[del105]

Well today LOA call and we placed our order for a CO, lss, hardtop, with star guard. I'm very excited. They say the car will arrive in dec. I'm in the process of selling my current car so I can afford the Elise and something to tow it with. My dilema is I need a vehicle I can drive to work but also tow the Elise to auto-x. I want something that gets semi good gas mileage and is >15k.
I will need to be able to tow long distances to attend a few national and prosolo events.

Elise and trailer I estimate to wiegh in at 3800 lbs

I have been looking at the Xterra but not sure if it will be able to tow the Elise. The Eterra is rated at 3500lbs

Can anyone recommend a vehicle that would get me to work and tow without breaking down and killing me on gas?

 

[Feffman]

I've towed the Esprit and trailer with an F250 with the gas engine and I've towed it with a turbo diesel F350. If I'd buy a tow vehicle, it would be a diesel of some sort. The Toureg comes with a diesel. Definitely not cheap though.

If you are only trailering a couple times annually, look into renting a truck to tow with. It's not expensive and you can still drive a car daily. Enterprise Rent-A-Truck actually rents F250 diesels (turbo diesel no less) and you can cruise at 80MPH towing. If they aren't in your area look into a local truck rental place. Our local truck renter rents F250 (gas) for about $65 daily with 200 miles per day included. I can keep my A8 to drive daily too.

Hope this helps!

Mark

 

[MikeAR303]

I want something that gets semi good gas mileage and is >15k.

Does it have to cost more than $15k?

 

[khamai]

I use my tow vehicle for pulling the Lotus and autoX'g.

BTW, it's a great two vehicle. Pulls effortlessly, okay mpg w/ a trailer. Fun without a trailer.

 

[del105]

Re: Re: Tow vehicle?

Does it have to cos
t more than $15k?

<15k

 

[Win]

What number are you?

 

[del105]

I've towed the Esprit and trailer with an F250 with the gas engine and I've towed it with a turbo diesel F350. If I'd buy a tow vehicle, it would be a diesel of some sort. The Toureg comes with a diesel. Definitely not cheap though.

If you are only trailering a couple times annually, look into renting a truck to tow with. It's not expensive and you can still drive a car daily. Enterprise Rent-A-Truck actually rents F250 diesels (turbo diesel no less) and you can cruise at 80MPH towing. If they aren't in your area look into a local truck rental place. Our local truck renter rents F250 (gas) for about $65 daily with 200 miles per day included. I can keep my A8 to drive daily too.

Hope this helps!

Mark

I will need it basically every weekend for regional events but those are a short drive about 8-10 times a year I will need to make a 500+ drive to a divisional, national, or prosolo event.

I've never owned a truck before and am not really looking forward to it. I want to get the smallest vehicle needed to get the job done.

 

[NMRJock]

I've never owned a truck before and am not really looking forward to it. I want to get the smallest vehicle needed to get the job done.

That's really not the way to spec a tow vehicle. You'll have a much more pleasurable time towing (especially the long tows) if you're not running your truck to the ragged edge. Towing is one of those places where I want more capacity than I need. I towed a 30' trailer with a car and 3000# of parts from Florida to Michigan in 24 hours with a Ford F550 dump truck. It was a great towing experience. I've towed single car trailers empty with a V6 S10 and spent the entire 15 mile ride white knuckled.
For $15k I'd try to find a nice used diesel truck. Towing with a diesel is nice. Lots of torque and much better fuel economy under load. The 10,000# (empty weight) dump truck gets better gas mileage towing ~3 tons than my Ford Explorer did towing 3000#.

 

[Racer X]

Are you supposed have a commercial license to drive a F550? At what size vehicle do you need a commercial license?

What did the guys say at the races when you pulled up in a dump truck?

Greg

 

[del105]

I also have to drive this truck to work so a "dump truck" probably isn't going to work out. Does anyone have any insight on the Nissan titan? I talkedto nissan about a lease that seems pretty good.

 

[NMRJock]

Are you supposed have a commercial license to drive a F550? At what size vehicle do you need a commercial license?

What did the guys say at the races when you pulled up in a dump truck?

Greg

No commercial license, but I was supposed to obey the lower speed limits (I did not) and stop for weigh stations (I usually did because it was amusing at the time). Really though, the F550 basically looks like a big pickup truck with duellies and a dump bed. Drives like one too. Really well mannered.

I don't think that we ever towed to a race with the dump truck. We only used it to pick the car and trailer up down in Florida. We got a big 'spares package' which completely filled the bed of the truck. I have a picture somewhere, I'll try to dig it up and post it. I also used it to tow a big (BIG) construction utility trailer with a '58 Ford on it. And of course getting gravel from the quarry six tons at a time is nice too.

Obviously I'm not suggesting he buy a five ton truck to tow his 3000# load. I am really just trying to illustrate the points that:

a) Towing with a diesel is better.
b) Have more towing capacity than you need.

 

[NMRJock]

 

[sonza68]

In MO, a CDL is need for vehicles with a GCWR (Gross Combined Weight Rating) > 26,000 pounds or towing > 10,000 pounds. I believe a F-550 is the largest vehicle that can be driven without a CDL.

As for tow vehicles, definately get something with extra capability, it makes towing much easier. I'd look into used diesel F-250s. A half ton would tow a 3800 pound trailer with ease, but you'd need to step up to the 3/4 ton to get a diesel.

 

[hermanslotus]

This is what I tow with a 2001 F350 dully diesel. It has a Gale Banks stage 3 kit and pulls like there's no tomorrow. I've also added a 70 gallon fuel tank from Transflow for those really long tows. I pull a 30 ft. enclosed trailer that normally weighs over 10,000 lbs. when loaded up.

My buddy from down south once told me about towing " Never let your buggy get bigger than your horse" how true that is.

best wishes,
Mitch

 

[del105]

I'm going to look at a 04 chevy silverado 1500 in the morning. Will that be big enough? It is a new work truck and is pretty cheap 14k out the door.

 

[hermanslotus]

I'm going to look at a 04 chevy silverado 1500 in the morning. Will that be big enough? It is a new work truck and is pretty cheap 14k out the door.

The Chevy 1500 with small block V8 should be fine pulling the trailer with the Elise.

Best Wishes,
Mitch

 

[del105]

good, thanks

 

[MikeAR303]

If you need this to haul 2 children...

Then surely you need something like this to haul an Elise...

 

[NMRJock]

It looks as though that guy was also hauling a big boat. We get the idea. You don't like SUVs. Don't buy one.

 

[MikeAR303]

It looks as though that guy was also hauling a big boat. We get the idea. You don't like SUVs. Don't buy one.

It was a joke.

Grow a sense of humor, eh?