Is this the future of towing??

[jkust]

Re: Is this the future of towing??

The future for towing "large" boats is probably "large" diesel powered sedans. Like this one.

Ok what am I missing here in this discussion, isn't it the vehicle frame that plays a large part in towing capacity. My supercharged Bonneville large sedan could easily pull a heavy boat but I would guess it would pull apart and descintigrate after I veared off the road if I tried like the car above. I can't see how anything but a truck based vehicle could safetly pull a large boat regardless of the engine, diesel or otherwise. Recently switching from towing with my minivan to towing with a truck based suv has shown me the value of the heavy duty frame. Truck mileage would have to nearly double by 2016, that is just insane. It is hard not to get policital here since so much of this topic has political undertones.

 

[gixxerjim]

Re: Is this the future of towing??

I am not talking about taking away choices, I am talking about American's realizing there is a price to pay for a clean environment. Do I think Hybrids are the answer? No.

You make whatever choice you want, that's the American way, I just think people get too hung up on the dollar when there are other factors to consider, like preserving our environment, shoveling cash at countries that hate the US so they can buy better weapons, etc etc etc...

 

[Old & In the way]

Re: Is this the future of towing??

Hi

If you look at Edmonds, you will find a list of American Beef with enormous capacity to tow 9,000 lbs.

So my fist though is how much weight do we need to tow (and stop). For most of us about < 5,000 lbs. ?

Gas or diesel or ? Many of us are still tramatized by the nausea from riding to school in a smelly bus. Ok things have changed, expeciatlly in Europe (Daimler/Mercedes).

Who, or what country will produce these tow vehicles.

I believe that most of the "American made trucks" (Ford and Government Motors) will be made in Mexico.
I believe the the most popular new American tow vehicles will be made in China - sorry...
And the sleeper in the future of trucks - South Korea.

--------------------

sorry to sound off the wall, but I work for an American truck maker (touted the largest), owned by a German company, and the trucks are actually made in Mexico.



Just my $ 0.02
Ed

 

[bekosh]

Re: Is this the future of towing??

I am not talking about taking away choices, I am talking about American's realizing there is a price to pay for a clean environment. Do I think Hybrids are the answer? No.

You make whatever choice you want, that's the American way, I just think people get too hung up on the dollar when there are other factors to consider, like preserving our environment, shoveling cash at countries that hate the US so they can buy better weapons, etc etc etc...

Maybe you aren't talking about taking away choices, but many of those in power are.

We can't drive our SUVs and eat as much as we want and keep our homes on 72 degrees at all times.

I'm all for a clean environment, but the environment today is immensely cleaner than it was just 10-20 years ago. My SUV is 100x's cleaner than the 4 cyl car that I had 20 years ago.

And if you want to stop shoveling cash to the lunatics in the sandbox, fine. That means we need to start using our own resources that we have in great abundance right here at home. Changing our lifestyles and reducing our prosperity is NOT the way to do it.

 

[jkust]

Re: Is this the future of towing??

I am not talking about taking away choices, I am talking about American's realizing there is a price to pay for a clean environment. Do I think Hybrids are the answer? No.

You make whatever choice you want, that's the American way, I just think people get too hung up on the dollar when there are other factors to consider, like preserving our environment, shoveling cash at countries that hate the US so they can buy better weapons, etc etc etc...

The environment is at its cleanest today. I simply don't buy into the environment hype so the dollar is at the forefront. Forcing (eventually forcing) alternative energy or cap and trade schemes upon us equates to a lower standard of living. I do not wish to lower the standard I have. I won't even comment on the common sensical argument of America hating countries.

 

[Old & In the way]

Re: Is this the future of towing??

Where do Fords come from?

http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/2008/11/fords-most-advanced-assembly-plant-operates-in-rural-brazil/

Ed

 

[gixxerjim]

Re: Is this the future of towing??

The reason we import from the sandbox crazies? It's MUCH cheaper buying it rather than tapping our reserves.

 

[scipper77]

Re: Is this the future of towing??

Hey...Politicians!!! Maybe I just want a tow vehicle that gets 30mpg. Maybe it sucks to have to drive an 18mpg truck 20 miles to work every day and 20 miles back just to have a vehicle to tow my boat one day a week for 5 months out of the year. Maybe I don't care about the environment, maybe I'd rather spen $200 a year to plant trees. Maybe I like sandboxes.

My point to this little rant is that we can bring politics into this thread but it WILL just turn into arguing and "POOF", thread closed.

If you just can't handle discussing this topic without politics then you might enjoy this forum (that in no way competes with i-boats I might add).
http://www.arguewitheveryone.com/

PS I don't mean to disrespect anyone's political views. I have been enjoying this thread and don't want to see it go the rout of most jet ski threads, lol.

 

[QC]

Re: Is this the future of towing??

