My truck started leaking fuel over the weekend. It went from me driving and going what is that smell? To realizing, oh shit that is actual fuel leaking. Not fun. At all.
Honda came and picked it up and towed it to the dealership. We have Honda Easy Care which is an extended warranty which luckily covers up to 84 months or 100k miles. My truck is a 2013 model with 86k miles.
As most know this is my towing vehicle. In fact I bought my Kingston trailer so that I could pull it with my Honda Ridgeline. I love my truck so much. What I didn’t love is the fuel headache I got driving it yesterday and it escalated fast. I assume it is a fuel line but who knows. I still have a headache. ICK.
I did go rent something because living in the country you need two cars. What did I rent? Oh yeah I am that person. If I rent I usually rent a truck if I can so now I have a brand new 2019 F150 Crew Cab in my driveway from Enterprise. We are the first renters to drive it. It is amazing though it is not AWD like my Honda but omg so many bells and whistles on it. HA. I will enjoy it while I have it.
Meanwhile I am hoping that they can fix my truck soon so I can still make it to KY this weekend. I am just up in the air about everything at this point. I hate this flying by the seat of my pants I keep doing lately.
So just for a (late) Monday topic: What is your towing vehicle and why did you choose it? If I had to replace my truck (I hope I don’t have to anytime soon but I am just curious!) what would I get? I love my Ridgeline but am not a fan of the new Ridgelines that are smaller than my truck and cost about 7k more than my truck cost new.
Our Ridgeline (we call him Edward cause he sparkles in the sunlight hahaha Twilight was big back then) was a great deal and has been paid off for a while. But I just started thinking what would I buy to replace it. This Ford I rented is very nice. I had a Nissan Titan before to haul which I liked too. I just thought I would love to hear what you pull your trailer with. My trailer is only 2100 lbs empty so I don’t need anything too heavy duty (like no dually for me for sure) but I figured it would be good to find out what you all recommend or use!
Thanks and hope everyone else is having a better Monday than me! 🙂
Fat Buckskin in a Little Suit 
Hey I’m too busy coordinating with truck problems to respond… but the door latch light and electric surge didn’t happen on Erik’s drive home so that’s something? 😂 if I don’t laugh I’ll cry.
I have a tundra you can buy if you want… 🤣
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ha no thanks!! i hope they figured out your truck!
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I feel like the cars in AUS are quite different to the US ones, but I tow with a Nissan Navara Silverline 4×4. It has a 3T towing capacity and surprisingly economical on the diesel which is nice.
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It is always interesting to hear what other countries do! also I always wanted one of those all in one horse boxes England has 🙂
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We have a Chevy 2500 HD. Bought it new in 2011 and have it paid off which feels amazing. Why? Well initially we went to the Ford dealership but they were closed for customer appreciation day. Seriously. No joke. Makes no sense. So we walked across the street to Chevy and bought this. I really love it. The inside like most Chevys IMO is blah. Pretty darn basic and came out before everything had Bluetooth and gps so it has neither but it does have a port for usb. But it runs great, we haven’t had any issues (knock on all the wood) in 8 years of owning it and while it is a gas guzzler like most trucks it isn’t so bad.
We have had a long line of Dodges including a Dakota and a Ram and had major issues with every single one we had. Never buying a Dodge again (though I do have a 2019 Jeep but I’m not considering that a Dodge. Yes I know they are the same but shhhh).
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Thank you ma’m and that is INSANE closed for the day for customer appreciation day? HA ! they deserver to lose that sale 🙂 Mine has no bluetooth now and I do enjoy that in the newer ones. Is not a game stopper but dang it is handy.
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Well… our whole barn is Rams. Seriously. There are 4 or 5 of them hahaha. 1500s thru 3500s. Matt (as you know) really wants a 2500 so we can get a gooseneck.
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OMG if i bought a 2500 Matt would drive to TN and kill me probably HA HA Ha (no worries not happening) HA i have never been a dodge person though I do think the trucks are nice. We have GM points for what they are worth so that is really (IF I WAS GETTING A NEW TRUCK AND I AM NOT) where i should go if I end up buying! 🙂 Thanks!
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2005 GMC Sierra Denali. Love that luxury trim, although I ended up with it bc it was 2/3rds of Blue Book when I bought it four years ago. Been rock solid and my trailer is 2100lbs empty too. My next truck will be the same truck, just newer, but I have no plans to replace mine anytime soon.
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Thanks I love having a lightweight trailer though once fat buckskin Remus is in it is a bit heavier! 🙂 Glad you love your truck!!
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I’m not towing with it yet, but I’m planning on towing a small trailer with my Durango. But with trailer + horse I’ll be within about half a ton of towing capacity, so if/when I want to do bigger stuff and will need to be hauling feed and camping gear and water in addition to just day trip stuff, I’ll need to upsize.
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I have a quad cab 2006 F 150. I call her black beauty. So far I love this truck. Apparently this was a good year for Ford, as I know a few people who still drive their 2006 Fords!
