not2fast

So I am thinking it is time to move on from my 2012 GL550 in the next year. My needs are changing and as the kids gets older and can drive I need less space and instead of 5-7 passengers I will have 4-5 when heading
to the lake. It primary purpose will be towing our Yamaha 212x boat and being my winter vehicle. (BMW F80 is my summer car)

Is anyone else considering this? Has anyone went this route? (I love the idea of having a box for hauling mulch and tires, but my wife thinks I will hate driving it.)

I was hoping Toyota would come out with a new Tacoma, but they are not doing anything new in 2023. GM is coming out with a new Colorado/Canyon this
summer with 4 cylinder 2.7T 310hp/420lbtq motor. That sounds promising. Ford is also coming out with a new Ranger.

Max Blast

My back up do anything ride is a 20-year-old three-quarter ton Chevy HD. That might overshoot your needs by half a ton, but I’ve never regretted having either vehicle and I’m amazed at the versatility that these to offer.

not2fast

I have been thinking the GL550 will be handed down to my stepson next spring when he starts driving. I will get a truck that is 5 years or less old, but it will certainly be a midsize.

My brother has 2002 Chevy Suburban 3/4 ton with 6.0L V8 sitting in a shed somewhere. That thing was such a towing disappointment. It really needed the 8.1L. He replaced it with a 2010 Nissan Armada which surprisingly was a big improvement. I think it was due to gearing and an extra gear in the transmission. The Suburban couldn't pull his 24 foot toy hauler that loaded weighted about 5500lbs at 70mph consistently. If you had a head wind or hill it would just drop speed. I think we got as low as 6mpg towing with it. That brought back some bad memories.

Max Blast

I have 8.1 and it has all the torques.
moves anything up to 12k with ease.
8 mpg no matter what you do, laden or unladen.

Midsize with an atlas 5er or a sixer in it you’ll struggle moving a 5500 lb boat or hauler, methinks.

Tsumi

Try to see if a dealer will let you tow your boat with the aforementioned trucks. You may or may not be disappointed with the amount of power they have.

Also check the payload ratings. You will want to make sure your crew + equipment + tongue weight of the boat does not exceed the payload rating, especially if you're towing some distance.

not2fast

That 8.1L is a beast. Did they ever add modern tweaks to it? I wonder how well that motor would have done with direct injection and cylinder shutdown We got as bad as 6mpg towing with 6.0L.

not2fast

I was planning that. Most have higher payload rating then GL550 I tow with now so it should be good there. It will come down to how it feels pulling the boat. If the Canyon comes out with
2.7T in 2023 model with 10 speed as rumored I would think that would have plenty of grunt. Check out that revised version numbers. That is a lot of grunt at 1500rpm.

https://gmauthority.com/blog/2021/12...e-even-higher/

I did pully my boat with a Nissan Xterra PROX-4, but couldn't haul passengers with it. It did fine, but the 5 speed transmission didn't have the right gear. 5th would pull at 80mph and 4th would pull at 60mph comfortably.

I should go try pulling it with a current Ranger as a baseline. I don't think the V6 in the Frontier and Canyon will do what I want.

https://performanceparts.ford.com/part/M-9603-REB

not2fast

I sat in a Tacoma yesterday. When in driving position there is barely any leg room in rear. So this gen Tacoma is out. Wife is convinced I will end up with a newer MB before a truck.

mrmotoguzzi00

Sorta doing that know, the old ram is for all the dirty stuff and towing the boat if needed... although the boat only comes out of the ocean once a yr for maintenance... the GLE is just not needed anymore so it's up for sale and it's time for something old and cool... what that will be who knows

Max Blast

If we only got the X-class here Stateside…

(it was a warmed over Nissan Frontier with MB touches throughout.)

not2fast

I am really hoping the domestic manufactures come through for me. I am hoping to find something not any wider and no more then a foot longer the x164.

Length: 5,088 mm (200.3 in)
Width: 1,920 mm (75.6 in)
Height: 1,840 mm (72.4 in)

Tsumi

Unfortunately, to get a pickup in that size with the legroom you're looking for, you'll have a pickup with a 4 foot bed. As far as I know, there is no pickup that has a bed that short. The last pickup with a bed that comes close to being that short was the old Explorer Sport-Trac.

not2fast

Not sure. I need to sit in Canyon which is a 2 inches wider and has 3 inches more rear leg room then Tacoma. It is a little bigger then my M3 which works well. That truck is 212 inches long.

I am waiting for 2023's to come out. Either because they will be exactly what I want or they will drive down the price of this generation if gas prices don't do it first.

not2fast

In between soccer games we stopped at a Toyota dealer with both Chevy ZR2 and Tacoma TRD sport. I was able to get my kids to test the rear seats. They felt both were fine, but liked the Toyota better. (The ZR2 smelled like an ash tray)

The Zr2 certainly was more comfortable for me. I actually could sit in back when drivers seat was in a position I would use. I would have to bring the boat to do a quick tow test before buying either. I know it would be a downgrade. I felt my
father inlaws 2016 GMC Silverado with 5.3L was a downgrade in pulling. This will be worse then that.

Max Blast

Typically, japanese trucks aren't built for 6'3" dudes like me.
I've found that GM of any class usually are, as is any Mercedes I've sat in.

not2fast

Yeah - I always preferred smaller cars/trucks, but being 6'2"it doesn't work great. (S2000 was something I never could get comfortable in, but fit in a CRX fine)

mrmotoguzzi00

LOL, I'm also 6-2 and had a 87 crx back in the day and couldn't put the seat all the way back and drive it lol

Great little car, put 85k+ miles on it then the body started to disintegrate

expl0rer

All this talk about heights and interior space got me reminiscing.

Max Blast

Yamayamayamayama yaaama

not2fast

That awesome.

not2fast

Drove a 2020 Tacoma OffRoad with manual. It would work fine as far as cab space. I liked everything about the truck outside of powertrain. That 3.5L is a minivan motor. It would buck slightly at 70mph in 6th gear with 3 people in it.

Stock it wouldn't do. It would likely require 529 gears, supercharger, and maybe some bags for rear suspension. My Tacoma dreams are all but over unless my wife lets me tow the boat with her X5.

shekmark

Tacoma V6 is a dog. They really need an upgrade. It will run forever though. Sounds to me like you need a fullsize.

not2fast

Yeah. I looked at a Chevy Trailboss with 6.2L. If I went full-size that is the route I probable would go. Problem is width and length get to exceed what I like in the garage.

Tsumi

Not a fan of the new generation of Chevies. Sierra looks better, but the Ram get my vote. One of our friends says the new Ram 1500 with air suspension rides better than their 2021 GLS.

not2fast

I have never cared for Dodges, but priced one out with Rebel packages with 5.7 Hemi it was more then TrailBlazer with 6.2L.

I won't go with fullsize. I am hoping the rumors for 2024 Toyota 4Runner are true and they go with a Turbo V6 or better yet offer it in the Taco.