WARNING!!!
 

If you’re going to be shopping for a tow vehicle or trailer, BEWARE!!!  Not all salespeople are looking out for your best interests!!!

Many (not all) RV and vehicle salespeople don’t have a clue as to what they are selling.  Some salespeople may look at the rating sticker on the receiver on your current vehicle and see that it is capable of handling 10,000#, but that is not necessarily what the rest of the vehicle is capable of.

If you go to a dealer and a salesperson says something like, “This truck can tow anything”, or, “Your truck can pull anything on the lot”, you either need to find a more educated and honest salesperson or a more reputable dealership, and QUICKLY!!!  Do not be sold or conned into buying anything on the word of a salesperson!!!  Do your homework first, or you will regret it later.

When shopping for a tow vehicle, pick up a sales brochure on the models you are interested in.  Also pick up one of the manufacturer’s “Towing Guide” brochure (GM, Ford and Dodge have them).  In these brochures you will find important numbers and specifications regarding towing, like the GVWR and GCWR of the vehicle.  You will also find the “tow rating” for the vehicle, but you must read the fine print that accompanies the tow rating to see how the manufacturer came up with it.  In many cases, your actual tow rating could be much less (as explained elsewhere on this website).

When shopping for the RV, of course you’ll get a sales brochure, right?  How else will you remember all the models you will be looking at?

With brochures and literature in hand, you will be ready to start figuring out what might make the best combination of tow vehicle and trailer for you and your needs.

Read the other topics on this website so you’ll have a complete understanding of what you need to know to make an informed buying decision.  With what you will learn here and from other sources, you may end up knowing more about towing than the salespeople you talk to.

If you already have a tow vehicle, check out the section, “What can I tow?”  It will help you understand what your vehicle is capable of.  If you’ve already been shopping for a trailer, check out the section, “Can I tow this?”.

If you don’t have the tow vehicle already, it might be best to look for the trailer first, then look for a vehicle that will be able to handle it safely.

The “tow rating” is determined by the manufacturer, and it is the maximum amount of weight the vehicle can safely handle.  Factors such as engine size, cooling system, transmission, axle ratio, chassis, suspension, brakes, tires and a few other components all play a part in determining the “tow rating”.

Before you set out to buy a new (or used) tow vehicle, there are some things you should consider first.  How often will you be towing?  Where will you be towing to?  Is this vehicle also going to be used as a daily driver?  What type of trailer are you interested in…pop-up, travel trailer or fifth wheel?  And how much does the trailer weigh?

And then there are the highly debated advantages and disadvantages of gas verses diesel engines.  From my own personal analysis, you don’t need a diesel unless you will be towing a lot of miles, towing in high elevation (the mountains) or the trailer you are considering is very heavy.

Here are some advantages to a diesel engine:

• Better fuel mileage.
• Higher torque at low speeds which gives better starting from a stop.
• More durable than a gas engine.  Diesel engines can go several thousands of miles before major engine work needs to be done.

Here are some disadvantages of a diesel engine:

• Noisy
• Initial cost is higher than a gas engine
• Maintenance and repair costs are usually higher
• Not all gas stations sell diesel fuel
• Slower acceleration than gas engines
• Fuel problems in extremely cold climates

Okay, time to go shopping!!!
(after you do some more reading of course)

Questions?  Comments?  Need help?

Send me an email.

Click here for a PDF version of this page.

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