Purchasing mid-size SUV for 26X

[Greg]

My 2 cents.. When I was looking for a tow vehicle before purchasing our Mac last year, I weighed towing capacity, MPG, safety, comfort, cu ft volume for vacation stuff and 3 kids and I kept coming back to the suburban as the best vehicle for us, so I bought a used 2003 1/2 ton 4wd. The design change in 2000 upgraded many systems on the vehicle, but the one I particularly wanted over the old style was the steering and brakes. My sub now has over 60,000 miles on it and still has the original brakes and tires.
The last tank fillup I got 17.2mpg mostly city driving. I get up to 20mpg highway and got 14.5 towing the boat from Louisiana last year. That's not much mpg difference than the mid size SUV's but a big difference in volume and room. Would I own the Suburban if I didn't have the boat.. no. Our Caravan performs most required functions adequately except for towing. I bought the Suburban because I was buying the boat.
I used to have a full sized van and that runs a close 2nd, but no 4wd, although I have yet to need 4wd on a launch ramp.
You just can't beat a full size van for camping weekends and vacations. Some people don't like the stigma of a full size van, but who cares, it's a practical vehicle and you can usually get good deals on used ones. A 1-ton 12 passenger van is next to a tank in durbility.
Greg

[baldbaby2000]

We use a Suburban for ours. Works great all day long at 70mph. Sounds like that's bigger than you want. My boss has a big motor boat, 6000 lbs + loaded with trailer. He has a Grand Cherokee with a 5.7 liter and he claims it works great. He's planning a trip from Denver to British Columbia.

[Jeff S]

Full size trucks with crew/quad cabs are good for towing as well. They have more room than a standard sedan (no rear wheel hump), have more cargo space than just about anything, and are built for towing. I use a Dodge Ram 2500 quad cab 4wd with the Diesel. I get 19mpg, 15 while towing at 70mph. It tows like the boat isn't even there. When the trailer wants to sway I can feel it pull but the truck doesn't move and the sway stops. It is rated to tow 12,800# (hitch is only 6k), not sure about the GCWR, but I doubt I am anywhere close with the Mac. I put a cap on the back, and I have all my boating stuff in the back ready to go. I can put gas cans in there without concern for fumes in the cab also. It is also nice to have when I go to the dumps with yard waste or trash. The downside-my friends who don't buy trucks want to use it for picking up large purchases, going to the dumps, etc. Funny I never need to borrow their sedans. The Suburban would be my choice if I had more than 3 kids though- lots of seats! The new Durangos are pretty nice- I drove one, decent size, bigger than the old ones. Not sure about their towing capacity.

Jeff S

[Jack O'Brien]

For two years I used a 1997 Subaru Outback with no problem even though it was rated for only 2000 pounds. I stayed in flat Florida. Horsepower is a moot point - all vehicles have gears.

Specifically bought a 2004 Honda Pilot to tow the X. Rated at 4500 pounds. I love the Pilot which is used 98% of the time not towing. It easily tows the X and easily stops even when the X trailer's brakes aren't working. My single axle trailer starts to sway over 65 mph. I hope to scrap it and get a tandem aluminum before it rusts completely away. This "mid-size" SUV gets best mileage in class, has a very wide track, short distance from rear axle to hitch, 30,000 BTUs of air conditioning, holds 4-foot-wide plywood flat between the wheel wells, 8 passengers, etc. Consumer Reports loves it and so do I.

[Frank C]

While doing some Google research on brakes, I stumbled across a "towing" thread on a UK forum. It may validate my earlier question ... Have we (in USA) been spoiled by cheap gasoline and monster tow vehicles?
These 3 posts (of 14) seem worthy of viewing here ... might even bring a smile or two!
Here's the original thread.

Towing a MacGregor 26 ????
David Banks Aug 24 2000, 3:00 am

Anyone have any experience of towing a Mac 26?? I am particularly interested in anyone's experiences - Good or bad!! I plan to tow one with a Volvo S80 (2.9 litre).

