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Lemming · Joined: 14 Apr 2004 Posts: 77 Location: Birmingham, AL

I'm in need of a tow vehicle. It will be pulling an open trailer with my 924S and gear. I really like the look of the new Titan, anyone pulling a trailer with one? If so, how does it pull?

I've had a diesel and really don't want to go down that route again at this point. I want a truck that will pull well, but that I can also use as a 2-3 times/week driver (my former F250 4x4 Crew wasn't all that great for city driving)
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Tim
'95 968 (White/Cashmere)
'88 924S? (sleeper

John Brown · Joined: 07 Nov 2002 Posts: 903 Location: Leesburg VA

Tim:

I don't have a Titan; but looking at them I know it's what I'd buy right now if a 1/2 ton truck was needed. I't much better built than my Chevy.

I predict Chevy 1500 and Ford 150 sales are gonna take a hit now that Nissan has put our a full size truck with a full size motor.
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John
80 931 - #931 44Cup
99 Escalade - tows track cars
gone but not forgotten: original 924.org car - 82

Lemming · Joined: 14 Apr 2004 Posts: 77 Location: Birmingham, AL

I test drove one the other day and it was nice. However, I've been snooping around the internet and have found that there may be a problem with the auto transmission (manual not available). It seems that many are waiting up to a month or more to have them replaced. Now I just need to find time to do some more research and get some test drives in.
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Tim
'95 968 (White/Cashmere)
'88 924S? (sleeper

kaffine · Joined: 13 Jun 2003 Posts: 644 Location: Las Vegas

I'd be wanting a bigger truck to tow a car on a trailer. Find out how much your car trailer and all the parts and tools on the trailer and truck to make sure you aren't over the weight limit for the truck. If you get an auto trans I would definatly get an aux cooler for it.
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80 924
80 931

The best desciption of an atom boils down to something unknown is doing we don't know what.
Sir Arthur Eddington

john h · Posted: Fri Jun 04, 2004 9:56 pm Post subject:

The titan looks one nice truck - I like the sound of the thing especially teh reasonably size V8.

I use a Nissan Patrol (I assume you guys get these in USA). I've had my Patrol for about 10 years now and it's done a couple of hundred thousand kilometres and has been really relible. It's a petrol powered thing with a 4.2 litre 6 cylinder automatic so it sucks fuel at an alarming rate - 12 miles per gallon. However I run it normally on LPG so it's cheaper to run and performs better.

It's used as an every day car and also in my business which involves towing caravans around the place, and other crap around the place. The most I've towed behind the Patrol was about 3000lbs of timber on a tandem trailer and it really didn't even notice it was towing anything except the fuel gauge went down sligthly quicker I only got about 10mpg. It's also used to tow the Porsche to race meetings and it's been brilliant for that, takes me, my daughter, one helper and two sets of wheels in the back all my tools, small beer fridge (holds 2 dozen cans) and our clothes. In teh time I've had it it's never failed my, but I did have to rebuild the auto at 200k mark as it was getting a bit sluggish on the changes and quite often wouldn't flick into overdrive.

If the Titan is anything like my Patrol I'd jump at buying one of those - unfortunately Nissan won't be bringing them to New Zealand.
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Remember a Porsche is not just for Christmas,

if you take it to pieces slowly it can provide anguish all year long!

Lemming · Joined: 14 Apr 2004 Posts: 77 Location: Birmingham, AL

kaffine - the Titan would be well within it's specs for towing a light trailer with the 924S and gear. I'm guessing that the max I'd be pulling would be 5K lbs and I believe the Titan is rated at 9K. Still, I'm not interested in a vehicle with potential tranny problems.

John - I don't believe that we get Patrols here in the US. I currently have a Ford Explorer with the 4.6L engine. Although it worked well for a 6x15 enclosed motorcycle trailer (about 2.5K lbs), I don't even want to try it with car carrier with 924S and gear.

I found a great deal on a leftover '03 F-250 6.0L diesel, but there have been some major problems with that first year engine.

The search continues. In the meantime, I'll just drive the 924S to Road Atlanta in two weeks for the NASA HPDE.
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Tim
'95 968 (White/Cashmere)
'88 924S? (sleeper

924RACR · Posted: Fri Jun 04, 2004 11:15 pm Post subject:

Yes, we do get the Patrol, but it's not called that (not to mention US spec, of course). That would be the Pathfinder, I believe.

We've got a Titan here @ work, but I haven't got my hands on it, don't know that I will. They might be pissed if I test-towed a 924...

Have fun at Road Atlanta!!! Wish I could go...

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Vaughan Scott
Webmeister
'79 924 #77 SCCA H Prod racecar
'82 931 Plat. Silver
#25 Hidari Firefly P2 sports prototype

John Brown · Joined: 07 Nov 2002 Posts: 903 Location: Leesburg VA

The Nissan MAY force GM and Ford to actually do something about build quality. Probably not, GM still hasn't figured it out since the Japanese invasion. Keep in mind this is being said by someone who intentionally purchased a fullsize Blazer to tow. But I had my eyes wide open. I was buying the venerable small block 350 and trans combination.

I'd be tempted to just wait the year out. Give them time to fix the trans. And then buy a Titan.

My only real gripe is that Nissan seems to have taken a page from the domestic manufacturers. It's impossible to find one with just the 'basic's and the 'big tow' package. They are all coming through LOADED.

