Another Tow Question

Seems there's a lot right now, so here's another.

I've been looking for a tow vehicle for my 24V and found two nearby.

2003 Suburban LT 3/4 8.1L - $17,000
or
2003 Expedition Eddie Bauer 5.4L - $15,000

both 2WD, 60K miles. What do you think?

Budget considerations aside, the sub for sure. 60k miles is a much larger percentage of how many total miles the motor will give you on a 5.4 vs an 8.1, if that makes sense...basically that 8.1 will last you a lot longer

I'm biased...i really REALLY want a suburban

burban for sure. Once you drive that and then drive the Expedition you will see for yourself. But I am also biased. I own a Suburban. Regular 1500 with the 5.3. I own a 21ft SAN and it does the job quite well....but If I were pulling a 24ft'r I would probably be checking out the 3/4 8.1L. Pulls much smoother.

I had a 3/4 ton 4x4 crew cab 8.1 with the Allison trans and it pulled great. The only problem was mpg 8-9 pulling the boat and 10-11 for every day use. I traded it in on the same trk but with a Duramax and dubbeld my mpg. I get about 18-19 pulling the boat now.

Duramax def beats out the 8.1 if that's an option. but gonna cost ya some $$$.... and well frankly my wife hated the disel..and she drives it as an everday truck so..... I caved because I got the boat I wanted , but the disel is well worth it if you can swing it. IT will def make up with the gas savings over time anmd will pull better than the 8.1.

They Burb and Expy will get the same fuel milage. There is a post in non wake discussion with a guy complaining about his Expy only getting 13 not towing and less towing.

With my K2500 8.1L Burb, I get 14 open highway not towing, and around 11 towing, sometimes more sometimes less depending on what mountains/hills we are crossing.

The 24V is a BIG heavy boat and the Expy will struggle with it. The Burb will tow like it is barely back there. Either way the 2wd's have a higher tow rating than the 4x4's.

Hey Peter, the 03 Sub has rear leaf springs as well right? I'm sure the 03 Exp has rear coils, and maybe I am the only person in the world that feels this way, but I thought the Exp felt a little loose when putting much weight behind it.

Thanks for the info on the mileage Peter. I really wish I could get a 4WD, but no one seems to be selling one in my price range right now, it would make it real nice for the winter mountains. My real big question is whether or not I can fit that pig in my garage.

I tow with a 2wd 5.3 Suburban, and it tows well. That 8.1 is a beast. I would say arguably the best gas motor for towing out there. Plus you will love the extra room in the suburban.

Antony, the Expy feels loose because of soft coils, and the fact that it has a short wheelbase.

You would be amazed at what a good set of shocks does to a vehicle.

Had an Expedition not happy with how it towed but nice vehicle to drive. 3/4 ton suburban is a gas pig but will tow like a dream. I may actually buy one just to tow with and then get something to drive everyday. I always felt my ford was underpowered.

BTW with gas prices still being high, you have a lot of bargaining power on any SUV, and even more if it has a big block.

I have an '04 Expedition I tow a 22V with. I really like the Expedition for the ride and extra leg room in the third row due to coils. The motor is adequate, but not great.

Between the two, I would rather tow with the 8.1 Suburban due to the better torque, but for everyday driving, the 3/4 ton suspension will eventually rattle your teeth loose.

You need to decide on how much you plan to tow. I go to the lake once a week, so the majority of my driving, I need a better ride. I can also get my wife to drive the Expedition easier than the '00 Suburban we replaced in '04

Well now that I've made the purchase I guess I can reveal my sources. The Expedition is still for sale, the Suburban is not. My uncle was able to take a look at the Suburban and it just made a lot more sense (definitely not cents) then the Expedition. The Suburban ended up having AutoRide, Locking Rear Diff and a 100,000 mile warranty. I'm not sure if it's the AutoRide, but the 2500 Suspension is only noticeable on speed bumps, otherwise it rides great.

i use a suburban so am prob bias but i have owned both at different times, i like the suburban better but both are nice

NICE ride!!!!!!

Big fan of the Suburbans all the way.

go with the gm with a 6.0l. My little bro pulls with a Expo and his 5.4 milage sucks. Step up a little and you can find a 2002 or 03 Denali for around 18,000 with under 65k on it.

The 5.4 will definitely struggle with a 24 footer, the 8.1 will tow like nothing. We have an H2 with the 6.0 and it tows the VLX great, but mileage is just as bad while towing as the 5.4L
Go 8.1

Phillip, I tried to find an 03 Denali just because of the AWD and 6.0L to match the 6.0L in the boat, but I couldn't find one anywhere for under $20,000 once tax was involved. It had to be an 03 or newer with the new dash and steering wheel controls.

Anyway, the 8.1 is doing just fine and the big block rumble is almost enough for me to forget about the gas mileage.