[A/S] Re: Best Tow Vehicle

["Chuck" <cwest@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

It is interesting to read this list where everyone is for the biggest truck possible.  
Most folks on the list seem to forget that gas prices could double.  Some authorities 
say we are currently at peak world out put of oil; and if the Chinese ever decide to 
spend their money on cars the demand for oil will greatly increase (which is now 
happening to some extent).  What will happen if I have a vehicle that gets less than 10 
miles to the gallon at $4 a gallon.  Will I be able to afford that trip to the sunny South 
West?  Seems to me the choice of a puller is a trade off between power to handle 
pulling and the price of gas.  Diesel may be a better option for some.

I live in Northern NY where trucks rust out before the pay back on the more expensive 
diesel can be recovered.  My truck, a Dodge 1500 with about 70,000 miles, is at the 
dealers right now where they are trying to find out what is wrong.... been working it 
on it for 4 days!  They've already spent $160 on the problem without finding a 
solution.  The next thing they are working on is a corroded ground to computer 
component (0h-2 sensor).  The point being the salt on the road kills the long life of a 
vehicle in my "neck of the woods" making the added expense of a diesel difficult to 
justify. 

We travel mostly in the winter and go directly south and then west.  That route 
is pretty level.  So for us pulling the 25 foot Safari can be done with the 1500 truck.  
If pulling in the mountains is what your going to do than you'll need a bigger engine.  
Look at where you plan to go.  There are a lot of tradeoffs with the choice... there 
isn't one correct answer.... except that longer wheel base is better.  We had a Grand 
Charokee Jeep and that just wouldn't do it.  

Chuck, in Northern NY
WBCCI 1365