Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr. Adventure
Ed, I don't disagree with you. If I had a 4200# trailer and a 1700# load in the tow vehicle (driver, 4 buddies, 500#), I would be looking for a vehicle that supported those numbers in it's Gross Combined Weight Ratings, Gross Axle Weight ratings, and it's Gross Vehicle Weight ratings. I would also suggest that people read and pay close attention to their manufacturers towing instructions, and I would also be extremely interested in the ownership experience of people with similar vehicles.
And I might look at all those things and decide to do this differently than someone else. For example, I might have some of those other guys drive another vehicle with another trailer so that I don't have to drive a truck to the office 200 days of the year when I'm not out with the guys.
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Good advice Mr A, but I'm a firm believer in "you can't have your cake and eat it too." (Please don't take this personally.)
Basically, if people want to tow a trailer, drive thousands of miles in all kinds of weather and terrain, they should NOT consider doing it in a vehicle that's "just getting by" or in some cases "over the limit". Many people today get caught up in the "suv and crossover" market and don't realize that their vehicle, while looking like a truck, is really NOT a truck at all. No one would consider towing a TM using an Accord, Camry, Optima, etc, but in many ways when they opt for minivans and smaller SUVs/crossovers, that exactly what they are driving.
What I'm trying to say is, if you are doing a job that requires a truck, then you need a truck, not a vehicle that looks like a truck, but one that acts like a truck.
I know many people buy a TV first, then stumbled across a deal on a TM and try to make it work. But when people are in the market for a TV and know what the TM weighs, then wide safety margins and good common sense needs to kick in.
Under the current groups guideline figure of "Minimum 5000 lbs TC", my Astro would be "MARGINAL" with it's current 4500 TC.
I can bump this to 5500 by changing my rear end to 3.73's, and still would not consider using it regularly for mountainous terrain.
A 3500 TC TV should not be considered.
We use 3/4 ton full size vans at work. They have medium size V8's, have incredible towing and cargo capacities, and average 16mpg. Now I'm not saying everyone needs to go to such a vehicle, but when you consider people with minivans are getting low 20's mpg, there really isn't much more spent annually for such a huge safety margin. (Keep in mind that this is the same kind of van that my 5'2" wife came to enjoy driving.)
I think the message we should be spreading is SAFETY FIRST. Saving a few hundred dollars a year should not be priority.