Here's my situation:
I currently have a f150 but its inadequate for towing my boat. The v6 at 200hp and 2 wheel drive is at its rated limits for towing my 26' Islander at 6k loaded. I prefer the 4 wheel drive for the ramps and something thats well within its towing limits for safety.
This is a secondary vehicle. It will see runs to Home Depot, the dump and local runs to the Puget Sound towing as well as long trip shots to Westport and Ilwaco for a few tuna runs each year. It will also serve as a backup to our primary cars. I doubt it will see more than 3k per year put on it so buying new does not make much sense. I was just looking at a 99 f250 SD with a v10 but it seems like overkill and with 13mpg empty and probably 10ish pulling I'm debating a lighter 250/2500 series with a decent v8 that could get better mileage all around. Tough call, bigger is always better when towing but saving 30-40% on gas when towing 3 hours each way does add up.
My research into Chevy/Ford/Dodge seems to show that they all suck at quality control which actually helps since they depreciate 60% plus by time they are in the 5-8 years old group that I'm looking at. If I was buying new it would be a Tundra hands down for reliability but the ones in this age group don't have the towing capacity.
My root question comes down to: What experiences do you have with towing in this weight class and whats adequate for doing the job safely? Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.
I currently have a f150 but its inadequate for towing my boat. The v6 at 200hp and 2 wheel drive is at its rated limits for towing my 26' Islander at 6k loaded. I prefer the 4 wheel drive for the ramps and something thats well within its towing limits for safety.
This is a secondary vehicle. It will see runs to Home Depot, the dump and local runs to the Puget Sound towing as well as long trip shots to Westport and Ilwaco for a few tuna runs each year. It will also serve as a backup to our primary cars. I doubt it will see more than 3k per year put on it so buying new does not make much sense. I was just looking at a 99 f250 SD with a v10 but it seems like overkill and with 13mpg empty and probably 10ish pulling I'm debating a lighter 250/2500 series with a decent v8 that could get better mileage all around. Tough call, bigger is always better when towing but saving 30-40% on gas when towing 3 hours each way does add up.
My research into Chevy/Ford/Dodge seems to show that they all suck at quality control which actually helps since they depreciate 60% plus by time they are in the 5-8 years old group that I'm looking at. If I was buying new it would be a Tundra hands down for reliability but the ones in this age group don't have the towing capacity.
My root question comes down to: What experiences do you have with towing in this weight class and whats adequate for doing the job safely? Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.