We are not interested in luxury, elegance, or impressing the neighbors down the street. We want capable and durable. I will have cash in hand about this time next year. We do not do car payments. Have not in over 30 years.

Something to replace the 84 K5 Blazer she loved and the 05 5.7 Hemi Durango with almost 300,000 miles she currently drives.

The new rig needs to weigh close to 6,000 lbs, and be tow rated from 8,000 to 10,000 lbs with tow power equivalent to the 5.7 Durango. I would like it to have 75K to less than 100K miles. Model year is unimportant.

Is there anything out there today to fit her needs?

Or am I going to have to settle for one of those stupid looking man bun, soy boy 4 door pickups with a four foot bed and a topper?

Good luck. Very few SUV's will tow 3 ton. Those that do are going to be well used if they're priced at $30K

Toyota Sequoia

Says he's not hear to impress people, makes fun of other's choices. Hmmmm

or maybe a Tundra with a shell?

Why not another Durango?

Scion

Toyota rav no woman needs anymore vehicle unless she is the breadwinner. You asked

8k-10k towing capacity will narrow it down to 3/4 ton. Towing that kind of weight with a 1/2 ton is sketchy at best. That's going to narrow the field a bunch.

We’ve bought two used 4Runners and couldn’t be any more pleased. Extremely reliable, no issues.

The average price for a used car is just under 30k right now. So get the best Durango you can find for 30 k.

I want it to weigh 3 ton.

And tow 4 to 5.

4x4 is mandatory.

The old Durango does. Yukon/Tahoe does. Sequoia does. Infiniti QX80 does. Land cruiser and clones do.

Starting with model year 2009, the Durango is no longer a contender as it became unibody construction on a chasis shared with the Jeep Grand Cherokee.

Perhaps someone has some good or bad experiences to share concerning a qualifying vehicle.

And perhaps in today's market, budget will limit me to just Yukon/Tahoe.

Unless she is towing my boat to the lake. And yes, she can and has driven tow vehicles better than most men.

Point taken. Mb

I suppose we could repower the old 05 plus a tranny and transfer case, and it would be good for another 300K. That would tickle Momma. She loves that thing.

Vroom. Vroom.

You can fit a lot of gut shot hogs in a Ford Expedition.

The 2022 Tundra is rated at 12,000 towing... But I am not sure it it is weighs 6k. It will also probably be over $30k by some. I think the Sequoia is the SUV version, but I am not sure. I have not studied.

I like the Excursions as well.

TFF

I’d start nationwide autotrader searches for low mile, southern state, rust free 2000-2002 (and first half of 2003) 4wd, 7.3 Ford excursions.

Towing, safety, fuel economy, power - million mile reliability, and a vehicle which could actually appreciate.

Original paint will probably only be good on the white over tan limiteds, and you’ll have to jump when you find one, but I’ve seen some 100,000 mile ones under $30k.

You may spend some cosmetic money, but it will be about as close to “investment” as you’ll get out of a driver like you’re looking for.

Yukon, Tahoe and Suburbans are probably more lady friendly and comfortable, though - but the 7.3 Excursions are sure cool and capable.

DJ

Lots of time for tire kicking.......

Toyota has something for you

Good grief- - - - -that's what I paid for 100 acres of good Tennessee pasture land and woods. Now it's worth 300K!

1976 Lincoln Continental.

Seriously, if I were in yer shoes, I'd rebuild the Blazer and save yourself a bunch of dough. Assuming it has a 351, you could always buy a crate motor - perhaps a stroker, rebuild the gearbox, redo the interior, etc. for far less than $30K. + in these uncertain times, it wouldn't hurt to have that extra wampum on hand.

https://www.carfax.com/vehicle/1GNWKLEGXBR368879

You are asking for a lot of vehicle for $30,000 at today’s time and vehicle values! 1st problem under 100,000 miles then the size of vehicle and on top of that towing capacity. You will be one lucky guy to find a piece of gold like this. Trucks that use to resale for $10,000 is double right now same with SUV’s.

Nissan Armada. Big v8. No problems with ours that’s 14 years old

Ford excursion

Chevy Tahoe

I always had a weak spot for those K2500 'Burbs.

Momma insists it be a bit shorter.

DJTex: Yes, I might be persuaded by a nice diesel Excursion. No experience with Fords since 1980.

Sequoia or Lexus 460/570 series

Suburban.

New motor and/or trans for your present rig. Seriously.

With fuel costs going sky high. You might have lots of choices next year at this time. Check banks and credit unions for repos.

Had an ‘03 7.3 Powerstroke in F350. Sold it as part of a business 4yrs ago. Man what a beast. Good responsive power, lack of electronics and just near bulletproof. Good luck!

Tahoes, Yukons, and Denalis SUV are all built on 1/2 ton frame and are pretty short wheelbase for towing those kind of loads. One of the reasons I got rid of my Blazer quite some time ago after getting a travel trailer... Suburbans and Expeditions were custom made for this chore when built on the 3/4 ton frame.... get one with a Duramax if you can squeeze it in your budget. If not, the 6.0 is a great engine for towing in my experience... check out some of the online sellers like Carmax, Cargurus, and others and you should be able to find what you're looking for

Second thread this cracked me up.

