New To Us Tug! - '09 Kia Borrego Limited V8 2WD

[DeanCHS1980]

Hi All,

As I have posted elsewhere, Laura and I purchased a 2005 Casita 17' FD in early November. Since this time, I have been deep in Tug Research Mode. Here are excerpts from my mid November post regarding my Tug Research Process. . .

Originally Posted by DeanCHS1980

Hi All,

I have taken some time over the last couple of weeks to research tugs assuming a real world trailer weight of 3,500 lbs. Given a real world trailer weight of 3,500 lbs., I am eliminating all tugs rated at 3,500 lbs or less. On the other hand, I don't really want to do hardcore overkill in terms of a tug since it will be used as a daily driver, so no long bed quad cab F350 dually!

Tow capacity is a primary issue, but other important issues include:
1. Reliability
2. Safety
3. MPGs

I think the above are my ranked ordered priorities (assuming the tow capacity issues has been met).

I have no brand loyalty and have tended to drive small cars during my adult life, including 1 old Datsun, 2 Mazdas (including a minivan), 1 Subaru, an old Saab, an old Volvo 240, 1 Toyota, three Hondas, and a Ford Taurus.

OH, let me make this decision even tougher. The tug has to be used. Cannot afford a new tug. In fact, here are the parameters I have established given my research and my budget:

1. Try to stay as close to $10,000 as possible.
2. Try to stay under 120,000 miles.
3. Try to stay no older than 10 years old.

Yes, I know. I just made this tougher.

Based on my research, there are several tugs that would do well, but factoring in reliability as a priority, it appears that one would be hard pressed to beat a Toyota product:
1. 4 Runner
2. Sequoia (too big)
3. Tacoma
4. Tundra

[I also ended up researching Lexus GX470s (upscale Toyota 4 Runner) and Kia Borregos (very nice, but only made in 2009 due to "truck-like" SUVs taking a nose-dive in the market place right when the Borrego came out).]

Given my limited parameters, it is not easy to find these cream puffs due to their popularity. I am not wedded to a Toyota product, but I think I would be happy with a 2004 to 2007ish Toyota 4 Runner or Tacoma (Quad Cab).

Dean

As of the last week or so, it was still all about Toyota 4 Runners, Lexus GX 470s, and Kia Borregos. We also test drove a 2004 VW Touareg V8 AWD with about 120,000 miles. Nice, but I was a bit worried about the age and the upkeep, maintenance on a 12 y/o VW Touareg. Also, we test drove a very nice 2006 Lexus GX 470, but with a 167,000 miles and a price of $14,900, I walked away even though the dealer would have come off the price considerably, I believe. Plus, Laura hated the burled "look" wood trim that had kinda faded to orange. We really liked a 2006 Toyota 4 Runner SR5 Sport Edition with V8 and 4WD. Asking price was $13,900, but the final price was going to be $11,700. It was located the next town over from our home. Drove great, but I decided against it due to 153,000 miles. The 4 Runners were our favorite tug that we DID NOT buy.

As of yesterday, we are the new owners of 2009 Kia Borrego Limited. It has the V8 and has 2WD. The V8 is rated to tow 7,500 lbs with a WDH. The V6s are rated to tow 5,000 lbs. The V8 has a 6 speed transmission while the V6 only has a 5 speed. So, the V8 2WD actually gets better mileage than the V6 on the hwy, but the V8 will get a little less around town. The V8 2WD is rated at 22 hwy and 15 city. I have read in the Kia Borrego forums that the V8 will actually get better mileage towing than the V6.

The 2009 Borrego Limited only came in black with black leather interior. It only had 83,500 miles. It had a clean CarFax and the dealership just changed the oil, air filter, and put on a new set of Yokohama tires in addition to their inspection. It was originally priced around $15,000. I watched it on the internet drop to $12,000 (well under book value). I purchased it for $11,750 before taxes, etc. A downside, Laura and I did a 1,000 mile round trip in 36 hours to drive to southern Georgia to buy it!!! I did all the leg work via the internet, put down a $500 deposit, and arranged a test drive with the intention of buying it pending a successful test drive. It all went well!!!

In addition to leather, it has navigation, DVD player, power windows/locks, heated seats front and 2nd row, 3rd row seating for two, chrome wheels, security system, power moonroof, power driver and passenger seat, Infinity sound system, power adjustable steering wheel and pedals, backup camera that displays in the rearview mirror, etc. Of course it has the tow package!

