SUV vs. Pick-up

[SGFarm]

So I am thinking I should have a heavier truck.

I currently drive a 1994 Suburban with 350 and 4x4. I have added a leaf to the rear springs. But I have been towing heavy loads of hay and want a 3/4 ton.

I can see advantages to both the 3/4 Suburban or a crew cab 4x4 pick up. Lots of lockable interior dry storage so I can get 30 bags of feed in the rain and not worry with the SUV. But with a truck I can throw firewood in the back. I think the SUV might have better traction in the snow since there is more weight over the back tires.

Just debating.

Thanks

Mike

 

[bigbull338]

weve got the compact suv,an we can get 4 to 6 sacks of feed in it max due to the weight.anymore weight than that an we use the pickup.an theres no way you can get 30 sacks of anything in a fullsize suv.you be better off going with a heavyduty 1/2 ton or 3/4 ton truck.

 

[Grateful11]

I don't know where you live but one thing to think about is in NC you can tow as much weight with an SUV that the SUV can handle and not have to have a weighted license tag. She pulls a 14' cattle trailer with her '02 Tahoe Z71. Doesn't make sense to me, the 1/2ton Z71 PU we had had to have a weighted tag to tow the bigger trailers she has with it.

 

[Dmace]

I've always toyed with the idea of having a heavy duty SUV, (suburban or excursion) instead of a heavy duty truck. Then using a small utility trailer or my dump trailer for those days I need long boards or firewood, etc...

I rarely use the bed of my truck as 90% of the time I'm hauling a trailer. With an SUV I get more storage space and still plenty of towing capability. The handful of times we took the truck to the grocery store in bad weather, we had very little room in the back seats with two kids and put most of it in rubbermaid containers in the bed.

 

[Diamondpilot]

I use the bed of my truck just about daily. My bil just got rid if his F150 and bought a Expedition and is already talking about buying a beater truck.

If you need a truck you need a truck but if you just need tow capacity maybe a large SUV is for you. My uncle has a diesel 3/4 ton Suburban that has served him well.

Chris

 

[edlegault]

I used to own a 1990 Suburban. Used it for towing camping trailer and hauling bunches of kids (girl scouts, church duty). Also put a tarp in back and hauled firewood when we lived in a small cabin on a farm across the creek (only 4wd access during rainy season). Can't remember if rear seat came out, or folded, or slid forward, but was enough room for our needs. Pulled tarp out and vehicle was still clean. If I needed to haul a lot of wood I pulled a utility trailer.

 

[slowzuki]

Except for the 4wd, a 1 ton van has acres more interior space than a suburban. I drove one everyday for a few months, I thought it was great! We have a crew cab truck now due to hay deliveries and had to go long bed. Thinking about going flat bed to get more hay on per load too.

 

[Martian]

I like and have bought into the idea of a SUV over a truck. Yes, at times truck is definitely nicer, but since I'm not hauling everyday, or for a living I have Yukon (1/2 ton) but I can fit all the groceries in the back, 3 rows of seats and way better than any pick up in the snow with similar trailering capabilities. Only reason to go truck is if you were die hard diesel or were towing daily.:thumbsup:

 

[jeffsw6]

So I am thinking I should have a heavier truck.

I currently drive a 1994 Suburban with 350 and 4x4. I have added a leaf to the rear springs. But I have been towing heavy loads of hay and want a 3/4 ton.

I think if you compare your 94 to a newer Suburban you will find the 1/2 ton easily as capable as the older 3/4 tons with the small gassers -- just a product of trucks getting better with time. I thought about getting a second Suburban with the 8.1 gas and decided against it because it's just not that big an upgrade.

If you have not driven a 00 or newer Suburban/Tahoe you should test drive one. The new brakes are a huge improvement in handling and they wear more evenly without constant adjustment.

If a P/U is best for your uses then of course, go buy one. For me, the Suburban is a better tool than a P/U most of the time. It tows very well for a 1/2 ton and I pull 3000# to 7000# around town several times a week all summer, sometimes with 1500# tongue weight. I am usually carrying a few items that I do not want in my trailer (or the bed of a P/U) so I'm glad to have a bit of cargo room.

slowzuki mentioned a van. I would love a cargo van but 4x4 ones are rare and that is part of my need. Used vans are a lot cheaper than trucks and SUVs though. If you don't need 4x4 definitely look into a cargo van.

 

[LBrown59]

My pet peeves about Vans SUV's and truck caps is the limited height for hauling taller objects. and the more difficult and awkward loading due to the low ceiling heights.

 

[jeffsw6]

A trailer solves that problem very easily.

