Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
RV Trip Planning Discussions

Go Back   iRV2 Forums > TRAVEL TRAILER, 5th WHEEL & TRUCK CAMPER FORUMS > Trailer Towing and Tow Vehicles Discussion
Click Here to Login
Join iRV2 Today

Mission Statement: Supporting thoughtful exchange of knowledge, values and experience among RV enthusiasts.
Reply
  This discussion is proudly sponsored by:
Please support our sponsors and let them know you heard about their products on iRV2
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 02-28-2012, 07:31 PM   #1
Senior Member
 
ChiefGeek's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Nashville, TN
Posts: 146
Best Mileage, Least Price, Tow 7000 lbs., and NOT brand new

Let's face it, I don't want to spend any more money than needed (especially in this economy). So what is the...

Best Mileage, Least Price, Tow 7000 lbs., and produced in the last 10 years for pulling a 27' TT

Ford? Chevy? Yugo?
ChiefGeek is offline   Reply With Quote
Join the #1 RV Forum Today - It's Totally Free!

iRV2.com RV Community - Are you about to start a new improvement on your RV or need some help with some maintenance? Do you need advice on what products to buy? Or maybe you can give others some advice? No matter where you fit in you'll find that iRV2 is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!

You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with other RV owners, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create an RV blog, send private messages and so much, much more!

Old 02-28-2012, 09:56 PM   #2
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Hillsboro, OR
Posts: 278
My truck is rated to tow 7700 lbs. 5.0 liter V8, 4x4 shortbed with 3.55 gears. Gets about 11 to 14 around town with warm ups on cold mornings and about 22 on the hwy. Spacious cab - nothing luxurious but it's nice.
Plenty of power, 6 speed auto tranny with manual shift, tow mode and engine braking.
It is also a very safe truck. I had a 2006 Ranger b4, the truck is worth twice as much and my insurance premiums went down!
IWillRVToo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-29-2012, 07:05 AM   #3
Senior Member
 
capsfloyd's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Lancaster TX
Posts: 246
Quote:
Originally Posted by IWillRVToo
My truck is rated to tow 7700 lbs. 5.0 liter V8, 4x4 shortbed with 3.55 gears. Gets about 11 to 14 around town with warm ups on cold mornings and about 22 on the hwy. Spacious cab - nothing luxurious but it's nice.
Plenty of power, 6 speed auto tranny with manual shift, tow mode and engine braking.
It is also a very safe truck. I had a 2006 Ranger b4, the truck is worth twice as much and my insurance premiums went down!
Ford ?
capsfloyd is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-29-2012, 07:08 PM   #4
Moderator Emeritus
 
TXiceman's Avatar
 
Ford Super Duty Owner
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Bryan, TX when not traveling.
Posts: 22,945
Blog Entries: 21
Best fuel economy will be a diesel. Cheapest first cost will be a gas engine unit. For a trailer in your size, I would get a 3/4 ton truck.

Typical gas engine will be in 8 mpg range and a diesel 11 mpg or so.

Some of the newer 1/2 ton truck are rated to pull 10000#.

Ken
__________________
Amateur Radio Operator (KE5DFR)|No Longer Full-Time! - 2023 Cougar 22MLS toted by 2022 F150, 3.5L EcoBoost Tow Max FX4 Lariat Travel with one Standard Schnauzer and one small Timneh African Gray Parrot, retired mechanical engineer
TXiceman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-29-2012, 08:16 PM   #5
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Hillsboro, OR
Posts: 278
Quote:
Originally Posted by capsfloyd View Post
Ford ?
Yes - it's in my sig line.
IWillRVToo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-29-2012, 11:01 PM   #6
Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 75
Wouldn't trade my Excursion diesel for anything.
CoachDJS is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-06-2012, 07:00 AM   #7
Moderator Emeritus
 
SmokeyWren's Avatar


 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: HillBilly country, Smokey Mtns
Posts: 4,171
Quote:
Originally Posted by ChiefGeek View Post
Best Mileage, Least Price, Tow 7000 lbs., and produced in the last 10 years for pulling a 27' TT

You cannot have your cake and eat it too.

MPG? Any vehicle that can safely tow a 7,000 pound TT is going to get lousy MPG. So ignore that requirement.

