What's a Good Vehicle Choice to Tow ?

[barryra]

Originally Posted by Steve L.

For the OP; Of more interest to me is what engine. Not all Escapes are rated high enough to tow even a 13. Using up 3 transmissions suggests something is going on.

It was a 2006 Ford Escape XLT... it had a 6 cylinder. We would turn off the overdrive by Floyd's instructions.

Thanks for all the vehicle ideas.

[Steve L.]

The six has more than enough capacity for the trailer so that's not the problem with repeated breakdowns. I don't blame you for wanting to try something else, I would too.

[barryra]

Maybe just renting a truck now & then for when we go camping would be cheaper... ? I think a Subaru would be great but we're just getting close to being done with car payments.

[Jon in AZ]

I wonder if many rental trucks are set up for towing and if rental contracts allow it. U-Haul trucks might, but they typically restrict and/or charge for mileage, so it could get expensive.

I feel your dilemma.

If you did purchase a new/used vehicle, what budget range are you aiming for?

[barryra]

Probably around $10,000

[floyd]

Originally Posted by barryra

Our Ford Escapes transmission went out for the 3rd time & at this time we don't have a vehicle that's able to tow our 13' Scamp.

What is a good vehicle choice that's not a gas guzzler & not to spendy? I'd prefer buying used.

Thank you

You don't say which Ford Escape you were towing with.
It makes a BIG difference!
There were at least 4 iterations depending on how you count, Each one distinct in important ways.


How about a new Transit Connect 8SPD diesel?
Or...

We tow a Scamp13D with a 2016 TC shortbox 2.5L 6spd automatic.
It is a perfect match for us and your trailer is 700 pounds lighter!


BTW: It is just nonsense that long wheelbase vehicles are inherently better for towing.
Proportional is what makes sense when it comes to wheelbase. Nothing more clumsy or frustrating than backing a short trailer with a 145" WB truck!

[Jon in AZ]

That’s tough. The popular models already mentioned are going to have a lot of miles in that budget range. Maybe consider compact/midsized pickups. Dodge Dakota, Ford Ranger (old style), Nissan Frontier, Toyota Tacoma... all pretty reliable and long-lasting, low overall cost of operation, though they will use more gas.

[mary and bob]

Originally Posted by barryra

Probably around $10,000

I was in that price range a few years ago when we got a fantastic deal on a Casita 17 but didn't have a tow vehicle that would handle it. Started with 10K in mind and couldn't find anything with less than 100,000 miles on it. Upped my range to 15,000 but still nothing. Finally found a 3 year old Dodge Ram that had only 17,000 miles on it but the price was $22,000. Bought it and have been happy with that decision ever since. I was out of touch with reality as I hadn't bought a new vehicle since 1969 (still own it) and a used car since 2008.

[floyd]

First generation Escape automatics had a tiny transmission filter placed ABOVE the valve body. A bad design which was prone to failure since it plugged up easily and was not often serviced even with a fluid change.
2006 was the year that they changed the design but I suppose it would depend on when it was built.
Of course, any of the 2012+ models would be a totally different car with a proven track record. Any of the newer 6spd automatics are durable and capable of towing the trailer in question. Many 4cyls today will out perform the 6 cyls of the past, especially with the 6,8 or even 10spd transmissions now being used .


You could almost think of adding speeds and cylinders for comparison.
A late nineties 6cyl with a 4spd automatic is now often outgunned by a modern 4CYL with a 6spd, both in capability and reliability.

[John in Michigan]

I have a 2011 Ford Escape XLT with the 3500 lb tow package. Now has 118,500 miles. No problem towing our 1500 lb (unloaded/dry weight) Trillium 4500 once everything is loaded for a 5 to 6 week trip. We have logged 15,000 - 20,000 miles (need to update the log) towing over 4 years.

This tow vehicle has the 3.0 L Duratec V6 with the 6F35 6-speed transmission. To replace the transmission filter, the transmission must be removed and taken apart, thus NOT a viable option. Instead the general recommendation, especially if towing or other heavy use, is to drain and fill with Mercon LV every 30,000 miles. After filling, the fluid must be leveled at 180 to 200 degrees.

We haven't had any problems with this transmission. It works great. Well one problem: Some fluid leaking around the clamshell seam early on. Mechanic determined that the clamshell bolts were loose, tightened them and no leaks, no problems since.

[varmint]

We have a Scamp 16 that we tow with a 2013 ford edge. We're on our 6th year and just returned from a 4,000 mile trip to Big Bend TX. We have towed through the Rocky mountains both northern and southern routes, numerous trips to Florida and TX as well as throughout MI. All in all it's about 35 - 40,000 miles of towing. Bought the Edge new and now have 60,000 on it with no complaints. We get about 25 mpg tank to tank when not towing and about 15 mpg when towing.

