Tow Vehicle recommendations for X20 or X23

[2012x19h]

Don't forget the payload.
If you want to take 6 people camping (as you name suggests, maybe I am wrong), you need some serious payload.
Take at least 750 lbs off of the payload of the vehicle for the trailer tongue and WDH. Whatever remains should be enough for all people and cargo in the tow vehicle.

[raising4daughters]

Thanks for the tips. Yes, I do have 4 daughters (18, 16, 13, and 3). I think it's unlikely that we'll all be going anywhere far together as the 18 and 16 y/o's are fast losing interest in family vacations in favor of boys and jobs. As a complete group, we're most likely to venture no more than 2-3 hours from home for 2-3 days, and for those trips, we just bring a 2nd vehicle. As an example, we're taking our pop-up to an amusement park tomorrow through Wednesday about 90 minutes from home.

Our most likely scenario, though, is my wife, 13 y/o with friend, 3 y/o, and me. I figure 600 lbs for "human" payload.

I'm pretty well set on something like an Explorer, Durango, Gr. Cherokee, or Traverse/Acadia as our next TV. The TV has to be my wife's main vehicle since I need an economy sedan for my job (I put on about 25,000 miles per year). My math so far tells me that we could swing the X17 - X20 with those having ~ 5,000 lbs capacity and would need the Durango, probably with the V8, for the X23.

[MisterUg]

You get that F150 with the 3.5L Turbo, and a 3.73 axel you get over 11,000lbs Capacity. The F150 is a super comfortable truck and feels like your driving in an SUV. A Lockable tonneau cover starts at about $400.

Just a quick look at both (Canadian web site Mileage and pricing)

Durango = Mileage 22 mpg City 32 mpg HWY - Price $38000. (not sure of incentives) (6200 towing capacity) (v8 7400lbs, price extra$$$, mileage cannot be better)

F150 Ecoboost Crew Cab 4x4 (w 3.73 axel and max tow package) = 22mpg city 32 mpg hwy - Price $32000. (with incentives right now) (11,500 towing capacity). If you don't need a 4x4 take $3000. off of price)

You could look at a whole new range of trailers with that truck. The x series trailers tend to be more $$, because of them trying to keep weight down. The crew cab seats 6 people (you talked of bringing a 2nd vehicle anyways if all the kids come). Your towing mileage will be a lot better with the f150. The difference between driving a Durango and f150 can't be very much as they are almost the same size, 4x4 truck might be a little higher (Truck steps start at $350.)

You'd be doing yourselves a real disservice if you don't at least go look at one of these trucks.

[2012x19h]

MisterUg, that makes a lot of sense, and would give the OP a 2,000lbs payload to boost.
He would then not have to count the pieces of firewood he could take.

[MisterUg]

Originally Posted by 2012x19h

MisterUg, that makes a lot of sense, and would give the OP a 2,000lbs payload to boost.
He would then not have to count the pieces of firewood he could take.

As a new RV'r buying (Sept. 10') buying the f150 (7900lb capacity) was our best move. It opened up us to looking/buying at so many more trailers. When we first started looking. I found out you couldn't pull an R-Pod with a 4cyl Tacoma (3500lbs capacity). We needed to look at something with more towing capacity. Next towing mark, seemed to be 5000 lbs capacity (Ridgeline, FJ Cruiser, etc...). We then realized we could look at bigger than the Rpod, but not really the at size TT we wanted (I wanted something with a walk around Queen bed). So, we then looked at the Nissan Frontier (6500 lbs), but it's a midsize truck and the gas mileage is the same as Full size truck.

It was at this point we decided to go full-size truck with over 7500lbs, (some full size trucks don't have great towing capacity), and have a pretty good combo in my opinion ;-). We can travel with TT full (water and stuff, gear in truck (Kayaking) and Kayaks on truck), and have no power issues whatsoever, I've even been in some pretty hilly terrain and no problems going up steep hills.

I actually did a comparison check on how hard my truck was working on a
4hr drive we do to my Mother-in-Laws (too often ). The Truck didn't work that much harder pulling the TT than it did not pulling the TT. Biggest climb, truck would rev to 4000rpm towing TT, 3500 rpm not towing TT.

Bottomline, when it comes to getting a TT over 3500 lbs. The full sizetruck will do the best job. Other vehicles (SUV and Minivan) that can tow over 3500lbs, don't get that much better gas mileage.

Just my 2 cents

[12_AMS]

Originally Posted by MisterUg

You'd be doing yourselves a real disservice if you don't at least go look at one of these trucks.

How do you fit a family of 6 in a pickup when you're not towing?

[MNWild]

We have a 19h and love it and pull with a 2005 Jeep Liberty no problem and mph is around 15 which surprise us as we were expecting less

[2012x19h]

The F-150 has two rows of seating, 3 seats in each.

[MisterUg]

Originally Posted by 12_AMS

How do you fit a family of 6 in a pickup when you're not towing?

All kinds of room for 6 Adult size people, 3 In Front, 3 in Back. Where your sitting higher up, it's very comfortable in the back seat with 3 full size adults. (Wonder if many people go camping with 6 Adults in the TV?? ;-). Not all Crew cabs can sit 3 in front, but I know the Ford f150 XLT has the bench seat that allows three adults in front row. Some of the higher priced models don't have a bench, so they would be limited to 5.

Now, I'm not saying it's the best for everyone, and you can tow with smaller vehicles. I'm just saying you shouldn't rule out trucks because of gas mileage (which is the same or better than mid-size SUV's) and capacity when it comes to buying a TV. Most Full size trucks just give you more options for Trailers, with more all around capacity.

[MisterUg]

Originally Posted by MNWild

We have a 19h and love it and pull with a 2005 Jeep Liberty no problem and mph is around 15 which surprise us as we were expecting less

I get 12 mpg with my f150 while towing, those are Imperial Gallons however ;-(

[campingfamily]

The F-150 would be a good choice...if it fits in the garage. We had to rule that out early on, as it was longer than our 19 ft garage (that's 228 inches... the crew cab is 231.9) The Durango, at 200 inches fits in, just barely! I don't know if we just have a really short garage, or if this is a problem for all crew cab owners. But, living where there's frost and snow, I want my vehicle inside, thank you very much!

[el.jefe]

Same boat here. For a a family of 7, pickup was not a good solution. Needing a larger (but wife didn't want too large) vehicle for the kids and their car seats, but still the majority of the time it's not pulling anything, so we wanted to watch the mpgs also.
For what it is worth, the Safari (4.3l v6) has 5100 lb capacity, my x18d weighs in at 3600 lbs empty. Loaded up, I'm getting about 11-12 mpg at 60 mph.

[2012x19h]

Originally Posted by MisterUg

F150 Ecoboost Crew Cab 4x4 (w 3.73 axel and max tow package) = 22mpg city 32 mpg hwy - Price $32000. (with incentives right now) (11,500 towing capacity). If you don't need a 4x4 take $3000. off of price)

Never paid close attention to the mileage numbers, but these F150 numbers here are not correct. A 4x4 ecoboost is in the 15 mpg city / 22 mpg hgwy range, combined 17 mpg. Not bad though for the size of the truck and engine, but nowhere near 30 mpg, lol.

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/bymod...0_Pickup.shtml