Purchase ?

You need to look at the towing capcity too.

The Honda Pilot has 3rd row seating, but only 4500 lb towing capcity.

The GMC Yukon has 3rd row seating and over 8000 lb towing capcity.

The Hummer H1 I think meets your specs, too.

IF I WERE YOU I WOULD BUY A SUBURBAN BECAUSE WE HAVE ONE AND IT IS VERY COMFORTABLE AND IT COULD TOW A LOT OF WEIGHT AND LOOKS NICE AND THE RIDE QUALITY IS EXCELLENT WELL DEPENDING ON HOW MUCH MONEY YOU ARE WILLING TO SPEND I WOULD GET A 4*4 BUT IF U GET A 4*2 MAKE SURE YOU GET THE STABILITY TRACK ANOTHER THING IS IT COULD SMOKE ALOT OF THE SUVS ON YOUR LIST CONSUMER REPORTS TESTED IT AND IT RAN 0-60 IN ONLY 7.6 SECONDS ON ONLY 8 CYLINDERS UNLIKE THE 0-60 IN 10+ SECONDS FOR THE V10 (10 CYLINDERS) OR THE EXPEDITION (TO SMALL) OR EXCURSION (TO BIG) ,DURANGO (UGLY) I WOULD NARROW IT DOWN TO SUBURBAN (YES) OR THE LAND CRUISER (DAMN)

It sounds like you already have the trailer. Rather than focusing on brand names, with a trailer that size your focus needs to be GVWR and GCWR.

It's really scary how many people exceed their weight ratios with either indifference or ignorance.

John wrote:

Then they burn up the transmission on the uphill and burn up the brakes on the downhill. Other than that, there is no problem.

---Bob Gross---

My dad has a Durango with a 5.9L engine and 3.92 axle ratio, it won't tow the weight you want to tow. He's actually out as I type looking at pickups to tow his 28 foot trailer, to add to the stable, not replace any vehicle completely. He's not comfortable towing the trailer in the mtns. with his current rig but he loves the truck. If you're looking at the 2004 Durango, not the first-gen one, it may be capable. Of the trucks you listed, the Suburban, Excursion and Expedition may tow the load you want, with a 3/4 ton Suburban, not a

1/2 ton. As others said, look at tow capacity, not just number of seating rows, and to add to the list of 3-row SUVs that can't handle that load, the Buick Rondezvous.

No matter which vehicle you pick, make sure that it has an external transmission cooler. My Suburban has external coolers on the engine (factory), power steering (factory) and transmission (after-market). Also, check to see if it has heavy duty-brakes (you'll want to stop that puppy eventually) and a heavy-duty radiator wouldn't hurt either. I tow only occasionally but my Suburban is well equipped for towing so I never have any problems.

Suburban or Excursion. You need a vehicle of substantial weight to pull a trailer of substantial weight on a regular basis in order to avoid problems. It's not only a wear issue, but a safety issue. You can put all the power you want in a small-midsize SUV, but if things get squirly while pulling that trailer the power is not going to do you any good.

Assuming that 3 rows of seats means you're going to be taking passengers (family perhaps?) on these trips, look VERY closely at the safety factor. In other words, get a truck that is fully capable of pulling that trailer.

- Andy

Like others said, you're going to want a vehicle with bulk as well as power. With that large of a crew, I'd go for a Suburban. I've owned mostly Toyota's all my life, but my father is a big GM fan. He's very meticulous with his maintenance and has had very good luck with GM full size trucks.

Heck - for what a LandCruiser costs nowadays, you can buy 2 suburbans, and just keep one as a spare if the other one breaks down ;-)

If I were YOU I'd buy a keyboard that lets you type in lower case letters too!

Blue Bird, Collins, International and Thomas all have adequate seating. Around here I see a lot of Suburbans towing some heavy stuff .

Bill

Guys this is a Yota forum -- the Sequoia or the V8 4Runner will meet his towing and seating needs --- both now have a third row seat (seat 7 - 8 may be a squeeze).

Both flip right over too.

John,

I think the Ford Excursion is discontuinued now..

If size, fuel economy, and worries about fitting it in the garage don't matter then go with the biggest bastard on the lot -- Suburban -- It has all the room you'll need..

========= Harryface =========

1991 Pontiac Bonneville LE ~_~_~269,000 miles_~_~_

The problem with most of the 6-8 seater SUV's is that once you get everyone inside, it's cramped and there isn't any room for cargo. I rarely see a Suburban with a rooftop carrier but they're common on other SUV's. Most of the ones I've looked at have the third row passengers against the rear window (or extremely close to it).

Don't forget, there are different varieties of Suburbans, some of which are heavier duty (with greater towing capacity) than others. There are also full size passenger vans built on similar truck chassis that can handle heavy towing, but have more interior room (these also come in different varieties, some with more towing capacity than others).

lists towing capacities and other informationfor various vehicles.

Everything will flip over idiot!

Forget the SUV. Get a 1969 Chevrolet Kingswood station wagon. 454, M-22, Moser 12 bolt. Paint it two-tone, white top and big-chunk metal flake green. Dog-dishes and steelies, Flowmonsters and green-tinted glass. Trade your current trailer on one of those big silver AirStreams. Everytime you pull up to a stoplight, alternate between quoting Brady Bunch episodes and screaming that you're "Oh, oh, oh, oh, stayin alive! Stayin alive!"

Sorry for the smartass post, but the idea hit me and wouldn't go away. In fact, where'd I put my AutoTrader...

Why do you say the Expedition is too small? If you only occasionally need to haul 8 people, the Expedition has plenty of seating room. If you need to take long trips with 8 people and need lots of cargo room, then the Excursion is far better than the Suburban. If seems to me that the Suburban is just the wrong size - too big if you don't need 8 seats for long trips and too small if you do. I suppose if you are drag racing, then the Suburban with the big gas V-8 is a good truck to own, but if you are towing something heavy, the Excursion with the PSD is far better. BTW, the Excursion with the V-10 made it to 60 in 9.7 seconds in the Consumer Reports tests and the Suburban took 8.6 seconds despite being the light duty model. The Land Cruiser is a an old design with a ridiculously high price. It has no advantages compared to any of the bigger US designed SUVs that it competes with. It is testament to the loyalty (or gullibility) of Toyota owners that they can give them away. If I was in Africa, the Land Crusier would be a good choice, but in the US it is a non-starter. Even the mediocre Sequoia is a better choice here.

Regards,

Ed White

EPSYCHOBOB wrote:

Marky wrote:everytime you pull up to a light alternate between quoting Brady Bunch episodes...........

The Brady's had Mopar wagons in the series, not Chevy. The one that Carol smashed the RR quarter panel & taillight out on was a brown Chrysler or Plymouth Wagon. Satelite or Newport? The wagons were not seen or used as much as Mike's cars. I can only recall the brown wagon, and no others......that was the one used in the 3 part Grand Canyon episode.

The last year of the series Mike had a Caprice convertible it was used in the episode Marcia's Driving Test.

Mike's Cars - all convertibles

-------------------------------------

1966 silver Newport Conv, 1969 blue Plymouth Fury Conv., 1971 blue Plymouth Barracuda Conv. ( which oddly had a tailight panel from a 72 Barracuda that had the round taillights ), The last car Mike had was a 1974 or 75 maroon Chevy Caprice conv.

Far Out !

========= Harryface =========

1991 Pontiac Bonneville LE ~_~_~269,000 miles_~_~_