discus277

Thanks Garry and Kristi. The RAM with Eco Diesel may be the best choice. However, after measuring the height of my garage door I found the truck may not clear the door...at minimum I will have to try to make some kind of adjustment to get the needed clearance. That got me wondering if I might be better off with an SUV. I am not concerned about DEF....I currently have a 34 foot diesel pusher (we are looking to downsize) that requires DEF....you can get it at the pump in many locations and even in the 2 1/2 gallon jugs it is not a big expense Thanks for your reply, Jim

To STLIPA Thanks. The Jeep with the small diesel would be our first choice but as I said in my post above when you look at the specs for the 2018 or 2019 Jeeps with the V6 Eco Diesel they only rate it at 6200 pounds maximum. I don't understand why or what is going on but that seems to be the story. I see yours is a 2015 model year. They must have reduced the tow ratings sometime between then and the current models. The Trailer Life Towing Guide rates both the 2017 and 2018 models at either 7200 or 7400 so I don't know what is going on....I really like this choice but if they are currently rated at only 6200 I would not want to risk towing an Ollie II Thanks again, Jim

I would like to get an update on an old thread.........SUV's pulling Elite II's? I don't think anyone is looking at it now but after reading through it I got interested in looking at SUV's. One reason is the height of my garage door when open is right on the line....these trucks are high! There were four SUV's that got my attention in the old thread 1) the VW Touareg TDI......sounded like a great tow vehicle but unfortunately for us in the USA the wonderful little turbo diesel is no longer available from VW 2) the Audi Q7........rated up to 7700 pounds towing capacity. The original poster had the same problem as I.....trucks would not fit in his garage. OP really liked it but I did not get any idea of the gas mileage towing......updated experience would be nice to know.) 3) Dodge Durango with 5.7L hemi......OP liked it but for me the limited range makes it less interesting....although other wise I could like it a lot 4) Jeep Grand Cherokee Outlander with the turbo diesel.......All the specs now say that vehicle is rated at 6200 pounds towing although the Trailer Life Towing Guide says they can haul either 7200 or 7400 depending on 2w or 4w drive....link here below....... http://www.trailerlife.com/trailer-towing-guides/ The most interesting for me is the Jeep if it was rated at least 7000 pounds.....OP did not say what the official rating was on their vehicle. Some posters mentioned considering a Mercedes Benz GLE 350 4matic SUV but no one had one Any updated information on SUV's for towing would be interesting Thanks, Jim

I know you posted this a long time ago but we are in the same boat...garage too small etc and love idea the luxury of the Audi. if you get this post could you give us an update on towing mileage and your later expdriences with the Audi Q7.... My big concern with anything but the small diesel is the range for a tank of fuel......can you enlighten us thanks, Jim

Miles per gallon is leading me toward the small diesel engine but all the safety factors will be factored in. I will be sure I have enough capacity and electric brakes etc... I have all the figures for the Dodge Laramie 4X4 and that truck with the 3.0 Eco Diesel exceeds requirements although it is certainly not overkill. However, I can't see the need to go to the 3/4 ton truck class .....other posters seem to agree. ......this truck that John Davies just posted about has my interest though.... https://www.motortrend.com/cars/nissan/titan-xd/2016/2016-nissan-titan-xd-pro-4x-diesel-review-long-term-verdict/ Thanks for your input, Jim

what is your gas mileage with the 5.0 V8 engine? Thanks, Jim

I agree with all your tips about mountain towing. We have driven several thousand miles in the west in multiple trips including driving the Alaska highway to Alaska. All in small 34 foot class A first one had gas .....the one we have now is the small Cummins....a big reason our desire to "downsize" is the lack of fun in a lot of the driving this rig. We tow a MINI Cooper but this is not any problem...the problem is when not on super smooth 4 lane highways...... I would probably keep this truck until we quit doing this which I hope will be several more years.... May I ask, what kind of gas mileage do you get with the 3.5 EB engine? The Ford salesman is telling me this is what I should get. And how do you handle the long steep downgrades in the high mountains? This is one more reason I like the diesel option.....the small Ford diesel engine does auto downshift in this situation....there seems to be some controversy about how the Ram Eco Diesel handles descents, Thanks for your input, Jim

Thanks for your detailed reply. I do have some concerns about the RAM Eco Diesel. I went that direction strictly for miles per gallon....well not strictly...the torque of the diesel is a big big factor. I currently have a small Class A diesel pusher with the smallest Cummins . We had a Ford V10 gasser before and the difference is remarkable. I was carrying that experience over to the truck........power at very low RPM's and torque to climb modest grades without even downshifting a single gear. If I could get 15 MPG or more with the diesel, the range on a full tank goes up nicely to at least one long day of towing . The man who showed me his Elite II tows with a GMC with the Duramax diesel and he said he gets up to 19 MPG .....however, that is a very small 4 cylinder engine and the power and torque output seem light to me. I hate the idea of having to refill so often. If I use the 13 MPG that SteveNBet say they get then times 20 gallons that's only 260 miles.....OK, maybe I can extend that to 25 gallons if I get the 30 gallon optional large tank (which I think is available) but still times 13 MPG is only 325 miles. If a diesel would get me to 15 or 16 and I had a 30 gallon tank I'm up to maybe 400 miles per tank......I know there are a whole bunch of IF's in my logic. However, I do have some concerns about the RAM Eco Diesel....for one it's no longer available in the 2019 models....hmmm why is that I wonder? If I stick with the small diesel I may be inclined to go to the new Ford 3.0 liter version with 10 speed transmission. 3.92 rear axle and the tow package etc..... You made a strong case for having both of those options... Thanks .....I would love any additional comments about my logic and about your experience's with mileage range on a full tank of gasoline

Thanks for the reply....I'm curious about the gas mileage you get with the 3.5 ford engine....there are a lot more of these to choose from than the small diesels Thanks, Jim

Thanks for the reply.....what gas mileage do you get from the 5.7 L Hemi? Jim

I want the 3.0 V6 EcoDiesel engine and have found one we like. Drove it yesterday. However, it does not have some of the towing options. Here are some of the specs,,,, 3.55 Rear Axle ratio.....should I be concerned that it does not have the optional 3.92 ? It does have the optional Anti-Spin Differential rear axle No tow mirrors, no electric brake although I was told it was wired for and could be added. Rated towing capacity seems adequate. This is a 2018 Laramie Crew Cab 4 X 4 and the specs for that model are: Max loaded trailer weight = 7560, max payload is a little light at 1330 but we don't anticipate hauling much in the truck bed I am hoping some of you towing pros will chime in and give me some of your opinions since I am new at this....we currently have a small motor home and are about to downsize ....we love the Elite....saw one on Sunday and if we do it we will need a tow vehicle Thanks, Jim