Biggest baddest SUV tow vehicle for under $15k?

[shawndoggy]

first thought - based upon the load in the truck, I am willing to lay down money you are over the GCVWR of your QX. That tow rating assumes an empty vehicle and 150 lb driver. Every pound in the truck is one more pound you cannot pull.

As stated the 8.1 sucks gas. Badly. They pull great though and if I were you, I would be fine with that based upon your need and driving. But an Excursion with the V10 gas engine will actually get better MPG (they are only 6.8l v 8.1l). The Ex is also larger inside than the 2500 burb and GCVWR is higher. They however do not drive as nicely. With your driving, don't bother with diesel.

Tow rating is 9900. Lets subtract seven two hundred pound people from that (conservative... I'd guess actual average is 140 lbs). That leaves 8500lbs on the table. No way my boat on the trailer weighs more than that no way.

[yabetcha]

http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/vehicledetails.xhtml?zip=95687&fuelCodes=DSL&endYear=2014&modelCode1=EXCURSION&showcaseOwnerId=1146087&startYear=1981&makeCode1=FORD&sellerTypes=b&searchRadius=200&mmt=%5BFORD%5BEXCURSION%5B%5D%5D%5B%5D%5D&listingId=344460140&listingIndex=16&Log=0

I have a 2005 6.0 and added ARP head studs when I bought it used at 73,000 miles. I'm over 180,000 miles now and tow to Tahoe a couple times a summer and love it.

I believe the difference between 7.3 vs 6.0 also includes 4 vs 5 speed transmission.

Edited June 6, 2013 by yabetcha

[shawndoggy]

Tow rating is 9900. Lets subtract seven two hundred pound people from that (conservative... I'd guess actual average is 140 lbs). That leaves 8500lbs on the table. No way my boat on the trailer weighs more than that no way.

Oops, it's 9,000, not 9,900. Even so, I'm still very dubious that my boat weighs even 7,600 on the trailer.

[Bozboat]

.... Lets subtract seven two hundred pound people from that.....

Did you clear that number with your CEO?

Edited June 6, 2013 by Bozboat

[UpperleftWake]

Damn, pretty nice setup if you have the coin for a 2013 Excursion.

Hennessey's Velociraptor!

[shawndoggy]

LOLz that's what I'm saying! My family of four weighs 500 on our heaviest day. So we'd have to have three three hundred pounders to have 1400lbs in human cargo.

[ct77]

Didn't really read through all 7 pages, but you could keep your current vehicle and pick up a used Ford E350 Van with a V10 for CHEAP! It's not 4WD but if you only use it as a two vehicle for the boat in the summer, keep the Qx for your winter/daily driving. I've owned 2 vans, old '94 with the 351 and my current '05 with the V10. Good tranny's, great for towing and can haul anything you'd ever want to throw inside along with your crew. Get home late and don't feel like unloading no problem. Back it in, lock it up and unload in the AM. I'd never buy another truck again or SUV. Nobody wants them, it's a buyers market for sure. I even through a lift kit and 33" to give it a clean look.

[nyryan2001]

The Avalanche won't work from a people hauling perspective..

They seat 5... He has 4 in his family... What am I missing?

[Nitrousbird]

They seat 5... He has 4 in his family... What am I missing?

He said he regularly hauls 6-7 people to the lake. Besides, I've hauled 5 adults in my Avalanche before - no thanks for a long haul. It is pretty decent for 4 adults + one child seat in the middle (as you can lean on it, spread your legs to the center and have a bit more space). Even then, glad I was driving.

[Nitrousbird]

Hennessey's Velociraptor!

I don't think he wants to be:

[Bill_AirJunky]

They seat 5... He has 4 in his family... What am I missing?

Mine seats 6 adults. Depends on what front seat you have. One had a permanent console, the other is a fold up/down.

The issue is any Av built after about 2003 is a 1/2 ton with a 5.3 liter. The Escalades have the 6 liter in them, and seat 5. They made 3/4 ton Avs for a couple years in like 2002 & 2003 that had the 8 liter in them.

[shawndoggy]

yeah I don't want three across the front.

