Age of tow vehicle

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by SouthernCamper

Thanks. I'll look at the inreach. We've been wanting to look at a cell extender. You've used it? What's your experience been?

I've used a cell phone booster for years. Yes, they do work but I'm contemplating getting an inreach because there's a lot of dead spots in some areas.

The booster has worked very well for us within its' capabilities. When driving through areas where there's cell service in a small town with huge dead spots otherwise it will pick up the signal sooner and hold onto it longer. Very handy if you're just passing through.

But it's no comparison to be able to contact the outside world 24/7 that the satellite services provide.

Ron

[occer]

The age is less of a concern than the mileage. And most vehicles built in the last 20 years are good to 200,000 miles with just the minimum of maintenance. A little TLC maintenance and I have had them go close to 300,000.
It’s metal fatigue, that wears out a vehicle.

[salmo7000]

My thoughts exactly. I tow with a 2017 Chevy Colorado diesel. I adhere to scheduled maintenance to a tee, including and especially changing out the transmission fluid every 45,000 miles, or less. At one point, after paying so much more for diesel compared to gasoline, I was seriously considering trading it for the new 2023 Colorado, with a turbo charged 4-cylinder gas engine and higher towing specs than my diesel. That was before EPA announced the gas mileage for these trucks though… 19 mpg city, 21 highway, for the 4X4.

Heck, my diesel gets 19 mpg or more TOWING, and up to 32 mpg not towing!! That’s too much of a step down for that particular variable, especially since my 2017 is already paid for. A new one would set me back something like $44K, and with that hit on mpg, no thanks. I’ve decided to keep what I have, which thus far has been a great tow vehicle. Even with the cost of diesel, I’ll be $$ ahead keeping what I have.

These are the kinds of tradeoffs one has to consider. Dang it anyway GM, in this day and age, why did you stop making the Colorados/Canyons with that glorious little Duramax and incredible mpg?? Yeah a person can still get the 3.0 liter diesel in the Silverado, but lots of us don’t want to drive a full size pickup, plus you can’t touch one for much under 60k!! Sigh…

[Mike Lewis]

I tow with a 2013 Toyota Tacoma 4WD. It is also my daily driver at home. It has 280,000 miles on it. Although I have maintained it well, mileage is mileage, and I'm getting nervous about taking it on long trips. Especially, I've postponed a trip to Alaska until I acquire a new tow vehicle. I don't want to break down in polar bear country.

Remember:
If the bear is black-- fight back!
If the bear is brown-- lie down.
If the bear is white-- good night.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by SouthernCamper

Thanks! I know embarrassingly little about engines, but isn't wear and tear from mileage different with diesels?

No. Some engines are designed and built for more durability, but that is unrelated to whether the fuel is gasoline or diesel. John's diesel engine was designed for light commercial use, so it may be more durable than a typical car engine... but again, not because it is a diesel.

[oldwave]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

No. Some engines are designed and built for more durability, but that is unrelated to whether the fuel is gasoline or diesel. John's diesel engine was designed for light commercial use, so it may be more durable than a typical car engine... but again, not because it is a diesel.

Exactly the Hemi 6.4 in my Ram is different from the 6.4 hemi in a Challenger. Detained for towing and more robust bearings I think I read

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by Mike Lewis

I tow with a 2013 Toyota Tacoma 4WD. It is also my daily driver at home. It has 280,000 miles on it. Although I have maintained it well, mileage is mileage, and I'm getting nervous about taking it on long trips. Especially, I've postponed a trip to Alaska until I acquire a new tow vehicle. I don't want to break down in polar bear country.

Remember:
If the bear is black-- fight back!
If the bear is brown-- lie down.
If the bear is white-- good night.

What, you're afraid that if you broke down and opened your door there might by a Grizzly bear munching dandelions in the ditch beside the road. Well you might be right.

As much as Polar bears are beautiful to see and watch there're the only bear that has sent a chill down my spine. When they look you right in their eyes from a few feet away you know with certainty that all he sees is food.

My irony is that my 2011 Ford Ranger towed my 19 all over North America etc. without any problems. But it had about 70,000 miles on it and I thought having a new truck might not be a bad idea. Especially if it could tow a 21.

The irony is that my F150 had issues that shut it down dead. It's been fine lately but there's still a little doubt in my mind about it's reliability.

Ron

[Mike G]

Originally Posted by SouthernCamper

What size escape do you have? Looking at a GX460 for our 21' and worry about porpoising and sway

My 19' seems to tow straight and true on the ball of my GX470. That said, if it were a 21' I think I'd want some sway control for "insurance". The longer wheelbase of a Tundra, on the other hand, should do better with the longer trailer; harder for the tail to wag the longer dog.


My thought would be to have the Tundra looked over good by a trusted mechanic, then go have fun with it. Odd stuff can happen with any vehicle of any age, but your pickup doesn't have a ton of miles on it IMO (mine is at 210k and I'll take it anywhere) so chances are good that you'll be fine.

[brroberts]

I have two and keep using both of them. One is a ‘98 Chevy 2500 pickup and the other is a ‘21 Ford Ranger.

