Tow Vehicle Recommendations

[Green Mountain Grady]

Hi All,

I have a 1991 Tournament 225 with a 2001 Yamaha OX66 250hp outboard (engine is on the GW outboard extension). I've estimated the max weight to be about 6,000 pounds (3,000 pounds boat, 1,000 pounds trailer, 600 pounds engine, 1,000 pounds max fuel and 200 pounds gear), does this sound about right? Based on this I've been researching a new vehicle that will haul the family (5 + dog) and tow the boat. Right now we do short, local tows but want to get a vehicle that will safely tow from Vermont to South Carolina down I-95. Needs to be an SUV. Vehicles I'm considering are Dodge Durango (6 and 8 cyl), VW Touareg TDi, Chevy Tahoe, and the BMW X5 diesel. Am I missing anything? Does anyone have experience towing with any of these vehicles? Any advice would be welcome. Thanks!

 

[DennisG01]

Assuming your numbers are correct, you're probably going to want a vehicle with AT LEAST a 7,000lb rating. In most cases, a vehicles max trailer weight spec is based on only one person in the vehicle and no extra load inside. I've towed with more Tahoe's, Suburban's and trucks (1/2, 3/4, 1 ton) than I can shake a stick out. I personally own a 3/4 ton Suburban with a diesel engine. LOVE it! - But they no longer make them with the diesel. Tahoes/Yukons are very good tow vehicles, too, and they'll do just fine for the weight you've got since it's on the lighter side. The downside, is you won't get the mileage that the diesels will get. I have not towed with the other vehicles you mentioned.

I recently bought a Mercedes GL320 (diesel). I must say, I am VERY pleasantly surprised at how well it tows 6-7K pounds. Plenty of power and VERY stable. To better learn the limits of a vehicle I'm towing with, I often "take it through it's paces". For this one, I was on back roads (45-ish MPH) with about 6-6,500lbs behind me. There was no other traffic so I started swerving back and forth to imitate and emergency swerve maneuver. I gradually increased the rate at which I swerved and eventually got to the point where the vehicles ABS/anti-swerve started kicking in. I was skeptical going into this, thinking that a mid-size vehicle (although on Merc forums they always see to refer to the GL as "big"... which it's not :roll: ) can't compete with my Sub. But I must admit, it's pretty darn close. But that's OK... I can still fit a full size sheet of plywood in the Sub! :mrgreen:

 

[Parthery]

I tow my 2000 225 with either an 08 Tahoe (5.3) or a 2010 Yukon Denali (6.2). Both handle the boat without any problem and I've regularly made 700 mile tows without issue.

Your weights are close....my 225 scales out at about 5300 with a half tank of fuel. My trailer is a 7000 GVW or 5900 net capacity.

 

[family affair]

IMO, I'd look for a minimum of 8k lbs rating considering the distance, terrain, and cargo load.

If you aren't tow vehicle savvy, keep in mind that most manufacturers sell identical vehicles with very different tow ratings. The tow ratings will differ because of cooling systems, engine torque, transmission gear quantity, and axle ratios, etc. For example:

Chrysler sells the Durango with a v6 and v8 gas and I believe v6 diesel. You will want either the 5.7 gas or v6 diesel with 3.92 gears and the tow package.

With the Chevy you will want the 5.3, 6.0, or 6.2 with 3.73 gears or greater (4.10) and the tow package. The only exception would be the new 6.2 with an 8 speed trans. where a 3.55 might work well.

As for the others, I can't comment, but similar principles apply.

Happy hunting!

 

[Lt.Mike]

I would recommend a full sized vehicle like a 2500 series suburban or pickup (250 for Ford) with a trailer rating of at least 7 to 8,000 lbs.
Obviously the rating should exceed the weight it is meant to tow but in my experience the weight of the tow vehicle is as much of a factor if not more as its power when it comes to towing. A heavier tow vehicle will not be pushed when stopping or be muscled about by the trailer it tows. A heavier truck will stay planted and be a safer choice.

Years back I towed a 3,000 lb boat/trailer with a car that had a 4,000 lb rating. The car wasn't big though it had the rating and the manufacturers blessing but when I went to brake on a wet road and that trailer pushed me into an intersection I became a fan of bigger tow vehicles.
I don't slip or rack my boat. I tow my Grady everywhere with a '99 K1500 pickup and it does it very well and safely. My only gripe is the tongue weight sags it a little so if I were to buy another I'd get a 2500 series. Incidentally the trailer is dual axle but has no brakes (something I'd like to improve on this year) but it still handles and stops fine. A couple last notes are to grab the tow package which will include a trans cooler and tow haul mode (like my Jeep Commander). The Chevy has a trans and engine oil cooler. I always tow the Grady in "D" (drive) not "O" (overdrive). The Jeeps tow/haul mode automatically omits the overdrive. A four wheel or all wheel drive vehicle which will save your butt on some ramps. Last a dually pickup is the absolute king for towing short of a Semi but that extra set of tires on the rear will cause pain in your wallet at the toll booths.
Mike.

 

[SmokyMtnGrady]

you can tow that boat pretty much with any of those vehicles. Towing is easy. Stopping is the hard part. I dont have any data on any of those SUVs. I know this because i tow long distances yearly that the longer the wheel base the better the tow vehicle. The bigger the brakes the safer the tow vehicle. I myself am a Toyota dude.

I can not say enough about the comfort, quality, safety and muscle of my Tundra. I have an 08 Tundra with 5.8 liter crew max and it has over 177,000 miles i put on it. Never been in the shop other than routine maintenance. Toyota has the largest disc brakes of any 1/2 ton truck or SuV. I am so pleased with it that we traded our 4 Runner with a V8 for 2015 Tundra crew max. Before next summer i am adding the TRD vented front brakes to the 2015 Tundra. You owe it to yourself to add the Sequia to the mix. I have a 228 which is a tad heavier than the 225.

 

[Green Mountain Grady]

Thanks for weighing in, I appreciate everyone's input. After looking at VW Tourags (liked them and the TDI version had a ton of torque but too small), Chevy Tahoe, Chevy Suburban, GMC Tahoe and Toyota Land Cruiser; I purchased a 2008 Toyota Sequoia limited with the 5.7 liter engine. Size wise it falls between the Tahoe and Suburban but what sold me was the interior layout and usability. It's rated for up to 10,000 pounds with the tow package. I'll let everyone know in 3.5 months how it tows once I go get the boat out of storage! Thanks again for your thoughts and if you ever visit Vermont let me know and we''ll head out on Lake Champlain.

 

[family affair]

If the Sequoia has the right gears, the only way you will know the boat is behind you will be from a glance in the mirror or your gas gage moving more quickly! That v8 will out-tow every v8 under 6 liters being made today. I know because I used a Tundra with a 5.7 to bring ours back home from Florida. Even in the mountains of WV I don't think the truck ever dropped below 4th gear!