Biggest baddest SUV tow vehicle for under $15k?

[shawndoggy]

well problem solved for now... she will be mine tomorrow (01 one owner 7.3):

[Falko]

Looks good. What is that a 2inch lift?

[jetskipro550]

Congrats! You going to get a tuner, exhaust, and intake now?

[shawndoggy]

Congrats! You going to get a tuner, exhaust, and intake now?

tuner (very mild), CAI, exhaust are already done! 2" lift, mom driven, one owner, spoke with the mechanic who has maintained it for the past seven years, said he'd have bought it if he hadn't just bought a different vehicle for his wife. Can't begin to describe how clean it is. I keep my cars pretty clean but this thing is better than many dealer lot details.

Edited June 15, 2013 by shawndoggy

[Pnwrider]

I'm shopping for a similar vehicle, can I ask how many miles and what you paid? I've been looking at a 2001 limited with the v10 and 110k miles. Seller is asking 11k, good book value is 9k. He told me he'd go down to 10. All the diesels I've seen have 200k miles and the sellers want 15k...

[shawndoggy]

I've learned that *nice* examples command a premium. There are lots of 250k dogs out there.

A "nice" one is probably going to fetch 15k.

I'm paying a little less. This one has 160k on the clock.

There's a one owner 2003 v10 eddie bauer fully loaded in my hood with 138 on the clock for $10k. It's really a vehicle by vehicle thing and my thought is if you get the warm fuzzy about the vehicle, that's the one to buy. The first repair is going to blow any marginal savings you get by squeezing the absolute lowest price.

[Bozboat]

well problem solved for now... she will be mine tomorrow (01 one owner 7.3):

That is an awesome find. Can't wait for the first tow report!

[85 Barefoot]

thats a steal, congrats

[Lance B. Johnson]

Perfect!!!!!

[wakesetter8796]

Get some 22s!

[Lance B. Johnson]

Get some 22s!

No please don't!!

[wakesetter8796]

[shawndoggy]

holy smokes. I've made fun of the "tows like the boat isn't even there" comment countless times. I understand it now. Thundered up the steepest grades without a problem, ac blasting. definitely more of a "truck" than the infiniti, but wow the powertrain. Best father's day present ever.

[Lance B. Johnson]

Great news! Next time I have a cooling system issue ill follow your lead and just get a new truck .

[Bozboat]

holy smokes. I've made fun of the "tows like the boat isn't even there" comment countless times. I understand it now. Thundered up the steepest grades without a problem, ac blasting. definitely more of a "truck" than the infiniti, but wow the powertrain. Best father's day present ever.

Now you are complete. Nothing screams for a 7.3 diesel louder than your boat commute.

[shawndoggy]

oh and that 7.3 screams alright. Well, maybe more like a garbage truck. With a turbo.

[Tims]

Congrats Shawn and happy towing. Here is a good site for mechanical info on your new beast. There are some good maintenance tips that will help your engine last for 500,000 miles.

http://powerstrokehelp.com/

[Bozboat]

Snapped a photo today, figured it must be either Martinarcher's buddy or Shawndoggy's new friend

[Chico]

I sold my '03 Dodge Ram 3/4 ton diesel a few months ago. It was in awesome condition, it was just time for a change for me. I had just put a new 6 speed manual transmission a few months prior to selling. Sold it for $12.5K. There's deal out there on great tow rigs....

[shawndoggy]

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

So I weighed the boat today. 6500 on the trailer, with the junk I traditionally leave in it, but not including food, boards, drinks, vests, tubes (must have the tubes) etc etc. Figure I'm pushing 7000 with all those extras. Methinks I was probably always under the 14850 gcwr, but only just. Combine with a 5,000' climb out of the central valley, it's no wonder the QX was giving me troubles. It was just outmatched.

[Bozboat]

What is the expedition rated for?

[shawndoggy]

What is the expedition rated for?

Excursion is 20k combined and 11k towing. Way bigger margin of error. I was 14.6k combined.

[Bozboat]

What is the expedition rated for?

Excursion is 20k combined and 11k towing. Way bigger margin of error. I was 14.6k combined.

Interesting is that by specs the infinity should have been fine, but with no reserve it wasn't.

[Falko]

My Expedition was rated for 9100 I believe, it was an 04. The Armada we have now is rated for 9500(?). I'd say they are pretty equal for towing when it comes to handling the load. The brakes are adequate on both but really different feel. You have to give the Armada more input than the Expy, but both stop the rig just fine. The Armada does have more towing power though, but the Expy had the older 2V engine and only a 4 speed tranny. Getting one more gear in the Armada with that little extra power makes a big difference.

I too tried to talk the wife into an Excursion for the upgrade, no dice, too big. Great truck though.

[shawndoggy]

What is the expedition rated for?

Excursion is 20k combined and 11k towing. Way bigger margin of error. I was 14.6k combined.

Interesting is that by specs the infinity should have been fine, but with no reserve it wasn't.

Honestly I think the variable that isn't accounted for is the altitude. If we were in TX or FL or somewhere flat, the QX would've been more than adequate. It was head and shoulders better than my prior tow rig (05 f150 supercrew 4x4).