Tow Vehicle opinions

Ok...so may dad is in the market for a new tow/fishing vehicle. He is currently using a 2004 Lexus GX470 to pull his bass boat approx 40 miles round trip per weekend in the spring and summer.

The boat and trailer w/ full tank of gas weigh in at about 3,500lbs. then add approx. another 500 lbs of passengers (2 men) and basic fishing gear and 1 full cooler. sometimes there is significantly more payload an additional 500lbs for extended weekend trips.

According to lexus the way his GX is currently configured it is rated to tow 6,000 lbs. The GX has plenty of power to PULL the boat but does handle the trailer well when traveling at highway speeds. Especially when accelerating and slowing down. The trailer does not have trailer brakes on it. So stopping is all on the GX. The Gx as about 180k miles on it - so it still has some life left in it.

*Typically on longer fishing trips - I tow the boat with my Tundra*

This coming spring and summer he will be towing through out VA and possibly in NC. On the highway he does not care for how the vehicle lacks visibility for the trailer and boat. and lack of updated rear view cameras for hooking up the trailer on his own.

Concerns: while he understand and knows he is within his tow ratings - he thinks he is going to out grow the SAFE capabilities within the next year or tow. He intends to upgrade his boat into fiberglass bass boat with a tandem axle trailer in that time frame.


He has started looking into replacing his GX with a 1/2 ton pickup or larger SUV geared for towing more so than the GX. Any recommendations would be helpful. FYI most used tundras are not in ideal price range.

Vehicles he is considering USED so far due to price - the kicker he wants a semi luxurious interior . He will not be bashing around in the mud or hitting the trails with me.

Ram 1500 - he drove one well equipped and loved it. priced at 24k with max tow pkg and alot of tech
Chevy Tahoe
Ford expedition
Toyota Sequoia
Toyota Tundra - most are out of budget for how he would like it configured.

Anything he should add to the list?

 

He could get a 1st gen Tundra with low mileage and have extra $$ to spend on the new boat.


I would keep an eye out for a nice 2nd gen though. Shouldn't be too hard to find one around the same price as the Ram if you stay on autotrader / craigslist for a couple days and are willing to drive a little.

 

Good idea. I think he really wants a Tundra no older than a 2nd gen with less than 100k miles on it. He is in the serious early stage mode of " i have no idea when i will buy but i know need to".

 

I wouldn't touch a dodge if you paid me, especially used as the resale would kill it for me..
Chevy tahoe... never driven or owned... cheap to fix as parts are so common... rumor has it... this is important as they're not rock solid reliable
Fords expedition - my father in law has one, i hate driving it and wouldn't like to tow with it.. also, having been an ex-ford owner... resale sucks.

FWIW, i had a v8 4runner with the same engine as your dad's GX and used it to tow my (long since sold) mastercraft X2. It coped relatively well, and since the larger boat trailer will be braked - it should be safer despite the heavier weight. I also towed an old mustang on a heavy uhaul twin axle trailer from Mississippi to NC - it was fine so long as you didn't look at how fast the fuel guage went down. I'm pretty sure that 4R was rated at 7,500 rather than 6k... so not sure of the difference. I was meticulous about changing trans & Diff fluid though...

A Sequoia would handle the new boat with ease, as would the tundra. How about a nissan titan?

 

Thank you for your input. He actually took a trailer hitch mounting bracket from a V8 4 runner to increase the rating of his gx to 6500. I forgot to mention the gas mileage going through the hill and mountains. He has never considered a titan but they do fir the purpose and budget. I owned a 2004 pathfinder and it was great - but for someone reason parts were not cheap for that vehicle.

I just found a 2010 SR5 tundra that fits the requirements - it is just a matter if he like the interior haha.

 

That's always fixable though... katskins & new carpet can make something look a) totally different, b) brand new.

If i could find a 1st gen tundra, I'd have been all over one.. decent ones are as rare as rocking horse s**t but if you can get one, it solves all your problems

 

He might be kicking himself some day. Broken down on the side of the road with a boat and trailer thinking, "Man, if I'd gotten the Tundra, I wouldn't be sitting here waiting for a tow." And then, the next weekend, "man, if I'd gotten the Tundra, I would be fishing instead of waiting for my truck to be repaired.

 

I second the advice of NOT getting a dodge. You couldn't give me one to drive. Dodge's are probably the most unreliable vehicles you can own. Everything on them falls apart: interior, exterior not to mention the drivetrain. IF he bought a Dodge brand new and had 100k mile warranty at least he wouldn't have to pay to fix it all the time but it would be in the shop a lot and not fishing, so that still sux.

You could def find a used Tundra that closely fits the bill somewhere. You might have to fly to a different state to get it and drive it home but at least you get what you want and it's going to be the most reliable vehicle to own. That's how my wife and I bought our last two vehicles. We live in Las Vegas and I flew to Albuquerque NM to get them.

 

because Tundras.com

 

Im liking all the input. I've told him many times if you dont plan to do a diesel just figure out a way to get a Tundra you like.

 

i always thought nothing towed better then a pick up. longer wheel base better ride. i towed with several different suvs several different trailers (escalade, navigator) my current tow pig is an excursion with a a v10 gas engine. it's lifted a bit (8" and 37's) but set up correctly stock size and bang for you buck i think they are tough to beat. huge though. room for days, v10 has awesome torque and tow power. good weight, trailer doesn't push you around. downfall is they are old, most are beat and rusty, leaf springs and it gets poor mpg. nothing beats putting 7 adults in a rig and going on a road trip tho. each row has the same leg room as the driver and passenger. i prefer to tow with it over my tundra. it has over 200k on it and i expect it to go a good while longer. knock on wood.

 

i owned a titan before my toyota and had several problems with it. cracked exhaust manifolds, blown front diff were the big and expensive ones. fit and finish is not nearly as nice as the tundra.

 

I towed a 4000lb travel trailer with my 2010 Tacoma with no problems over mountain passes. It was the 4.0 Ltr six. Worked like a champ. It has the oil cooler and tranny cooler and the factory tow package.

 

Hmmmm, currently drives a Lexus, going to upgrade to a $40,000.00 bass boat and trailer but doesn't want to pony up for a good used Tundra. I think you need to sit down with "dad" and have "the talk" about priorities. Dear ol Dad needs to buy himself a brand new Tundra.

I'm laughing at myself over this because I can't get my old man to buy one either.

 

1st gen Tundra's with the V-8 are actually pretty kick ass.