[A/S] What to Tow With

["richardgharrison" <richardgharrison@xxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Bob - 

I heartily agree with throwing out the futon and the cinder blocks.

When we were evaluating tow vehicles, we looked at the Jeep Grand 
Cherokee. We had been running the Mopars, 318 and 360 wedgeheads and 
392 and 429 hemis for many years in other vehicles, so they were 
familiar.

But the Grand Cherokee sent off other vibes. The door openings felt 
too tight, the sheet metal felt too thin. The available engines were 
318's and 360's -- but described as hemis. No way were they: the two 
engine types are extremely different.

We ended up buying a Mercury Mountaineer, a '99 5.0L AWD  (our first 
Ford since a '55 Fairlane ex-cop car many years ago). This was the 
last of the 289/302's, swirl-head EFI-injected. It just feels totally 
solid, connected, rooted. And with the AWD, faster'n a scalded dog. 
But hookfooted like a cat. We like this Merc.

Better yet, my 95-year-old Mom was climbing into the Merc the other 
day and she said: "I love this truck."

Now, she's seen--and driven-- a lot of trucks in her life. Grahams, 
REO's, Franklins. She's really fond of our son's restored military 
Land Rover. But she loves that Merc.

I can't speak for the newer 4.6L Ford V8. But if you can catch one of 
the last of the 5.0L, they tow like The Force.


 - Rick Harrison