Pickup truck Vs car with trailer

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Just depends on what you are doing. We have a bit of land, and no way am I beating up a car trying to tow a trailer full of debris to the dump.

That's what my oldest Pickup is for...
 
Don't mind loaning out a trailer either. A bit more if I loan out a vehicle.
 
I use a 4x8 trailer that I got at Northern tool for a few hundred dollars. When I was shopping for a vehicle a couple years ago I debated between a pickup and a car. Realized that I would really only use the bed of a pickup very few times annually.
So............I put on a hitch and got a small utility trailer. Mine is a fold away trailer and I've hauled an entire bathroom tear out with it. Vanity, sinks, tile, cement, drywall, toilet, mirrors,etc..... Took it all to the dump with out a problem. That was using my 2010 Mazda 3.
I've used it for Home Depot runs as well. Comes in very handy. I've also loaned out the trailer to a few friends to do firewood, hot tubs, appliances, etc...
 
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Current truck is most likely my last. Gas is getting expensive, and generally, trucks are gas hogs. I don't make trips to the dump, we have curbside service here in Michigan! A nice car with a Harbor Freight fold up trailer is my next automotive purchase.
 
A 3rd vehicle would be a hassle for me. Yet another thing to insure/inspect/register/fix when it breaks, and it would mean that one of the daily drivers would be giving up a garage spot for a garage queen that we'd rarely use. Meanwhile, the folding trailer is folded away in a corner of the garage, ready in about 20 minutes when necessary. We generally know when we're hauling something bigger than what can fit into the cars, so it works out with a bit of planning. Not quite as convenient as a pickup, but given how often we need a pickup and the running costs associated with a 3rd vehicle, I'll save some money while having most of the utility.
 
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I used to have an 87 S-10 pickup as a third "spare/hauler" vehicle. Used it maybe twice a year. It sat in the garage taking up space. Had to keep it insured, registered, inspected, and pay annual property taxes on it. Not worth it at all. Much easier with a folding trailer on hand.
 
I did not like backing up my 1,000lb camper with my Jetta. It pulls forward nicely, just not uphill in reverse. Narrow tires on dirt is a lot of drag. But looking out the back window to back up is very easy and quick; I could move around my 4x8 HF utility trailer very easily with the Jetta. This trailer is invisible behind my truck (fixed with some driveway markers); but I have the same problem now with the popup behind my truck, at times it just disappears.

Great size trailer for the car BTW, still using mine after almost 9 years (although it's almost completely void of paint now). Cheap tires. Not so cheap bearings, but not a bad price if you get from HF.

Didn't think of it until now, but: when I put put decking/sides onto mine, the lumber store sold me on this fancy plywood that they said would last years w/o treating. They were almost right: after 9 years the front has gone soft. Not surprising, as the snow/ice sits right there when sitting, so it stays wet for months at a time it seems. Anyhow, when I transfer old motor oil into containers I do the pouring with everything on this deck. A bit of oil into this wood won't hurt anything, it will just soak in. Not a bad height either for this job too.
 
Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
Just depends on what you are doing. We have a bit of land, and no way am I beating up a car trying to tow a trailer full of debris to the dump.

That's what my oldest Pickup is for...

I guess you don't have too much problem with wet ground and ruts, but here in clay country, its a big advantage to use a low ground pressure vehicle to get your trailer where you want it on the lawn or in the woods with a lawn tractor or ATV. Then you can load once and transfer the trailer to a road vehicle.
 
Trailer 100%! I love my trailer, it beats the heck out of driving a truck around with an empty bed all the time. The trailer is like a detachable truck that I only have to pull around when I need it. Trailers are also 10x easier to load stuff into. I have a 5x8 trailer with a ramp on the back. Every time I help friends move we always put the heavy things in my trailer since their truck beds are either too small or too high off the ground.

To the guy who complained about registering a trailer, my trailer cost $30 to register. That's not even a tank of gas. A trailer you can beat up and not care, where a truck you have to drive every day is a bit different.

As far as the cars to tow it, I'd say go with the Toyota since Honda Accord transmissions aren't known to be all that strong. Put a good transmission cooler on the car you tow with and you will be good to go.
thumbsup2.gif
 
Has the Camry changed? My 2011 is rated for 1,000lb. I'm guessing it's rated higher in other lands, and perhaps the automatic is rated higher--and I wouldn't be surprised if the "limit" varies year to year.
 
