I was hoping to hear different real world experiences.
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If cheap is the priority, definitely don't want a Tundra. doesn't sound like you can afford it |
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There was a post on the Malibu forum about the diesel Titan and it definitely wasn’t the greatest, regarding gas mileage and power. Even the eco diesel doesn’t have the greatest towing capabilities. |
One of the silliest argument threads ever. Any truck will tow these little boats. Some better than others. Get the one that makes sense for you. I hardly tow at all these days but I still drive a 3/4 ton Diesel because it's powerful efficient and has tons of space. Everything has pros /cons.
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Lots of problems with emissions equipment nowadays. Its basically the price of admission now if you want to own a diesel |
Well maintained Cummins, and Diesels in general run 300K or more.
"Lots of problems with emissions equipment nowadays. Its basically the price of admission now if you want to own a diesel" I haven't heard anything about this, and most of my friends run Diesels. |
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As far as emissions gear, if you can delete your egr and dpf then you will have no problems, but at some point they will cause problems if you hold on to the truck. Hence why many people purchase pre-08 trucks because they have no dpf requirements. Most pre-03 have no egr reqs. |
The whole "diesel can run 300k miles" thing is a red herring for folks who don't use the truck for work. For those of us who drive 15k miles a year, the rest of the truck is going to fall apart around the drivetrain, whether it's gas or diesel. Having a diesel engine doesn't keep your suspension from wearing or make your brakes go longer. Avg Joes who buy 10 year old diesels because "it'll run forever" are suckers. I know, I was one.
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Yea, my Dad has 350k on his 07 F-150.
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900 pound feet of torque vs 400 are you all right? Adam and Nacho are daft and clueless.lmaooooo
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Damn i honestly thought there would be more people with diesels on a wake board forum but apparently 90 percent are putting around in there v6's and squawking about emissions and mileage lmaoo.
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My truck has a 450 ft. lb. of torque.
Diesels require less service? Tell that to ford 6.0 and 6.4 owners. Tell that Duramax owners that have had to replace injectors and harnesses. Tell that to ANYONE that has worn out a Turbo. The engines themselves are often good. It's the accessories around them and the emissions systems that are crap. |
double post
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f'n kids these days |
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https://i.imgur.com/r6Xkved.png |
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https://cumminsengines.com/67l-turbo...ine-highlights Why would you pull up a 2009 lmao what??? |
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I should have bought a stripped down single cab 4x2 diesel for the same price as my loaded TRD Tundra so I could have access to tons of power I'll never need or have the traction to use so I could put lives at risk towing my boat at 80 mph. Guy probably has no clue about speed ratings on trailer tires. I'm done feeding this troll. |
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That's what interesting here. make me wonder, do you even own a truck??? |
Quit saying daft
In a perfect world diesels require less maintenance but the world is not perfect. When they go wrong it's bad. Duramax injectors cost 2000 to 2500 6.2 gas injectors cost 500 for really nice one that can support 1000 hp injection pump is cp3 2000 for the part not the install. blown a head gasket your looking at 4000. new trans lets say 4500. I just had a buddy let his duramax sit for a week and he didn't know he had a injector leaking. So he came home from a business trip and fired up his duramax. That cylinder was full of diesel. He bent an rod instantly. That was a 10,000 bill on an 2006 truck. All these are money problems I don't have to worry about with gas. A diesel can break a rich man. I wouldn't buy one unless I had 10k or more to pull. |
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Lol
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BTW i probably offended everyone sorry about that ill take it back and show myself the door on this thread lol.
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Seriously, this thread gave me a headache reading all the troll posts from the teenage punk. Obviously the one person who knows nothing about trucks or boats and wants to make sure everyone knows it
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My buddy has an XD. It's closed to a 3/4 ton than a half ton. It's a nice truck with plenty of power but the fuel mileage sucks. About what a 3/4 diesel gets around 20 highway and 16 city. To me it's not worth the money.
My Ecodiesel will tow through the mountains and maintain 7th gear with an occasional down shift to 6st. I came to a near stop in traffic pulling a long steep grade in WV. I was pulling a 24ft enclosed trailer, about 10,000lbs and still was able to get back to 65 and hold speed to the top. |
Yea, I thought since I lead off I was only interested in Diesel power plant the gas vs diesel argument would some how not find its way into the thread, but here we are. Need it or not, think I’m going 3/4 ton. We tow enough on the highways, Texas, Arkansas, Missouri and Oklahoma to justify it. My vehicle in town has plenty of power and does fine, as I’m sure all new 1/2 ton options do, just interested to see the true difference when we get in the open road at 70+ MPH.
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