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Posted: 9/9/2014 9:33:47 AM EDT
I currently tow a travel trailer weighing 7000 fully loaded. We only use it about 2-3x a year. Within the next year or 2 I would like to lose the 05 V6 Explorer I use now as a daily driver/tow rig and get a diesel. Now what I am looking for is a light/medium duty SUV. Now I am really digging the V6 Diesel currently made by FIAT in the Ram 1500. I am hoping that it will come available in the Durango. On the other hand a friend drives a '08 Yukon Denali with the Hybrid V8 and personally observed it getting 17-18 mpg driving through and around the Mt. Pocono area Pa. My '05 Explorer with 4.0L  gets 13mph mixed driving.


What are your opinions/suggestions?

 
Link Posted: 9/9/2014 9:54:21 AM EDT
[#1]
I pull a similar set up with a 2011 Touareg TDI (V6 Diesel) 8.5'x16' enclosed trailer. Daily driving get 25+ mpg, highway unloaded 30+ mpg. Towed this past weekend from St Louis to Topeka and back avg 14mpg at 65 mph. 3 motorcycles, gear, fully loaded tool box, bunch of spare parts, guess would be around 6-6500 lb's.

Link Posted: 9/9/2014 11:38:55 AM EDT
[#2]
7000 pounds and how long? Safely towing a travel trailer with a short wheelbase SUV is hard. I had a 2007 Flagstaff RLSS 31''. I towed/dragged it with a 2005 Tahoe. It was to the floor to get up and going and to stay above 55. The wheelbase of the short Tahoe made for a white knuckle ride. If winds where up it was nerve racking. I had weight distribution hitch, sway control and a good brake controller. I had trailer level when towing, not front heavy,etc. I traded Tahoe for a 06' 2500 HD CC/4x4/Duramax with Allison, much better. I could tow and actually relax while driving. And yes you could tow at Interstate speed and forget the camper was hooked.

If it where me and I wanted to use the camper more and safely tow with it, I would consider the wheelbase in the purchasing. A diesel in the Durango would be nice, but hook travel trailer over 18-20' and tow down the Interstate would suck, IMHO.
Link Posted: 9/9/2014 2:12:28 PM EDT
[#3]
I have a 2010 Dutchman Aerolite 17' long. I never had a problem towing with a WD hitch,sway control and all. Took it down to SC a few years back and handled great and avg 10-11 mpg on Mid grade and Super Unld and that was with 2 adults and 2 teenagers in the truck.
Link Posted: 9/9/2014 3:46:47 PM EDT
[#4]
The coil rear end on the Ram 1500 has been stiffened up slightly over the last few years (now the air suspension is an option).

My favorite SUV's are the 07-13 Tahoe/Suburbans. I'd rather have something full sized…with a 5.9 Cummins or LBZ Duramax. That's just me though. My dad's last truck ran around 12 mpg pulling a 40', 11,000 travel trailer…wouldn't want to try it with his new one (ran around 25-26 mpg empty).
Link Posted: 9/9/2014 9:56:21 PM EDT
[#5]
sweet Touareg DCMoney.  Love those...
Link Posted: 9/9/2014 10:25:33 PM EDT
[#6]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
I have a 2010 Dutchman Aerolite 17' long. I never had a problem towing with a WD hitch,sway control and all. Took it down to SC a few years back and handled great and avg 10-11 mpg on Mid grade and Super Unld and that was with 2 adults and 2 teenagers in the truck.
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I think you are over estimating the weight of your trailer, a 17' travel trailer should not be anything close to 7,000 pounds.
Link Posted: 9/10/2014 8:47:43 AM EDT
[#7]
I was being conservative with the GCVW number.  As far as the VW goes I agree they are very nice aesthetically, but they don't have the reliability they used to have 10-20 years ago. Back in the day I remember when VW decided to build the FOX in Brazil. I said "O Shit ! This is the end of VW quality". As a kid I remember my mom '73 Bus. Now that was a fun "SUV". Bare bones No A/C,4 spd,NO Pwr accessories, VINYL SEATS and a BUD MAN sticker in the window.....
Link Posted: 9/10/2014 7:44:56 PM EDT
[#8]
My drunken answer to any thread asking for diesle recommendations is Duramax.
Link Posted: 9/10/2014 8:20:34 PM EDT
[#9]
If that's your drunken answer what would you say if you're SOBER?
Link Posted: 9/10/2014 9:34:33 PM EDT
[#10]
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Quoted:
If that's your drunken answer what would you say if you're SOBER?
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Duramax.
Link Posted: 9/11/2014 1:29:25 PM EDT
[#11]
cummins


/thread
Link Posted: 9/11/2014 1:35:06 PM EDT
[#12]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:


Duramax.
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Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Quoted:
If that's your drunken answer what would you say if you're SOBER?


Duramax.


X2
Link Posted: 9/11/2014 2:21:56 PM EDT
[#13]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:


X2
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Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
If that's your drunken answer what would you say if you're SOBER?


Duramax.


X2


04-07 Duramax with as low miles as available and that you can afford.  Or a new one.
Link Posted: 9/11/2014 9:03:10 PM EDT
[#14]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:


Duramax.
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Quoted:
Quoted:
If that's your drunken answer what would you say if you're SOBER?


Duramax.



Drunk or sober, answer is still the same.
Link Posted: 9/11/2014 9:05:41 PM EDT
[#15]
why not cummins?
Link Posted: 9/11/2014 9:11:05 PM EDT
[#16]
SUV

Diesel

Tow rig



7.3 powered ford expedition.  

Be prepared for used vehicle sticker shock
Link Posted: 9/12/2014 12:49:01 AM EDT
[#17]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
SUV

Diesel

Tow rig



7.3 powered ford expedition.  

