tow vehicle

[Jebby]

hey every1..... i have 2 months left b4 im without car and i want to make sure my next vehicle can pull my 14 foot tinney (old 10 hp) which im sure wont be a problem cuz i can do i with my hands.... however... im looking to upgrade in the near future so i would like something that can pull a lil more (not talkin house trailer or anything just a lil nicer of a boat) well im an enginering student so im pritty much broke... max budget is prolly around 5K but that would have to be something that can last me 6 or 7 years min..... i also am a male under 25 and there for am the devil and must be made to pay limitless insurance. from waht i see its either gunna be a mini van a sedan or a light pickup.... i really want the pickup..... if i have to settly for something else ittl probobly be a tarus or sumthing... however there is a 1991 dodge dekota down the road thats got some rust and the seats are a lil shreaded... it seems to run ok.... it has a carb steda EFI though (duno if thats good or bad) it does have 190 000 km on it but its still running and i can get it for 500 bucks..... at 500 bucks if it only makes it a year so be it... its got the 3.9L V6 so it has the pwer and wont be as bad on gas (not like the thursty V8) however it has a bumper hitch that is rusty and i dont want to kill my self or my truck or my boat if it lets go..... is there anyway to felt/build/bolt some support into the bumper hitch to give me some piece of mind..... any suggestions on this truck... on any diff vehicles... on towing capacity on anything even remotly relevent id like to hear it all

thanks

jebby

[almontefisher]

First off the insurance should be cheaper if you are now 25 as this is what I do for a living...Auto rates drop alot at 25. Now speeding tickets and infractions will imact these rates so a squeeky clean record is best. For the vehicle I would not recommend a taurus as my father has had a few and they do not tow very nice and the trans. does not like towing much...Stick with the Dak if possible cause $500 is not that much and it is good to tow with...Well the 4x4 is good the two wheel is fun to tow out of non maintained ramps etc. Needs a little finesse to remove from sandy,dirt launches.

Main thing is get something that YOU think is what you want...Everyone has their own opinion on vehicles ie Dodge, Ford etc and it is you driving this thing.

[almontefisher]

Well since you are still under 25 you will need a jalopy for cheap insurance...Something around early 90's is cheaper and not sporty...4x4's are pricey at your age. I again would reccomend a truck it is cheap for insurance...ever thought about an S-10 or something like that??

[Jebby]

thx... id a lil more info about me.... im male under 25.. perfect driving record (no tickets accidents claims anything) i like american cars best but im not to stuborn to drive something forign.... i like pickups best but its more important to be able to get me to and from school reliably and as cost effective as possible.....if that menas a car or van so be it..... whats every1s thoughts

[FromTheNorth]

I recommend a GM Safari/Astro Van. They aren't minivans, they're pickup trucks with a van body. Same engine, same frame, same suspension as a pickup, but insurance is cheaper because it's a van. That's what my buddy had been using for years for the same reason... Insurance. He uses it tow a big fiberglass skiboat behind it. Other upsides, they're cheap, everywhere and long lasting.(350K+)


Minivans are useless, they're a car engin with a car frame but with a van body dropped onto it. You'll get much better gas and power from something like a Taurus than you will a Windstar.

[Jebby]

seariously considering a 1991 dakota with a 3.9L V6... any info on this model and year... also it has a carb not EFI is that a bad thing?.... i know that was pre magnum engin and not very strong... will that still tow ok and how reliable can something like this be thanks...

[matcole]

i would have to agree with from the north, The astro or safari, may not be pretty but it does the job, we had over 500000 km on ours when it died. We towed a camping trailer from yellowknife to victoria and back, and it surviverd the 8 hour drive from yellowknife to the NWT border on an all dirt road.! Very inexpensive to repair and a great vehicle for the do it yourselfer!

[Jebby]

how bad do they guzzle gas? sounds like tehre worth looking into

[steve-hamilton]

Jebby, you sould like your in the exact position i was three years ago.

only difference, your even luckier, as you only have to tow a 14' boat...i run a 17' lund w/ a 50hp four stroke, much heavier, and i've been towing it for three years with a Chevy Lumina 3.1 four door car.

It was fair on insurance, as its a four door sedan. it will pull your boat with absolutely no problem, as its pulled mine for three years.....

however, if you can get a safari for the same or similar price, go for it....but comparing it to a pickup, UNLESS YOU NEED FOUR WHEEL DRIVE for launches, go with a larger car....

hope this helps,

Steve

[matcole]

They aren't too bad, I learned to drive on it and was told whatever i used in gas, had to be replaced, and i was able too. I actually miss it

[FromTheNorth]

Luminas are nice, but insurance companies don't seem to like 6cyl cars and under 25 years old. Even if it's a four door. Vans are usually a money saver for the engine power. They seem to want everyone driving sunfires...

You're right about inexpensive to repair, it's a joke. Dumps are filled with good parts for them.

One thing to consider about the dakota is the transmission. When I was selling cars, I had a client trade in a mid-late 90s Dakota with an automatic transmission. He had complained that on cold days, the transmission wouldn't shift into overdrive until the vehicle had warmed up. Average time for him was 35 minutes of highway driving in a power gear. He had heard of similar cases while in the garage.

Hope that helps,

FromTheNorth

[steve-hamilton]

FtN, you'll find rates are lower on a four door sedan than a two door sunfire, as the insurance rates are based on numbers of doors as a major factor.

no matter what you decide on, buy a tranny cooler.

[D-mo]

I'll toss another vote in for either an Astro or a Safari ..
Good solid vehicle, that will last a lifetime if properly maintained.
I use mine to tow a camper trailer, which is 2000 + lbs and you cant even tell its on the truck if its "dry".
You may wish to look into AWD, which is a real asset in the winter, pulled me out of some really silly situations that I though it would never do.
If you dont want to go AWD then get posi ... another option available.
My only issue with my AWD is gas milage, which hovers around 17 miles to the gallon.
Astrosafari.com

D-mo

[FromTheNorth]

I'm really sorry Steve, but there's no way that a 4cylinder sunfire is more expensive for an under 25year old driver than something like a Grand Prix. Doors are a major issue, but 70-100 more horsepower is a bigger factor.

Yes I'm sure the 2 door Sunfire is more expensive to insure than the 4 door, but neither of them can pull over 1000 lbs! that's why we're talking about 6cyl engins and vans vs. Midsize sedans. I was making a joke about the sunfire... Not a suggestion. The funny thing is that you assumed I meant a 2 door when most (over 2/3) sunfires sold are 4 doors.

I guess you just wanted your opinion heard.

Aswell, I must inform you that the Lumina is basically a Buick Century,(3.1L and all) Both of them are only rated to pull 1000 lbs. We wouldn't want to be giving Jebby bad advice would we.

And yes Steve, I compared it to a Pickup truck. If you knew anything about the automotive industry you would know that it IS a pickup truck. It's the same Engin, Transmission and Frame. The only difference is the body.

When fish-hawkers post technical questions they're not asking for advice from all 2000+ users, they're asking if any of them has any actual knowledge about the topic. Unless you're sure that what you're thinking of saying is good advice, say it out loud to yourself... but don't type it. It costs you nothing to post your bad advice, it could cost Jebby a lot.

Sorry to start up a rant in the middle of your topic Jebby, but I can't stand bad automotive advice.

FromTheNorth

[Jebby]

no apoligies necessary... im just trying to see all my options because id rater not blow what little bidget i have..... thanks everyone.... any more info/opinions id love to hear

jebby