Norm and ImperialCrown have been a big help to me with this subject in the Liberty forum, but I wanted to expand the vehicles I am considering for a cheap tow vehicle.
My wife and I are looking to purchase a travel trailer camper and would need a cheap vehicle as a temporary tow vehicle. I will keep driving my PT Cruiser to work, and the tow vehicle would be used for the camper, and in emergencies should either of our PTs go down. The trailer has a dry weight of 3200 pounds, and a tongue weight of around 250. I plan on getting a weight distribution hitch.
Initially, I'm looking at a Jeep Liberty, which has a towing capacity of 5000 pounds. I've also started looking at older Cherokees (6900 pound capacity). However, we are open to other vehicles that may be available, such as an older ram, Durango, Dakota, etc. I'm trying to find a working balance between economy, capability, cost, etc. We would use the vehicle for towing the camper around Florida, and the longest would probably be from Florida to the Smoky Mountain National Park in Townsend, Tennesee. The plan would be before I retire (in about 8 1/2 years) to purchase a better two vehicle for the camper so we're set to travel out west to Arizona, Utah, etc (which we love).
I guess what I'm thinking (if feasible), is a vehicle that may not look the best, have upwards of 100,000 miles yet be a solid performer, and cost between $5K and $10K, although I would be willing to approach $15K should the extra money warrant it. My PT Cruiser has over 281,000 miles, and I've been able to keep it running great, doing the work myself, so I'm not afraid of higher mileage vehicles as long as they are reasonably mechanically sound.
Thanks for any suggestions on what would be good, what to avoid, or what pitfalls to look for.
Doug
My wife and I are looking to purchase a travel trailer camper and would need a cheap vehicle as a temporary tow vehicle. I will keep driving my PT Cruiser to work, and the tow vehicle would be used for the camper, and in emergencies should either of our PTs go down. The trailer has a dry weight of 3200 pounds, and a tongue weight of around 250. I plan on getting a weight distribution hitch.
Initially, I'm looking at a Jeep Liberty, which has a towing capacity of 5000 pounds. I've also started looking at older Cherokees (6900 pound capacity). However, we are open to other vehicles that may be available, such as an older ram, Durango, Dakota, etc. I'm trying to find a working balance between economy, capability, cost, etc. We would use the vehicle for towing the camper around Florida, and the longest would probably be from Florida to the Smoky Mountain National Park in Townsend, Tennesee. The plan would be before I retire (in about 8 1/2 years) to purchase a better two vehicle for the camper so we're set to travel out west to Arizona, Utah, etc (which we love).
I guess what I'm thinking (if feasible), is a vehicle that may not look the best, have upwards of 100,000 miles yet be a solid performer, and cost between $5K and $10K, although I would be willing to approach $15K should the extra money warrant it. My PT Cruiser has over 281,000 miles, and I've been able to keep it running great, doing the work myself, so I'm not afraid of higher mileage vehicles as long as they are reasonably mechanically sound.
Thanks for any suggestions on what would be good, what to avoid, or what pitfalls to look for.
Doug