Pickup or Full Size SUV?

I had a top of the line GMC pickup for about 12 years before deciding to sell it for lack of use. I also have a small SUV (Honda CR-V) that pretty much is the car to drive anywhere, anytime. The pickup was too big and never optimized for comfort, even being the top of the line.

My answer was simple. Sell the pickup and buy a small high end aluminum trailer. The bed in the trailer is 5x8 so bigger than any pickup and the weight capacity is 3500 lbs., big enough for me to carry anything. The trailer weighs in at 400 lbs, has electric brakes and is small enough for me to tuck into a corner of my driveway.

I can hook the trailer up to my SUV in about two minutes. The bed is very low so it's easy to load and unload. I recently picked up a load of very large windows that was loaded with a forklift. The load was too big for a pickup but for the trailer, perfect.

Total cost for the trailer was about $2500. I had it custom built at a local trailer shop and had the aluminum deck coated with Rhino Linings for another $900. The trailer doesn't require registration, insurance or yearly maintenance other than keeping it clean and the tires inflated. It's far more useful having both the trailer and the SUV than the pickup alone.

So unless you need the pickup for work everyday, you might consider just getting the capability of the pickup for occasional use.

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furniture hauling eliminates an suv.

 

If you have other cars/SUVs there is nothing that beats a HD pickup when needed.

 

Get an SUV and have the furniture delivered. I have an Expedition, and rarely miss my trucks now. If the 3rd row is even remotely desired the truck won’t work.

 

Have a short 2016 Yukon Denali and love it ... tows my boats with ease, goes thru snow, comfy, etc ....

I borrow a pickup every few years - have no reason for one at this point.

MDS

 

If you are going to keep the midsize suv's then get the PU. I came from suburbans and now can't live without my ram diesel megacab. There is no 3rd row but it is big. Gas vehicles IMO are marginal tow'ers. A small boat or small car on open trailer is the limit for gas. I know others use 2500 suburbans for towing. I did for a while thought it was great. Then 2500 ram diesel with diesel exhaust brake and integral trailer brake thing....that will change your world. And if you are going to mountains like tahoe you get the big Mud and snows on the truck and you can go anywhere in the winter your MS tired suv's can't.

 

I have a little fleet of trucks, including an Isuzu NQR Commercial Diesel Box Truck with lift gate, a Ford Transit 150 (basically an enclosed F-150), a Porsche and Audi SUV, and a Ford Pickup truck. It's like having a well equipped toolbox. And like all tools, depends on what the job is as one size does not fit all.

The main strength of a pickup truck is hauling nasty stuff you don't want all over your interior, like topsoil, sod, firewood, gravel, trash to the dump, and buying building materials at Home Depot. Plus, its arguably the most fun to drive. Pickups are no good for hauling things in the rain unless they are waterproof, and lousy at furniture if you have anything halfway decent. Also the cargo hold is not secure.

SUV's are worthless as haulers for anything more than groceries and shopping mall trips, but great at that and on trips for good luggage storage qnd hauling people/dogs. They are basically station wagons. I own a furniture store and have watched more customers RUIN their brand new expensive furniture by insisting it can go in their SUV. Happens time and time again so often that I now have them sign a disclaimer to hold my business harmless for damages they cause in loading into the back of their SUV. Once customer destroyed his brand new $ 4,500 leather wing chair recently by forcing it in and then told me we were liable as we allowed him to do it!

The Ford Transit 150. My favorite truck, this thing can do most anything with a high cargo weight capacity, lots of interior room and no frills. Plus they are cheap to buy. But they don't look cool and the fun factor to drive is zero - so you have to really be into full utility mode for this one.

My Isuzu NQR - for when I have really serious hauling to do.

I'm not a trailer guy, though I have one out back. Too much hassle and they bounce WAY up in the air when lightly loaded over a bump.

Sounds like a Crew Cab pickup is your best choice. The only downside on them is they are long - and hard to park in most shopping center parking lots. Good luck!

 

It all depends on what you haul. The upside to my expedition, besides the price difference, as they don’t hold value like a truck, is all my gear is locked. It hauls cookers, deer, firewood. Have a weather tech mat and a tarp. Granted, I’m not as worried about my interior as one would be with an Escalade, but it’s held up well. If you’re use of it is hauling people 90% of the time, then get the seats. The truck handles people no different than the suvs you are keeping.

 

I’d say go for the Expedition / Navigator. Loved my 2015 Expedition. Wish I still had it. Pulled a loaded Trailex enclosed trailer cross country twice with no problem. Motor was fantastic. Brakes for stopping fine also. Lock everything inside as others said. The biggest negative with new SUVs is the tiny gas tank. Pulling a trailer it can get real thirsty.

The few times a truck would have been nice I pay someone for the dump run or delivery. Easy.

 

I found the cylinder deactivation terrible. Think all GMs do it now. Dumped a Suburban with it and got the Expedition.

 

It created a weird harmonic shudder running on 4. Overall felt half-baked as I could feel it kick between 4 and 8. Hopefully they have improved it.

And when parked and I’d run into a store with the wife and dogs in the Suburban it would run on all 8. To me that seems the perfect time to run on 4.

Do a thorough test drive. Highway and around town. GM is making a bazillion V8s so maybe just me.

 

I still remember th GM V8-6-4 on Cad and Olds. Really terrible.

 

The last gen cylinder deactivation had its fair share of issues. Worst part is if a lifted fails the head has to come off. The LS was one if not the most reliable V8 made before that came out.

 

I daily a F150 and had a Cayenne S before. There is just as much room in the F150 inside as the Cayenne. Carries my dogs inside the rear seating area well. They make a cover for the back, keeps things like bags from getting wet. Truck tows more and better too. Id go for a truck.