What do you think

[Chester Taje]

I was just wondering what you all think would be best all around Tow Vehicle from this selection.

1)Dodge Dakota
2)GMC Canyon
3)Nissan Frontier
4)Toyota Tacoma.

Keep in mind to be also used for non towing and every day usage and price.

[John Perry]

I was just wondering what you all think would be best all around Tow Vehicle from this selection.

1)Dodge Dakota
2)GMC Canyon
3)Nissan Frontier
4)Toyota Tacoma.

Keep in mind to be also used for non towing and every day usage and price.

I tow my 13' Scamp with an 05 Toyota Tacoma 4 cyl. and it does very well. If I keep it under 60 I manage to get around 21 mpg while towing. Traveling without the trailer on trips is about 27 mpg. When I tow the trailer with my 643 lb. ATV in the back of the truck the mileage goes down to about 19 mpg. I have had it just a little over 2 years and have 56000 trouble free miles on it.
My grandson is driving a 1976 Toyota PU that I gave him and it now has almost 1/2 million miles on it. Original engine, just brakes and other normal maintenance done to it. I sold my 91 Toyota PU in 1997 to my next door neighbors father who lives way down in Southern Mexico. He has 28 grandchildren up here and drives up at least twice a year to visit. My old 91 has over 400,000 miles on it and is still running strong and looking good.
Toyotas, like eggs, hold their value compared to domestic products.
If you want a vehicle to give you years of trouble free service buy a Toyota, Honda or Nissan in that order, forget the domestics.
You will get tired of your Toyota or Honda before you need a new vehicle.

John

[pjanits]

My next truck will be the Tacoma.

The Son-in-law has a Durango V8 ( same platform as Dakota) mileage = 13 without pop-up trailer.
He wouldn't tell me his mpg with the trailer.
Actually the whole Chrysler line has bad mpg.

GM - nope

Added Ford - nope


Nissan - they seem to rust fast around here.

[Alf S.]

I was just wondering what you all think would be best all around Tow Vehicle from this selection.

1)Dodge Dakota
2)GMC Canyon
3)Nissan Frontier
4)Toyota Tacoma.

Keep in mind to be also used for non towing and every day usage and price.

Hi: Chester... Doesn't the Toyota have a non steel composite box??? Better for a no salt diet!!!
Alf S. North shore of Lake Erie

[Bill MacDermod]

Tacoma

[Roger H]

Ches, if "all-round tow vehicle" includes depreciation and you're talking about buying new, I'd say the Tacoma hands down. They depreciate much more slowly than the others. By the same token, if you're buying used you may be able to get much more truck for your money on a three year old "one of the others".

As for the towing part itself, it depends on what engine/trans/rear end configuration they have, wheelbase of the specific truck, and whether you want the truck primarily for towing and towing power is more important than daily driver mileage, or towing is just something you do occasionally and daily driver gas mileage is more important.

I tend to be a Toyota guy, but given the right set of circumstances and at the right price, any of them on your list would do for me.

Roger

[james kent]

Hi Ches
Aren't you glad we've got a bigger gal? Gives us better MPG ratings. I drive a 2002 Dakota 4X4 with a small V8 and as long as I don't put my foot in it I get reasonably good mileage. Have gotten 24 on the highway and 19 with trailer which was about the same as the Safari van with V6 that I had. BUT I can cut that in half if I'm in too much of a hurry. For the next one I would look seriously at a Toyota with 4 doors. Plus their engines seem so much more advanced. They are getting better MPG and more power out of smaller engines. My Dodge has the extended cab and the extra entry would be so much more convenient for loading. I would also think about a Cap instead of the Tonneau as I'm always taking the thing off for large loads, and the pricing isn't much more plus you could put a roof rack on it for a canoe, etc. Well that's enough rambling from me. You have to make your own decision. Look at 'em all and have a ball
Jim

[Christi V.]

