5000 max towing weight,1700 max load all that with a whopping 190hp and 220lb-ft for the "big motor" 142hp 172lb-ft for the base motor, but it drops the towing weight to 3500 and 1600 max load. 95 SR5 tacoma should run you about $6K in great shape.

How about this? 1995 Dodge Ram 3500 extended cab 4x4 with 5.9L cummins turbo diesel. only 180hp with 420lb-ft and 6000lb payload 15,000lb towing weight. Get better gas mileage and would last a lot longer towing a 3500lb car/trailor. Price? About a grand more than the tacoma. Or you could always go with a ford with a 7.3L powerstroke, more HP and TQ than the dodge for about the same price range.

Yes I'm sure the tacoma is capable of towing, but I'd imagine taking hills with a car behind it is pretty sad. My dad had a T100 and I brought my truck along to help him get wood one time. I doubled the payload that his truck did(wood stacked to the top with a shell on the back of mine and a little over the bed on his) and he had a hard time getting back to his house up on highway 9 while the powerstroke just chugged along.

Also mind you max towing weight is inclusive of the vehicle itself, so if the tacoma SR5 weighs in at 3000lbs, it only has 2000left for car and trailor, so towing a rex won't work, at least legally.

 

for towing, 3/4 ton or 1 ton is the way to go. Doesn't need a 454 if it's 3/4 ton because it'll be geared for towing. Diesel will save you gas. 1/2 ton with 454 will be okay be you burn more gas and if you're not a good boy on the gas pedal, you might eventually blow your rear end.

 

an s10 would work great as well... and you can get them really cheap. you also lose reliability, but you can definitely find some good ones out there.
Might check out: http://www.craigslist.org/eby/car/50386394.html and maybe http://www.craigslist.org/eby/car/50366040.html.
http://www.craigslist.org/pen/car/50040069.html

Obviously, don't get anywhere near an '88 S10. and also make sure that you don't get a short bed/cab s10. Along with being short... they have a small wheelbase, which is certainly going to be less safe.

 

A S10 for towing? You have to be kidding me.
The minimum I would go with is a 1/2 ton, preferably a 3/4 ton.

 

I recommend a Toyota Tundra (Tacoma is mainly for hauling in the bed) based on dependability, fuel consumption and reasonable size.

But if you're really going to buy a truck, do some searching for a GMC Syclone, they're the fastest stock truck ever made with a turbo V6 engine and AWD. You'll be faster, handle better, and use less gas than an SRT10, that **** gets an average of 9mpg!

 

a Syclone for towing?....it maybe fast, but that can't tow for ****, it would be just as bad as a tacoma or s10...

 

going with a big car would cost much more money. my friend tows his mustang with those small trucks ALL the time.

If you want to go even cheaper, buy a AAA card and have them tow you around. AAA is like a free cab service. If you're ever to drunk to drive, just pull out a couple starter plugs and call AAA :-)

 

Cyclone, tacoma, s-10,baja??LMAO He wants to tow a car, not a circus midget on roller skates.

 

LOL hahahhaa, +1 for Heavy Dan

 

exactly... for under 10k u can get anything from 94-2000 models of either a chevy, ford, or dodge 150/1500. All V-8s with good enough towing power

 

Don't even bother getting anything less than a ¾ ton truck for towing a open trailer with car. For short distances, ½ tons work but, ¾ and 1 tons come with heavier duty trannys, brakes, frames, rearends, etc. For the long haul, get the bigger truck. It will tow and stop way way better than a ½ ton.

And, Cyclone, Tacoma, S10? You got to be freakin kidding me. Have you seen what happens when you try to stop and the trailer starts wagging the truck? Not good.

Bill

 

It's Syclone with an S.

-Chris

 

that's what I get for cut and pasting.

 

By far, the best REALISTIC recommendation in this thread

 

just make sure whatever you get isn't to light cause then you stop the trailer will push...and you wont stop.i doubt a tacoma wont be safe to pull a car thats just me...what do i know