[VAL] best tow vehicle

["Randy Unter" <runter@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

5000# is a good weight, especially if you plan to tow into the mountains
alot. I have a Ford PSD 250 for this type of work and tows as effortlessly
at 11,000 feet as it does at sea level. However, a lot of folks live in
urban areas, and the idea of tooling around everyday in a huge truck is a
bit daunting.
At the '04 Rocky Mountain Rally in Colorado Springs (6000'), I decided to
try my V8 powered Mercury Mountaineer , with the towing package, towing my
5000# Overlander. To be honest, I didn't expect it to perform well, but to
my surprise, it towed perfectly, even when pulling 7400' Monument pass. It
easily accelerated to 70 mph and provided a stable tow and ride. Temp gauge
never moved off normal, and mileage was 11.5 mpg towing. Around town, it
averages 16-17 mpg, with a high of 22 mpg on the highway. It's faster than
the Tahoe and stops shorter from 60 mph in 127'. The Explorer is identical,
the Lincoln Aviator has the hotter Mustang performance engine. All three
have a rated towing capacity of 7,000 #.
I used to tow the Overlander with a '99 Durango with 5.9 Ltr V8. The
Mountaineer seems more stable than the Durango (don't know how the new ones
are-they should be great).
So, there's another option for you, however, as others have said, virtually
any 1/2 ton truck or midsized SUV and up will work.
Randy Unter
Denver