shopping for a tow rig..

[twoslo4five0]

what is a good tow rig for the money???i know dodge with a cummns but they are a lil out of my price range for the years...i need to be able to haul about 10k behind it and i need to be able to drive it around and not kill my wallet...ive seen some talk of the new chevys and such...what yall think for the most bang for the buck..

 

[bigjbear]

If you want new and bang for the buck I'd look at an F-150. It'll do 10K if you don't need to do it every day.

 

[twoslo4five0]

what year and what to be fearfull of??

 

[bowtiepower00]

If towing is the reason you're wanting to buy the truck, there is no choice but Diesel, period. Dodge rigs with the Cummins are available in all price ranges. Yes, a big block gasser will tow too, but the fuel consumption is going to be close to double that of a similar Diesel rig, and have FAR less "bombability", which is something you're definately going to want if you're tugging 10K regularly.

My first choice would be a 94-98 12 Valve Dodge with a Cummins. I've seen them as low as three or four grand in drivable shape. This will be the easiest to modify, and will run several hundred thousand miles if taken care of.

Second would be an earlier Dodge Cummins rig. These can be found for pretty cheap if you look hard enough. I wouldn't be afraid of the earlier non-intercooled versions, either. With a little work you can make any of them run really well, and get excellent mileage. They also run forever.

The 7.3 Powerstroke is a good choice as well.

A 6.5 TD in decent shape would work OK, but wouldn't have the same reliability as the others.

If you are willing to pay for the extra fuel, any IFS Chevy with a BBC will tow just fine. The newer the better. The 96-00 Vortec 7.4 trucks run really well and are capable of decent MPG for a BBC (think 10-16 MPG.) Some headers and other goodies can really wake them up. Problem is, unless you've got ten grand to spend, you're probably looking at a rig with 150K+ on it, and that's getting pretty close to rebuild time.

Personally, I would do whatever it takes to get into a Cummins rig. Don't be afraid of one with 300K+ on it if it's been taken care of. Lots of high mileage well maintained hotshot rigs out there that have spent their entire lives on the interstate hauling RV's and other loads too small for a Semi. I see lots of first gen Dodge Diesels on the road everyday running hotshot. If you consider that many of these rigs have been used for that purpose continuously from the day they were purchased, that really speaks for their longevity.

 

[vtblazer]

Yep, diesel is the way to go for sure.

Don't go 1/2 ton truck, it's not made to haul anything close to that kinda weight.

3/4 or 1 ton diesel will make your trips alot easier and safer.

I'm running an 01 chevy 3/4 ton with the D-Max/Ally combo and absolutely love it.

Get decent mileage running around town too.

 

[rjfguitar]

I hate to sound like a total a$$hat, but I think what you are after is out of your price range. It's the good mileage part that tips the measures because to get that you need diesel power and to get diesel power you are going to have to come up with a big bag of money.

IIRC, you were looking at an '89 Cummins for $6K. If that is your price ceiling than you *might* be better off sticking with your F350.

Forget those 89,90-91 Cummins Rams IMHO. In stock form your F350 460ci will likely out pull one of those early trucks, or at least stay right with it.

Like I said, I'm not trying to be a jerk by basically saying "you can't afford what you are wanting," but I'm just trying to be realistic.

The way I see it you have THREE options.

1. Just be happy with the F350 and run it, if all you do is tow with it, gas doesn't cost that much when you factor the actuall mileage the vehicle sees.

2. Hunt.... just wait for the right deal to come along. Eventually a 93-98 Ram Cummins or 95-97 Ford F350 will come along under priced and you could afford to snatch it up.

3. Take your $6K or less and make a DOWN PAYMENT! If you could afford a medium sized payment like $300 per month or less, you could get a pretty decent truck. A 94-98 Ram Cummins in the 10-12K range and even a 95-97 F350 for just a tad cheaper.

 

[twoslo4five0]

ive decied to keep the burb for now...i invested that 6k in my retirement fund....i actaully started this thread cause im gonna move in about 6 months then im gonna buy a newer truck....i was looking at a 1500hd or a 2500 thats all...im not buying anything anytime soon just seeing what people sugest that all..