I don't know about other tow vehicles, but my truck (89 GMC Suburban) has a 350, towing package and 700R4 and it's the best damn thing I've ever owned. Tows anything with no problem whatsoever. 250,000 Miles later and I still use it to tow my 17" runabout boat, and soon to tow my car trailer.
Not for sale, not worth anythign anymore anyway, but just saying Suburbans make a good tow vehicle. Stay away from the Excursions, they tow less, use more gas, have less power, cost more, and are pieces of ****. Just ask me, I made the electrical systems for a few of them (and about every other Ford POS)

 

damn you larry..............


looks like it was a nice ride.

 

My 99 Tahoe 4x2 (x-MI hwy patrol truck) tows my car and an open trailer, and get's decent gas mileage since it has 3.08 gears.

I'll sell mine for $12,500 it has 112K and a rebuilt transmission with a one year warranty. If nobody buys it over the winter I will be painting it and pimping it out a bit.

I already did 22% tint on all windows, dechromed the sides, and removed the spotz...

http://www.ls1tech.com/moderators/psj/PSJtahoe1.jpg

I hear the Ford SUV's have bad gas mileage.

 

Jeff I used to work for a GMC dealership in service. They are great trucks. When you get ready to look at some let me know and I will go with. I know what to look for as far as problems.

 

thanks chris, that would be great!!

 

My opinion...When you buy a truck you are buying a fancy body and interior. In the trucks 95 or 96 and older the price to rebuild an engine and trans is so cheap compared to the total truck cost that you are spending a LOT on the body of the truck.


Best bet in my opinion. A early 90's GM 2500 or 3500 with a 350. If it is in good condition have the engine, trans, axle, brakes, bearings rebuilt and be WAY ahead in money.
My tow truck is an 87 GMC 2500. 350 TBI with a T400. Does not get very good milage but it could pull damn near anything. And has more power than any other TBI vehicle I have driven. Kind of makes me wonder what is the deal..Being that it drinks gas and all.

 

I agree with Lon but in a different.

I got the 99 because it had:

96-99 5.7 Vortec engine... Much more powerful (280hp, 330tq) than the predecessor TBI trucks that crawl, you'll be doing 30mph up hills towing.

99 body... no rust whatsoever, it's impossible to find a really clean older truck that is not pricey around Chicago.

I can get a crate motor for my 99 HOE for less than $2K so it's really a good buy (maybe I should keep it).

 

I was never a truck guy until I got my 98 1500 Z71. The thing rode like a car and would light the tires from a light with it's 373 gears. You have to get a overdrive trans to get any kind of gas mileage. It had every op and I hated to let it go. It was costing me about $500.00 a month with insurance and the last year I had it I put about 800 miles on it. With 4 cars something had to go. Now my wife wants a new truck but I can't afford it.

 

wish i could have picked her up sounds really nice.

there isn't a whole lot for sale right now unless your into escalades with 22" and 7 tv's or a beat up work truck with 200,000 miles.

even worse trying to find a trailer.

just have to keep looking i guess.......

 

Chris Ja, you need an SUV.

My payments are like $240/month on the taHOE.

 

I'm also looking for a truck that will tow my Firebird on an open trailer next year, but it has to serve double duty as a family hauler. My wife and I have our first baby due next month. For that reason I don't think an older pickup truck would do, like you have Lonnie. A SUV maybe. Anyway, I looked at a '01 Ford F150 Supercrew today. 4 doors with a real back seat, and a short bed. With a 5.4 V8 and 3.55 rear gears it's max trailer load is 7000 lbs. Gas mileage without trailer is 14/17. Any recommendations on something comparable from GM?

 

good luck with that 14/17 most friends i have with the 5.4 see 10/12 average.

 

What about conversion vans? A fullsize GM Van would be a nice car/child hauler. And the vans usually lag behind on technology too. This is a good thing as the 5.7 vortech is easily replaced if a problem occurs. Then again since you would be buying new who cares? Let the company pay for it

I saw a Ford class C motor home for sale a week or so ago. $3500. I had thoughts of buying it.

 

Just going by manufacturers' ratings for 14/17. I know many people if not all see less than that. I would guess the same goes for GM trucks but I'm looking for feedback on this. I found a F-150 message forum, but haven't found one for C1500 and similar GM trucks.

Lonnie, a motorhome wouldn't be good daily driver transportation for me. I'm changing jobs in the next couple of weeks and my company car is going bye-bye. I won't miss it, but it means I need something I can drive daily. I never thought I'd drive a truck every day, but so far it seems like my best compromise if I want to do some of the road courses next year hours away from home.

 

I belive its fullsizefourms.com