What do you like (or hate?) about your tow rig?

First off, I am wanting to replace 3 vehicles I currently own with only 1 vehicle. I have an old '76 Ford F350 (10 mpg) for a tow rig, a Z71 because I need 4 wheel drive, and a van to haul twins in.

My solution: a 3/4 or 1 ton, crew cab, short bed, 4x4 with a diesel. I can haul a family, get decent fuel milage, and pull a trailer.



What is important to me?

Good MPG.
Dependable, with low maintenance costs.



Now, I don't know much about these trucks. Please take a minute to tell me what make/model/diesel engine you have and what you like or hate about your truck. You can give your opinion on other makes/models also.

 

love my truck, hate dealing with the stealerships...

i traded in a gas pig chevy dually. GREAT truck, fun as all hell to drive. problem is it ate like a 500lb person at an all you can eat bufet, but at steak house prices...

the only thing i regret is not getting a dually.

i wish it had a 9 speed in it, but thats not going to happen with any vehicle... in this weight class anyway.

other than that, i am very happy with my dodge. it is a quad cab short box 2wd. listed in the sig.
Grant

 

i did the same thing you did... bought one all around truck... '06 ram 3500, dually, 6 speed, 4wd... not one drop of buyers remorse... gives me a tow rig, a family hauler and i haul a 50 foot trailer once a week that makes the payment and pads my pocket to boot... 19.5 mpg average on the road not towing of course... 10.5 mpg pulling a 4 cars...

 

Thanks for the replies so far. I forgot to mention, I'll probably be looking at used trucks with 30,000 to 60,000 miles on the clock.

 

i am trying to do the opposite. have my nice truck for towing, and a nice car to drive. the truck can haul and tow, but then sit, not get used up putting around town and putting on useless miles that get bad fuel mileage compared to a car............

 

Here is my suggestion, test drive all three and buy what you like and feel is most comfortable. Depending how old your twins are, you may want to forget the dodge. Cummins is an incredible engine, but the dodge back seat is small and uncomfortable. If your kids are real young, it may not be a problem. My personal preference is the GMC, plenty of room and plenty of power. Comfortable too. The Ford is a little bigger than the GM, but I would look for a 7.3 powerstroke, not the 6.0!!!!! Any truck you buy will do what ever you want with no problem. Its all just preference to what you like. Good luck.

 

or mega cab if you are feeling rich. A friends has a 95 f-305 crew cab and it is uber roomy along with his old 95 chevy crew cab. Definately avoid the 6.0 IMO.

 

2001.5 Ram 2500 4x4.

What I like:
Tons of power, flat gets it on with the mods I have now added. Tows like a dream, looks really nice, and it still has a Cummins in it that sounds like a real diesel.

What I don't like, the price tag, insurance bill, yearly registration, and trying to park it in a parking lot designed for yuppie mobiles...

 

isnt yours just an ex cab short bed?

 

Quad cab long bed.

 

Only complaint I have thus far is the truck needs to be equipped with one more gear (than the NV5600), in order to be able to travel 70+ without the tach up over 2100 despite the truck being made to pull at lower speeds.

 

mine does 2,600 at 65.............

 

I'm 6' and 230 lbs and have ridden in the back of a 2004 Dodge 'crew' from Salt Lake to St. George, Utah. It's WAY more roomy than it looks.

 

Thanks everyone for the replies.

The insurance is something I should check. I did learn yesterday that our rates will go down after the twins are born. It will decrease by $250. 68 for 6 months on 1 truck. Al of our vehicles will go down, but that's the one our agent used for an example.

I bet that thing is fun to park! rotfl



.

 

California sucks, $1600 per year for my truck in insurance.

 

It's all preference, we have an 03 dodge 4 door and I feel its uncomfortable. waytogoBut, its does have the least amount of room, except for the HUGE MEGA CAB!!! That things huge.

 

I'd take the Dodge with the smaller cab and better TRUCK features (assuming diesel, 3/4 or 1 ton w/manual trans) over any of the others, all things being equal. However, all things aren't always equal and I've got a 7.3L F*rd in my garage (after two decades of GM stuff).

 

Don't make me have to move this to brand wars guys.

 

I do wish my truck had the mega cab but thats it, I like everything else. It does everything I ask of it without complaint.

 

hoyl crap, it doesnt cost me that to insure all 3(i fulkl, 2 liability) of my trucks each year. im young, and havent even caught a brake on rates yet.