zimm17

My new wife couldn't stand my jacked up 37" mud tired, F250 turbo diesel "monster truck". So I found a good buyer and sold it off.

Now I'm in search of a smaller vehicle. It'll be our third vehicle (we both have commuter cars). I'm moving to Hawaii for 3 years (I'm Navy), so it'll just need to pull a tiny inflatable boat trailer (maybe a beach cat sailboat), take the dog places, haul SCUBA gear to beach, etc.

When I get back to US in 3 years, I'll be needing to pull my 22' donzi around. I'm guessing 5000 pounds? Boat is 3500 dry, 50 gallons of gas, and aluminum trailer.

I'd like to stay away from GM, just a preference. I'm looking at the 2005-2008 V8 4Runner, V8 Pathfinder, Titan crew cab, and the Tundra V8. All have higher tow capacity than I think I need. I was also thinking about a newer Nissan Frontier with the 265HP 4.0 V-6- it has as much power as the Toyota V8 in the 4runner.

Any ideas/suggestions? I'd like to keep the footprint as small as possible and still safetly tow.

Of course I could also just buy a tiny SUV like a RAV4 or CRV in hawaii and sell it when I leave- then get a 2011 model tow vehicle. But I could pay off a truck while I'm in Hawaii my wife will be ready for a new commuter by then.

tblrklakemo

Do you have to have a japanese vehicle?

zimm17

I'd prefer to. Most of the full sized ones are made in the US anyway. I'd be okay with Ford, but they have low power compared to their counterparts. I'm anti-GM for several reasons.

handfulz28

That's too bad because GM probably has the best choices in the segment. Why not stick with Ford? You have to look at the torque curves of the Jap trucks. I "think" the Nissan has a 5.7L that I'd lean to more than To yo ta. But Toy's TRD might have cool stuff to bolt on also...

This is to use in Hawaii and then bring back? How about taking a beater off someone's hands in HI, then see what the market is like when you get back to the mainland? Maybe a Jeep from someone leaving the island?

Even if finances aren't a concern now, you could save up for 3 years and minimize your depreciation then by putting down big cash. I'm a finance guy, so I've got to recommend pushing off the loss as long as possible.

zimm17

Micheal,

Thanks for the advice. I'm king of throwing away money changing vehicles and toys all the time.

So to change my tune- what "beater" SUV could handle a 500 pound trailer?

There're lots of old Cherokee's out in hawaii, but I'm worried about them falling apart. Maybe a first gen ('97) honda CR-V or Toyota RAV-4, they run forever and are ugly enough, they shouldn't get broken into parked at the beach.

Chris Sunkin

A Navy guy guy shopping Jap pickups. When they send you to Hawaii, stop by the Arizona memorial.

Neverfastenuf

The Toyota Tundra is a great truck. Power, comfort, reliability are all very good.

Sam

Quinlan

iTrader: (1)

Chris you Kill me!!! and I agree 100%
Quinlan

Chris Sunkin

5 of my father's brotthers went to the Pacific theater. Two came back. One died on Bataan on one of the marches (one of the survivors lived through it despite being bayonet'ed) One died on the Bunker Hill as a result of a kamikaze attack and one was a co-pilot shot down and never recovered.

You might say I hold a grudge. In the 80's, I was almost court-martialled for refusing a TDY assignment to train JDF personnel at Kadena.

gerritm

My daughter lives on Oahu. She is a dive boat captain and dive instructor.No beaters for sale. Vehicles on the islands are very expensive and hard to find. It is cheaper to buy one here and bring it with. I had an 04 Titan 4x4. great truck. Pulled my 7k boat with no effort. Very good ride and excellent quality and service. Lousy gas mileage,10-12 mpg. Probably the best riding truck I have ever owned. If you can find a serviceman going back to the mainland and buy a vehicle from them is about the only way to get a decent vehicle. Chris, you're an angry dude.