The wife's daily is multi-use.
The wife's daily is multi-use.
Finally got a decent picture of mine. 16 Escalade ESV. Was a DC suburban housewife's wagon before I got it, super clean except for a few bruises on the rear bumper. Excellent power from the 6.2, gets 18 mpg in my commute, 22 all highway, and 12 towing this trailer, all soooo much better than my prior 03 suburban 2500. It's nice enough that I don't mind it as a daily driver much of the year when I'm not driving the NSX.
The trailer is an ATC all aluminum 20', extra tall. I've wired it all up for AC and lights and whatnot, insulated and painted, etc, just put a winch in it this weekend. It is our home for track weekends and is excellent. The scooter is mounted to the trailer tongue on a hitch carrier bolted up to the A frame.
Just drive this home 27 miles.
We will see if I can get it out of the drifts snow banks it's probably going to get stuck in due to the blizzard that's due to run the next couple of days.
After that, it's probably going to be in a storage unit until spring.
In reply to Sonic :
Does the Escalade have a much quieter cabin than the equivalent Yukon or Suburban? That one looks nice and actually a bit less ostentatious than some others I've seen.
In reply to dannyp84 :
It seems that way to me, and obviously worlds different than my 03 Suburban 2500 that it replaced. So comfortable and quiet, and the interior design and materials quality is a notable step up from the Chevy/GMC of the same vintage.
I looked for a silver one as it mutes all the chrome bling significantly, agreed.
2014 Winnebago View on a Sprinter 3500 chassis with the Mercedes 3.0 diesel engine and a 1980 Tommy Trailer aluminum trailer. Tows great, even on a 10 hr trip and gives me all the comforts of home on a race weekend.
This is how I do it.
We have a problem in this country. People throw money away. I don't like that.
This is a 1990 F-250 with the 4.9L inline six. The sticker said 145hp. But the kicker is 265lb-ft at 2000rpm. But that's misleading. It makes 250+ lb-ft at idle. Combine it with a 4.56 final drive and the E4OD transmission and it can tow 8000 pounds. Just not quickly. You're going to be doing 55 up those hills. At the top of the Vail pass (did it), you're doing 25. But it gets there.
But screw off. Throw on the blinkers, get in the right lane, and enjoy a podcast.
What does patience buy you? Money. It does everything at 12-13mpg pulling 5500 pounds of car and trailer with 1000 pounds if crap in the bed, all burning regular 87.
It has the dual tanks, and they both work. That means nearly 500 miles of range when tooling around, and 300+ when towing.
Here's the math.
I bought this truck five years ago for $2000. It had 120,000 miles on it. I put $1000 in it to get it road-worthy. I've probably put $1000 a year in maintenance into it since. It's old, after all. It's taken me from Virginia to Las Vegas and back multiple times pulling my cars. My fuel cost is 2/3rds or better of just about everybody else on the grid running a newer truck. Which leaves a lot of money left over for race car parts. It now has 178,000+ miles and the oil analysis always comes back looking like a new truck. The A/C blows cold and the upgraded radio slams, has Bluetooth with hands free, and a RAM mount with a phone gives me all the nav and connectivity you'd need.
It's easy to work on. Parts are still everywhere. Every time something old looks like it might go I just replace it. Shocks are $13 each. I can change the serpentine belt in under a minute.
At my current cash burn, I can keep this thing for 60 years or more and still be ahead versus buying a newer truck.
If you're either broke or greedy, this is how to do it.
In reply to ascott :
I like your spirit. It's hard to argue to reliability of a Ford straight 6 and there is little on that truck that would cost much to repair. Your annual maintenance is what many are now paying for a monthly truck payment (yikes!!).
In reply to Loweguy5 :
Exactly. These new trucks are stupidly expensive, and they don't have to be. Cheap money over the past twenty years has done to truck prices what it did to college tuition.
Ya know, I've driven old trucks many times but I love my 2014 Silverado.
Drives nicer, quieter, more power and better mileage.
Bought it used and paid cash.
Marge my 97 F350 7.3
Had it 5 years as a DD/kiddo hauler/ camping rig/tow rig/work truck. Its done everything I've needed it to beautifully.