Be prepared for used vehicle sticker shock
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And they aren't worth the price people ask for them.

Here is my experiences with the trucks I've either owned or worked out of.
7.3 IDI (Ford) okay for 1990...manual trans didn't like throw out bearings.
7.3 PSD (Ford) okay for 1996...manual trans didn't like throw out bearings (same one as the IDI)

5.9 12 Valve (Dodge) dependable...rolled over 1 million miles on the original engine and transmission (NV4500) and averaged around 20 mpg on the highway
5.9 24 Valve (Dodge) its a Cummins...ran around 22 mpg (NV5600)
5.9 24 Valave, Common Rail (Dodge) can have injector issues around 150k miles (due to ULSD) that can be catastrophic...before the cyclinder walls washed out, it ran around 26 mpg (on the 4 spd auto)
6.7 (Dodge) it works...the DPF always gets clogged, the auto is eh (can be trashed easily if one tries) and piss poor fuel mileage

6.6 LBZ (GM) got into one never having heard a good thing about a Duramax...it impressed the shit out of me. Stock the fuel mileage was decent (18-19 mpg) and tuned up it could run around 23 mpg and shits-n-gits
6.6 LB7 (GM) besides the OE injectors being a PITA to change and failing every 50k miles or so...they got great fuel mileage for a V8 (21-22 mpg stock, 23-25 mpg modified).

The GM's ride the best...the ball joints are expensive when they need replacement though.
Link Posted: 9/12/2014 9:28:06 PM EDT
[#18]
I just wish Dodge would get back into the Diesel SUV market to compete with GM and Ford.
Link Posted: 9/12/2014 9:47:20 PM EDT
[#19]

Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:


I just wish Dodge would get back into the Diesel SUV market to compete with GM and Ford.
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GM has a diesel SUV?

 
Link Posted: 9/12/2014 9:48:20 PM EDT
[#20]
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GM has a diesel SUV?  
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Quoted:
Quoted:
I just wish Dodge would get back into the Diesel SUV market to compete with GM and Ford.
GM has a diesel SUV?  



Neither does ford so I don't know where that came from

Link Posted: 9/12/2014 11:55:41 PM EDT
[#21]
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Quoted:



Neither does ford so I don't know where that came from

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Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
I just wish Dodge would get back into the Diesel SUV market to compete with GM and Ford.
GM has a diesel SUV?  



Neither does ford so I don't know where that came from



When Dodge even in the diesel SUV market?
Link Posted: 9/13/2014 9:51:50 AM EDT
[#22]
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Quoted:



Neither does ford so I don't know where that came from

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Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
I just wish Dodge would get back into the Diesel SUV market to compete with GM and Ford.
GM has a diesel SUV?  



Neither does ford so I don't know where that came from



As long as the Ecoboost continues to sell in their SUV/Crossover things then they won't put the R&D into a small diesel.

It's just like their choosing to completely engineer a diesel engine that runs on gas (Ecoboost) in the F150 instead of out-sourcing a 4 cylinder diesel engine that was already in existence that many Ford owners with older pickups were already swapping into their 1/2 ton trucks.
Link Posted: 9/15/2014 3:44:39 PM EDT
[#23]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:


Duramax.
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Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Quoted:
If that's your drunken answer what would you say if you're SOBER?


Duramax.

   Cummins owner.
Link Posted: 9/15/2014 8:42:00 PM EDT
[#24]
Duramax.  People bitch about the front end, but don't actually have first-hand accounts of breaking them, or examples of where a SFA Dodge or Ford would have gone that the GM couldn't.
Link Posted: 9/15/2014 9:35:14 PM EDT
[#25]
MegaCab Ram has more room inside than an SUV. I get 18mpg on long trips, 15-16 around town.  13 or so towing    With a 4wd auto on 35"tires
Link Posted: 9/15/2014 9:42:10 PM EDT
[#26]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Duramax.  People bitch about the front end, but don't actually have first-hand accounts of breaking them, or examples of where a SFA Dodge or Ford would have gone that the GM couldn't.
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I've got several first-hand accounts…I don't mention them very often because a) the 04 LB7 is a farm truck and rarely sees a paved road (the suspension is going to wear out), b) the 2wd LBZ is a poorly maintained county sheriff's office vehicle, c) the other LBZ has been driving across fields at high speeds and even jumped a time or 20 and is also farmed out of.

For the average owner, they hold up just fine. I'd rather have the IFS on a Duramax than the solid axle on the Dodge for a daily driver.
Link Posted: 9/15/2014 9:58:25 PM EDT
[#27]
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Quoted:
MegaCab Ram has more room inside than an SUV. I get 18mpg on long trips, 15-16 around town.  13 or so towing    With a 4wd auto on 35"tires
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One of my buddies has one of these. It's a NICE rig.
Link Posted: 9/15/2014 10:49:15 PM EDT
[#28]
Quoted:
I currently tow a travel trailer weighing 7000 fully loaded. We only use it about 2-3x a year. Within the next year or 2 I would like to lose the 05 V6 Explorer I use now as a daily driver/tow rig and get a diesel. Now what I am looking for is a light/medium duty SUV. Now I am really digging the V6 Diesel currently made by FIAT in the Ram 1500. I am hoping that it will come available in the Durango. On the other hand a friend drives a '08 Yukon Denali with the Hybrid V8 and personally observed it getting 17-18 mpg driving through and around the Mt. Pocono area Pa. My '05 Explorer with 4.0L  gets 13mph mixed driving.
What are your opinions/suggestions?
View Quote



It's available in the Grand Cherokee
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