Max Trailering Package Worth it?

[L86 All Terrain]

Now it gets interesting. Currently, you don't need any more than a 5.3L but you eventually will. With that said, how often are you trading vehicles? If you bought a Dmax today, would you still have it three years down the road when you buy your trailer, or maybe you have new plans in three years and don't want a travel trailer? If you are making the jump to a 5th wheel toy hauler between 8-10K loaded, a half ton would also work but may struggle with your mountainous terrain. If a truck is not your daily driver vehicle, I would start thinking 2500, but for 600 miles a year, it is hard to justify a $65k truck that is annoying to live with on a daily basis. I would personally look at a beater just to tow when I needed it and daily your CUV or whatever it may be. My business just purchased a lightly used L5P so I will see how it is over the long haul, but my experience with DEF systems and -30 Canadian climates I don't have much faith in it. I have three Duramaxs now and one 6L and they are not fun trucks to drive every day, whereas both my half-tons are night and day better to live with as a daily. If I were you, I would buy a half ton and if for some reason you need more truck when you buy your bigger trailer in three year, either trade it in then or buy a cheap used 2500 to do your once a year, 600 mile trip and I would look at a 6L just because the Dmaxes are prone to injector failures and are overkill unless you are a contract hot-shotter than pulls 15k weekly. The 6L will do everything the Dmax will for a huge discount. You really don't need a D-max, my friend learned the "want vs. need" lesson with his Dmax the hard way. Even my business doesn't "need" a diesel and we tow 10K+ every day. 

[Jon A]

There's no doubt the better truck for you right now is the 1/2 ton.  3/4 tons are not nice daily drivers for around town driving, gas or diesel, and lots of short trips would be torture for a new Dmax. 

 

As for towing in the mountains, I've done a lot of it and had no issues maintaining freeway speed loaded to over 15K GCW up really long, steep mountain passes with the 6.2.  With the 6.0 3/4 ton, you will slow down with a big trailer.  If that's what you're looking to avoid, you'd need the Dmax in the 3/4 ton.  But if that's your biggest worry, it won't be an issue with the 6.2 NHT.

 

What kind of trailer will the 10K one be?  If it's something hard to control (really long bumper pull camping trailer, etc) and/or needs a lot of tongue weight, the 3/4 ton would be better at controlling the load and have more payload capacity so you may want to lean that way or plan to upgrade in the future.  But if it's only towing once a month, possibly, three years or so from now, it might be difficult to spend all that money on a truck that will be worse for you right now, but might be better one day a month years in the future. 

 

The 1500 NHT would be better now and likely get the job done just fine with the big trailer for a couple of years; once you have the new trailer and see first hand how it handles it you could simply upgrade to the 3/4 ton in 5 years or so as a lot of people would want a new truck by then anyway.  On the other hand, buying a new truck is expensive and getting one that will do every thing you want for the next 10+ years is much smarter financially than trading in a few years.  It's really a judgement call on your part, I don't think there is a "right answer."

[2018GMC]

6 hours ago, Jon A said:

There's no doubt the better truck for you right now is the 1/2 ton.  3/4 tons are not nice daily drivers for around town driving, gas or diesel, and lots of short trips would be torture for a new Dmax. 

 

As for towing in the mountains, I've done a lot of it and had no issues maintaining freeway speed loaded to over 15K GCW up really long, steep mountain passes with the 6.2.  With the 6.0 3/4 ton, you will slow down with a big trailer.  If that's what you're looking to avoid, you'd need the Dmax in the 3/4 ton.  But if that's your biggest worry, it won't be an issue with the 6.2 NHT.

 

What kind of trailer will the 10K one be?  If it's something hard to control (really long bumper pull camping trailer, etc) and/or needs a lot of tongue weight, the 3/4 ton would be better at controlling the load and have more payload capacity so you may want to lean that way or plan to upgrade in the future.  But if it's only towing once a month, possibly, three years or so from now, it might be difficult to spend all that money on a truck that will be worse for you right now, but might be better one day a month years in the future. 

 

The 1500 NHT would be better now and likely get the job done just fine with the big trailer for a couple of years; once you have the new trailer and see first hand how it handles it you could simply upgrade to the 3/4 ton in 5 years or so as a lot of people would want a new truck by then anyway.  On the other hand, buying a new truck is expensive and getting one that will do every thing you want for the next 10+ years is much smarter financially than trading in a few years.  It's really a judgement call on your part, I don't think there is a "right answer."

I agree. Looks like I will go for a 18 Crew Cab Max Tow Standard Bed 4x4 with the 11,700 tow rating. This will tow my 3500 lb enclosed much better than my old 97 with 255hp and 330tq. But I still love the gmt400 and may have to keep it around. 

 

I really like the specs and look (hood scoop) of the Duramax but it is a beast around town and I would always be nervous about all the emissions crap and the short trips with diesel.

 

A few max tow trucks are on order at my nearest volume dealer. ETA mid April.