Has:
Spiffy hybrid turbo with 1.0 housing
150cc injectors
SD electric fuel system
6.0 intercooler and banks piping
Billet triple disk converter
6.0 trans cooler
38r/19f fuel tanks
Has always been in the "never for sale" category but life changes have a down payment on a house being on the radar... sad thoughts...
Loweguy5 said:In reply to ascott :
I like your spirit. It's hard to argue to reliability of a Ford straight 6 and there is little on that truck that would cost much to repair. Your annual maintenance is what many are now paying for a monthly truck payment (yikes!!).
Same, I love the spirit, can do attitude, and frugality of ascott, but trucks cost so much more because you're getting so much more. Having just upgraded to a modern truck from a 2000 F-550, it was the same jump as going from a model-T to the f-550. It's just that much better at everything.
Not hating old trucks or their capabilities in any way shape or form - they obviously did truck things in their time and can still do truck things, but my new truck I would pick over my cx-9 for any regular road trip, not just a towing trip - and it would do so quieter and get better fuel economy.... (of course it's a diesel so...). I'm eyeing the 42 gallon tank for it which bumps it's range to 1200-1500 miles per tank (non-towing range) - damn, son. I already get the same range as you with just the stock 24 gallon tank.
And of course, if you're ever in a crash you're much better off in a modern truck (the model-T to 2000's truck applies just as well here) - even the 2000 f550 will crumple like a pitted coke can.
The 4.9 straight six is such a cool motor, I wanted a ford w/ stick shift with one in it for a long time, but it never lined up (har har har).
New truck, meet new trailer. I was actually looking at wooden deck 18' trailer, but stumbled on this one for half off and couldn't say no....
Super cruise with towing was as good as I'd hoped it'd be! I suck at backing up trailers, so that part was a little rough, my driveway is on a fairly busy street and I did it for the first time at night in the sleet :(
In reply to accordionfolder :
I'm still trying to get my head around the idea that your new truck is light years better than the truck that was supposed to be light years better than the one I've got... (I thought the '99 Super Duty was supposed to be the Big Generational Shift from the '60s chassis with an '80s update.)
In reply to Cchambers13 :
When you're ready to sell, send details. I've been half-assedly looking for another CCLB 7.3. I don't think I gave mine a fair chance, and I might be interested in another one.
In reply to Jesse Ransom :
Eh, I'm probably being a bit hyperbolic, but sometimes you get in the spaceship truck and it's hard not to be blown away by the state of technology.
The f-550 had incredible brakes though - as it should as a medium duty. It stopped pretty much the same empty or loaded and it did it with a purpose! Even pulling the empty trailer home with the new truck I realized that I would have to be even more careful with the new rig.
Jesse Ransom said:In reply to accordionfolder :
I'm still trying to get my head around the idea that your new truck is light years better than the truck that was supposed to be light years better than the one I've got... (I thought the '99 Super Duty was supposed to be the Big Generational Shift from the '60s chassis with an '80s update.)
This is across two different brands but trucks have improved dramatically over the years. My first diesel was a '93 Dodge RAM 2500. It was a great truck. It would pull anything you could hook to it. It was the best pickup truck based snow plow I've ever driven and it knocked down 19 MPG whatever you did with it. At the time it seemed fairly comfortable and quiet.
I replaced that with an '01 F250 that I ordered new to get it just the way I wanted it. It would get around 20 MPG although towing and plowing would knock the mileage down to the mid to high teens. It was so much more powerful, quiet and comfortable than the Dodge had been. It was also significantly less truck like to drive while still capable of doing all the truck things. My wife particularly noticed the lighter clutch pedal and shifter.
My current truck is the 2015 RAM 3500 that I posted earlier in this thread. It's once again a significant improvement over the previous truck using just about every metric except for fuel mileage. The RAM's mileage is abysmal. It's averaging around 14 MPG.
APEowner said:Jesse Ransom said:In reply to accordionfolder :
I'm still trying to get my head around the idea that your new truck is light years better than the truck that was supposed to be light years better than the one I've got... (I thought the '99 Super Duty was supposed to be the Big Generational Shift from the '60s chassis with an '80s update.)
