How Long Do You Trust an Older Tow Vehicle For Long Trips?

[SDSeville]

Hi Everyone. My tow vehicle is a 2001 GMC Sierra 1500, Extra cab, 4.8, 2wd with 116,000 miles. Runs great and had all scheduled maintenance. My boat (see sig.) weighs 2500 lbs. plus another 1200 lbs. for the trailer. Even though I only have a 4.8, you can hardly tell the boat is back there.

Most of our trips are 5 miles to the local lagoon or 40 miles to the local lake. Once a year we go to Lake Mohave which is 320 miles each way (avg. temp 120+ degrees for most of the trip). This year, we are thinking of doing more of the long distance trips, including a trip to Lake Tahoe (500 miles each way). My question is -- at what point does an older truck get sketchy on the long trips? I really don't want to get a new rig, but I also don't want to break down with the family in the middle of nowhere.

 

[airshot]

I maintain all my vehicles very well as I hate to be stuck somewhere. I also drive the wheels off them as cars/trucks are way to expensive. I typically keep them until 225-250,000 miles then get ride of them. My last Blazer had 225,000 miles on her and I still towed my 22' Islander with it, but did come across another identical model with only 74,000 miles on her so I bought it and sold the high miler. It has been shown in all studies that the least expensive time to own a vehicle is between 100,000 to 200,000 miles on them, based on cost per mile. Why do you think Taxi companies buy vehicles with 100,000 miles on them. Depreciation is the greatest expense on any vehicle within the first 100,000 miles. After that, ownership is far less costly. So why not keep it and use it...

 

[Chad Flaugher]

Modern vehicles typically run for a quarter million miles if you take care of them. I have a '96 1500 2wd I use in my landscape maintenance business that pulls trailers constantly in the worst driving conditions possible. (Stop and go, high temp, traffic) It runs great @ 221,000. I'd still take it on a long trip in fact!

 

[Mi duckdown]

As long as your vehicle and trailer are well maintained, I would not worry. Going down hill use trans braking to save on truck and trailer brakes.

 

[coolbri70]

i prefer older vehicles, by the time it has 100000 miles on it, you know if its a lemon. i see transmissions and motors failing at 30k every day, some as low as 2k.

 

[KD4UPL]

My '05 Chevy has 194,000 on it. I take it on vacation with the truck camper on the back, family in the cab, boat on the hitch. I'm over the GVWR by about 2,000 pounds. I wouldn't hesitate to drive it anywhere. This summer we plan to go from VA to MI and back.
I do all the maintenance the truck requires and drive like I've got some sense: not drag racing from stop lights, running 100 mph, etc. If I don't get at least 300,000 miles out of this truck I'll be quite disappointed.

 

[smokeonthewater]

my dually has 345,000 on it and counting... I tow at 75' overall length 30,000 lbs and 8 mph over the speed limit 1000 miles one way....

 

[Watermann]

Your Sierra is just broke in at less than half it's life behind it. Just be sure to take care of it, rear end fluid change very 60k, tranny fluid every 30k and 3k for the LOF when towing. If you haven't for peace of mind pull the hubs on the trailer and inspect the bearings, inspect the spindle, clean out the old grease and repack with fresh.

 

[Bandaide-AL]

It's all about maintenance. If you keep up with it and inspect it closely well before every long trip to give you enough time to repair any problems, you will be in good shape. If you don't do the maintenance / inspections yourself, then it gets a little sketchier depending on how well you trust your mechanic. And on today's trucks and cars, 100,000 miles is its first tune up...

 

[bruceb58]

I do the Tahoe trip every year with a 1999 Chev Silverado with over 70K towing a 6000# load.

 

[naturelover]

I took my 1994 s-10 with 225k on it over 500 miles in one day to go look at a camper. Didn't get it, but truck performed flawlessly.

I'll admit, even though this truck has been well maintained since new and is in great running order, it is starting to show its age. I'm running it 80 miles one way to work though still, and have no worries of getting there.

I had a 1997 cirrus with 305k on it that was my main work car (that same 80 mile one way trip) that was also very dependable and only left me stranded twice (water pump). Was running great but I totaled it in a collision with a deer. Miss that car, I think it might have made it much further.