It hauls well, but I know that one day I’ll have to get something newer. I hope I still get one year out of her!
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Black Beauty I love it 🙂 I am planning on keeping this Honda forever if I can. My idea is to keep it for a farm truck and maybe down the road buy a more robust truck for pulling (With my trailer it would be an easy pull for a 1500 or so)! thanks again for info!
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We just bought a 2005 F150 from my parents a few months back. We weren’t in the market but they were ready to sell and we weren’t going to get a better deal! So now we actually HAVE a towing vehicle. Of course now I’ve got my eye on horse trailers…why, I don’t know, as I don’t have a horse of my own! But dang it’d be nice to lease and have my own rig to tow…
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Ha ha i am telling you get a Kingston. Mine I LOVE and it is so open and airy and every horse has walked right in even ones who are sketchy loaders. Extra high/extra wide for my short fat quarter horse 🙂 HA You def need a new lease and a new trailer 🙂 I can enable with the best of them! HA
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Can I have infinite dollars please? Do you have a dollar plant down there at your place? LOL
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ha yeah when I find it i will share 🙂
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My sad truck has not gotten to tow a horse trailer (I realized two retired horses at home don’t need one alas) but it has towed some other things and is great for general barn tasks anyways (could not live without a truck!). 2016 GMC 1500 with the max tow package (Hillary @ equestrianathart helped me so much when I was looking). Favorite things beyond just a love for trucks include the fabric heated seating, being able to start it from my cell phone for free, and the liner in the bed which is some kind of one sided velcro looking thing that makes it so my knees don’t hurt when I crawl around in there. I’d say the only thing I dislike is having to get a key out to unlock and start it, but the new ones do push button start and keyless entry so I guess I just need a new one? Lol.
I loved the old look of the Ridgelines but ugh the new ones are so ugly. Hopefully it’s something simple with the truck and you can get to KY this weekend!
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We had push start with our Nissan Rogue and hated it so I am fine without that. My 2013 Ridgeline has a cd player, power windows, leather and a moonroof that is the extent of the fancies HA HA HA… Ohh I have picked Hillary’s brain before on other stuff good to know! Thanks for the info!!
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Funny, I went from a 2011 Nissan Rogue to my truck. I just dislike digging out my keys to unlock the doors and start it. My husband has an accord so we are all keyless and push button there. Hillary is a wealth of truck and trailer knowledge! The dealership salesman were clueless when I was shopping.
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OMG –> this line made me spit out my coffee!! LOL –> Our Ridgeline (we call him Edward cause he sparkles in the sunlight hahaha
I don’t have a trailer yet, so I went with a smaller vehicle – I have a 2015 gmc canyon – it can apparently tow 7000lbs, but I wouldn’t push it that hard over any distance.
My dream truck is a GMC duramax 1 ton diesel (no dually). lol Total overkill, but I love a big diesel engine. My friend has one and I am too short to check the oil/windshield washer/DEF. I would need to carry a ladder if I had one! hahahaha
You mostly see F150s or GM/Chevys here for towing regular horse trailers – the odd Toyota or Ram. I would buy a Chevy Silverado 1500 I think if I was buying new right now.
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thank you (and seriously he does sparkle in the sunlight that blue paint and it busted out of me one day shortly after I got the truck and Mark has called it Edward ever since)!
Thanks for the info! All helps!
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I’ve got a 2003 Chevy Silverado crew cab 1500HD. Yes, a 1500HD. For all intents and purposes, according to all my mechanics, it’s a 2500. Her name is Jolene, she’s from TX, had no rust when I bought her, and I love her so much. And, according again to all my mechanics, she’s in great shape and should last me a long time (but don’t ask me about her cosmetics, she’s definitely got a lot to wish for in that department! fortunately, you don’t need perfect paint to drive well). Towing capacity of 5T, which is more than I’ll ever need. My 2-horse trailer is 2100# empty and each of my horses is ~1k#, so I’m firmly in the over-trucked category even when hauling 2 horses, which pleases me. Even when I (hopefully, eventually) upgrade my trailer (when my neighbor is ready to part with it) to a 2-horse gooseneck with dressing room, the trailer weight will stay the same.
I used to haul a slightly heavier 2-horse trailer with my 2001 4Runner. I never went anywhere very fast (I only ever passed one person on the interstate in my years of hauling with it lol!), and only hauled 1 horse (except the handful of occasions I was traveling super locally and had no mountains or hills to climb) because I knew I was pushing my limits with it weight-wise. However, that 4Runner used to haul my dad’s boat all over creation and, kinda surprisingly to me, that boat was heavier than the trailer + 1 horse.
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I got my trailer first. It is enormous. I wouldn’t tow with anything less than a 2500/250. I really wanted to get the biggest truck i could afford and I wanted it to be diesel (I also really wanted a dually but turns out ‘affordable diesel dually’ is an oxymoron)
It’s kinda easier when you have the trailer first because then you know exactly what you need to haul it!
