What Checkmate's Are Pulled By...

[Chris]

That's a kewl pic.

That'll be Gus if he wins the lottery.

 

[wickedrister]

My tow vehicle is a 2004 Nissan Frontier Crew cab 3.3L 4x4 automatic. It pulls the boat ok but has a bunch of understeer in the turns.

 

[JW]

I just this week replaced my tow vehicle. I sold my beloved '04 Avalanche Z71 to my brother, and picked up a cheap lease deal: I now tow with an '06 Toyota Tundra SR5 Double Cab TRD 4X4. I'll have to take some pix (if it ever stops snowing/raining here!)

Edit: I gave up waiting for a nice day. Here it is:

 

[wickedrister]

NICE TRUCK JW but please keep the snow up your way.

 

[JW]

I looked for a cheap lease deal and this is what I found. A side benefit is it's an AMERICAN truck made in the good 'ol USA, unlike my last 3 Chevys................

 

[175checkmate]

JW, I do believe you have me beat on the number of vehicals owned in the last 3 years. Looking for another car right now. Well I'm not Arron is. He lunched the transaxle in the hyundia 2 days ago. I tryed to tell him the car was not a hot rod.

 

[JW]

I think Arron has the record!

 

[fnshrmaster]

I pull my 251 GTX with a 1994 Cadillac Fleetwood,it pulls like a dream.It puts my dully Superburban to shame!That LT1 is a powerhouse,added airlift bags and class 3 hitch and what you have is a Checkmate pimp towmobile!

 

[BullittBen]

Here's mine without the boat attached. I'm hoping to make 200k+ like the one my dad has (nearly identical). These things are indestructible with the 5.3L.

 

[JW]

That one reminds me of my '01 Silverado Z71 extra-cab 4-door. Loved the truck, but the wife made me sell it early because it had the dreaded '99 - '02 'knock' engine. So I traded it for the '04 Avalanche that my brother owns now. I loved my black '01!

 

[Chris]

JW, I'm suprised the TOYO was cheap on a lease. Up here those things are 200 bucks or so more a month than a GM. With zero down I got mine for a touch over 500 bucks a month on a three year lease. The TOYO was 700ish. The main reason for the difference is Toyota are always running their leases at 6,7,8 percent and GM are running incentive galores on theirs. BUT on all my GM's, at the end of the least the vehicles are all worth way less than the buyout. So I just walk away and get a new one. It wouldn't surprise me if the Toyota had some equity at the end though.

 

[BullittBen]

Ah, I'm not worried about the "knock". I hear it occasionally on cold startup, but my dad's has done that for over 150,000 miles. Apparently it isn't a big problem. He pulls an enclosed car hauler or a heavy tractor on his frequently. We have 3 of these (99, 02, 04) in the family and so far out of nearly 350,000 miles on them the maintenance was one $600 ABS module on the 99. No brake pads, nothing. I'm sold.

 

[JW]

Chris, down here you can lease that TRD crew cab Tundra 4X4 for $290 a month with 15,000 miles a year allowance!!!!! I think the 12,000 mile a year lease is $270. That's the out the door price too. It's advertised at $239 plus TTL. The Chevy I leased (the '99 Z71 extra cab 3-door) cost me $100 more a month, with a 12k lease.

I liked my '04 Chevy Avalanche Z71 best of all 6 trucks I've owned. This Toyota is more sophisticated and drives better, but my Avalanche was LOADED with toys and had better seats.

 

[Z06]

Big Man Z06 have an 05 Avalanche Z71 on lease right now and I believe it's 2..something a month (remember this is in Canadian funds folks) with a 12K allowance per year (we already surpassed the first year one (we're at 16K)

This on a fully loaded, 55K Avalanche with all the stuff.

I love the Avalanche...I guess so does my dad thats why we got another one.

Too bad you got out of the Avy Jim

 

[illMATTic]

HERES THE NEW GUY. NO PHOTO WITH THE BOAT YET.

 

[MERC-MATE]

97 K2500 454

 

[boatman4021]

My 2004 2100 Pulsare is towed by a 2005 Ford F-150 regular cab, 4.6 V8, auto. trans. Nothing fancy, but it does a good job getting to the lake and back. boatman

 

[Drex]

Just picked up a 2000 Chevy Suburban 1500 LS 4X4. One previous owner. Loaded to the gills with 44,000 miles and in immaculate condition. It has the 5.3 V8. Anybody have anything good or bad to say about the 5.3?

 

[BullittBen]

Apparently some people do, but if you read my post above, I'd say your chances of that being a great truck are pretty good. All of ours are 2wd, 5.3, AT, towing pkg, locking rear. We're in the South, so I guess we need the 4wd a little less.

JW, last I knew the 4wd GM's still didn't have rack and pinion steering where the 2wds do. Is that still true? That may account for some of the driving issues. The 2wds are great, especially with the stiffer springs on the towing package.

 

[JW]

The only two known problems with the '99 - '02 4.8/5.3 and 6.0 engines is the start-up piston slap that sounds like bad lifters, and the sticky throttle body that needs to be cleaned with a rag and cleaner every 10,000 miles.

The 4WD trucks wander a bit, but I never had any problems with any of mine. Not quite as tight on the road as my new Toyota, but the chevy's I had were never a problem.