We’ve owned 3 sequoia’s. They’d be hard to beat. Great family vehicle.
I’ve been GM loyal for my work fleet, but I wouldn’t own a Yukon/Tahoe/suburban. I Draw the line at Silverado 2500/3500 and kodiak 4500-6500’s. Everything else will likely be a Toyota product.

The Tahoe I believe with the correct towing reciever, and trailer brakes, six thousand pounds, no problem. Which an equalizer hitch, up to eight thousands. Not the ideal towing rig, but meets your criteria, as I understood your question!

Might be worth getting a quote and considering. Maybe add new paint and make it look really nice.

I AGREE WITH THAT WISDOM TO THE CORE...

Someone mentioned the Nissan Armada... I was running the ground support motor pool at Stennis near Waveland Mississippi after Katrina. Nissan had a plant somewhere nearby and donated 3 Infinity QX-56s to us (they were perfect, but failed QC on fit and finish and were headed to the muncher after our use).

Anyway... handing a wildland firefighter (deployed to help with cleanup) the keys to a mint QX-56 and saying go ahead and fugg it up all you want (BUT don't blow the tires (BIG MONEY!!!)) is some of the funniest chit I have ever seen. Those guys were in hog heaven tearing up $70k (?) SUVs. TOUGH VEHICLES... VERY TOUGH, but I think they like 93 octane IIRC... so there is that. Toward the end of the deployments I pulled the dipstick on one engine... almost stuck the oil was so bad... and roofing tar viscosity. Tough stuff.

I have a 2020 Silverado 2500 6.6 gasser. If they were to put that in a Suburban or a Tahoe, I would buy one. Probably would prefer it in the Tahoe size with 4 doors.

Guy offered me a 2008 Dodge 2500 6.7 Cummins Megacab the other day for trade (trade and out of pocket would be at $30k). I know you said SUV, but a Megacab is almost that and the 6.7 drive train is considerably more. I declined.

Get her a Hyundai Santa Fe. I guarantee you won't regret it. Was in the exact same position last year and found my wife a 2018 with 38k miles on it for less than $25k. We absolutely love it, it's nice but not fancy or flashy and the features are user friendly. Upper 20's for mpg with plenty of go when you need it. Back seats recline for passengers and are very comfortable. Try one out and see for yourself.

Sequoia or Excursion. We love our Sequoia but it loves gas stations.

Hrrmmm.

What’s an 08 dodge mega cab 4x4 6.7. Emissions bs ripped off. Programmer. 150k miles.

Worth?

#askingforafriend.

Corrected... sorry if I caused confusion.

It was a monster built truck and drivetrain (maybe $20k in upgrades)... It did have 216k miles (which is nothing at all on a Cummins IMHO). Built by a gear head and fabricator... VERY CLEAN. 10" lift kit was the turnoff for me on a trade... that and some dumbazz fancy rims and tires. Amelia Virginia... if you want a POC drop a PM.

As for the value of yours... probably $30k... maybe more.

Yep.

That's where a Land Cruiser shines. Built to last 25 years in the most inhospitable terrain in the world.

No disrespect intended.

She needs a rig which will TOW the Santa Fe,,,,,,,, sitting on a two ton tandem axle implement trailer.

She spent years hitching and hauling a stock trailer to 4H meetings 2 or 3 times a week, all summer long, with her beloved K5 Blazer. We hauled many dozens of 3 cord loads of wood home from the mountains in steep Idaho terrain with that Blazer over a ten year period. That poor thing was our farm truck. And did a damned fine job of it hitched to the appropriate trailer.

The factory tow rating on the Yukon/Tahoe runs up to about 8000 lb. Some of the Toyota SUVs are nearly equivalent. I am sure I will find her something. Or again, dump a schittton of cash into her Durango.

None taken, I don't GAS what your old lady drives. I figured just because she'd done all that hauling for so long that chapter was behind her with kids growd or somethin. I know if I was going to go get wood I wouldn't be making my wife drive or load and unload that much herself. Given your parameters there's not a lot of options so it shouldn't be too many places to look.

Curious about the 4H program that requires that much hauling of stock multiple times a week. There's none in our state that require that much. Heck even rodeoing the kids around here don't need that much truckin. Good luck in your search, perhaps a pickup would give more options. My V10 is as comfortable as anything and the controls are all about the same as on the Santa Fe for when mama needs to pull something. Sounds like our situation might be different. We don't haul that much stock or wood, but we do pull the boat, it's cheaper with the Hyundai.

4H program?

Three kids and three horses doing horse 4H with meetings 2/week and competitions on weekends.
While I was working shifts.

And I have a truck. A K 2500HD which carries a cab over camper.

One lady's idea of a car is not necessarily the same as another lady's.

I have a 2000 excursion 7.3. I built the transmission at 200k and upgraded injectors, turbo and tune.

It's gonna be in the family for ever. I drag our 13k lbs trailer through the steepest mountains on the hottest days and it just loves to work. I can bank on 16mpg empty and often closer to 20. Towing my trailer nets 12-14mpg.

Space, great brakes and more ass than anything else in the suv market.

The excursion doesn't even know when my boat is hooked to it.