Tow Beast Roll Call

[live2shift]

I use my 2007 economical chevy work truck. It has a measly 200HP 6 cyl, and a 5 speed transmission, roll up windows and no AC, and 4wd of course. I added cruise control myself. It cost me less than $15K new out the door as a leftover.

I have towed the 26M 8 hours straight over thee mountains of Vermont/ New Hampshire with no problems, but downshifting to 4th for the hills. As long I keep the revs over 2K rpm, she has what it takes.

This truck gets 19MPG normally without a tow load. I miss my v8 silverado extra cab, but I don't miss the 15 MPG every day.

[Scott]

That is cool!

[Rick Westlake]

I bought my not only because it was the right size to learn on (I've described it as an obese Flying Scot with indoor plumbing) but because it would haul behind my elderly, overworked Subaru Outback.

Well, the Outback was okay around the boat ramp, but the one time I towed the boat any distance, it had a rough time of it. And ... this winter it was giving ME a rough time ... so this January I upgraded to a 2004 Toyota 4Runner.

[Jack Sparrow]

1982 4 door Schuler Range Rover

Jack Sparrow

[albion]

This thread has to be the record for speed of posts - 2 pages in only a few hours

My vehicle's a 2003 Kia Sorrento 2.5ltr diesel 4wd. Maybe not well known in USA, but sells pretty well in UK. Recommended tow car by Caravan magazine for more than two years running.

Towed the effortlessly when I collected it, but I have yet to try pulling it out of the water up a ramp - hopefully that will happen in the next couple of months

Rick I realise there are hills on the IOWbut its not a big island , so how far have you towed the boat?

[RickJ]

Hi albion

Not a long way so far! I towed it from Bucklers Hard (nr. Beaulieu) on the mainland when I bought it, and down to the harbour from home in April when I launched it.

I'd arranged a deal to keep it parked on land, and launch when I used it, but the harbour messed up and blocked the ramp with their ground-works. As a result they craned it in and gave me use of a pontoon mooring for no extra until I can use the ramp - which they still haven't finished. Once they've done that I can pull it out - which I need to do for a few fixes that I don't want to risk over water, and to clean the bottom (no bottom paint, didn't think I'd need it )

I'm also planning to tow to one of the UK Mac-owner assoc. meets later in the year, just hope I'll be able to get the boat out of the water by then.

Cheers, Rick

[waternwaves]

in order of preference.......

2005 F-150 4x4 Supercrew 5.4/3.55 18 mpg towing
1989 F-250 4x2 reg. Cab, 351,3.55 16 mpg towing
1985 F-250HD 4x4 7.5/3.55 11 mpg towing
1986 B2000 4x2 1953 cc/3.67 16 mpg towing 50 mph max speed. too dangerous past that.

same routes average for each.

[Bluecrab]

waternwaves said

2005 F-150 4x4 Supercrew 5.4/3.55 18 mpg towing

Another reason to buy a Mac, I only 16 mpg at best with my 04 F-150 Supercrew without towing my Mac.
Maybe you have the better mileage blue F150.

[Lease]

I have to face this vexing question later this year. The dear Citroen C5 has been fun, and an interesting experiment for towing the Mac, but it has run out of warranty, and I'm not keen to start paying the ridiculous repair costs if it breaks.

I HAD decided on a Hyundai Santa Fe diesel, but don't like the way the cost of that fuel is headed. With the price here touching on 1.80 litre, I reckon that I would have to allow an average price of at least $3 per litre over a four-year lease. That works out to around $500 per month!! Sure, I get to pay that from pre-tax salary, but it's still a lot.

So I might find myself going back to LPG. Consumption is higher, but it is so cheap (currently 60 cents per litre), and even allowing $1.00 per litre over four years average, that comes way back to $312 per month.

The new Holden Commodore Wagon looks the goods, has a 2 tonne towing capacity, weighs 2 tonnes itself, puts out 180kw (235hp) and I believe that they have a factory LPG option.

[buzzy895]

I use a 2002 dodge cummins long bed P/U and it's like the boats not there Steve

[hart]

2006 Honda Ridgeline - The truck pulls the boat very well and more importantly stops it with no problem. And after using it to haul the boat from Texas home I have no doubts about it's ability to tow long distance or just to the ramp. But I wouldn't tow with it if I didn't have surge brakes on the trailer.

Occasionally I get a snarky remark from someone at the ramp. Seems like they usually are driving a Chevy dually or lifted Dodge or Ford F350 etc. It's funny to watch their jaws drop when the truck pulls the boat easily up the ramp. I'm quite popular at the ramp with unusual pickup and the unusual boat.

[Kelly Hanson East]

1969 VW super beetle 60 horse of course

In his best Marisa Torme...

The Beetle didnt come in a Super in 1969.....

(and IIRC didnt get to 60 HP until that awful 34 PICT-3 Carb came along either in 1970 or 1971 in NA)

[noahvale]

1976 Ford F100 long bed F100 pickup. It has a 460ci engine that was installed by the previous owner, 750cfm Holley carb, and air bags on the rear springs.
Gets 12 - 15 mpg, if I keep my foot out of it. With my foot in it, it will pass almost everything on the road but a gas station.
That's not great, but factor in that I paid $750 for the truck and spent about $1200 on restoration, it's a bargain. Current NADA average value is about $8k and it's only going up.

[c130king]

In his best Marisa Torme...

The Beetle didnt come in a Super in 1969.....

(and IIRC didnt get to 60 HP until that awful 34 PICT-3 Carb came along either in 1970 or 1971 in NA)

Hey Cousin Stephen...is that what the "yutes" drove back then

9.95 out of 10 for movie references on macgregorsailors.com...

[waternwaves]

Bluecrab,
regarding the 05, f-150
I rarely run the truck over 65, traffic usuallly is bogged down to 60 around here as soon as I get off the island,

and truthfully, I don't really put my foot into it much...so rarely over 2100 rpm......

SO far it is has been a decent rig, havent towed over stevens pass yet this summer..... I expect that run will not be as good. but on the flat down here....it has been a good reliable beast. (once I figured out one has to have the foot on the brake to get into 4wd)

D
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