New car

[Infinity]

Hi to all the motor vehicle experts.

I need some advice for a new 4 wheel drive vehicle.

One of my passions is fishing. We travel throughout the US whenever possible in our American Eagle motor home (MH). The problem is that you either tow a car or a boat behind the MH, due to length restrictions the law restricts the towing of both car and boat. There is no debate, you have to have a car.

I purchased a double decker trailer manufactured by Builtrite in Paxton, Nebraska, just returned to San Diego from a round trip of 3,000 miles to collect the trailer. This is a very clever contraption - My boat is loaded from the water as you would any boat, it is then hydraulically hoisted +- the height of my MH, I then drive my car up the accessory ramps under the boat.

We currently travel with a Jeep Grand Cherokee two wheel drive. The trailer weighs 4,000 Lbs, the boat 3,000 Lbs and the car 3,750 Lbs.

The car is used to back up the trailer into and out of the water to off load and load the boat, it is never used to tow the boat. Towing something double the weight of the tow vehicle is not only stupid, it is dangerous. The weight of boat and trailer is 7,000 Lbs. I cannot use my MH because it is 40' in length, 99% of slips do not have sufficient room to maneuver. Now to my question / help.

I am looking for a new car that weighs less (this will reduce my total weight)then my Jeep, 4 wheel drive, but has more power to haul 7,000 Lbs out of the water.

I look forward to any suggestions.

Thanks

Brian

 

[gtphale]

How about a pic of the trailer?

I'm going to be stuck in this situation one day and am keeping an eye out for trailers.

As for another truck for you, I guess you could look at a truck and not an suv. Should be able to find something lighter. How much does your jeep weight?

 

[Mrepp]

Well most trucks rated to haul that kind of weight are full size pickups. However I’m sure if you went with a midsized like a Tacoma you could probably get away with pulling the boat out and it would weigh less then most SUV's.

 

[Infinity]

Here's a URL, http://www.builtrite.net/newpics.html click on the "Page" links

I stored both trailer and boat in Lake Havase City, AZ. Unfortunately I left in a hurry to get back home and never took pics of my own trailer The trailer in the pics is very similar except, I added a front pad which can be used for loading motor bikes, bicycles, golf car, jet ski etc.

The Jeep weighs 3,750 Lbs. I though about a truck but I have 96" clearance. By law the trailer cannot be more than 103" wide. The side supports are 3" thick. You think there may be a truck that weighs less and does not extend past 96"?

Brian

 

[Mrepp]

mid sized trucks weight 3,146 or less, as for lengh I dont know.