Best mileage tow vehicle

[Wayniac]

The diesel argument would get squashed in a hurry if we stopped talking about MPG and started comparing "cost per mile to operate".

What does it cost to get from point A to point B with a 2 place trailer not counting the purchase price of the rig?

 

[polarisfornow]

I vote for a diesel Liberty. My neighbor has one and he just loves that thing. I would bet that it would get 25-26 with a 2 place behind it. he says he gets about that with his alum boat behind it.

 

[christian]

got one of those

Trebek:
This car gets 45 mpg at 85mph on the freeway.
It will also pull 1 motorbike at 37 mpg and 1 sled at 35 mpg. Or 3 motorbikes at 32 mpg.

Sean Connery:
What is a Va-Jetta? Also known as VW Jetta TDI.
http://my.opera.com/phatty2/albums/show.dml?id=373171

Trebek:
Correct

Hands down best tow vehicle!!!

We bought a 2006 TDI jetta Brand new because it was the most powerful fuel saver we found, my wife beats all the hybrids of her co-workers and you dont have to flint stone it if you have four people in it!!!


phatty there is a company in Germany that make wicked power out of those TDI's...!!!! If I rember right they make everything from propane to hairblowers for it....I think it was a Euro style rally company

 

[Ultra]

the best truck milage you will get is with small 6 in a chevy, you should 20mpg

Couldn't agree with you more!
There is a nice one for sale posted in the swap meet truck adds below.

 

[SNOW 365]

24 mpg out of a tacoma v6 4x4??????? My son in law just went to the coast with his. 16 mpg going, 18 coming back. Empty, with two people in it. Hook a two place behind probably get 12. I would never buy one of those rice grinders.Personally, I would'nt buy a small tow rig. Things change and then you find out that you can't tow or haul it. Buy something that is not one dimensional........

 

[BottomFeeder m7.]

i said a v4 tacoma. mine is almost getting 30+mpg. all im gona pull is a two place. i think it will work just fine.

 

[thebigtreeman]

I think you meant an inline 4, not a v4.

This is getting to be like "what's better, my chebby or yur furd" debate. I've done the math and I know that for ME, the best value is a diesel but then again, I don't buy things brand new either due to the depreciation. I own four diesels, which all serve various purposes. So, you have to sit down and compare what has been given to you here. Phatty, myself and others gave you info on the TDI. I can tell you in depth about the issues with a Jeep Liberty CRD (diesel) and I've owned cummins and powerstrokes too. Others can tell you about their trucks but when it all comes down to it, how much do you want to spend, where do you drive it and what's your personal preference. Some of those things we can guess but you need to be happy with it. We all sacrifice a little here and there to make ourselves happy with the purchase. No one vehicle will do it all well.

Like I said, my little Liberty CRD will haul butt all day long and do it well. To haul an open (or closed for that matter) two place, the Liberty will do it just fine. It will go up and down the passes all day long. Oil changes are a tad over 6qts with Rotella synthetic and you can go 7500 miles on an oil change (the Jetta TDI is a 10K mile intervals). It has 2wheel, 4wd part time, 4 full time, and 4 low. Plus, you can pick a good used one up for about $14-15K. If you buy an 05 from the original owner, you will still have the 7yr/70K mile powertrain warranty.

I wish diesel was still cheap so I could afford to drive the big Cummins 1600 miles+ several times a year to my riding spots. But, what we need and what we want are two very different things. Good luck with your decision and if you do buy a Libby, let me know. I'll get you hooked up and make sure you know what to look for and what you need to do to get it running right for a long time to come.

Tim

 

[Jaynelson]

That's cool that you like your Liberty dies, and I think it's a cool concept in theory but in reality it won't do anything that a Rav4 V6 gasser won't do, plus you get 270hp, tons more interior room, and much better ride and handling characteristics (yes I have driven both). Plus they kinda suck arse in the used market, so if you want to dump it in a year you will take a bath.

 

[Jaynelson]

24 mpg out of a tacoma v6 4x4??????? My son in law just went to the coast with his. 16 mpg going, 18 coming back. Empty, with two people in it. Hook a two place behind probably get 12. I would never buy one of those rice grinders.Personally, I would'nt buy a small tow rig. Things change and then you find out that you can't tow or haul it. Buy something that is not one dimensional........

Tacoma is probably one of the most useful vehicles on the road if you need a truck bed and some towing capacity without needing a full size truck and the extra costs that come along with it. I've owned 2 Tacos and now a full size GM, so I'm not juist blowing smoke. And, again, you don't need a damn 3/4 ton++ diesel to tow a couple sleds or put a quad in the back....waaaay too much weiner stroking going on here. If that's what you THINK you need, great, but that's not what the OP is after by sounds.

