Small Tow Vehicle Recommendations (considering XTerra)

[gmw photos]

Originally Posted by dhw

I'm going to be looking at the Honda Pilot and pickups next.

That being said, I do like the feel of the XTerra. Are there any things that make it a particularly bad vehicle (other than mileage)?

Since you have stated you like the cargo area of an SUV style, consider a truck with a cab high cap. Lockable, weather tight, and a safe place to carry things like generators and fuel cans for them, etc.
By way of comparison, a Frontier has a longer wheelbase than an XTerra. Personally I prefer longer wheelbase not only for towing, but often it can result in better ride quality even when not towing.

EDIT: be aware that adding a cap to a truck is weight that comes off of available payload

[jdalrymple]

It is a simple enough task to unplug the radio of the Onstar device.

There are even boxes out there that Bluetooth to one's personal phone to make use of the steering wheel buttons and hands free features of the on-board peripherals.

I have nice one in my sedan. And the Onstar system is completely disconnected.


Regards,

JD

[dhw]

After various test drives, we really love the new Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk. Is there any reason why this would be a bad longterm choice?

[Skooter]

Originally Posted by Ahab

Test drive the Honda Ridgeline, 240 HP, 5000# towing capacity. Ours has 108,000 mi, a third of that towing. Bought in '05 and still runs like new.

+1
The Ridge has excellent torque and HP for its class, and is designed/geared with towing in mind. It's a complete package.

Pilot has the same engine but doesn't have quite the gear ratios for towing; therefore it gets better mpg than the Ridge.

[rostam]

Originally Posted by dhw

After various test drives, we really love the new Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk. Is there any reason why this would be a bad longterm choice?

For what its worth, Consumer Reports did a review of Jeep Cherokee and called it "half-baked". I'd read the review to see what were they unhappy with.

p.s. I must say that CR is sometimes is unkind to off road vehicles.

[Denis4x4]

Originally Posted by rostam

For what its worth, Consumer Reports did a review of Jeep Cherokee and called it "half-baked". I'd read the review to see what were they unhappy with.

p.s. I must say that CR is sometimes is unkind to off road vehicles.

There has always been a CR bias towards SUV's foreign and domestic. Because their reviews are dependent on reader/ownership feedback, the numbers are often times skewed.

[dhw]

We decided on the Trailhawk, and will be towing a 3 Feathers Pinecone.

[xrvr]

Was not CR exposed as a fraud a few years ago, by not using factual info? Jim

[subfan1]

[DKB_SATX]

Originally Posted by zigzagguzzi

Was not CR exposed as a fraud a few years ago, by not using factual info? Jim

I don't think that is true, no. CR does exhibit some bias towards the frugal ends of a car's model range ("The 4-cylinder model is all anyone would need, skip the thirsty V6" etc) but I don't think they've ever been shown to be dishonest. Suzuki would not have dropped their lawsuit if CR had perpetrated a fraud in the Samurai incident, if that's what you're alluding to.