My gf's uncle has a ext cab P/U with 6.5 ft bed, and it is like the worst possible vehicle for him, he just has it because he doesn't want to be an SUV guy. He is always hauling lumber hanging out of the bed, worrying about if his tools or materials will be stolen out of the bed, and driving home after work to get his drums so he can then play music with his band after work. If he would just buy a trailer and a SUV his life would really be easier.

 

[SGFarm]

Thanks for all of the input. I am in Eastern ON so 4x4 is a necessity.

I am leaning towards staying SUV, I have a small (4x8) dump trailer and I am looking for a 16' float. It is handy to have interior space clean and dry.

I did not realize that newer sub's would be better, I figured that my older one would be built heavier and would take the work better than a newer citified version. I am keeping an eye for a 3/4 diesel sub but they are not easy to find. But 3/4 diesel pick-ups are around.

Thanks

Mike

 

[schmism]

You also might consier a full size van.

My E350 (one ton van) was 1/4 the cost of a 3/4 or 1ton pickup of the same vintage.

My 12 pass lived a life of a church van so it wasnt all beat up like some of the other one ton utility vans.

Ive used it more with no seats than with seats. I can get full 4x8 sheets inside flat on the floor, i can fit 10' sticks of lumber and conduit inside with the door closed and you can side load a full size pallet through the side doors. They have more interior height than a pickup with a topper and much more than a full size SUV. Gas millage is virutally the same as a pickup or full size SUV.

They come in both gas and diesel and have more room than a SUV while having the ability to tow/haul almost as much as the pickups (although personally i think they just fudge the numbers on paper to make the pickups look better)

 

[Cat_Driver]

Comparing a pick up to an SUV is truly Apples and Oranges.

You can always add weight to a pick up with cement blocks or water bags for winter driving. You can always add either a fiberglass cap to lock and keep things dry. You can also add a utility Bed which will give you many lockable dry area and with a closing locking bed cover it's all safe.

The SUV limits you to the amount and type of items you can put in the back. Obviously tall items will not fit like they will in a pick up. Also for hauling things they tend to tear up the interior.

They both come in 4x4 and unless you go one ton and above they will tow nearly the same.

 

[slowzuki]

I don't know about the 3/4 ton burbs but a guy on pirate4x4 tows 16,000 lb with his 3/4 ton avalanche. All over the US from what I can tell. Can't do that with the 1/2 ton model.

 

[Ken45101]

A crew cab pickup with a full size bed is a big vehicle! It doesn't fit into parking spaces all that well When it comes to tight places, it seems to have the turning radius of an aircraft carrier! However, it does have a good amount of inside cargo space and of course plenty of outside space.

We have both, a full size crew cab dually pickup and a Jeep Grand Cherokee. The Jeep is better for grocery shopping but of course the pickup is the champion for hauling and things like lumber and firewood.

If you are not frequently carrying adult passengers, perhaps the extended cab is a better compromise than a crew cab. Prior to the current pickup, we had a Ford extended cab with a 7-1/2' bed. It fit in shopping centers parking lots much better.

Ken

 

[s219]

I have driven pickups for work, and always liked them for overal utility, but just haven't been able to get my head around the idea of one as my daily driver. For me at least, an SUV and a utility trailer is a better combo. The SUV covers 90% of my daily driving and weekend hobby/sports needs, and then I can hitch up a trailer for other stuff like getting gravel, mulch, hay, or lumber.

 

[Ken45101]

I have driven pickups for work, and always liked them for overal utility, but just haven't been able to get my head around the idea of one as my daily driver.

It's a "country thing" :laughing:

Ken

 

[Samandothers]

I have a 98 suburban and a 04 3/4 pup. We used the suburban to pull horsetrailer with no issue. when we got the camper we needed bigger vehicle and go the 3/4. The suburban has the barn door style rear hatch versus lift gate and it is easier to load as you don't have to get things up and past a tail gate. A suburban and trailer may be a good combo.

 

[crazyal]

I have both a fiberglass cap and a ladder rack for my Tundra. I also have an easy way to remove both. There's very little I can't carry (not talking weight). The ladder rack means I can carry lumber and steel up to 20' as well as tall items (like a fridge) and still easily be able to strap them down while the cap is nice for things that can't get wet or I want to lock up.

But I built my garage with 12' ceiling in the main floor so I could rig up a system to lift both off by myself in minutes. I don't think I would limit myself to a SUV unless I needed the rear seats most of the time. The rear seats in my Tundra are pretty nice but I'm not sure if I would want to go on a long distance trip sitting on them.