I have read in an American newsgroup of all kinds of problems with their 'small' to 'medium' size cars which seems to equate to huge to massive in the UK. However, the reasons are not clear - they are all auto transmission - mine is manual. They talk about RV's with a high centre of gravity and mine has a low centre of gravity - their cars roll and wallow - mine does not. Power doesn't seem to be an issue but there's are mostly 4.7 litre V8's - mine is a humble 3 litre straight 6 BUT the power output of mine appears to be higher than theirs??

I must admit a fair degree of concern though at towing something weighing about 2500 pounds!! particularly bringing it to a halt - the strain on the brakes, transmission and suspension must be huge??

Any comment or advice very welcome either to the group or to me personally at [email protected]

Thanks in anticipation. David.
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Andy G Aug 24 2000, 3:00 am

David,

I've had a Mac 26X for about 15 months and have towed it a few times. At first, we used my late fathers elderly BMW 528. Hmm... not entirely successful, though it could tow it about on main roads. I suspect that the boat would have easily pulled the beamer into the sea if it felt like it.

Bought a Daewoo Musso 4X4 2.3 petrol (gas engine). That behaved much better and we towed it a few times between Devon and Manchester with no problems.

I'm also happy that the Daewoo would launch and recover the boat. Never had chance to find out though, because I always end up on the boat during launch and recovery, so my cousin organises the vehicle and he uses his own Range Rover. No problems there.

A word of caution regarding launch and recovery. It might look easy on the video, but it is an absolute b*****d when there's any kind of wind.

Have you bought a 26X? Considering one? Where are you intending to use it? etc.

Cheers Andy G
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David Banks Aug 31 2000, 1:53 pm

Since posting I have bought the boat and towed it 350 miles home with a standard Ford Maverich diesel with not a hint of a problem with weight - the sheer bulk takes some getting used to though.

I have had it on a public weighbridge and fully laden ready to sail inc a full tank of petrol and prvivions for a weekend it weighs in at 2950 lbs inc trailer (Ithink thats about 1350 kg). (probably a Mac classic)

I have since towed it with the Volvo and despite needing stiffer rear springs it tows it effortlessly. Would reccomend it to anyone !!

David.

[Jeff S]

I like the part where he says he towed it a few times with no problems- maybe he had some doubt going into it.

I am reminded of an aviation story- in the tower we were launching our planes off the deck of the ship to go back to land, which was several hundred miles away. A helicopter pilot (whole different perspective on things) asked- "that's a long way, can you make it?" (while 6 jets are one by one launching off the deck)- our LSO then answered-"we can usually make it that far."

Jeff S

[Bob Zoobricke]

I tow my 2000 X with a 2005 Saturn Vie, equiped with factory tow package and 250 hp V6. The engine is actually made by Honda It's the Acura MDX engine. I understand GM needed a new engine and made a deal with Honda. Pulls the boat with no problem. And when your not pulling the boat this SUV is quick, it will keep up with a BMW X3. and under $25,000. + 30 mpg highway.

[Greg]

So should I sell the Taurus and get a Ford Maverich diesel? OTOH where do you find a Ford Maverich diesel?

[craiglaforce]

Does the military auction off old Bradley fighting vehicles or APCs? The military seems to have changed to using Hummers these days instead. (not sure why, isn't armor a good thing?) I think they would be a fun tow vehicle and conversation starter. 'Course they probably would be stripped of any turret mounted weapons. (Just guessing)

This might keep people from cutting in front of you at the launch ramp or cutting you off in traffic.

Oops, bradley have tracks, I was thinking more of the 8 wheel drive type thing like pictured in the link below. tracks would be a little tough on the roads.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ASLAV

ASLAV-BEERC (Personnel Carrier) - A two man vehicle armed with a .50 calibre (12.7 mm) machine gun and capable of carrying 7 scout troops (with 4 large coolers of Beer.)

