Tow Vehicle for X17Z

[fixerupper]

We recently sold our 30 foot Class C and are replacing it with an Ultra Lite. I need to purchase a tow vehicle. The Jayco is 18' long has a max weight of 3500 lbs and a hitch weight of 400 lbs. We plan to occasionally tow it on sand; but don't plan any major cross country hauls. We are intentionally down sizing so don't need the potential to tow something bigger. The new vehicle would mostly be used for commuting and running around town so I don't want to get anything bigger than what I need; but I don't want to get blown off the road or stuck in the sand either. I would appreciate any suggestions.

[johnyQ]

I towed my old 17c with a 4WD v6 Tacoma, tow package and WDH. My friend tows a 17Z with a Nissan Pathfinder, tow package and WDH.

[Boss Wagon]

We made the switch from a Class A motorhome to a 17Z two years ago and I only wish we had done so sooner. You will really enjoy having much less maintenance and much less to wash and wax.

Depending on the type of terrain you will operate in you could get by with a vehicle with 5000lbs capacity but I'd shoot for one with at least 6300 lbs. There are numerous suitable vehicles to choose from, mainly limited by personal preference. If you go with a pickup truck you will need a cap or hard tonneau cover to keep extra supplies safe and dry. This is because the 17Z only has about 500 lbs of cargo capacity, so you'll need to carry some stuff in the TV that others carry in the trailer.

There are numerous SUV's that would work, again it is a matter of preference. You can easily get a decent, dependable TV for the 17Z from $5000 to $45000. While it is totally uncool, I pull mine with a Ford Econoline E350 Chateau. Why because I bought it almost 7 years ago for $7000. Not only was it cheap but I can carry alot of stuff inside!

[LongIslandCamper]

I don't think I'd take my 17z in the sand. It has a very low ground clearance, and this really shows up at the dump station. We take our trucks on the beach here all the time and the beach is also open to campers but we have no desire to attempt it.

We tow with a 5,000 rated 4 runner. It toss it fine but I'd much rather have a larger vehicle.

Other then that, we love our x17z.

[ingie66]

Right now, we pull our 2012 x17z with a Jeep Liberty. It does ok but I'd like something a little bigger with a longer wheel base. I also have a WD hitch.

[mtn_bikers]

We tow our X17Z with a 2009 Honda Pilow AWD with a weight distribution hitch. Just got back from a trip from NJ to Utah, when over several 10,000+ ft passes with no issues. Sincel we bought the trailer in June, we've managed to put about 6000 miles of towing on it. The Honda is rated for 4500 lbs towing. As with most people, towing we get between 9-12 MPG, without the trailer we get between 20-22 MPG. We've been really happy with this vehicle and feel that the mileage we get while not towing is really good considering it is a 7-passenger vehicle.

[Seann45]

As much as I personally dont like Fords you might want to look at the new Ford ecoboost F150 it should do the job and be great as a daily driver..

[Grunge Grown Up]

I tow my x17A with my fathers Nissan Titan V8 with a tow package. Its weighted for something like 9,000lbs, but its the only vehicle I have access to. Neadless to say, you don't even feel it. But the X17A, like the Z, is very low to the ground. I frequently scrape the support brackets pulling into my side yard.

[tlhdoc]

I tow my 2010 17Z with a 2004 Explorer V8 with tow package and a WDH. No problems towing it.

[scottystang]

I tow my 2014 X17Z with a 2011 Mazda CX-9 Grand Touring AWD, which has a tow capacity of 3,500 lbs. We have a WDH, sway control, and brake control and it tows it pretty well, although we get 10 MPG while towing. Is this "normal"?

[DocBrown]

Originally Posted by scottystang

I tow my 2014 X17Z with a 2011 Mazda CX-9 Grand Touring AWD, which has a tow capacity of 3,500 lbs. We have a WDH, sway control, and brake control and it tows it pretty well, although we get 10 MPG while towing. Is this "normal"?

Most likely you should have started a new thread on this. This is a really old one that you added to.

Yes, very normal. On average, no matter what TT you tow or tow it with, you can expect 8-12 mpg. It varies due to engine size/power, gearing, and conditions. Keep in mind that you are towing a box down the road and by doing so you have the aerodynamics of a brick. To get an idea of what strains your vehicle is up against, hold up a 4'x4' sheet of plywood and run into the wind. You get the idea.

[scottystang]

Haha, gotcha, thanks! I created a new thread as well, but sounds like poor mileage is just the norm, but it's well worth it!

[Rkruzeski]

Bought our x17z late last summer and pulled it with a V6 Rav. It did it but not very well. This year we will be pulling it with a 2014 V6 Dodge Durango with the tow package. The Durango is rated for 6,200 towing capacity so we are not expecting any issues. First trip is in mid May.

[CraigBorden]

Just upgraded from a Jayco 806 popup to a 2012 x17z. Pulling it with a 2014 GMC Sierra Double cab base. Pulls great

[Rick56]

+1 for towing it with a 1/2 ton pickup. Makes a big difference. I towed my old x17z a couple of times with a Colorado 5 cylinder with a WDH. It did ok but really worked the truck to hard IMO.

[Tomsuver]

I would definitely get something the can tow more than 5000 lbs. I had a 2001 Nissan Xterra and it pulled it but it was hard on the old vehicle. Now I believe newer SUV would have done a better job but we switched to a full size truck and love the space in the back. Usually I take my own wood camping so we use the space.