[jetskipro550]

Look for an old Ford Centurian. Should fit the bill, and you can take the top off!

http://www.curbsideclassic.com/curbside-classics-american/curbside-classic-ford-classic-350-centurion-vehicles-creates-a-frankenstein-suburban-fighter/

[martinarcher]

Look for an old Ford Centurian. Should fit the bill, and you can take the top off!

http://www.curbsideclassic.com/curbside-classics-american/curbside-classic-ford-classic-350-centurion-vehicles-creates-a-frankenstein-suburban-fighter/

I always thought those were cool vehicles. Saw one on ebay when i was searching for my truck. It was in WA and had more rust that was worth it or I would have considered it.

[jetskipro550]

Back in HS there was one for sale at a dealer new my work. It had a big block and was lifted. We thought it was about the coolest thing in the world!

[Bozboat]

Maybe you should look for the one of these with three rows of seats,

Mercedes-Benz G 63 AMG 6x6

But seriously, how do you handle the corners towing your boat over that mountain pass???

Edited June 7, 2013 by Bozboat

[Asmodeus2112]

shawndoggy, do you know the GCVWR of your QX56? I searched the interwebs and surprising didn't find it. It should be in the user manual or door sticker. I'm somewhat interested in the QX56 myself, so would like to know if it's not a prob.

[shawndoggy]

But seriously, how do you handle the corners towing your boat over that mountain pass???

The pass itself is no drama at all aside from being steep and high. It's an interstate highway after all. I think I-5 into southern oregon is sketchier (for an interstate), what with the steep ups and downs combined with so many oregonians on the road.

Its when you get down into the gold/deliverance country and the roads go across the foothills of the sierra that there's some drama.

[shawndoggy]

shawndoggy, do you know the GCVWR of your QX56? I searched the interwebs and surprising didn't find it. It should be in the user manual or door sticker. I'm somewhat interested in the QX56 myself, so would like to know if it's not a prob.

lawdy, my capacity just dropped by another 100 lbs (I have 4x4)!

[Lance B. Johnson]

The pass itself is no drama at all aside from being steep and high. It's an interstate highway after all. I think I-5 into southern oregon is sketchier (for an interstate), what with the steep ups and downs combined with so many oregonians on the road.

Its when you get down into the gold/deliverance country and the roads go across the foothills of the sierra that there's some drama.

Oregonians? Dude try driving in Washington. Now that's some scary $&@"

[MalibuTime]

The pass itself is no drama at all aside from being steep and high. It's an interstate highway after all. I think I-5 into southern oregon is sketchier (for an interstate), what with the steep ups and downs combined with so many oregonians on the road.

Its when you get down into the gold/deliverance country and the roads go across the foothills of the sierra that there's some drama.

[Lance B. Johnson]

Whoa hold it right there. Washington is way worse.

[Nitrousbird]

Mine seats 6 adults. Depends on what front seat you have. One had a permanent console, the other is a fold up/down.

The issue is any Av built after about 2003 is a 1/2 ton with a 5.3 liter. The Escalades have the 6 liter in them, and seat 5. They made 3/4 ton Avs for a couple years in like 2002 & 2003 that had the 8 liter in them.

I forgot about the bench seat Avalanche - no leather with the bench seat.

All years of 1st Generation Avalanches were available as a 2500 in an 8.1L (2002-2006). 2500 2WD was only available in 2002-2003; 4WD for 2002-2006. When I got my North Face Edition I considered getting a 2500, since at the time (2005) they sold for the same money used. I just couldn't justify the extreme difference in fuel economy.

Don't forget the 6.0L L76 (VortecMax) put in the 07-09 Avalanches. Otherwise it is different flavors of the 5.3L from 2002-2013.

[nyryan2001]

So Shawn... you only real beef with the Q is the overheating problem... you are otherwise happy with performance and abilities?

[shawndoggy]

So Shawn... you only real beef with the Q is the overheating problem... you are otherwise happy with performance and abilities?

Pretty much, yes. I'm a bit of a serial car flipper though, and I will say that with this one the honeymoon is over. I'm a car guy more than a truck guy, and this thing is a truck. It does its truck thing pretty well and I've got it set up with a front hitch to push the boat back into my storage unit. If I were not experiencing the overheat condition I would have no reason to consider a different vehicle, but with over 80k on the clock it's not perfect anymore either. It has a few quirks that bug me a little more each time I experience them. But that's more about car lust than it is the vehicle not meeting my needs.

This is my wife's daily driver, and she really hates driving it on the regular. She'd like to be in a smaller awd car that gets better mileage (she also does 2x as many miles as me per year). So there's some motivation to do a larger vehicle switcheroo where we replace both vehicles.