Cars can probably handle the trailer, but aren't designed around that kind of use. If you need routine hauling abilities, a pickup is probably the way to go. Trailers are a pain in the [censored], and the smaller they are, the worse they are. Smaller trailers are harder to contol. FWD car and small trailer are just a pain in the [censored] unless you are doing rare dump runs. If it's remotely routine, scrap that idea and get some kind of pickup.

A 2.3 Ranger/B-Series that is 2001 or newer can get up to 30 MPG highway and probably move whatever you need to based on your description. My 3.0 eats 4K lb trailers for lunch, but had a side of cayalyic converters too.

Alternatively, get a V6 8 foot bed full size of anykind and just skip the trailer.

I sometimes drive a 394K mi 4.3 '05ish Silverado for pretty much the workload you describe except everyday...total POS, but it handles 1/2 ton truck loads no problem. Gear indicator is non-existant, air bag warning, seat is trashed, CEL, etc., but it gets down the road and does whatever it is forced to.
 
On Jeepforum someone posted about towing 5000 pounds with a Cherokee. The responses were entertaining.

Always end up with the complete opposite ends of the spectrum.

Basically copy/paste from my response there - I find it funny
"You need a F550 to haul a bag of potting soil home from Home Depot"
"You can pull 10000 pounds with a Cherokee, just take it slow"
 
Originally Posted By: Miller88
On Jeepforum someone posted about towing 5000 pounds with a Cherokee. The responses were entertaining.

Always end up with the complete opposite ends of the spectrum.

Basically copy/paste from my response there - I find it funny
"You need a F550 to haul a bag of potting soil home from Home Depot"
"You can pull 10000 pounds with a Cherokee, just take it slow"



Yeah I saw that thread.
lol.gif
Sometimes I do one of these
33.gif
when I read threads on there.
 
Whenever I need to move my lawn tractor, I go down to U Haul and rent a trailer for about $20.

I can drive the tractor unto their motorcycle trailer, and I pull it with the Torrent.

The tractor might fit in the back of the S-10, but it's a lot easier and safer to load a trailer than a truck. And little four banger, manual tranny, mini trucks really don't have enough power to pull a trailer and a load. At least mine doesn't.

Just my $0.02.
 
Heh, today was a day I liked having the truck.

Went to take trash to the transfer station, ok, open cover, put straps across, put in smelly trashcans. Realized I had a gallon of waste oil to go, and might as well get gas for the mower. At the dump I found a clean bagger mower for free; compression felt ok and it was full of dirty oil, so, great deal, just make some space.

On the way home found someone giving away coal. I thought was maybe 150lb, so tossed it in the back, next to the tailgate. Dropped it off at a friends house who burns coal; he thought it was more like 400lb. No wonder it rode smooth.

Then I hit up an estate sale and got a crochet set for 50 cents, my big purchase of the day. Changed the oil and plug on the mower, and it runs fine.

Yeah, a trailer will do all that, but I enjoyed it in the truck, no issues backing up.
 
I'm in the same situation. My trailer costs $10 a year for registration and my car costs less than a pickup for registration and insurance and it's fully paid for. The trailer's bed is larger, lower, and has a higher weight capacity than any pickup. I can also leave my trailer out next to the area that I am working and still drive my car for commuter duty.

With that said, when it becomes time to replace my car I am going to buy a pickup. I'll keep the trailer but a pickup is really handy for most home center trips.
 
Originally Posted By: supton
Heh, today was a day I liked having the truck.

Went to take trash to the transfer station, ok, open cover, put straps across, put in smelly trashcans. Realized I had a gallon of waste oil to go, and might as well get gas for the mower. At the dump I found a clean bagger mower for free; compression felt ok and it was full of dirty oil, so, great deal, just make some space.

On the way home found someone giving away coal. I thought was maybe 150lb, so tossed it in the back, next to the tailgate. Dropped it off at a friends house who burns coal; he thought it was more like 400lb. No wonder it rode smooth.

Then I hit up an estate sale and got a crochet set for 50 cents, my big purchase of the day. Changed the oil and plug on the mower, and it runs fine.

Yeah, a trailer will do all that, but I enjoyed it in the truck, no issues backing up.


Yep. When you need one you need one. I drive one, but to me I'm always conscious of the compromise. For someone who makes significant use, sure, they have a lot to offer. For one thing a truck allows you to get off the endless trade-in cycle. A truck can go from a first to a second to a third car for its owner saving a lot of transaction costs over the long term in selling wholesale (trading in) and buying retail.

I don't understand the concept of the luxury truck. Then I never understood the SUV craze in Phoenix, Arizona, either.
 
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