Tow vehicle question, BMW X5? Options

[Part Pricer]

I'm looking at possibly picking up a BMW X5 as a daily driver and tow vehicle. Because of the tax laws, it makes a lot of sense to get something with a GVWR of 6,000 lbs or over. I'm also somewhat concerned with gas mileage. For this class of vehicle, the BMW X5 and the VW Touareq get the best mileage. There both nice vehicles. But, I would probably go with the BMW if it can meet my towing requirements.

The X5 with the 3.0 has a listed towing capacity of 6,000 lbs. I would be towing a Trailex open trailer that weighs just under 1,000 lbs loaded with a Boxster that comes in around 3,000 lbs. So, according to my math, I'd be pulling around about 4,000 lbs.

Am I missing anything here? Do you think it would fit my needs? Anyone else using an X5?

Thanks

[TimT]

Paul you have to add the weight of all the other "stuff" you will be hauling around.

Yourself, a passenger or 3, spares, tools, luggage, etc. Add all this up and you can easily approach the 6000 lb capacity of the vehicle. Bring a couple of fuel jugs along and that easily adds another 100 lbs to the equation..

If you haul near the max capacity of the vehicle you fuel mileage goes out the window ie my old V8 Explorer got 15-17 mpg on the highway usually, but when towing (6000lbs) the mileage went down to a7-9...

I just bought a F250 diesel that gives me 23 mpg while towing, its like driving a ship around town though...

[Qarl]

My folks just got an X5 with the larger engine (4.4 I think). I'm not sure if it's really the best tow vehicle. It drives nice and rides nice. The X5 is built on the BMW 7 series suspension and chassis.

The Toureg is being touted as having a good towing capacity, but I'm not sure what's fundamentally different between it and the X5.

Quick search on the net shows...

Toureg has a 7700 lb towing capacity
X5 3.0 has a 5700 lb towing capacity

If you want to tow... I'd say the VW.

Or get a truck.

[EdwardBlume]

The 6,000 pounds is total weight, but there's likely a lesser number, ie 4000 lbs, that requires stabilization bars, etc. Also factor in the cost of brakes, suspension, and wiring. That high end poodle hauler is going to cost you some change.

I tow about 3500 with a 2000 4Runner. It's rated for 5000 but it has its hands full with 3500.

I'm no fan of Ford or Chevy, but if I had to do it again, I would have gone with an Expedition or Suburban.

My $0.02 (IMG:style_emoticons/default/boldblue.gif)

[URY914]

The way a car or truck's tow rating is figured is very complicated. You have to get the right options (engine size, tranny, axle ratio, weight, towing package, etc) on the truck to get the rating that they publish. Go to the manufacture's web site and do some reseach. Go to the dealer and get the "Towing Guild" and read and understand it. Don't ask the salesman anything about towing-they will tell you it will pull the Moon if you'd buy it.

I have alot of time and money in my truck and trailer and have pulled it all over the place. Some of the trucks and trailers and the way people drive them on the road scare me.

Paul

[Aaron Cox]

personnaly the cayanne- oh wait it's 90+k frickin dollars!
i hear next year the taureg will be available with audi's A8 v8!

wait a year and get the dub!

[Brad Roberts]

I have one rule.

I dont tow a trailer with something that has a shorter wheelbase than the trailer I'm pulling. It has to do with handling and emergency stops.

Buy a real truck Paul. A 4 door short bed 1 year old Ford F250 will run/last forever and with a inexpensive chip yield 15-19 MPG pulling the trailer (those numbers are from pulling a enclosed trailer)

I like the new BMW's/Porsches/VW's... but I would never consider pulling anything with them.

I learned the short wheelbase thing with my wifes Tahoe pulling the open and enclosed trailers we use. Huge difference between it and my 3/4 crew cab short bed truck (her Tahoe has more power than my truck).. its a handling thing.


B

[ChrisFoley]

IMO a 3.0 liter engine will not handle the task of towing 4000 pounds unless you're just going down the street and back.
What is the curb weight of the potential tow vehicle? If it is less than the weight of the fully loaded trailer it's not a good idea to use it for towing, from a safety standpoint.
You want to have one vehicle to handle two very different tasks: 1) daily driver 2) car trailer tow vehicle. No automobile does both of these well, unless your commute is very short or the car is very small (radio controlled for instance).
I would encourage you to find someone already using such a vehicle as you want to buy for the same purpose and get them to show you how well it works. Then decide if you still want to go that route.
I sometimes tow my race car trailer (<3000lbs) behind my 2002 Dakota (big 6 cyl), which is also my daily driver for an 8 mile commute. It works fine but I wouldn't want to use anything smaller for the towing job. I get about 14mpg commuting.

[URY914]

I agree with Brad.
The dog needs to be bigger than the tail, or the tail will wag the dog.

[EdwardBlume]

Wag? dog? tail????? What part is the ramp? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)