[johnnyonspot]

So based on the seeming consensus in this thread, I take it no one would object to a 2000 GMC Yukon Denali as a tow vehicle for the 26M?

[NiceAft]

Johnnyonspot,

I have a 2002 Envoy, so a Yukon is more than enough to do the job. The added luxury that a Denali gives is always nice to have. If you do not have a towing package, be sure to have a transmission cooler installed. I had one installed in my Envoy for a little over a hundred bucks. it's worth it!

Ray

[Lease]

Bit of an observation on weight/power authority v vehicle dynamics.

Having towed boats more miles than I like to recall, I had a rethink when purchasing the Mac26X recently. Meanwhile, day-to-day driving the thing to work and back was a bit tedious.

My last vehicle was a mid-range Mitsubishi SUV. I was towing a trailer-tri which has about the same weight as the Mac, but a much higher centre of gravity on the trailer. What I particularly liked was the ability to perform an emergency swerve maneuver if necessary without losing control of the load. When not towing though, it really is just a big, thirsty four wheel drive. The reality is that I never once had to use the 4X4 for ramp work, or for anything else for that matter.

So I've gotten a bit latteral with regard to the new vehicle. Analysing the past usage shows that almost all of the high-speed distance work is done either on freeways, or major trunk routes. I have never encountered a venue without a choice of ramps, so the guts,or glory 15 degree pull has never been necessary. In short, the power and transmission issue didn't seem to carry weight.

SUVs to a large degree are left behind by the impressive developments in vehicle dynamics becomming available on many cars these days. Traction control, electronic stability programs, emergency brake assist and brake distribution, ABS, etc, etc, all contribute towards counterracting the problems tradittionally plaqueing those who tow large loads.

So I bought a new Citroen C5 wagon (Citroen is not currently sold in the US). Although the car is slightly lighter than the boat, it is rated much higher (2 tonnes), and although the engine runs out of puff at 135 horsepower and less torque than I'm keen to admit, it has all the other goodies. The secret in this particular equation though is the hydrodynamic suspension. Firstly, we drive level. The suspension is active, which means that whenever the centre of effort of the load moves, the suspension compensates. It really feels good on the road.

We've only been on one trip of around 300 miles return (hard to remember the conversions back to the old measures) but it was a good test. Managed 60 - 68 mph on the flats with no trouble (3 adults, 2 kids, and gear), and didn't slow that much for the fairly gentle hills. As for ramps, well I was concsious of the weight equation, but experienced no tell-tale signs that adhesion was an issue.

Bit of an overlong dissertation there, but it seem that there needs to be some balance between conventional wisdom and the effects of dynamic improvements in the cars that are out there these days. If I'm still singing this tune in a couple of year's time, then I'll be happy.

[Lloyd Franks]

I trailer my X with a 2002 Ford Escape...6 cyl., 4wd, antilock power disc brakes. Never had a problem pulling or stopping, and little or no sway even when passed by the big rigs. And it's economical. AND, I put 65,000 miles on the oversized tires before they needed replacing.

[Terry]

NiceAft:

I have a 2004 Chevy TrailBlazer EXT LT and if I am not mistaken I believe the Trailblazer is Chevy's twin of the GMC Envoy. That said, mine also came standard with the automatic transmission cooler & 7 quart oil pan, as well as the frame integrated trailer hitch, built in trailer harness, 3.73 axle ratio & limited slip locking differentials, complete trailering package. All that's missing is the Envoy's rear air suspension package for towing which is only peculiar to the Envoy, not an option for the Trailblazer which is a crime IMHO. I was under the impression that trailering was a standard factory consideration for both models. Perhaps I am mistaken.

[Tahoe Jack]

See my related post today under the 'Tundra' thread. I find my 2005 Toyota 4rnr V8 Sport does the job....including regular towing in and over the Sierra Mtns. Jack