Tow Vehicle Mileage

[garym053]

I'd like to design this as a two question poll, but I'm sure it would require 2 threads, so in order to save room, perhaps you could mark the poll for the first question and answer the second in a reply?

1. How many miles on your tow vehicle?

2. At what mileage (if any) would you consider it unsafe to tow with a tow vehicle? Say a 500 mile or more trip as opposed to those weekend camping trips close to home!

[garym053]

I posted mine. I have 78,000 miles on my 2002 Jeep Cherokee and I am hoping to use it up to about 200,000 miles which at my rate will make it about 5 1/2 to 6 years old!!!

[tlhdoc]

I replaced my TV a month ago or I would have had a different answer.  The new one has around 2000 miles.  The 2002 had 70,000 miles.  When I wouldn't feel safe towing in a vehicle would depend on the history of the vehicle.

[OC Campers]

Our Astro has 102,000 miles on it.  Fortunately, I am a stay at home mom and only drive around town.  I think I put 300 miles a month on it.  We talked about buying a 3rd car (like a Honda Civic) for my dh to commute in (our other car is a Honda Odyssey) and that way the Astro would only be used to tow.  Unfortunately,  we only have 1 income so the 3rd car option will have to wait.  We are hoping to be able to keep the Astro going for another 3 or 4 years and then move up to an Expedition or Sequoia.  

The Astro is running strong right now but I would be a little nervous going on a long trip with it.  
 
Jacqui

[Kelly]

Another Astro owner here ... mine's a little newer than Jacqui's ... a 2001.  I have about 43,000 miles on it.  I fully expect it to go to 200K.  I drove it out to Montana this summer ~ about 2700 miles total on that trip with absolutely no problems.

I have plans for more long distance trips in the coming years.  I agree with Tracy.  I'll run it long distances for as long as I can ~ I have the repair/maintenance records from the previous owner and obviously know what I've done, so it just depends.  (How's that for an answer?! LOL)

[ForestCreature]

The mileage for feeling unsafe would depend on the vehicle. Our last van was well over 150,000 before we retired it.  With proper maintainance we should get that or more out of the van we have now.
 

[garym053]

Yeah, I should have realized that a lot of the trust placed in a high mileage vehicle would depend on the maintenance, etc. What's your feelings about high mileage going on quickly, say 200,000 miles in 6 years as opposed to 200,000 miles in 10 years or more? Anyone know what mechanics would say about mileage going on quickly vs slowly?

Just trying to guesstimate when I'll be looking at trading tow vehicles as I put on about 34,000 miles a year between work, camping, kayaking, and skiing! I use synthetic Oil (although I've heard there is no difference) and have oil & filter changed, maintenance inspection and tires rotated at the recommended intervals.

[ForestCreature]

Yeah, I should have realized that a lot of the trust placed in a high mileage vehicle would depend on the maintenance, etc. What's your feelings about high mileage going on quickly, say 200,000 miles in 6 years as opposed to 200,000 miles in 10 years or more? Anyone know what mechanics would say about mileage going on quickly vs slowly?

Personaly, I'd trust the vehicle that had the miles on quickly. That would indicate more hwy miles, which I believe is supposed to be healthier mileage. When we had the delivery service we had a Ford van that ran in excess of 300,000 miles!
 
 

Just trying to guesstimate when I'll be looking at trading tow vehicles as I put on about 34,000 miles a year between work, camping, kayaking, and skiing! I use synthetic Oil (although I've heard there is no difference) and have oil & filter changed, maintenance inspection and tires rotated at the recommended intervals.

More than mileage would be involved in that guess. I see you have a Jeep, what motor?
 The motor comes into play as well as how much $ do you want to drop into it as parts begin to fail, radiator, transmission etc.. .If you're towing with a 6 cyl, I'd trade up before it got to 200,000
 

[copcarguy]

Hey all!

We had a 1991 Ford Ranger Supercab XLT 4x2, 3.0V6/auto, 3.73 LS rear that we bought brand new in 1991.  We were still towing with it in 2001 with 396,000 miles on the original, unopened engine.  I donated it in 2001, just because the dealer (where I bought it brand new and had it serviced) laughed when I wanted to trade it in.  It looked like it had just the 96,000 miles showing on the odometer, not that it rolled around almost 4 times!!

[garym053]

That's amazing, Copcarguy! Sometimes I think I'd put a lot of the 6 cyl. (I, V or slant) up against a V-8 for towing 5000 lbs or less. The sixes I've owned or worked on (in a past life) always seemed to "take a licking and keep on ticking" to steal a phrase from Timex!
Of course if you're going to tow a 6 or 8 thousand pound rig, then a 6 cyl is out!
396,000 miles here in Vermont, with all the road salt and you'd be driving an engine with a drivesahft and wheels, the body would be eaten away!!!

[copcarguy]

garym053 - Up here in NY we have salt too.  My parents bought a '77 Ford E-150 van brand new when I was just 5 years old and I had to junk it in 1999 because I WAS just driving an engine with a driveshaft.  I was camping in the van in 1999 and was backing into a site with the wheels turned all the way and literally snapped off the entire front suspension.  It just rusted away.  I was crying on my knees (literally) when they towed her away, I grew up in that van camping with my parents, we brought home my sister when she was born in it, and I had it hooked up inside...  bed, TV, and a stereo that literally bounced the pennies and nickels out of the ashtray it was so loud.  It had the 4.9L straight six that in my opinion was the BEST engine Ford has ever produced.  I agree with you that a six-banger is the best of all worlds.  That 6 has as much torque as an 8, ran forever, and I got 20mpg.  When Ford put on fuel injection in 1987, that was the icing on the cake.  I have had several Ford trucks with that motor and it is just the best engine Ford ever made, period.  I have even passed on buying some trucks that were either 5.0's or 5.8's because I wanted that six.