Your son in law is the exception, not the rule, if that's the best mileage he can pull out of his 4.0L V6 (unless you're talking about an old 3.0L or something, those sucked the fuel). If you stick with the 2005+ models with the 4.0L V6 you can EASILY get well into the 20 mpg's, with fun handling, around town manueverability, better off-road capability than ANY full size, and lower cost of operation. Also the resale kicks arse on used 4x4 Tacomas.

 

[thebigtreeman]

Plus they kinda suck arse in the used market, so if you want to dump it in a year you will take a bath.

^^^^ Not true. They only made them two years (05 and 06). The used market for the diesel Libs is very strong. Someone else has already taken the depreciation hit.

I agree with you on the interior aspect and I do like the interior of the RAV 4. Most foreign interiors are superior to domestics.

Lastly, comparing the torque of a diesel to the gasser is always skewed in the diesels favor. Your peak torque is much higher plus I guarantee you won't get the same mileage with the Lib as you will with the gasser huffing it up the mountains.

Like I said, it's all what you want to do with it. Not trying to start an argument but those are the facts.

 

[Jaynelson]

I just go by what sells and what doesn't around here (I work at a car dealer), and they just weren't that hot an item, def. could be different in your area of course. I'm not sure on the mileage while towing to be honest, but I doubt it will be far off from the figures I've seen. The 3.5L sixxer in the Rav wails pretty good, it's Toyota's "miracle motor" right now.....tons of power, lightweight and good fuel econonmy. You will spin some revs towing uphill but have lots of power on tap. That said, that Lib diesel is no torque monster, so it's not like you'll be pulling passes in OD or anything, not the one's around here at least. It'll be spun right up too, it just don't spin as high

Even if it gives up a couple mpg, I would sacrafice for speed but others may not.

 

[shreddog]

Laugh all you want. My gas money goes into my sled! And it's a hoot to drive

 

[polarisfornow]

Laugh all you want. My gas money goes into my sled! And it's a hoot to drive

that thing is sweeeeet. I'm laughin with ya not at ya. laughin all the way to the bank that is.

 

[poorider]

Laugh all you want. My gas money goes into my sled! And it's a hoot to drive

haha that's funny dave I was just talking today about buying one of those for sledding, I have one but it's a van, same thing tho. Of course you drive a lot closer to get to the hill than I do and at 30 h.p. or whatever those things are I think I'd miss my ford

 

[AkHockey10]

those diesel 2.8 libs would be fun to drive.... they will smoke the 3.7s! (yup, been there done that!)

too bad the engine manufacture stopped making them for the liberties!

 

[gutshot]

I think there is allot to be said about being more than one dementional I drive a 01 ford with the 5.7 only get about 12 towing but I can pull a huge enclosed or a small 2 place or in the summer a ny size boat or camp trailer and so on and lets face it this is not a poor man's sport if you can afford a sled and the gas for it and the mods you always end up doing even though you say your not going to what the heck is a nice 4 door diesel????????????
just my 4 cents.

 

[freak58trio]

i got 13 in my truck on the highway empty, i was actually impressed.... but the powerstrokes i know arent gonna be your friend

really it depends what your gonna be towing/hauling, as you could get away with a smaller overall vehichle, if your not gonna be doing a 4 place enclosed or anything that big

heck, you could prolly just stick the sled in the van and leave the back open, or put in a insulated wall behind the front seats, 1 place enclosed for ya

I get 13 mpg with 2 sleds on the sled deck in my 04 Ford v-10!

 

[Mafesto]

I think there is allot to be said about being more than one dementional I drive a 01 ford with the 5.7 only get about 12 towing but I can pull a huge enclosed or a small 2 place or in the summer a ny size boat or camp trailer and so on and lets face it this is not a poor man's sport if you can afford a sled and the gas for it and the mods you always end up doing even though you say your not going to what the heck is a nice 4 door diesel????????????
just my 4 cents.

'01 Ford with a 5.7?
Is this a proto that was never realeased to the general public?

I get 13 mpg with 2 sleds on the sled deck in my 04 Ford v-10!

Maybe, going downhill.

Had an '03 V10 (Excursion) and 13 mpg was doable, when empty, but conditions had to be IDEAL.
Normal EMPTY mpg 10-12 hwy.

 

[savagecanuck]

I have a 06 F150 screw with 5.4 4X4 best I have seen is 19mpg hwy with a quad in the box.I normally pull a small work trailer around town[about the same weight as my 2 place caravan snowmobiletrailer]and get between 14-15mpg and I drive easy.I think one of the best bang for the buck is a full size Chev regular cab with the V6 and 4X4.Taco is a nice truck but WAYYYYYY overpriced fro what you get,even factoring in resale.I can buy a well equipped new1/2 ton right now for about 10k less than a Taco that buys alot of fuel

 

[gutshot]

'01 Ford with a 5.7?
Is this a proto that was never realeased to the general public?
.

What you've never heard of a 5.7 or what probally the best diesel motor ford has had if you ask me.