The truck is having an organ transplant.

[garyo]

Gary pulled out of a convenience store this AM and heard a loud snap or pop sound. Then he noticed that the truck wasn't shifting gears normally as he accelerated. Long story short it is now in transmission ICU. Depending on the diagnosis it will be from $300 to $2500. The truck has over 80,000 miles and it is a gas engine. It is a small V-8 truck (Chevy Avalanche) and although it is super comfortable just wasn't designed to tow. We already had the rear end redone and it is a 2006. So I called the credit union today and got the OK to assume more debt. Now comes the decision time. What do you all like?

I want it to:

* have four doors and a real backseat

* be big enough to withstand pulling Gary's bumper pull 20 foot work trailer loaded with furniture or cabinets and be suitable to haul a gooseneck living quarters trailer.

* be reasonable to drive and actually park within a mile of the store

IDEAS? What has been a maintenance nightmare and what hasn't.

 

[minie812]

Well I like BIG and for towing we have a Ford F-250 4x4 Diesel. Gets about 17-18 MPG towing either our bumper pull stock trailer or our fifth wheel trailer. We have had it 3 years at 90,000 miles and is a 2003 crew cab that holds a ton of people and is sooooosafe. Will not go back to anything else. The 7.3 lt diesel motor is the best on Fords.

 

[Horse Feathers]

I love my 2008 Ford F150

 

[Minimor]

Another vote for Ford here! I like my F-150s but I'm not towing a big trailer, just a 14' bumper hitch stock trailer with a few ponies in it. For a gooseneck LQ trailer you may want an F-250.

 

[Sue_C.]

I LOVE my 2003 extended cab, 4X4, 2500 Chevy Silverado. Not sure of the milage...figure if you need a truck, ya gotta put up with a bit of guzzling...but it is easier on gas than my 1996, 6 cyl, 1500 Chevy Work Truck was because with the 400 motor, she doesn't hardly have to work to pull my trailers.

 

[bevann]

We love our Dodge Ram 2500 diesel 4x4 with 4 doors and 8 foot bed It's a dually 2006 we had a 1999 before and loved it, but traded to get 4x4 No problems ever with either 1.I think a truck should have an 8 foot bed so you can haul lots of stuff.It is very comfortable and gets good mileage-not sure what Karl drives it more than I do.Don't envy you vehicle shopping.Most salesmen treat you like you have STUPID written on your forehead.Don't they know buyers today do their homework before walking into the showroom.My advice -make a list of things you absolutely must have in a truck and call around and have salesman do the leg work for you and call you when they find something.We found both our trucks used and with low mileage.I have to have truck in my farm colors red and white.We were lucky enough to find red both times.Several salesmen called to inform me they had found exactly what I was looking for but it is BLUE.What part of RED or WHITE didn't they understand.Good luck and take lots of aspirin or wine.

 

[Davie]

I love my 99 F-250 Super Duty, Super Crew, 7.3 Diesel. First Diesel for me and I would not go back to a gas truck again. It has 4 doors and the 6' bed. I bought it used with 176,000 miles on it and it now has 246,000 and still going strong. Have had some minor things with it like replacing the batteries and having to replace the high pressure oil pump but it is still a really tough truck. When it comes time I'm just going to drop another 7.3 engine into this truck. $8,000 for an engine is a lot nicer than $40,000+ for a new truck.

I pull a 14' bumper pull horse trailer, an 18' flatbed, and a 22' aluminum gooseneck w/weekender living area.

My mechanic says the 7.3 was the best engine for pulling. He does not like the newer engines and he is a Ford Factory Trained Mechanic.

I had several gas trucks before I got my Diesel and I won't go back--only thing I might change is to an 8' bed so that I could get rid of the extension on the trailer so I don't hit the back window. I have a little mini van that I used for weekly use--that is I will once I get it to the shop for some transmission work.

 

[TangoMango]

Yep, another 7.3 Diesel driver here also. Mine is a 2001, 7.3 diesel, 4x4 etx. cab and I LOVE it...This truck is a beast. Tows like a dream. And way more than enough power...

 

[minimule]

My brother is a contractor that pulls heavy equipment all the time. We do a lot of pulling ourselves from a 12' mini trailer to a 40' Titan gooseneck. We also triple with a 30' 5th wheel and 12' heavily loaded cargo trailer (ammo and guns weigh a lot

). We have a 2002 1 ton Dodge dually. It pulls great and mileage pulling the heaviest load is about 13. Empty I can get about 18-20. My brother uses Dodge and Chevy trucks. He likes the newer Chevy Duramax diesels with Allison transmissions. Allyson is the transmissions they use in firetrucks so they are designed for heavy stuff. The Dodge's he has hold up really well. A diesel engine would be my choice over a gas engine. At 80,000 miles, a diesel is just starting to break in not wear out.........

Look around. You can get a 1 ton without duals now-a-days.