Downsizing from diesel Truck and GN to half ton and BP.......ideas for tow vehicle???

[ThreeHorseNight]

I have been towing with a 3/4 ton Suburban (with the giant engine) for 12 years. I have a 2H BP with dressing room, but a big, heavy 2H (it’s a straight load built on a 3H slant load frame). I am by no means a towing expert, and my Suburban is 12 years old so things have changed, but I have been very happy with it for towing and for general use. When we bought the Suburban gas was 99 cents a gallon and we drove it everywhere. As gas went up, we stopped using the Suburban unless we needed to haul or needed more space for people or cargo.

It tows beautifully - very smoothly. When I ride in friends’ trucks when they are towing I’m always surprised at how bumpy the ride is. The long wheelbase on the Suburban has been great for towing and I’ve never felt like my vehicle can’t handle the trailer behind it.

The Suburban has been wonderful for road trips with the dogs (we have no kids). We currently have the third seat folded down and a dog barrier up behind the second seat and because there are just two of us we throw our stuff in the second seat row. I have also had four people in there with a ton of stuff in the cargo area. It holds a lot. I find it to be a really versatile vehicle - for people, dogs, Ikea purchases, trips to the feed store, etc. It was also great for horse shows - I could throw so much stuff in there rather than in the bed of a truck.

The downside? Yes, the gas mileage sucks. The newer models are better and the 2015 Suburban will be coming out soon so I’ll be curious to see what it gets. (But you can no longer get the 8.1 engine that I have.) And yes, if you’re parking in a city it can be tough. It’s a giant vehicle. And the price of the new models has gotten ridiculous. I configured a new one with almost all the options and it came to over $70,000. Geez.

Anyway, I admire a powerful truck but for my needs an SUV is much more useful. I would imagine that as your kids get older and you are taking them to soccer, baseball, orchestra, whatever, with all their stuff you will appreciate the room in the cargo area. If you do go for a larger SUV and you have the third row, you’ve also got room to take their friends with you and comfortable take road trips.

Good luck.

[PonyFever]

I’ll state again that I am firmly in the SUV camp, whether you get a large one like the Suburban or the Sequoia or a smaller one to pull a European trailer. With kids and dogs, an SUV is so much more practical. I do not miss my truck one bit (well, except when I was without a trailer and a vehicle to pull it!). After driving a station wagon for years I knew that I didn’t want another truck to drive around town. We have room to park a third vehicle easily in the driveway but didn’t like having a third vehicle when it snowed (moving three around for the plow guy) OR paying for a third vehicle’s maintenance, registrations, etc. I also like the option of being able to take the kids and their friends b/c of the third row.

So for me, a smaller SUV that could pull a European trailer was the answer. BUT if you plan to take your husband and the two kids to a show, a smaller SUV with a European trailer may not be the answer because the tow capacity is based on what you have in the vehicle as well and where everyone is sitting (it all adds up and when towing with a smaller SUV it’s not just about the weight in the trailer).

Purchasing a new vehicle is such a huge investment. You don’t want to make the wrong choice, especially since it would involve losing quite a bit of value just by driving off the lot. It sounds like you really like the Sequoia and it will meet all your needs now and in the future, unlike a truck. If the cost of the Sequoia is too much to swallow along with a new-to-you BP trailer then maybe you can take this in two stages–SUV this year, BP the following year and catch a ride if necessary this year. You could also look for a used Sequoia that had just been traded in with low miles, etc.

I think you’re smart, looking at this from all angles. Also consider the difference of having only two vehicles vs. three in the cost analysis. I’ve always been surprised as to how much that 3rd vehicle cost even though it just sat in the driveway most of the time, and in theory didn’t need a whole lot of maintenance.

[NRB]

this is such an old tread but it popped up in a recent search. So I had to update everyone. I’ll be going back to a gooseneck, so I bought a used F250 CC 4WD short bed (but it’s only 1" shorter in WB than my LB 2003) with the big V8 gas engine. lol. I never ever pulled a thing with my v6 Durango. But it hauls the family around wonderfully.