I'm quite adept at scouring CL, Ebay and other such sites. I don't use FB, but I've got my son looking there for me. I wanted to post here in case someone has one personally or knows someone who knows someone who knows someone who's third cousin twice removed is selling something.
Long story short, my beautiful bride is continuing to enable me and the fleet is growing. She has retired from her career and is now taking a "retirement job" where she works at home full time. I work at home almost full time. I have partial custody of my 3 kids...though my oldest drives himself. Right now the biggest family type hauler I have is a Prius C (which will be for sale very shortly). My wife has also been bitten by the HPDE bug, and my oldest son is dying to do it. Hence I want to swap out my Prius C for a tow pig. I want to keep the budget under $7k. Obviously should be a V8, most V6 can't quite tow enough...I want something with at least 6000lb tow capacity (though I can make 5000lb work). I've been searching for things like: mid-00s + Grand Cherokee, Durango, Aspen, Tahoe, 'Burban, Yukon, Expedition, X5, etc... Would prefer SUV, but open to pick up, as long as it can seat 4 in comfort. Must have working a/c, be able to pass emissions inspection, not be a rust bucket and be "presentable".
Yes, I've seen the artist formerly known as "/__/" (I can't draw, LOL) pick up advertised here. Keeping it in mind, but it's not quite what I'm looking for.
If you know of such a beast for sale, let me know.
What are you planning to tow? My recommendation is going to be different if you're racing a Miata on an open trailer vs. a Mustang in an enclosed, even though both would likely be covered with a 6000 lbs. rating.
Well...that's part of the discussion my wife and I have been having. The primary role for this will be family hauler. When I have my kids and we all want to go somewhere, that's the vehicle we'll take. Other uses will be Home Depot runs for my wife, who likes to garden, stuff like that. The towing won't happen super frequently...I've got a very busy schedule so HPDE days will be somewhat limited. When we do tow, it'll always be open trailer...rented from U-Haul. I currently have a 2011 128i 6spd, so it weighs around 3300lbs. I'm also about to get a street legal track car that will weigh about 2800lbs. So with a U-Haul trailer, I'll be at 4800-5300lbs. But again, 95% of its' use won't be towing.
Okay, that helps a ton.
For that use, I'd get something like a Honda Ridgeline or Pilot. Either one will happily tow a U-Haul occassionally, while being perfect as a family hauler the rest of the time.
In reply to SKJSS (formerly Klayfish) :
If it helps I just copy and paste ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 's username in.
In reply to Tom Suddard :
The Ridgeline has the tow capacity, but from what I see the older Pilot can only tow 4500lbs.
You may also look at older frontiers or Titans. The mid 00's run about in that range. I know my frontier does a Fox Body and a Uhaul trailer pretty easy.
I have a 2012 X5 diesel that is rated at 6k or 7.7k, depending on what you read. It was more than $7k even pre-pandemic, but you might be able to find a V8 version in the same era for less. They are needy like any BMW/German car, but I absolutely love the thing. Eats up highway miles like nothing I've ever owned.
e70 X5 wikipedia
I'd be looking at a yukburbanhoe. Or one of the Toyotas in similar class (sequoia?).
Trucks with 4 doors are insane right now, and many of the "SUV's" out there are really pretty tiny inside. (Looking at you grand Cherokee).
Since family hauler is priority number 1, make sure the vehicle can haul your family and all their stuff. None of these things will be easy on gas, and maybe now is a good time to score a deal with people having to run the credit card twice just to fill the tank.
We were initially shopping the Germans...X5, ML550, older Cayenne. We already have German cars, so not sure I want to add to the European fleet.
Yeah Robbie, some of them aren't huge inside...but the bar it has to clear is more room than my current Prius C. Pretty low standards....LOL
When looking at the Germans, has anyone found a trailer brake controller that works as well as the optional factory units on the domestics (and Toyota)?
With the X3 and the coming X5, I've pretty much resolved myself to the wireless/Bluetooth units.
I like "fringe offerings", the cars that no one goes looking for. I started with Lincoln Mark LT, the F-150 Platinum before there was a F-150 Platinum. Didn't find anything great, but.... Before that was the Lincoln Blackwood. Remember those? Most people don't.
https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a15138296/2002-lincoln-blackwood-road-test-review/
'02 w/ 178k asking just $7.7k in metro Atlanta
See this one for the cargo area pics. Its a carpeted area with a rigid, non removable cargo lid and dutch doors rather than tailgate. The 5.4L isn't the most loved for spark plugs and cam phasers but that's all fixable.
$7k doesn't buy much towing capability in the new world but these are rated for 8,700 lb towing
I have never towed with a pilot, but would think it a bit light for your needs.
the Tahoe and it's like would probably be the option with the least long term costs.
If dated styling can be lived with, an Astro/Safari van would easily meet your needs, and is a very competent people hauler.
In reply to John Welsh :
I like that! But that's a lot of miles for that platform. The owner history would need a deep look. Same 150 could be found for a lot less, albeit without the luxury options.
I almost always recommend the heaviest tow rig ya can, but no more than you'll be doing, the people hauler part is important, and ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ truck is more than you need. I would love his truck, for my needs, but as a people hauler, not its forte.
In reply to 03Panther :
Seems about same price as about the same F150
If you're considering a Pilot, avoid the '16 and up (they'll likely be out of your price range, anyway). With AWD and the Honda cooler, they're rated at 5K, but they have a coil-over rear suspension that's pretty softly sprung. The prior generation would let you add AirLifts to the rear to help reduce sag under load, but the coil-overs eliminate that option.
UHAUL trailers are pretty heavy, with that being your weapon of choice I'd be looking at 6-7k from a capacity perspective. What about the '07 and up Escalade? First few years avoided the the dreaded AFM. And the previous generation missed out on AFM, as well. Seeing as you're in GA, finding a rust-free example shouldn't be too difficult.
In my price range I'm looking at high mile Expeditions, Tahoes, Durangos, Armadas and the like. Usually from the early to late 2000s with 150k+ miles. So I'm looking for stuff that has a good ownership/maintenance history. That's why I decided to post here to see if anyone knew of anything. CL and FB are E36 M3 holes and it's like trying to find a needle in a haystack there. They're in there, but ya' gotta dig really hard and wallow throw a lot of mud.
Look hard at the rear control arms and axle, rust-wise.
You don't want to find what we did on our Expedition.
https://www.govdeals.com/index.cfm?fa=Main.Item&itemid=237&acctid=623
I bought my last truck off govdeals.com. Example here of tow unit for you. Southern, maintained but needs transmission service. Happy hunting!
An armada or a sequoia are hard to beat in this price point. I have owned both and either will tow your trailer nicely.
