Tow rigs

BIGWOODY said:
I've been looking at replacing my 01 CTD dually with an 06-08 Dmax CC. From everything I've read and owners I've talked to (all brands) it looks like that's the best choice. It's hard to part with my truck because it's just been so damn good, but I will need a CC soon.
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Im planning on replacing mine in the not to distant future too and have been thinking the same thing. I dont tow a lot of weight or very often though so im also thinking about just getting a Chevy or GMC with the 6.0 gas motor.
 
Unfortunately I've been spoiled by towing with a diesel. I towed a car trailer with a newer 6.2 truck and felt like I was going to blow it up pulling old fort mt. with a 5k lb benz loaded on it. I've got to have a diesel I tow to often not to.
 
I primarily would only tow my jeep or k5, but I so have a buddy that his dad has 2 car trailer and I could very much see us taking trips with his jeep and mine when he's on leave. I'm pretty set in diesel just because if I get a 6.0 2500 it'll drink gas worse than my jeep and I don't feel like buying a tow rig and a daily driver. Instead I'd rather roll one together. I have been looking a little on autotrader which prices are high on those. Anything over $8k I'll more than likely finance but there are a few 100k mile LBZ and 7.3s on there for $18-$25k.
 
About 5 years ago I decided I needed a tow rig. I wanted a diesel because everyone said I "needed" one. I was looking used and was amazed how much used diesels were going for. I did some thinking and realized for as little as I would tow compared to not towing the price was not justified. I went with a gasser and it has worked out perfect. I may not win a towing race up hill but that doesn't bother me.
 
I really wanted a diesel also, but its also my DD and I don't want anything that big and used truck prices for anything are stupid high. Like BigClay, I don't tow a ton and don't mind going a bit slower so I am just doing a 1500 gas.
 
But at what point do you think a diesel is needed? Towing 300-400 miles once a month?
 
LBarr2002 said:
It's not the distance, it's the weight and elevation change.
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Greenville, NC till im out of college to where ever. So plenty of hills the further west i go. Id love visit all the east coast places and venture out west. Everything is a few hours away from where i am now. When I'm finally out of college however if i stay in NC ill move further west.
 
I have resolved to half ton for my next tow rig. A. chevy crew cab 1500 with a 5.3 will tow where ever I need to go. On a $20k ideal truck budget, I can buy a much newer, nicer, cheaper gas than diesel. And later on if I'm towing more I'll trade up. But realistically with my young family and financial status im several years away from monthly trips that justify a diesel.
 
Monthly trips even if I had a $600-700 a month truck won't be too bad on me. Just dating with a chick who loves the jeep helps that a lot. Would of have savings built up good but moving from Cali to NC and not getting a paycheck for a few months ate through that pretty quick.
 
If you got that kind of money then be smart about it. Buy a $5-7k truck to use for a year or so. Have no payments, then save your $600-700/month for a while longer then get the bigger truck. Specially if your about to pay off your jeep. Enjoy no payments for a while. Today's generation just thinks your supposed to have payments, pay one thing off and buy another.
 
I want it to be the last truck/vehicle I buy for atleast 10 years or so. If I bought a 5-7k truck to sell it in a year it just seems like a waste to me. You never get what you have in it back out of it so I feel like bite the bullet now and be done with it.
 
I got medically retired from the Army it's not your normally broke college student situation. And honestly I was looking at the lower end such as a 2500 tradesman with cloth seats but still has power windows and door locks. They are in the lower 40s
 
Ah, yeah, that's a bit different.

But seriously... Do the TCO for your theoretical truck. Figure up how many miles per month you'll be driving it, calculate the fuel cost, maintenance cost, etc. Depending on your situation, the math could flip either way.

Me? Sometimes I wish our 03 CTD was a dually, sometimes I wish the back seat was bigger, but more often than not, I wish we had a second one just like it.
 