So, I stayed well under 120,000 miles and stayed well under 10 years old, but did spend more than my goal of $10,000 or so, but we will give our college aged daughter our 2008 Kia Rondo and sell her 2002 Toyota Celica GT. I am guessing we can sell it for around $3,000, so this will more than offset the extra we spent on the Borrego.

It is a midsize truck based SUV much like the 4 Runner, so Laura will be very comfortable driving it. She drove it 500 miles yesterday when we brought it home. I drove our '09 Honda Fit. I got better mileage at 40.2 mpgs compared to 22.9 in the Borrego running 75 mph when we could!

OK. . .

2005 Casita 17' FD. Got it! Check!
2009 Kia Borrego V8 2WD. Got it! Check!

Starting to register for Egg Rallies in the Spring/early Summer.

Keep in mind, that Laura and I have never RVed or towed. The next steps will be to learn how to hitch it up, practice parking in empty church parking lots and backing up in our driveway!!!

Will worry about the black tank later!

As always, thanks to all on this forum for your expertise and passion!

Take care,

Dean

P.S. - 74 degrees in south central KY today! I played in the driveway all afternoon with the Borrego. At the end of the day, we put the cover on the Casita. We had left it off in order to play in the driveway with the Casita and to show it off, but time to put the cover on.

[Civilguy]

Congratulations Dean, it sounds like you found something that will work well for you.

Somehow I "suspected" that having an egg in the driveway was going to prompt action sooner rather than later!

[DeanCHS1980]

Mike, BUSTED!

[DeanCHS1980]

I will try to send a few pictures. . .

[DeanCHS1980]

Laura with our new to us tug. . .

[kootenaigirl]

Very nice. You are all set now.

[DeanCHS1980]

Front

[DeanCHS1980]

2nd Row Seats

[DeanCHS1980]

Rear

[DeanCHS1980]

kootenai girl, we are getting very close! We are excited.

[Jon in AZ]

Congratulations, Dean! Nice looking vehicle, and it shouldn't break a sweat pulling your Casita. Now the adventures really begin. Happy travels!

[Bullington]

Very nice looking tow vehicle ! Congrats, enjoy your adventures !!

[Uplander]

The fact that your final selection was dumped by the manufacturer after only one year on the market would put it on my "Nerver Buy" list.
Even with higher mileage the Toyota product would win.
Toyota is famous for long term reliability....KIA not so much!

Hope this works out for you. Be sure to have AAA membership in case you ever need a tow!

[stevebaz]

I love it when a plan come's together.

I love Carmax as they have the cream of the crop. I hate their pricing but they have nice stuff. I bought my Nissan Pathfinder from them. Had some previous owner issues and the Carmax warranty was made right and easy to deal with.

Sounds like your chomping at the bit now to get out there and enjoy what this continent has to offer. Have fun and happy travels.

At least your going in style.

[DeanCHS1980]

Hi,

Thanks to all! I think it will be a fine TV for us. I may be a little crazy for searching a 500 mile radius for the right tug for the right price. I could have bought a very nice 4 Runner just 25 miles away.

Patrick, I agree completely that Toyotas are known for their reliability. The 4 Runner was my benchmark for a used TV. I owned a new 1986 Toyota MR2 (my first new car). I drove it for 9 years until our first child was born. I did NOTHING to it other than general maintenance and one water pump. My tug research pointed in the direction of a 4 Runner as the standard for looking at what we wanted to buy. But, there are a ton of folks that think the same way, thus keeping prices very high or when the price was right, the mileage was high. Heck, I looked at a 2010 4 Runner that the dealer was still asking $30,000!

Here comes my justification!!! However, I think the Borrego is a solid choice for a tug. Kia stopped making them after one year because of the poor timing of when it was introduced, not because of it being a bad vehicle. In 2009, the economy was in a shambles, gas was very pricey, and folks were bailing on truck based SUVs and were justifiably buying car-based SUVs. They continued to make the Borrego in other countries even though it was only sold here for one year. It also uses the same engine as the Hyundai Genesis luxury sedan, so there is a track record beyond one year.

We also own a 2008 Kia Rondo (kinda of a 3/4 size minivan). It listed for $24,500, but we bought it brand new in June, 2009 when the economy was in the basement. We bought it new for $16,800!!! It currently has 82,000 miles and has been very dependable. Is it as good as the Toyotas, Hondas, Mazdas, etc. that we have owned? I don't think so. But, it has been good enough. Not quite the precision instrument of our Hondas, but a darn fine vehicle, plus we saved thousands and had a great warranty to back it up. In fact, we still have almost 4 years or 18,000 miles left on the power train warranty on the Rondo.