Least price? For used pickups several years old, the least popular will be the cheapest to buy. So that boils down to a Dodge 2500 gasser. Most half-tons will struggle to tow a 7,000 pound TT, so move up to a three-quarter ton.

The older the cheaper. So it sounds like you need to look for a 2003 Dodge 2500 gasser. Regular cab is the cheapest, and ST trim is the basic, and 2WD is all you need. The 5.7L Hemi engine is std. If you find a clean one with less than 150,000 miles (average 15,000 miles per year), you'll probably pay between $5,000 and $7,500 for it. 4x4 and quad cab will add thousands to the cost. Yeah, it's a POS, but you can brag that "it's a Hemi!"

A much better truck, but a lot more expensive, would be a 2003 Ford F-250 with the 7.3L diesel engine, crewcab body, and less than 200,000 miles on the clock. But expect to pay well over $10,000 for one of those rare finds.

Or even better would be the last of the 2003 Excursions (Huge SUV) with the 7.3L diesel engine. But expect to pay well over $12,000 if you can find a clean one with less than 200,000 miles on it. Don't consider the later Excursions with 6.0L engine.
__________________
Grumpy ole man with over 60 years towing experience. Now my heaviest trailer is a 7'x16' 5,000-pound flatbed utility trailer, my tow vehicle is a 2019 F-150 Lariat 3.5L EcoBoost SuperCab with Max Tow (1,904 pounds payload capacity).
SmokeyWren is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-06-2012, 09:01 PM   #8
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 2,231
Best milage ??
Thats easy. It will be a 3/4 ton GM or Dodge diesel. The '03/'04 305/555 HO Dodge/Cummins nets 20-23 mpgs highway and has a 7500/15000 mile oil change schedule.

Least price ??
Any of the 1500 5.4 to 6.2 gassers will handle that size TT. If you want more load carrying capacity the '01 to '05 1500 HD from GM with a 6.0 4.10 gears E tires and wheels and has a 6000 RAWR for over 3000 lb payload and is basically the old std duty 2500 truck.
The 8200 GVWR F150 is another stout performer with more load carrung capacity.
Look for a 1/2 ton with a least 3.73 or preferable 4.10 gears.
__________________
'03 Dodge 2500 Cummins HO 3.73 NV5600 Jacobs
'98 3500 DRW 454 4x4 4.10 crew cab
'97 Park Avanue RK 28' 2 slides
JIMNLIN is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-21-2012, 06:40 PM   #9
Senior Member
 
Rednax's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Corpus Christi, Texas
Posts: 188
Quote:
Originally Posted by JIMNLIN View Post
Best milage ??
Thats easy. It will be a 3/4 ton GM or Dodge diesel. The '03/'04 305/555 HO Dodge/Cummins nets 20-23 mpgs highway and has a 7500/15000 mile oil change schedule.

Least price ??
Any of the 1500 5.4 to 6.2 gassers will handle that size TT. If you want more load carrying capacity the '01 to '05 1500 HD from GM with a 6.0 4.10 gears E tires and wheels and has a 6000 RAWR for over 3000 lb payload and is basically the old std duty 2500 truck.
The 8200 GVWR F150 is another stout performer with more load carrung capacity.
Look for a 1/2 ton with a least 3.73 or preferable 4.10 gears.

Agreed. Take about 40% off of highway mileage (EPA) for an idea of where the towing mileage can be (as a rule of thumb) on the half ton models. But with that 555 Cummins the highway mpg can be higher. I don't fall below 24-mpg (59-mph).

.
__________________
2004 2WD Dodge 305/555 CTD 6-speed
1990 35' Silver Streak Sterling
Hensley Arrow
Rednax is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply



Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Installed new 26 in led tv in bedroom in our discovery Randy blase Fleetwood Owner's Forum 18 03-26-2012 03:58 PM
New Tricare charges in the budget Hooligan Military / Veteran RVing 57 03-25-2012 09:11 AM
Picking up new TT in winter ? papaquad Travel Trailer Discussion 10 03-16-2012 10:40 AM
Can i tow this 4 down? CorLynn Toads and Motorhome Related Towing 12 02-29-2012 06:57 PM
Tow ??? twolfe Class A Motorhome Discussions 13 02-29-2012 11:44 AM

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 09:11 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.