NONE BUT THE BEST..TOYOTA TACOMA!!! I pull with the Ford xlt 4x4 .. not a ford fan, but it was such a good buy with only 21K on it..

[Chester Taje]

Some good replies here. I just picked these four as what i thought someone would buy who tows a light weight unit and daily driver.

[Byron Kinnaman]

I'm kind of fan of Dodge Dakota. Last fall I managed to get a 2005 with very low miles. Extended cab, 4.7l V8. Seems to be reasonable on mileage, unless I try to use all that V8 power. It came with tow package, just had to mount the brake controller. I added a canopy and bed rug to complete the package. Picture here.

[Roger H]

Some good replies here. I just picked these four as what i thought someone would buy who tows a light weight unit and daily driver.

I'm glad you clarified that, Ches... I was concerned that you were already tired of having all that room in your new truck!

Roger

[Chester Taje]

I'm glad you clarified that, Ches... I was concerned that you were already tired of having all that room in your new truck!

Roger

With me Roger you never know.

[DanM]

With me Roger you never know.

I'm towing a 17' Casita with a 4 cyclinder Nissan pickup.
Works great. From what I've read on the net, the 6
cyclinder seems to get the same mileage towing and only
slightly less not towing.
Nissan is a good truck. I bought it new in 2003 and have
pulled my Casita over 7,000 miles. No repairs and sometimes
I'm a little slow on routine maintenance.
I looked at the Toyotas and really liked them, but, the Nissan
with the same equipment was several thousand dollars less
so got the Nissan.

DrifterDan

[james kent]

Ches
You added a new spec there when you said "daily driver". Wife and I have talked about if and when we downsize to one vehicle and have gone so far as to check out a Toyota Highlander. I think I could live with this little SUV with the larger engine for towing but I think I must be part redneck 'cause I would sure miss my little pickup.

[Chester Taje]

This thread has become very interesting. I have received a few PMs from members and what they recommend.

[Chester Taje]

Ches
You added a new spec there when you said "daily driver". Wife and I have talked about if and when we downsize to one vehicle and have gone so far as to check out a Toyota Highlander. I think I could live with this little SUV with the larger engine for towing but I think I must be part redneck 'cause I would sure miss my little pickup.

We had a Toyota Rav4. It was a good vehicle, but i know what you mean by missing your truck. The only solution i really can think of is a Crew Cab vehicle. Best of both worlds as i see it

[Benny K]

Hi Ches, just out of curiousity, how far away are you from a Toyota dealership, just for services sake...Benny

[Chester Taje]

Hi Ches, just out of curiousity, how far away are you from a Toyota dealership, just for services sake...Benny

185 kms. About 1 3/4 hrs. Its in Grande Prairie, Alberta

[Marg]

I was just wondering what you all think would be best all around Tow Vehicle from this selection.

1)Dodge Dakota
2)GMC Canyon
3)Nissan Frontier
4)Toyota Tacoma.

Keep in mind to be also used for non towing and every day usage and price.

I really like my 2007 Nissan Frontier crew cab 4wd 6 speed manual to pull my 13' Scamp. I average 16-18 mpg when I stick to CA 55 mph speed for towing, without trailer I get 18-22 all the time, and I live in a mountainous territory where I use my gears all the time for down hill braking. I'm glad that my only vice is traveling and paying my gasoline bill.

[Victor Benz]

I tow my Fiber Stream with a 1999 Toyota 4Runner V6; basically same frame as that year's Tacoma, with a 6 cyclinder and manual transmission. (see: http://travel.webshots.com/album/554555099aBBjRw

I downsized from a Ford F-150 V8 SuperCab long box with a cap. I get twice the gas mileage, have a 4x4, and more interior room. I had to get a small utility trailer made for what I kept in the box.

Overall, I love it, and it is my daily driver (~ 65 miles to/from work). I would definitely look for another when this one goes, although you can no longer get the manual transmission. I also see no reason to upgrade to the V8.

Vic