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hahaha only you right? Dont you have a tiny car AND a big ass truck along with a big ass trailer 🙂
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LOL yes my other car is a mini cooper that fits approx 2.5 people (the .5 usually being the dog)
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I have a 2011 Nissan Titan. I got it because I can only afford one vehicle, and I needed something that made sense as a daily driver (especially in the city) but still had a lot of power for towing. The Titan had the highest towing capacity in it’s class with the engine I have (9200lbs) and I have a lot of trust in Nissan as a brand. I got mine used with 48k miles on it for a STEAL, and now 3+ years later it’s sitting at 120k. It has absolutely no frills whatsoever (like for real, I have handcrank windows) but she’s served her purpose perfectly so far. She handles my trailer easily, gets decent enough gas mileage to not be painful, and is small enough for me to be able to park most places in the city.
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Yes I loved my Nissan I had in TX. thanks for the feedback!! I have seen yours and ridden it and no frills or not it definitely can pull. 🙂
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I LOVE my F350 dually so much I bought another after selling the first. It’s waaaaay overkill for my trailer (a 2H straight load Hawk w/dressing room), but when I was first started shopping for a rig, I got the truck before the trailer and had no idea what trailer I’d end up with. When I sold my 2006 F350, I had said I’d downsize to a 250 single wheel (because again…overkill for a 4,000 lb trailer), but then just couldn’t resist when I saw another F350 dually with all sorts of bells and whistles. So that’s clearly my type. I drive it pretty much everywhere.
Save travels to KY! Sooooo wish I was going 😦
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thanks so much I am NOT getting a dually but it is good to know what people pull with! 🙂 HA we would keep my current truck as a runaround so the truck could sit….just a thought I would like something a bit more powerful.
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We have a 2000 F250 diesel 4×4. If I had to buy another truck, I’d buy the exact same thing again though I’d get a shorter bed. One thing people forget when shopping for trucks is that towing horses is NOT like towing an RV or other trailer. Because the weight moves and is high centered, you want more tow power than your trailer technically requires. If your truck can tow 5k in regular trailer weight, it should only tow 3-4K in horses+trailer wright. In CA and now in VT we have to go on dirt roads and park in grass fields too often to not own a 4 wheel drive. Have fun at not Rolex; I wish I was going.
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Bryan and my trainer both have Dodge 2500 diesels and they both love them to death. Bryan’s doesn’t have a fifth wheel but my trainer’s does – go figure. I think the resale value on them is pretty high?
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I have a 2017 F350 diesel (not a dually). I haven’t actually hauled the new trailer with it with horses yet, but it was lovely empty! Lol.
Mixed feelings on it. It’s had two recalls already and has had two repairs unrelated to the recalls (but thankfully under warranty). So not sure that bodes well for the future. I will say, I think Ford builds a beautiful, capable truck. Where they are lacking is in the computer system. That’s what has failed on mine twice. I did look at Chevy too, but the seats were very uncomfortable for me. I think I’m too short for them or something. It made my head tilt at a weird angle, and no adjusting could fix it. Sounds stupid, but if I have to sit in it for 4-8 hours, I need to be comfortable.
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I have a Dodge 1500 with a towing package and it’s worked well so far for my 2 horse trailer. It is my only vehicle and it doesn’t have the best gas mileage but it’s not too bad. I drive about 40 miles or more a day. I had a Chevy Silverado and it gave me tons of problems but my brother in law loves his…
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I used to tow with a Chevy Tahoe. It pulled my 2 horse bumper pull (no dressing room) perfectly! When I finally traded it in (after 16 years and 215k miles!) I started using hubby’s F150. It tows fine, but OMG! I know people love Ford, but I’ve had trouble with every one I’ve ever had and this one will be our last FOR SURE!! All sorts of electrical issues and it had an engine knock at like 20k miles, but of course Ford “couldn’t hear it” until the warranty expired.
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I tow with a 1500 Silverado. We got it because husband is a GM employee so discounts! I tow a simple 2h straight load with dressing room, so likely similar to your trailer. No problems yet!
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I drive, and tow with, a 2014 FX4 Ford F-150. I love my truck – both as a daily driver and a tow vehicle.
However, if I were to be consistently towing a 3-4 horse trailer, I would be upgrading to a 250 or even a 350.
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thanks so much!!
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Have f350 4wd, crew cab, long bed. Year 2000, 7.2 liter diesel. Getting older but tows well-now it’s a little hard to park! Just got a much larger trailer and may add a duality at some point.
Get a good brake controller and have instruction on how to adjust it properly. Do your research on towing capacity. The longer the wheelbase, the more stable the setup is. Better to have excess power than to get in a bind!
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Thanks for all the info! I appreciate it so much (and yes I had my brake controller put in by my trailer dealership when I bought my trailer and they did a total tutorial on it. I love that thing and will have one in whatever i end up getting later on!!)
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