I'd say with your mileage, you should be just fine. I'd take my dually with 115k on it anywhere without any hesitation.

 

[oldjeep]

116K is just a baby - My 2009 has more than that on it. As long as you are doing normal maintenance I wouldn't think twice about towing a tiny load 300 miles.

 

[bigdee]

Predicting a life expectancy of anything mechanical is a crapshoot at best. If your truck has been maintained and runs well I would not worry. The only advantage over a new one is the warranty. A road club membership and some cash is good insurance when you travel.

 

[Mischief Managed]

I have three 4-wheel vehicles and all have over 160,000, well-maintained miles. My Kawasaki 2001 ZX9R motorcycle has 107,000 well-maintained miles (typical mileage for this year/model is 18,000). I have no qualms about taking any of them on a long trip (at least 350 miles one way) and do so a few times per year. I think you'll be fine at 116,000 well-maintained miles.

 

[SDSeville]

Thanks Everyone! I appreciate the help. I guess I was over thinking things again. Looks like I will just keep up the maintenance and keep her around for another 100k or so.

 

[BRICH1260]

If you like the truck and it pulls well, keep it. Keep it maintained, it`ll last for another 100K.

 

[JimS123]

No, you didn't overthink it. You were being proactive. I'll disagree with everyone else. Its more than just maintenance, age is a big factor.

My towcar is a 1980 Bonneville with about 80,000 miles on her. Garaged and covered, never seen Winter, meticulously maintained. It's a one-owner car and has been a dedicated boat tow since about 1990. Except for a run around the block once in awhile, she's never on the road without a boat in tow.

About 8 years ago we were on our annual fishing vacation up in the Adirondacks. The alternator went. We barely made it to the campsite when the battery crapped out. Not enough juice to power my winch, so we couldn't exactly launch the boat.

Not a big deal...right? So we took the second car to a local GM dealer and there were no parts in stock. They said they don't stock for a car that old. We ended up having to drive to a chain parts store in the next city, which ruined almost a whole day (the next city was half a state away). If we had decided not to take the jetski we wouldn't have had a second car and we would have been up the creek.

We don't take the old girl on vacation any more!

 

[muskyfins]

Alternators, water pumps, PS pumps, batteries, etc can go out on any vehicle at any time.

The battery on the admirals 3 year old caddy crapped out. That just doesn't make sens to me, but it happened.

For long hauls (over 100 miles), I keep a tool box with a set of 3/8 and 1/2 sockets in metric and SAE as well as wrenches in both metric and SAE, high end multi tip screwdriver, vise grips, and a few other things. That will at least get you on your way in a jam. IF you blow a head gasket, not so much.

IMHO cars built after 1996 are significanlty better built than earlier models due to improvements in technology and manufacturing practices.

My 2002 Avalance 2500 has 175000 on her and I'd tow just about anything, just about anywhere. But I'm pretty particular about maintenance, fluids, brakes, etc.

 

[naturelover]

True, but then again, brand new ones can break down also.

I had wayyy more in parts in the cirrus than it was worth. Nothing major, though at some point I think everything but the engine and tranny had been replaced. Some things more than once...

But no car payment. That is why a paid off car is so valuable.

A lot of keeping a high mileage vehicle depends on whether you can do the work to them or not. If I'd have had to pay labor rates, and parts markups too, it might have made more sense to sell.

Having a backup vehicle helps too, one can work on it at their leisure while still being able to get to wherever needed (like the parts store, lol).

 

[Mischief Managed]

About 8 years ago we were on our annual fishing vacation up in the Adirondacks. The alternator went. We barely made it to the campsite when the battery crapped out. Not enough juice to power my winch, so we couldn't exactly launch the boat.

Not a big deal...right? So we took the second car to a local GM dealer and there were no parts in stock. They said they don't stock for a car that old. We ended up having to drive to a chain parts store in the next city, which ruined almost a whole day (the next city was half a state away).

In the future, don't replace the alternator (on any car/truck/I/O boat), just buy new brushes for it. 99% of the time, the brushes are the only problem and they are usually VERY cheap and VERY easy to swap.