I have personally had good dealings with Marietta Dodge, Sutherlin Nissan (I think they are now Team Nissan), and Honda Carland. I think they all have websites.
Guoseph, I am not sure you can get one of these cheaper than a truck, but how about a Jeep Cherokee (the regular one, not the Grand)? I have been totally amazed at how well mine tows. Depending on which version you get, the straight 6 cyl motor has either 170 or 190 HP. In third gear (automatic) I can tow a 6x10 enclosed trailer at 85 to 90+ mph, loaded. In overdrive on level road it can maintain 75 to 85 but hills drop it down pretty quick. Anyway, the nice thing about this option is that you have more enclosed room than you need, and it handles nicely. Quieter too than my wife's pick up.
no matter what you buy make sure it has no problems at all.you are going to be relying in this vehicle in other states and places you've never been. as for the dodge dakota i pull towards a dodge because i work at Akins Ford/Dodge and drive a dodge.the dakota is an awesome truck and you get a lot more for your dollar.the 4 door with a 4.7L V-8 ,really powerful,is a great deal. btw-we give a discount to all WERA racers so make sure you tell him who you are!!! call 770 867-9136 and speak to marshall britt and he'll set you up with the info you need.i think you would be really happy with the dakota. [This message has been edited by eddiek (edited 05-25-2001).]
I spent the better half of the off-season test driving pickup trucks, and my end desire was the Dakota. The price difference of the V-8 Magna and the V-6 was nominal. So, considering you want to pull, go for the 8. ... In 98, I pulled a 6x12 loaded with two bikes and gear with a '98 Ford E-150 V6. It just didn't handle it very well. ... In the end, I did not buy a pickup, instead I got a '90 Dodge Xplorer Camper Van with a 318 V8. No more hotel rooms or Restaurants for Team TSR, we're self sufficient now. (Except for the Garrettsville Mill, we'll go there to eat when we go to Nelson Ledges. That place is great...the restaurant that is. )
There are a few on Ebay...sold mine on EBAY. I think a reasonably priced Tacoma with a cap and a trailer is all you would need. I would think around the 15K mark in accurate...and talk about reliability and longevity!!!! Or...buy a 14 year old Mercedes Turbo Diesel and for under $10K and put a hitch on it works for me...and 30 mpg..and diesel is cheap right now!
Actually on the van subjuct-we owned and then Boosales owned a conversion van. They are horrible pulling a trailer. And they steer like a city bus but man, it is fun! We called Boosales' van VEGAS because of all the running lights. I could stand up in this thing going down the road. We played Nintendo til we had blisters on our thumbs going to the track. We memorized every word in the movie, FRIDAY from watching it so much. If ya have a crowd getting to the track, this vehicle was a blast! But, for you Guoseph...sounds like that WERA discount at the Dodge dealership is for you! Hey Dutch, does your friend have bad experiences with the Durango?
I had a Dakota and loved it. But it was an R/T (5.9-liter V8), which seems to be bigger than what you're looking for. Tom has had a V-6 and the the new (non-R/T) V8 and I never heard any complaints about either one.
Cherokee's are nice too, but I think in the beginning I will just use the bed, and then if(when) my team/stable grows, I will get a trailer.
One of the advantages of getting older is I no longer care what anybody else thinks. It sure does make life simpler
Hey Laurie - yeah, the Durango lost it's torque convertor and alternator at right around 25k. I know that not every vehicle coming off an assembly line can be perfect - and the law of averages will eventually catch up to you - but I have just seen too many bad things happen with the Dodge's. And it's not only that - one of my buddies got the complete runaround by Chrysler Corporate after his tranny whent south at 37k - Chrysler said tough beans even though he had documented the problem well before the warranty expired. Now I have owned several Toyota's over the years and can't say enough good things about them or their customer service. I still have a 4 Runner that I love - but to be honest isn't the best tow vehicle in the world.
BTW, my good friends 4-runner just clicked 260,000 miles!!! Wow Isn't it a bad idea to haul too much with a small engine? As in excessive and unusual engine and transmission wear and tear? Just get the V8 if your planning on buying an enclosed as well.
Come to think of it, I know at least two guys whose Dodge Rams lost their trannies early on. Not sure if its indicative of the breed. Shame if it is. I love the new Durango/Dakota series...but I passed on them for the same reason. Too many friends have had marginal luck. Oddly, my 1990 Cherokee, also a Chrylser product, which I have heard both good and bad about, lasted me 208,600 miles before I traded it in for a 2000 model. Hopefully the new one will last as long and still have trade in value.
Yeah, It's not a great idea to spin up a motor for an extended period of time while it's under load. The 4-Runner did OK as long as you kept it out of overdrive. Now what I ended up doing was buying an 88 3/4 ton Suburban for cheap. It wasn't the greatest thing to look at, but after I got done re-painting it and putting new wheels on it -as well as a new stereo - it's fast becoming my all time favorite. And mileage is about the same as it was on my 4 Runner when towing. Plus when the motor eventually blows up Chevy 350's are really cheap to rebuild or even replace.
I went from a Ranger V6 SuperCab to a Chevy V8 Extended Cab for this season. The Ranger just didn't have enough grunt for me. The cab started to close in on the long trips too. I think I get 15 city/19 hwy without a trailer. I can't afford one yet. I won't recommend Dodges because they are usually more expensive to fix. Chevys are decently cheap to fix since they have had the 5.7L motor around for 25+ years.
I have been truck shopping for weeks. I have a Montero Sport with a V6, and it has trouble pulling the 6x10 enclosed with one bike and gear. I've decided to go the Dodge truck route too. I've been looking for a diesel due to the gas prices, you can't find them. I just want to put a camper top on the bed, and I can sleep there with my stuff in the enclosed trailer. Most of the tracks I have been to have showers or truck stops near by with showers. After paying $70 bucks for a roach motel at Gingerman, I think I'll rough it. Hell to hotel nights ='s a set of tires.
Thanks for the information Dutch. We love this Durango but we have heard some stories about them. I would love to have the Toyota but they are so high!
On a more shallow level, I think Dodge Dakota's look a lot better than any other compact truck out there.
the only problems with the durango that we have had are the window regulators.and the dodge rams are very dependable.the only problems with the trans have been minor and fixes have been designed.we rarely see any problems with the charging system and still look better than the competition.the toyota is a good starter truck but i prefer the real thing,ie dodge,ford.i have a 5 spd and would rather haul with a manual.don't judge a brand by a few scattered problems.