This is across two different brands but trucks have improved dramatically over the years. My first diesel was a '93 Dodge RAM 2500. It was a great truck. It would pull anything you could hook to it. It was the best pickup truck based snow plow I've ever driven and it knocked down 19 MPG whatever you did with it. At the time it seemed fairly comfortable and quiet.
I replaced that with an '01 F250 that I ordered new to get it just the way I wanted it. It would get around 20 MPG although towing and plowing would knock the mileage down to the mid to high teens. It was so much more powerful, quiet and comfortable than the Dodge had been. It was also significantly less truck like to drive while still capable of doing all the truck things. My wife particularly noticed the lighter clutch pedal and shifter.
My current truck is the 2015 RAM 3500 that I posted earlier in this thread. It's once again a significant improvement over the previous truck using just about every metric except for fuel mileage. The RAM's mileage is abysmal. It's averaging around 14 MPG.
Never heard of a 7.3 Powerstroke that could out mileage a Cummins
In reply to A 401 CJ :
My 2000 F250 7.3 would easily get 21-22mpg on the highway empty. It once averaged 18mpg pulling a 6x12 enclosed with two racebikes from AZ to Laguna Seca and back. The best I've ever seen out of my '17 Ram 3500 Cummins is 17mpg empty, and that's better than my '04 3500 Cummins could do.
APEowner is right on the difference between old and new trucks, though. I've had OBS Fords in gas and diesel, and late 70s/mid 80s Dodge gas. The early 2000s Superduty was a definite step up, as was my '04 Ram. But my '17 Ram is in a whole other world as far as driving comfort.
In reply to Sonic :
How does the Escalade do with handling the enclosed trailer when there is a cross wind? Love the dual purpose thought process.
A unibody SUV does ok with an open aluminum trailer. Not sure about enclosed tho. Total of car and trailer is around 5200 lbs. Durango tow&go package limit is 8700. Found that a bit more tongue weight (bet 10% - 15%) results in better handling.
Had the tow rig in use yesterday.
I've only had the 2013 F250 for about 7 months but it's been a good replacement/upgrade to the 04 I had previously. So much quieter, the 6.7 starts great... even at 20 below, and it's been averaging 1 mpg better while towing.
Gooseneck trailer has a 20ft deck, box, winch, bi-fold ramps, storage for 4 tires and 2 fuel jugs, loading/backup lights, rooftop tent and a mounted spare wheel and hub assembly.
It's been a good trailer that I had repainted. Then installed new wiring and led lights. I'm happy with it but will likely end up with this enclosed trailer this year.
It's a 40ft (32ft floor - the space the cabinets and tool box takes up) that my dad is getting a screaming deal on from a buddy. It'll need tires and some customization to make it more camper like (heat/ac, generator, sleeping area) but it's solid underneath and has a winch, wired with outlets and lights, and stereo. The low floor and door+ramps look good for not needing to remove the splitter from the car which is a bit of pain right now because it has to go back on for transport with the open deck.
This popped up for sale locally cheap, going to see how the travel trailer life is vs. my 6x12 enclosed. I think insulation, plumbing, heat, etc. will be very nice for the camping part of it, and not having to buy ice every few days for the cooler, but the fuel economy sure does suck. Weighs about 4000 lbs with water allegedly, total trailer capacity is 7000 lbs. Double axles are somewhat unusual at this size but seem to be a good thing. Sucks not being able to see around or down the sides of it. The truck couldn't care less that it's back there, aside from the gas mileage. I'm sure it will be more sluggish fully loaded up though.
Also, good lord the build quality on these travel trailers is bad. I didn't fully appreciate it until fixing some stuff on this one.
In reply to gearheadE30 :
Build quality on most RV stuff is shockingly bad, and it seems like it just gets worse the newer it is.
My daily/family/tow pile. Had it about 2 years now and it's been really good. My first diesel, and although fuel cost hasn't gone in my favor over the last 2 years, I don't think this will be my last diesel either.
You'll need to log in to post.
