Softest riding tow vehicle for 4500 lb AS?

[RedSHED]

Originally Posted by Andrew T

Hello Pat

We have a lot of customers that tow with Cadilac DTS Sedans, we have been using these regularly since the late 1980's. Quite a few have switched to them from trucks to relieve back problems. You can even get massaging seats. Right now they are a very good deal.
...

This picture is a 97 Model with a 31 Classic.

Andrew T

Awesome!

While I've said I could never own a Caddy, I may yet live to eat those words.

I spent a lot of late nights testing s/w on the '96 version of the car in that pic, and have had a soft spot for them ever since.

[Gene]

Sarge, I think Forums tend sometimes to show how different we are because they focus on one thing, and the more contentious threads certainly point out differences. But I have noticed that no matter what the politics of frequent posters (it's easy after a while to know that) we have much more in common. Most of us have the same issues with our trailers, travel similarly, or have common health or other issues. Backs are not political or ideological and it's nice to know others have the same problems.

Andrew, I never thought of a Cadillac for a TV for our '08 Safari. Of course, I need a pickup and my wife loves her 4Runner, so we'd have to have a 3rd vehicle. A Caddy would not be bad if it could tow a newer trailer through Colorado. It's too late now unless the stock market goes on a tear.

Gene

[SARGE/AF]

Originally Posted by Andrew T

Hello Pat

We have a lot of customers that tow with Cadilac DTS Sedans, we have been using these regularly since the late 1980's. Quite a few have switched to them from trucks to releive back problems. You can even get massaging seats. Right now they are a very good deal.

They ride very nicely both towing and solo yet they are extremely stable. Likely one of the best combinations of ride and handling out there. There is an optional performance package which is not absolutely necessary but if you get it performance will not be far off of your Avalanche fuel economy will be much better, almost as good towing as the Avalanche is solo.

I have used one myself quite a bit and you can drive it all day and step out feeling like you just went around the block. If you would like to persue that let me know and I can assist you with more detail.

This picture is a 97 Model with a 31 Classic.

Andrew T

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Andrew what you say about cars is for the most part true, something else to consider is those of us with serious back problems only make it worse when getting in and out the car because it sits so low to the ground. My wife has a Bonneville (last year they made them) and it sits the same height as the caddie and after getting in and out of it a couple of times I am done for and can hardly move, Now I am a little taller (6'7") than the average person so that adds to it because I have so far to go to get down into and out of the car.
Funny thing is though the same seats you can get for a car you can get for a truck/SUV.

Sarge

[SARGE/AF]

Originally Posted by CrawfordGene

Sarge, I think Forums tend sometimes to show how different we are because they focus on one thing, and the more contentious threads certainly point out differences. But I have noticed that no matter what the politics of frequent posters (it's easy after a while to know that) we have much more in common. Most of us have the same issues with our trailers, travel similarly, or have common health or other issues. Backs are not political or ideological and it's nice to know others have the same problems.
Gene

So True,,

Sarge

[Gene]

Originally Posted by SARGE/AF

Andrew what you say about cars is for the most part true, something else to consider is those of us with serious back problems only make it worse when getting in and out the car because it sits so low to the ground.
Funny thing is though the same seats you can get for a car you can get for a truck/SUV.

Sarge

Yeh, I have trouble getting in and out of cars too. When I get the lust for a sports car, I have to remind myself how it would feel getting out of it after I poured myself in. I was temporarily semi-seduced by a luxury car aura. I don't know about the seats being the same, at least for Toyotas. The 2002 Sequoia seats were very plush feeling, the 2006 4Runner seats very firm—both are SUV's and both were the Limited series, but the seats are entirely different. This just means to check it out throughly.

Gene

[Lothlorian]

Pat:

I can't give you advice about a vehicle, but maybe I am able to help with his back. I am not a doctor but I was involved with swimming for over 30 years. Over the years no matter what pool I worked for we always had many adults of all ages and sizes coming to swim. My personal feeling is nothing out there works as well as swimming. Swimming works all those muscles around the injured area in your back. They end up taking over for the bad vertebrate, muscles, and nerves. I have heard years of testimony of the benefits of doing laps in a pool. The last person I watched cured himself from swimming at the time of my getting out of the competetive sport. He was in his late 50's and he wrecked his Harley Davidson. He was really messed up. Shoulder, legs, back and neck. As soon as he could get in the water he did. It took him six months but the results were great. He said it was the swimming that helped him.

Have him try water aerobics first then work slowly into laps.

Ask your husband to give it a try.



Lothlorian

[purman]

Originally Posted by Lothlorian

Pat:

I can't give you advice about a vehicle, but maybe I am able to help with his back. I am not a doctor but I was involved with swimming for over 30 years. Over the years no matter what pool I worked for we always had many adults of all ages and sizes coming to swim. My personal feeling is nothing out there works as well as swimming. Swimming works all those muscles around the injured area in your back. They end up taking over for the bad vertebrate, muscles, and nerves. I have heard years of testimony of the benefits of doing laps in a pool. The last person I watched cured himself from swimming at the time of my getting out of the competetive sport. He was in his late 50's and he wrecked his Harley Davidson. He was really messed up. Shoulder, legs, back and neck. As soon as he could get in the water he did. It took him six months but the results were great. He said it was the swimming that helped him.

Have him try water aerobics first then work slowly into laps.

Ask your husband to give it a try.



Lothlorian

My wife is a doctor and loves swimming.... and encourages it....

We just bought an Endless pool. A used one... moves the water at you so you can swim in one place in the pool.. They come in different sizes. ours is 7x14 they go as big as 12x30...