Alright, that's it, scipper brought up JetSkis - POOF!!

Oh, wait, sorry, wrong reaction to wrong issue. No violation, carry on . . .

 

[witenite0560]

Re: Is this the future of towing??

I'd have to agree with Jkust. I just can't buy alot of the gloom and doom. I've been all over the world and North America is still the cleanest place on earth, overall. With some parts of Scandinavia in close 2nd.

As far as the vehicle discussion, don't forget even a small car can eventually get a towed load up to highway speed. But, watch out when you try to stop!! The size and capacity of the brakes are just as important, if not more important, than the pulling power.

 

[YN2(SS)]

Re: Is this the future of towing??

Just read this thread beginning to end and Im glad someone finally said it. You have to be able to get it going, and STOP it. And get your boat up a slippery ramp, WHEN its mossy and raining! And control it in high winds on the interstate. You need mass to control mass. Period!! Torque is nice, but its not the whole story.

 

[QC]

Re: Is this the future of towing??

Torque is NEVER the whole story . . .

 

[scipper77]

Re: Is this the future of towing??

Awd and trailer brakes are a start. I know that even a full sized pick up has a lot of trouble at the ramp if it is 2 wheel drive. There just isn't enough weight over the rear wheels for traction. I would think that stability would be the real problem with a smaller tow vehicle. Lots of swaying in the rear. My 17' Chris Craft is right around 2000 lbs so i think I'd be just fine with a Ford Ranger or even that Subaru Forester. I would likely need a new trailer with brakes for either of these however.

 

[SuzukiChopper]

Re: Is this the future of towing??

I think I'm going to buy stock in a bunch of fast food chains because once it's mandated to start using more bio-diesel fuels made from veggie oil, people are going to have a constant craving for french fries.

I really hate where the vehicle industry is going, one way or another. I also hate that while gas mileage for vehicles should be INCREASING, I've noticed that most sedans you can buy these days are actually decreasing in mileage unless you go Hybrid. Diesel options would be nice in a lot of different cars, but the technology is too expensive for people to afford, especially in the crumbling US economy. It's all just a vicious cycle that's going to end up with everyone using horse and carriage again which should bring a whole new meaning to launch ramp antics.

 

[gostephen]

Re: Is this the future of towing??

The European Ford ranger diesel gets 40 mpg highway (34 in mixed driving) and tows up to 3500 lbs. and that's the base model. The top model diesel gets 32 mpg on the highway and is rated to tow over 6500 lbs.

a ford ranger diesel would be perfect for me i already tow about 3000+lbs with my ford ranger and it does 70mph up a 7% grade. it does pretty good stopping, and would stop even better if i had trailer brakes(my next project). i get about 19mpg around town and 22mpg hwy. haven't checked gas millage towing.

the only problam with towing 6500lbs is rangers are light. you would have a trailer wagging the truck problem. i beefed up the rear suspension on mine (heavy duty sway bar, better shocks, ect.), and always carry almost all my gear in the bed of the truck just for weight.

 

[wormil]

Re: Is this the future of towing??

...Look, I own two Toyotas. Combined mileage 221,000.

That isn't very impressive these days. My '92 Ranger is still kicking with somewhere north of 160k, I use it mostly for hauling these days. My '99 F-150 has 150k+ and I stopped driving it for almost two years because of the high gas prices. My '94 Taurus had 191k on it when I sold it and was good for quite a bit more. Ford's big problem has been that their vehicles aren't very fun to drive, mechanically they are excellent (most of them).

I would love a diesel Ranger. It'll be time to sell the F-150 in a couple of years and I'll be looking at either a Ranger or a Tacoma.

 

[Jeep Man]

Re: Is this the future of towing??

I haven't read in detail all the replies to this thread, so if I am repeating, I apologize.
Small diesels and big diesels have been here for quite some time. Aside from the imports, Dodge, Chevy and Ford and Jeep all have amazing diesels. The Jeep Liberty is now available in diesel. As far as pulling power, NOTHING beats a diesel. I wish I had one. My former neighbor towed his race car with a 460 Ford and a 454 Chevy. He switched to a F250 diesel and he said he would never go back. Said he could pick up speed going uphill which he could never do with gas. Newer diesels use low sulfur fuels which get great fuel economy and no smell or smoke. Average life of a diesel is 400-600K miles and requires less maintenance.

 

[skargo]

Re: Is this the future of towing??

The Jeep Libby diesel was discontinued.

 

[Jeep Man]

Re: Is this the future of towing??

The Jeep Libby diesel was discontinued.

Not here

 

[scipper77]

Re: Is this the future of towing??

Can I buy a canadian diesel and bring it to the states?? Or is that forbidden due to emissions regs and such? I know you could buy a VW tdi diesel in PA and bring it to NY even though it didn't meet NY's tougher emissions laws.