Good call on trying to calculate fuel, mileage, and maintenance cost. Haven't really thought about that to see some self calculated data. That will give me something to chew on and stew over a good bit. Could use the fuel mileage of my jeep for a 6.0 2500 Chevy I feel like. My dad had one a while back and it ran strong but fuel mileage sucked.
 
shawn said:
But if you'd purchased a used Cummins in 2008, it would be worth more today than what you paid for it back then.

:flipoff2:
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Would hold true on a new 07 model as well.
 
iwaxmyjimmy said:
Good call on trying to calculate fuel, mileage, and maintenance cost. Haven't really thought about that to see some self calculated data. That will give me something to chew on and stew over a good bit. Could use the fuel mileage of my jeep for a 6.0 2500 Chevy I feel like. My dad had one a while back and it ran strong but fuel mileage sucked.
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This is what made my decision. Yes a diesel gets better MPG, but each gallon costs more and so does each oil change, the ROI for the initial price was not going to pay off for me anytime soon.

Get a second set of tires for your jeep and a cheap tow rig, DD the jeep on street tires and throw the offroad tires on the jeep when you tow it. Speaking of, have you considered trailers yet?
 
BigClay said:
This is what made my decision. Yes a diesel gets better MPG, but each gallon costs more and so does each oil change, the ROI for the initial price was not going to pay off for me anytime soon.

Get a second set of tires for your jeep and a cheap tow rig, DD the jeep on street tires and throw the offroad tires on the jeep when you tow it. Speaking of, have you considered trailers yet?
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Seriously screw DD jeep on 37s. Even if I bought some 35" A/T's I'd be annoyed with it, and if I break it or roll it and it needs to go under the knife. I plan on going through and 3link the front and 4 link the rear, main reason why I want a tow rig/DD is because I'll tinker with it and the k5 enough to keep me busy. Swapping out tires to go wheeling will get old. Trailers I've looked around some but not really researched them too much. I know the vast majority goes with Kaufman, and I'd probably go with the 10k one. The k5 will get 41-42s on it and won tons so I'm sure it'll be every bit of 6500-7000lbs ready to wheel. So that plus the weight of the trailer I'd rather have some buffer room. I'm already thinking it'll be $2000ish for a nice 1 car used or brand new maybe a grand or so more.
 
If you get to the point of buying a trailer, don't leave T&W Trailers off the list. Great trailers for the $. Most can be had new, for the cost of used ones.

I see used trailers selling for more than what I could order a new T&W trailer for. :)

I have one, my father just ordered one, and I know 4 people on this forum that have them. Nothing but great things to say about them.

If you call and talk to Warren and tell him you are building it for a rock crawler, pretty standard is 10k axles with 7k frame and some other things that we typically like. He will add whatever you want for a very reasonable price.
 
iwaxmyjimmy said:
Seriously screw DD jeep on 37s. Even if I bought some 35" A/T's I'd be annoyed with it, and if I break it or roll it and it needs to go under the knife. I plan on going through and 3link the front and 4 link the rear, main reason why I want a tow rig/DD is because I'll tinker with it and the k5 enough to keep me busy. Swapping out tires to go wheeling will get old. Trailers I've looked around some but not really researched them too much. I know the vast majority goes with Kaufman, and I'd probably go with the 10k one. The k5 will get 41-42s on it and won tons so I'm sure it'll be every bit of 6500-7000lbs ready to wheel. So that plus the weight of the trailer I'd rather have some buffer room. I'm already thinking it'll be $2000ish for a nice 1 car used or brand new maybe a grand or so more.
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It sounds like your mind is made up about getting a nice new tow rig, so if it were me, and I am spending your money, here is what I would get:

3500 GMC Denali 4wd with Duramax and Allison 6 speed = $75,000

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^^^^^:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:
 
drkelly said:
^^^^^:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:
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Oh yeah. You didn't know that? It's *easy* to hit $70k on a new truck. Hell, you can hit $60k with options on an F150, or $45k for a 4dr Jeep Rubicon.
 
Yeah i cant justify that unless it comes with a happy ending when you drive it, but thats why im getting an auto to rig. Having a 6spd in the jeep hampers that a bit
 
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