[Road Ruler]

Originally Posted by Lothlorian

Pat:

My personal feeling is nothing out there works as well as swimming. Swimming works all those muscles around the injured area in your back. They end up taking over for the bad vertebrate, muscles, and nerves. I have heard years of testimony of the benefits of doing laps in a pool.


Lothlorian

It is so true. I have had back pain issues all my life especially in the last ten years while involved with mountain bike racing. As a cross training sport I took up doing laps twice a week. The back pain is all but gone. It really is a great exercise.

Cadillac DTS (post #20) : I owned a Caddy Seville back in the 70's. It was comfortable but no way was it a drivers car. The 450SEL Mercedes that replaced it surely was and more my style. Anyway, my BIL and his wife each have a DTS and I had a chance to drive one of them. It was nice in every way. Impressive handling, comfort, performance. They have it all.

[slowmover]

(My wife uses the strap-hanger to get up and into the diesel Ram. With my back -- and height -- I used same to maneuver BOTH into and out of her low-slung Lexus).

Ironies abound.

Guess we'll all have to go back to the 1976 Cadillac my Dad used to tow for over 12-years and 190,000 miles (8,000-lb GVWR Silver Streak). No lack for room, exit or egress.

[RedSHED]

I keep trying to imagine how you'd mount a swim tank in the cab of the tow vehicle...

[mutcth]

Originally Posted by Road Ruler

Anyway, my BIL and his wife each have a DTS and I had a chance to drive one of them. It was nice in every way. Impressive handling, comfort, performance. They have it all.

Just want to third this - I've spent a lot of time in recent Cadillac DTSs. The interior materials and fit and finish might not rival the Lexus LS, but the quiet and ride sure does. A Buick Lucerne CXS/Super (the one with the Northstar and the Magnaride suspension) is really close too (same platform) and will likely cost a bit less. Like Andy T. said, these are deals on the used market.

Got to say though, the Avalanche has one of the best rides of any truck. Then again, I've driven 1/2-ton Avalanches without the Z71 off-road package, which is probably the best combo (even without Autoride.)

One more thing - someone earlier mentioned a BMW X5. The first-generation ones ride decently, the newer versions have a choppy ride.

Tom

[Andrew T]

Hi Tom

I agree about the 1/2 ton avalanch having a smooth ride but Pat's is a 3/4 since it has the 8.1 Litre. Even on the 1/2 ton I find the live axle tends to send a thump through the chassis when towing. I don't find I experience that on vehicles with less unsprung weight.

I like the specs on the Lucern as well but I have not towed with one as yet.

Thanks

Andrew T

[Gene]

Originally Posted by RedSHED

I keep trying to imagine how you'd mount a swim tank in the cab of the tow vehicle...

You put it in the bed, silly.

Gene

[SARGE/AF]

Originally Posted by Lothlorian

Pat:

I can't give you advice about a vehicle, but maybe I am able to help with his back. I am not a doctor but I was involved with swimming for over 30 years. Over the years no matter what pool I worked for we always had many adults of all ages and sizes coming to swim. My personal feeling is nothing out there works as well as swimming. Swimming works all those muscles around the injured area in your back. They end up taking over for the bad vertebrate, muscles, and nerves. I have heard years of testimony of the benefits of doing laps in a pool. The last person I watched cured himself from swimming at the time of my getting out of the competetive sport. He was in his late 50's and he wrecked his Harley Davidson. He was really messed up. Shoulder, legs, back and neck. As soon as he could get in the water he did. It took him six months but the results were great. He said it was the swimming that helped him.
Have him try water aerobics first then work slowly into laps.
Ask your husband to give it a try.
Lothlorian

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If swimming causes more pain then at least just set in the water, once in the water there is Zero gravity on the spine and thus takes the pressure off and allows healing as well as time for the muscles to relax better.

I know with my conditions the movement of swimming actually irritates the nerves that are pinched, but just sitting in the pool or the jacoozy does help to relax the muscles. Evertime we are near a pool my wife stays on me until I give in and join her, most of the time I do feel better.

Sarge

[huffyshox]

What is the rated towing capacity for the DTS?

[Andrew T]

It is 1000 or 2000 pounds which just tells you they don't want to bother with it. They don't perceive that a tow rating will help the sales of DTS's so they don't give it one. However you can add a couple of thousand pounds to it and stretch it into a limo.

It does perform and handle very nicely, the northstar engine has lots of power and because it does not take a lot of power to push the car along there is lots left over to pull the Airstream.

Andrew T

[Road Ruler]

Originally Posted by Andrew T

However you can add a couple of thousand pounds to it and stretch it into a limo.

Andrew T

That is the truth! We see it all the time here in Niagara where stretched vehicles of all sorts are cruising down the QEW to the Casino.

This one has at least 2 to 3,000lbs of added structure weight and that is before they pile in the multitude of passengers and luggage.

[bizcamp]

I have a 2005 Ridgeline and it is all truck in power but has the most comfortable suspension and seats I have ever sat in. I agree that seats are most important but the suspension is as important. The Honda is 110% for a TV and has no compromises in the comfort area. It looks like a truck, acts like a truck but is as comfortable as a Cadillac Sedan.
Smooth Move,
Bizcamp

[Ahab]

Originally Posted by bizcamp

I have a 2005 Ridgeline and it is all truck in power but has the most comfortable suspension and seats I have ever sat in. I agree that seats are most important but the suspension is as important. The Honda is 110% for a TV and has no compromises in the comfort area. It looks like a truck, acts like a truck but is as comfortable as a Cadillac Sedan.
Smooth Move,
Bizcamp

This is true, I have one too!

[Andrew T]

The same things that work well on the Cadillac work on the Ridgeline the independent rear suspension and a rigid body structure. The caddie does have a lot more power and considerably better fuel economy. The Ridgeline has 4wd.

Andy