Tow vehicle suggestions

General chat that fellow COM'ers may be interested in.
dinoracer
Speed Racer
Speed Racer
Posts: 748
Joined: Fri Oct 07, 2005 11:05 pm
Location: Hudson NH

Re: Tow vehicle suggestions

Post by dinoracer » Mon Oct 17, 2011 9:41 pm

I like my 2002 V8 Tundra, most of the time. I have a Miata I commute in 3 seasons,so the truck is a DD only in the winter. Pulls Miata on a 18' steel open trailer no problem.

Dave, looking around the lot 2 weeks ago I noticed Tacomas are pretty popular. I think a 4-door taco with the biggest engine, 4WD,and an aluminum trailer would be a good combination for you.
Tom Cannon

Former COM Chief Steward (fka Chief of Operations, Chief of Tech, assistant BBQ cook, Club Secretary....I been around a while)
#26 - 2000 Black Miata (sold) - co-driver of the orange 318ti .. thanks Scott!

tommac
Fast Lapper
Fast Lapper
Posts: 34
Joined: Wed Sep 24, 2008 8:28 pm

Re: Tow vehicle suggestions

Post by tommac » Mon Oct 17, 2011 11:20 pm

Paultg .it's the Bluesmobile! It's 106 miles to Chicago, we got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes....................... Hit it.

paultg
Speed Racer
Speed Racer
Posts: 1185
Joined: Wed May 24, 2006 9:28 pm

Re: Tow vehicle suggestions

Post by paultg » Tue Oct 18, 2011 6:34 am

Not without the dry toast Tom!
Paul G.
#12

User avatar
breakaway500
Speed Racer
Speed Racer
Posts: 2663
Joined: Wed Aug 29, 2007 8:47 am
Location: In my shop,usually.

Re: Tow vehicle suggestions

Post by breakaway500 » Tue Oct 18, 2011 8:40 am

It's not what you drive, it's how you drive. "Lap times matter"

Grippy
Speed Racer
Speed Racer
Posts: 376
Joined: Fri Oct 07, 2005 9:59 pm
Location: Northbridge, MA

Re: Tow vehicle suggestions

Post by Grippy » Tue Oct 18, 2011 9:23 am

I have been very happy with my Tacoma pulling the Trailex trailer with the Miata and a few sets of tires. I usually get 15-16mpg while towing, and around 20 around town. It is actually not bad for a truck to drive around and is my DD. The cap is nice to keep your stuff out of the weather and out of site. I also use my truck as a truck at least a few times a week, that is I put stuff in the bed, usually dirty stuff like a muddy mountain bike. I can't imagine not having a pickup.
Gordon Andrade
#10 Super C MX-5

WillM
Administrator
Administrator
Posts: 1453
Joined: Mon Oct 06, 2003 10:14 pm

Re: Tow vehicle suggestions

Post by WillM » Tue Oct 18, 2011 11:40 am

Dave,

Next time you'd like to start a conversation about SUVs as tow vehicles, start a thread titled "Considering a pick-up for tow vehicle, NOT an SUV". I'm sure all of the guys who tow with SUVs will chime in as to why an SUV would be a better choice for you. :wink: :lol:
96 Miata #72 SC
PRA 4 :sunny:

TroyV
Administrator
Administrator
Posts: 1519
Joined: Thu Jan 12, 2006 3:02 pm
Location: Salem, NH
Contact:

Re: Tow vehicle suggestions

Post by TroyV » Tue Oct 18, 2011 11:50 am

..mu...must......re....sist.......posting.......pickup....thread..
Troy Velazquez
#5 T50

WillM
Administrator
Administrator
Posts: 1453
Joined: Mon Oct 06, 2003 10:14 pm

Re: Tow vehicle suggestions

Post by WillM » Tue Oct 18, 2011 12:08 pm

TroyV wrote:..mu...must......re....sist.......posting.......pickup....thread..
Resistance is futile!