My experience with the Rondo made me comfortable in considering the Borrego as a legitimate TV. For the same exact price, I could buy an 09 Borrego Limited with 83,500 miles and nearly every option compared to a nicely loaded '06 Toyota 4 Runner with 153,000 miles. Plus, I got a new set of tires on the Borrego. Love the 4 Runner. There are folks putting 300,000 miles on them. I would have considered the 4 Runner more if I knew who put those miles on it. Still, it was solid option. In the end though, I was more than willing to go with the Borrego with almost half the mileage, more options, and the new tires were the icing on the cake!

We shall see!!!

Dean

[Civilguy]

Dean, I'm with you on this one. Combining your target budget, the general reliability of newer vehicles since and especially beyond the 90's, and the fact that Kia tried to get into a crowded market segment for a very large vehicle right when the economy tanked, I expect that it will work out well for you.

Regarding reliability, my 2002 Passat AWD wagon's Consumer Reports reliability rating fell to unacceptable a year or more after I'd bought it, but it had an 'acceptable' service history in my view for the 14 years that I owned it. I happily passed it along to the kids here at 120K miles. In fact, if I had not needed something heavier to tow the Casita I'd have kept driving it until the wheels fell off.

I read up on the Borrego in Wikipedia; Kia continued to produce them for Canadian market. There's also some interesting information regarding talent that Kia drew in from Audi, some awards, etc.

I did see a couple of minor recalls and service bulletins that you should probably follow up on;

Faulty stop lamp switch on the brake pedal (SC098).
Replace the brake pedal mount in some 2008-09 models (SC096).
Replace rear tailgate actuator; intermittent malfunctions (SA002).

Service bulletins
2009 model 3.8-liter engine may need software update to correct hesitation/delay or loss of power during shifting (SA016)
3.8 engine may need revised thermostat housing due to a booming noise around 2,000 RPM (ENG052).

The brake pedal mount sounds a bit exciting, but the rest doesn't look too troubling to me. I expect you've done well.

I sure wish I had your patience in searching for a deal. Once I have done my (generally extensive) research for a major purchase, I tend to go into "ready-fire-aim" mode and choose a unit quickly.

[DeanCHS1980]

Hi Mike,

Thanks for the information regarding the recalls. I will review the CarFax again. Plus, we have a Kia dealership in town, so I can get the local dealership to check out if there are any outstanding recalls.

I actually got to drive it yesterday for the first time since we owned it. Did a quick 80 mile round trip for an appointment. It drives wonderfully for a truck based SUV. Definitely much different than my Honda Fit. Love'em both!

Regarding my "patience", some would see it as Obsessive Compulsive Disorder!!!

My 14 months of RV research led me to our Casita. Then, about 6 weeks of intense TV research. I enjoy the journey. For me, it is great way to decompress after work.

Actually, my RV research was part of my "long-term" plan to buy an RV. Then, I discovered FG rigs and this darn website/forum full of enthusiastic and passionate folks. I caught the fever. Actually, I have heard and read extensively that it is important to just get out there. I believe that is great advice, so we took the plunge.

So, we have the Casita and the Borrego now. The final piece before being road worthy is a brake controller, I believe. Hmmm, maybe I need a brake controller with a Spanish name to go along with the Casita and Borrego!

Thanks,

Dean

[TheWanderers]

Hi Dean! Laura here - congratulations on your new tow vehicle! Looks awesome! Can't wait to meet you and your Laura and do some camping together. Sounds like we are all on the same page and in the same locale! This is great! Congrats to the two of you!!!

[DeanCHS1980]

Hi Laura (and Bill),

Thanks!!! We are so excited. The brake controller will be here in a few days. In theory, we could be hooking up the Borrego and towing the Casita by the end of the year. I am currently studying the ins and outs of weight distrbution hitches.

It is only a matter of time before the four of us cross paths. I hope to go to the Townsend, TN Eggscursion Rally in April as well as the Eggs Ah La Bourbon Rally in Bardstown, KY in early June. Are the two of you going to be at either of these rallies?

Given our Casita is winterized and has the cover on it, I am guessing some of our first "camping" will be in the drive way. We will then venture out to Barren River Lake State Resort Park, Mammoth Cave, Lake Cumberland State Resort Park, etc. By the time we get to mid April, I think we will be ready to hit Townsend for a Rally.

Take care,

Dean

[TheWanderers]

We're gonna have soooo much fun!