[thrifty bill]

$10,000 budget is tough. Subaru Outback is a decent option. I’m a truck guy myself and any of the half ton US models can be found used in that price range. You won’t get the latest/greatest but you can find something good.

Bravo for sticking with a budget! No need to overspend if you are patient. Import models like the Toyota Tacoma depreciate much slower so on the used market your money doesn’t go as far.

FWIW a friend of mine put 362,000 miles on his Subaru Outback. So sometimes a vehicle with high miles, say 200k, can be a good deal,

[barryra]

Originally Posted by John in Michigan

I have a 2011 Ford Escape XLT with the 3500 lb tow package. Now has 118,500 miles. No problem towing our 1500 lb (unloaded/dry weight) Trillium 4500 once everything is loaded for a 5 to 6 week trip. We have logged 15,000 - 20,000 miles (need to update the log) towing over 4 years.

This tow vehicle has the 3.0 L Duratec V6 with the 6F35 6-speed transmission. To replace the transmission filter, the transmission must be removed and taken apart, thus NOT a viable option. Instead the general recommendation, especially if towing or other heavy use, is to drain and fill with Mercon LV every 30,000 miles. After filling, the fluid must be leveled at 180 to 200 degrees.

We haven't had any problems with this transmission. It works great. Well one problem: Some fluid leaking around the clamshell seam early on. Mechanic determined that the clamshell bolts were loose, tightened them and no leaks, no problems since.

My wife & I ran in to a friend last night & I brought up that we were looking for a vehicle & he said his buddy was selling his 1998 Chevy Silverado with 90,000 miles & is in perfect shape. It's not the best mileage vehicle but it may work out for us.

[John in Santa Cruz]

hey, I paid $13000 for my 2002 F250 longbed diesel 7.3, rated to tow 12500 lbs or haul 2000 lbs in the bed, plus passengers in the cab. it gets as good as 19 MPG on the long haul interstate running easy and basically empty, and typically 15 MPG towing the ~4500 lb escape 21 on road trips, and worst case 13 MPG being used for around town errands when my regular car is down.

there's plenty of good deals out there, you just have to search for them.

[macnmore]

Subaru Outback - towed my 13 foot for years - not one problem

[adamavis]

Get a manual tranny

Newer Toyota Sienna - 3500#
Toyota Rav 4 V6 with tow package - 3500#. 2012 was the last year for the V6
Hyundai Sante Fe XL - 5000#
Subaru Outback V6 3300# I think
Honda Odyssey - 3500#
Chevy Colorado - 4000# and+
etc ..

A toyota corolla / matrix will tow 1500 #

[amieVA]

Originally Posted by barryra

Our Ford Escapes transmission went out for the 3rd time & at this time we don't have a vehicle that's able to tow our 13' Scamp.

What is a good vehicle choice that's not a gas guzzler & not to spendy? I'd prefer buying used.

Thank you

We had a 2009 RAV-4 Sport with a 6 cylinder engine that had a tow rating of 3500 lbs. It worked great for our 16 ft. Casita. They stopped making the 6 cyl a few years ago but there are still plenty of used ones out there. Even though it was a 6 cylinder it still got about 23 mpg (not when towing though). Make sure the vehicle has a tow prep package.

[CalgaryEscape]

CV transmissions are generally not rugged enough to handle towing (although Aisin trannies by Toyota are better than others). Still, I would absolutely avoid them. FWD is the poorest drive configuration -- you are much better to have rear-wheel drive or a RWD-based all-wheel drive configuration. A good automatic is totally capable of withstanding the stresses of towing loads, with proper cooling. If you are ordering, make sure you get the trailer towing package, which includes a bigger transmission cooler. For a lightish trailer (mine is an Aliner under 2,000 lbs.) I find a Canyon with the 3.6-litre V6 has plenty of power. Toyotas and Subarus, of course, are great, if you are prepared to pay the premium, but the GMs can do the job for less. I'm not keen on Ford's EcoBoost fours. They work very hard to generate the horsepower, with next-to-no fuel economy gain. Interested in seeing how the new Gladiator stacks up. Will test one soon.

[Dick Kasnick]

Originally Posted by Pete Hein

"It's a bit hard to imagine how a "1300 lb trailer" can have enough tongue weight to lighten the front end that much."

I said it in my first post: Short wheelbase. The car brakes but the trailer doesn't; the trailer tips forward, increasing the down-load on the tongue; that lifts the front of the car. Doesn't have to get the wheels clear of the ground to go into a skid.

Well said. Most people do not think of the dynamics of towing. But, it is very important nonetheless!

[Aldrene]

It is always better to get a slightly larger tow vehicle than you think you need because you never know when you might want to trade up on your trailer size. Turbo engines guzzle gas a lot more gas than non turbo engines when towing. We have towed a Casita 13 from San Francisco all the way to Baja and back with a Nissan 4 cylinder non turbo 4x4 with no problems. Any SUV with a v6 should be adequate for your needs.

Ron