New Truck

[hotajax]

Need a new midsized pickup, need to tow 5500 lbs. I know this is not exactly a Grady White subject, but nonetheless, it sort of is.
What truck should I get and why? So, in the words of Barry Obama, "bring it on". Yeah, right...

 

[Walkers Edge]

You may want to expand a bit on your needs and preferences.

I currently tow my 208 with a late model 4x4 v6 Tacoma. The truck is fine for what I do with it (6500lb capacity) because my average round trip every weekend is less than 5 miles. I make about (4) 100+ mile trips each year and for that it is adequate. It has never been scary on the highway but I dont cruise over 70mph and the mileage drops to about 11mpg. I also have a newer, well-balanced trailer with kodiak disc brakes.

The upside is that I average about 19.5mpg mixed use daily driving and the slightly smaller size is great for everyday use.

Any full size v8 pickup would work fine for that rig, 4wd is VERY nice to have if your local ramps are less than perfect.

 

[Walkers Edge]

And this is in comparison to my last couple tow vehicles and their respective loads.....

F-150.....5,000lb trailer
GMC 2500.......10,000lb trailer
Ram 1500.......4,000lb trailer

 

[hotajax]

Thanks to Walkers Edge

Put out alot of good info there. Thanks.

 

[seabum]

I tow my 208 with a 1999 f250 superduty deisel best tow truck I've had you don't even know it's there. I make 12,14 towing and 19 on the highway empty. I have had f150, chevy 1500 none compare.

 

[seasick]

I tow my 208 with a Honda Ridgeline. It is rated at 5,000 pounds. I don't tow a lot, only a few times a year to launch and haul the boat. For me, the towing was important but so was having a pickup that rides like a sedan but can carry stuff when I need it. I love my Honda.

 

[Grady175]

I have a 2008 Toyota Tundra Max (seats 5 very comfortably) with a 5.7 liter V8. I tow about 8000 lbs of RV and also a small Grady at times. I get about 18 MPG not towing and about 12 with the RV. I get about 14 with the boat but that is only about 2500 lbs. I'm very happy with the ride and power. I would recommend getting a bit more vehicle than what you tow. I had a smaller Tundra before (4.7 liter V8) and found that I was really pushing it towing the RV. This would eventually cause excessive strain and wear on the truck. I bought for the long haul.

 

[busterblue]

18mpg with a Tundra?

Grady 175. Please tell me how. I just got a 2009 Tundra 4x4 5.7 4door and I am getting around 12-13 mpg driving like it doesn't have a gas pedal.

I bought it for the 10,300 towing capacity figuring I'll make up for the gas consuption by towing my boat closer to the spots I'm fishing rather than running the boat 60 miles at 1.5 mpg.

Hotajax< The new F150 is supposed to get phenominal mpg and has pretty good towing capacity depending on which axel differential you get. I went with the Tundra because I could find the one I liked at a better price than the F150 with the .373 (biggest) differential.

I think it was the ford website that allowed me to compare mpg and towing capacity across brands.

 

[Grady175]

Wow, I'm surprised at your gas mileage. Are you refering to around town mileage or on a trip. I just returned from Upstate New York and got 18.8 MPG on one tank. I was doing about 65-70 MPH and I also don't keep my foot to the floor. I did notice that if my son drives it the mileage drops below 10 MPG in town. I'm pretty sure I know why.

I don't do much around town driving so it is not a good reference. I use the truck for recreational purpose only and that usually means a trip.

 

[Scouter]

Busterblue:

Hang in there with the Tundra. I have 3 of them now in our business. They start out with terrible fuel mileage and get better. The 08 SR5 I recently went to IN from ME with a load of steel parts. The key is to try to keep the rpms at or under 2000. I got 21 mpg on one tank when I got to the flatland of IN, and that was with 1000 lbs in the back. Most of the time messing around town they will get 15 or so. With the standard gearing, 68 mph is just under 2000rpm. They ride really stiff for the first 2500 miles as well. They are a hell of a pickup, we have had great luck. I tow a Adventure 208 with mine, and it doesnt even know its hooked on. I have never gotten better than 12 towing with it. When we have heavy grunting to do, we take the Duramax, but the 380 hp of the 5.7 is nothing to sneeze at. We havent got ready to trade one yet, well see if the legendary Toyota resale is there at that time. Toyota had incredible deals last fall with huge rebates, but those have gone away at this time.

Jim