Meanwhile. My alternator has about 40k miles on it. So it's time to buy a spare to keep in the truck so that WHEN (not if) the alternator dies I can replace it, AGAIN, and be on my way. The motor will run forever. The accesories however ...

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John
80 931 - #931 44Cup
99 Escalade - tows track cars
gone but not forgotten: original 924.org car - 82

Lemming · Joined: 14 Apr 2004 Posts: 77 Location: Birmingham, AL

You are correct about the basic model not coming with the Big Tow package. However, I'm not sure that the Tow package is worth the $950 that they charge.
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Tim
'95 968 (White/Cashmere)
'88 924S? (sleeper

kaffine · Joined: 13 Jun 2003 Posts: 644 Location: Las Vegas

I guess I've just been working on semi trucks too long. Just the idea of towing anything with a truck with under 6 tires, no jake brakes and an auto trans scares me.

What kind of hitch do you have on your trailer 5th wheel, goose neck or normal tow behind trailer? What kind of trailer brakes?
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80 924
80 931

The best desciption of an atom boils down to something unknown is doing we don't know what.
Sir Arthur Eddington

924RACR · Posted: Sat Jun 05, 2004 9:20 pm Post subject:

LOL! Don't we all wish!

I have electric brakes on my open trailer, IIRC it's single-axle drum brakes (F150). This combines well with the PFC (Performance Friction) brakes on my 1/2 ton Suburban, no braking issues. My trailer weighs 1400lbs, combined with the 2600lb racecar and a fair-sized load in the back of the Burb (full to the gills with tires and tools and misc other gear).
_________________
Vaughan Scott
Webmeister
'79 924 #77 SCCA H Prod racecar
'82 931 Plat. Silver
#25 Hidari Firefly P2 sports prototype

john h · Posted: Sun Jun 06, 2004 9:10 pm Post subject:

924guy · Posted: Mon Jun 07, 2004 12:01 am Post subject:

i sold my F-350 crew cab dually and bought this 99' Isuzu Vehicross a couple of months ago, im very happy with it... based on a shortened trooper frame, all wheel drive including selectable low gearing for intense off roading and tourque on demand system. 3.5 v-6 that puts out 215 hp.. it handles like a sports car on road, despite the high ground clearance, and itll best a much more expensive H2 in performance off road.. gets respectable gas milage at 15/20(i average about 17mpg, mixed driving, a/c always on ), and tows wonderfully (5,000 lb rating.) you just need to be carefull because of the short wheel base...It also sports a factory black and red recarro interior and all the amenities.. to me it was the perfect match to my 931(look at the side windows, and how close they are to the 931 lines).. they were hand made, and very limited production..but you can get a low milage used unit for under 20k if you look around.. Much of the technology used in the Vehicross is now standard in the gm suv's, as gm has a controling interest in them...i think isuzu is even producing some GM suv's (envoy maybe?, not sure) Its the truck Porsche should of made IMHO....
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Eric
78 924
82 931 SE "smokey"
99' VehiCross
Y2K Honda Insight
http://www.cardomain.com/id/924Guy
Performance by Pasha

numbbers · Posted: Mon Jun 07, 2004 7:39 am Post subject:

Just got my latest Consumer Reports, and they rated the Titan third, behind the Tundra, and the F-150 Ford. The Dodge Hemi was dead last.
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1980 924 Turbo

John Brown · Joined: 07 Nov 2002 Posts: 903 Location: Leesburg VA

The Suburban is a much larger vehicle than most of the competition. Not really apples to apples. And, the 305 was MUCH to small for it and never should have been installed. Chevy STILL uses the smallblock but the 305 was put out of it's misery. As my local Dodge guy told me one day as I was window shopping, "If you need a 'Burb you need a 'Burb, nothing else competes". (Said before the Expedition existed.) And, it's still largely true. 4 to 6 people, stuff in back, all enclosed out of the weather, tow something in the range of a track car.

Diesels and/or BAFTrucks are another rung or two up the ladder. Don't I wish! F-250 here I come.

'93 Blazer. 350, 4L60 transmission. Firestone Steeltex R4 highway tread 265x16 tires. Nice and quiet. For an extra 4 bucks each - load range D makes em a little stiffer and provide a huge margin. Usually leave em at 50 psi. I tow the steel trailer, 924/31/44, tires, trailer box on the tongue. Say, 5000 lbs. Toolbox and parts and luggage for 2 to 4 people in the truck. Electric single axle trailer brakes. Use synthetic transmission fluid and change it evey 20k or so. 145,000 miles. Tows fine. I stay below 70mph (3000 rpm) and do not use overdrive (as per the users manual and transmission gurus).

Short wheel base here also. So I pay extra attention to keeping the tounge weight correct; easy to do by moving the car up/back.

Interesting thought. All vehicles are a compromise. I really would have liked a truck even if only a Chevy 1500 series which would have had the same engine/trans. But I wanted to have my Golden Retriever inside with me and could not afford a 4-door cab. (The back seat in the full size Blazer is surpringly roomy.)

Another often overlooked option for tow vehicles is 3/4 ton vans. Big motors/trans. Enclosed storage. Sleeping room.
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John
80 931 - #931 44Cup
99 Escalade - tows track cars
gone but not forgotten: original 924.org car - 82