As far as bears a nice grizzly with a flat tire bike touring out of Nome, Alaska got my attention. As far as polar bears, yep I always kept an eye out living in the arctic. since I didn’t want to be dinner. Of course in SE Alaska when the black bear visits the deck and you are in the hot tub it gets your attention too.

[splitting_lanes]

Originally Posted by SouthernCamper

Thanks! I know embarrassingly little about engines, but isn't wear and tear from mileage different with diesels?

Diesels burn diesel fuel, an oil, which is a lubricant. Gasoline engines burn gasoline, which is a solvent. Solvents wash oil away. So, a diesel does have that advantage.

Diesel engines also don’t run at as high of rpm, which also helps longevity.

Diesel engines have no spark plugs, they have high compression which generates so much heat and pressure that the fuel explodes. To handle these explosions, diesel engines need to be built tougher, or they don’t last long.

So, a well designed and built diesel engine does typically several hundred thousand miles, and so can a well built gasoline engine. But I’d say as a general rule, diesel engines last longer, injecting lubricant into an engine is an advantage, and injecting a solvent into an engine is a disadvantage, as far as internal wear goes.

[RangerMan]

2002 F250 7.3 diesel. 410,000 miles. Best truck ever built! I'll drive it until one of us (I'm 88, lots of miles) simply gives it up.

[Iowa Dave]

We had this same pickup where I worked after I retired from municipal work. It had 250,000
Miles on it when the frame rusted through as I was hauling a pretty good sized
Irrigation water reel in the back. Made it home ok but the truck wasn’t used or fixed after that.
Its winter life was plowing parking lots with liberally applied deicing salt. Probably never had the underside washed in its life.
Iowa Dave

[oldwave]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

I used to attend rallies near Hohenwald with my various Escapes and Jim Oliver toured mine to "check out the competition" and asked me for suggestions. I remember specifically saying the bath area needs heat. Not sure if the Olivers did that!

My new Bigfoot has a heat vent in the bathroom, warmest area in the trailer

[oldwave]

Originally Posted by rubicon327

We tow with 2005 and 2007 V6 4Runners. My 2005 has 205,000 miles and the 2007 around 160,000. Never any trouble but one does happen to be in the shop today. A transmission fluid cooler line up near the radiator rusted through. Engine and trans are great. Frame and component rust underneath is the biggest issue.

My 2004 f150 I sold last fall had not a spec of rust on the frame, I fluid fiilmed it every other year. I did the same for the new ram before it had 200 miles on it

[BobG]

Originally Posted by RangerMan

I'm 88, lots of miles

And an inspiration!! Thanks

[HABBERDABBER]

It may have been mentioned already, but have your coolant hoses changed, your accessory and or timing belts changed, all fluids flushed and renewed and a fresh battery . After that, it’s going to be some sort of mechanical breakage. For that, have a good and paid off credit card.

[John in Santa Cruz]

Originally Posted by occer

The age is less of a concern than the mileage. And most vehicles built in the last 20 years are good to 200,000 miles with just the minimum of maintenance. A little TLC maintenance and I have had them go close to 300,000.
It’s metal fatigue, that wears out a vehicle.

well, in the rust belt, a reasonably maintained 5 year old car looks like a 40 year old California car that's been neglected.

[Allan Bornestig]

Hello John in Santa Cruz.
Agree totally.Apart from my mule a 2003 Ford 250 Super Duty I keep a 1990 Volvo 740 on the road for around town.Got a spare one in the garage.Run one for a year then put one in the garage and run the other one.When things needs to be fixed or maintained it just feels like a made a car payment.Hate debt of any kind, but you can hardly buy a house without the banks.However, paid off the house in eleven years, of course that was in 1990.I don't know how young people do it nowadays.Staying healthy is still the most important thing in life.
Take care.
Allan.

[John in Santa Cruz]

Originally Posted by Allan Bornestig

Hello John in Santa Cruz.
Agree totally.Apart from my mule a 2003 Ford 250 Super Duty I keep a 1990 Volvo 740 on the road for around town.Got a spare one in the garage.Run one for a year then put one in the garage and run the other one.When things needs to be fixed or maintained it just feels like a made a car payment.Hate debt of any kind, but you can hardly buy a house without the banks.However, paid off the house in eleven years, of course that was in 1990.I don't know how young people do it nowadays.Staying healthy is still the most important thing in life.
Take care.
Allan.

heh, this 1992 740 Turbo was my daily driver for about 10 years... I think my son's ex in Reno is still driving it around.

[WillyB]

Originally Posted by John in Santa Cruz

heh, this 1992 740 Turbo was my daily driver for about 10 years... I think my son's ex in Reno is still driving it around.

Our oldest bought one of those soon after college. She used it as her daily driver/camper for years. After about 150,000 miles of ownership she took over as the head of the occupation therapy program for a local hospital and decided she needed something that fit in a little better in her new parking area and bought a new Honda. The Volvo the had over 350,000 miles at that point.

We referred to the Volvo as "The Tank".