- 7 of 512
96 Miata #72 SC
PRA 4 :sunny:

Chrispy
Speed Racer
Speed Racer
Posts: 531
Joined: Tue May 17, 2011 11:46 am
Location: Chelmsford, MA

Re: Tow vehicle suggestions

Post by Chrispy » Tue Oct 18, 2011 12:49 pm

TroyV wrote:..mu...must......re....sist.......posting.......pickup....thread..
You know you want that Buick Roadmaster with fake wood panels ...

And if you fold the seats flat you can sleep just as easily in an SUV as in a van (or a Roadmaster), just your tow capacity is going to be limited to open trailers without lots of extra modifications. With an SRT8 I'm pretty sure you'd forget you had a trailer at all.
Chris Parsons
#22 - 95 Miata

TroyV
Administrator
Administrator
Posts: 1519
Joined: Thu Jan 12, 2006 3:02 pm
Location: Salem, NH
Contact:

Re: Tow vehicle suggestions

Post by TroyV » Tue Oct 18, 2011 2:03 pm

Hmmm. Can a Magnum pull a Miata?

That would rock.
Troy Velazquez
#5 T50

Chrispy
Speed Racer
Speed Racer
Posts: 531
Joined: Tue May 17, 2011 11:46 am
Location: Chelmsford, MA

Re: Tow vehicle suggestions

Post by Chrispy » Tue Oct 18, 2011 3:50 pm

TroyV wrote:Hmmm. Can a Magnum pull a Miata?
The R/T model is rated for 3800 pounds towing, should be good enough for an open trailer, Miata and tires.
Chris Parsons
#22 - 95 Miata

WillM
Administrator
Administrator
Posts: 1453
Joined: Mon Oct 06, 2003 10:14 pm

Re: Tow vehicle suggestions

Post by WillM » Tue Oct 18, 2011 4:05 pm

Chrispy wrote:
TroyV wrote:Hmmm. Can a Magnum pull a Miata?
The R/T model is rated for 3800 pounds towing, should be good enough for an open trailer, Miata and tires.
Pull? Probably.

Stop? Probably not.
96 Miata #72 SC
PRA 4 :sunny:

Online
User avatar
wizzman
Speed Racer
Speed Racer
Posts: 374
Joined: Mon Apr 25, 2011 1:06 pm
Location: Westford, MA
Contact:

Re: Tow vehicle suggestions

Post by wizzman » Tue Oct 18, 2011 4:06 pm

Thanks for all the helpful responses! I think I have crossed the Jeep off the list. Its actually doesn't have a ton of cargo room behind the 2nd row seats and I am skeptical of the reliability of the vehicle.

I actually had no idea the 4Runners came with a V8 option. I really like those and the V6 Pathfinder. They both have quite a bit of cargo room especially with the seats down and are both pretty easy to live with as a daily driver. The V8 4Runner is definitely pushing over my budget for one with options and acceptable mileage (I am trying to keep it under 75k miles). I will probably try and take both for a spin and see if the 4Runner is worth the $4-5k more.

I still don't know what I am going to do for the trailer. I would certainly love an aluminum one but the cost of a new one looks pretty prohibitive for me. What is the rough weight difference between an aluminum and steel trailer?
-Dave W.

1994 Mazda Miata T50 #56

Chrispy
Speed Racer
Speed Racer
Posts: 531
Joined: Tue May 17, 2011 11:46 am
Location: Chelmsford, MA

Re: Tow vehicle suggestions

Post by Chrispy » Tue Oct 18, 2011 4:07 pm

WillM wrote: Pull? Probably.

Stop? Probably not.
Troy is a momentum driver, he doesn't stop so much as just slow down a little for the corners :)
Chris Parsons
#22 - 95 Miata

TroyV
Administrator
Administrator
Posts: 1519
Joined: Thu Jan 12, 2006 3:02 pm
Location: Salem, NH
Contact:

Re: Tow vehicle suggestions

Post by TroyV » Tue Oct 18, 2011 4:22 pm

I didn't realize the 4 runner came with a V8 either.


On a side note...I vote the word momentum be stricken from this forum, never to be used again.
Troy Velazquez
#5 T50

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest