The impossible: 04 Yukon XL Denali AWD

[non-prophet]

What is the gas mileage of a truck towing a trailer? I will literally only be using this vehicle to play shows... I have been under the impression that trailers really suck. Also, they suck to drive with, and I get stuck with a lot of sucky driving conditions.

[Cy-Gor]

just depends, it doesnt have to be a truck though. just about any suv should be able to tow 2k lbs with little trouble. the 2500 can tow 12k lbs so its a bit overkill for what you want.

Also, how much gear do you have? the xl is pretty damn big, but if you need 4 people in it, with band equipment a van might be better. Your drummers kit will be the big factor.

Most of the bands i know use vans and they dont always have all 4 guys when they travel.

[non-prophet]

A van isn't better. I pickup truck with a cap is a better option. Imagine what 1500 lbs of gear would look like. It will barely fit in the yukon.

Vans are ****ty to drive, and safety is a big concern. Sometimes I'm stuck driving to and from out of town shows in 50mm of rain, and fog, snow and hail... so the 4wd option is good to have.

Ideally, spatially, a 6.5 foot bed or so, with a cap is the easiest, because I can use ramps for the heavy stuff on wheels, and I won't destroy the interior.

I just haven't found a suitable option in my price range, and I'm running out of time before the next trip.


Back to the trailer option... I know that almost anything can tow a trailer, the question is more, how much gas mileage will you lose... I think it's a zero-sum gain option. Trailer is less safe for the gear, and makes the driving far more complicated. Imagine driving 800km after playing a show to arrive in New York or Chicago during morning rush hour, and dealing with a trailer while maneuvering through traffic.

[non-prophet]

To be honest, right now the Yukon popped up as a good happy medium, not a permanent solution. I can put 20,000 km on it, and then hopefully trade it in for something more fitting when I have more of a budget - without losing much value.

Am i right in thinking that the pickup will be the better bet for making improvements on the fuel economy as well? Again, I can't afford diesel - yet. But even still.

[brucepick]

I was going to suggest diesel as the key to good mpg in something that can move a lot of weight, then I saw your note that its beyond your budget. I'd say, keep an eye out for one.

I don't think a pickup and van hauling same load would handle or behave very differently. (Never drove a van though.) But access for maintenance in a van is a pure PITA from what I've seen.

May the gods smile upon your search!

[non-prophet]

Thank you Brucepick. I think I might just whatever I can get for now... be happy when I get it to %15 over EPA... then trade it for one of these new trucks that miraculously get 27mpg on the highway from the get go.

I test drove a new GMC Sierra with the smaller engine, and it felt like i could do wonders with it just by driving it well... let alone mods. Still, not in the cards this year...

[MetroMPG]

Originally Posted by non-prophet

I know that almost anything can tow a trailer, the question is more, how much gas mileage will you lose... I think it's a zero-sum gain option.

Depends on the trailer and the tow vehicle. Too many variables to generalize, but here's a specific example:

http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...nomy-7552.html

[Cy-Gor]

driving a trailer isnt really that big a deal. its parking where it gets challenging.

For 1500lbs its actually pretty easy to maneuver a trailer detached from the tow vehicle, especially in a club situation with small alleys and such to get to the back of a venue.

just make sure the lift on the trailer has a wheel on it.

[oil pan 4]

Originally Posted by Cy-Gor

but i am done, i will go elsewhere for info.

People on other sites will make fun of you for even mentioning the idea of trying to better your fuel economy, yet will ***** about the price of gas and how much they spend on it in another post.

[oil pan 4]

Originally Posted by Cy-Gor

I bought used so I wasnt able to get a vehicle as exact as i was wanting.

I didnt really want the AWD system or some of the other features, but i got a pretty damn good deal and it fits all my needs.

Room for TWO great danes
space to carry full 4x8 sheets of plywood.
length for 10 foot 2x4 and 12 foot steel (though i need the back window open for this)
And strong enough to tow.
Less than $15k

All of this left me with basically two choices
the suburban/yukon xl or the excursion.

Sounds like what I have been doing since 2006. My starting budget was more like 1.2k

I wanted a 2wd chevy blazer with a 6.2l diesel and manual trans (would take an auto), after months of looking I found 0. So I setteled on the 2wd suburban and I think it worked out better than if I had bought a blazer.

Originally Posted by Cy-Gor

Maybe i can get 20mpg at 80MPH, who knows.

I tried it once, got 16mpg running no mods the time.