Utilitarian Vehicle To Replace My 05 TL

[jdoggg12]

I love my TL but it's getting close to the time to move on to my next ride that I'll own for 5-10 years. Now that I'm in my mid 30s I'm less ok with asking friends/family to use their SUV/Trucks to haul small loads or throw my motorcycle in the back. I'm somewhat price sensitive, not terribly so, but enough to do a lot of homework before pulling the trigger on anything.

My criteria, in order of importance, are:

Reliability
Gas mileage
Price - OTD under $30k
Reasonable maintenance costs
Fun to drive daily
Comfortable for 2-4 people to go 100-300 miles on occasion

What are your recommendations? I just started looking at the Ram ecodiesel but know nothing else about it. Thoughts? Any SUVs I should consider?

Thanks for your input!

 

[thomsbrain]

Thinking outside the box:

A tow hitch and wiring harness for your TL costs less than $200, a landscape/utility trailer is less than $2000 used, or rent from U-haul for $15 a day. The TL has plenty of power and brake for this level of towing.

An 05 TL better certainly meets the rest of your list of criteria than any new truck or SUV under $30K.

 

[jdoggg12]

I've considered that route but don't know how much I trust the mounting points on the TL to support a trailer with 500-600lbs of cargo? That's 300lbs for bike plus fuel cans, stands, etc.

Anyone on here with a TL try towing stuff like that before?

 

[sdifox]

minivan with tow package. The ones with seats that fold into the floor makes a good makeshift camper if you throw in an air mattress And since you have power, inflating a twin mattress is no big deal.

 

[JulesMaximus]

I've considered that route but don't know how much I trust the mounting points on the TL to support a trailer with 500-600lbs of cargo? That's 300lbs for bike plus fuel cans, stands, etc.

Anyone on here with a TL try towing stuff like that before?

Must be a dirt bike.

A hitch will mount to the rear subframe and should be capable of towing at least 1000lbs. Whether your transmission is up to the task is another story, especially on an older high mileage car.

 

[bamx2]

If you decide go the hitch route, add a supplemental ATF cooler ( imo, must have for any vehicle that does not have a factory towing pkg that includes a a HD ATF cooler) . They do not cost much and are not hard to DIY install.


For this use, I would get the third one on the list at the link below-

http://www.bulkpart.com/2/category/Cooler-tru-cool-lpd.html

 

[Crono]

2016 CX-5 Touring AWD w/trailer hitch

 

[tortillasoup]

go with tow hitch...

 

[jdoggg12]

Must be a dirt bike.

A hitch will mount to the rear subframe and should be capable of towing at least 1000lbs. Whether your transmission is up to the task is another story, especially on an older high mileage car.

WR250X

I've had an SV650, couple R6s, and Gixxer 750/100. After losing my arm in a crash, the 250 has been enough to get me back in the seat. Next bike will likely be a KTM 690 SMC or Duke.... not much heavier. Working in the Industry has some great perks... unfortunately not for my 4 wheel transportation, haha.

As for the TL, yea, 134k miles... nothing ridiculous but also not exactly a spring chicken either, haha.

 

[natto fire]

WR250X

I've had an SV650, couple R6s, and Gixxer 750/100. After losing my arm in a crash, the 250 has been enough to get me back in the seat. Next bike will likely be a KTM 690 SMC or Duke.... not much heavier. Working in the Industry has some great perks... unfortunately not for my 4 wheel transportation, haha.

As for the TL, yea, 134k miles... nothing ridiculous but also not exactly a spring chicken either, haha.

Not sure about an '05, but I have friends who had a '99 and have an '02 which both cleared 200K with no major issues. The '02 is getting up to 300K, with the transmission (Honda simply could not make a V6 auto to save their lives back then) just now starting to show signs of imminent failure. I think the TL is one of the most reliable cars Honda made in the early aughts.

A class 2 hitch gets you 3500 lbs of tow weight, which are readily available for your car. Should be easy enough to find a <1500lb trailer that will haul your bike.

Not sure about an aftermarket cooling kit, but another thing I dislike about Honda autos is that they don't have pans, or easily serviceable filters. That said, they do still have a loop to the radiator, so you can tap in supplemental cooling from there, and add extra fluid accordingly. I'm not sure if it is just heat that kills these fragile Honda autos, or just a bad design in general, but their massive failure rate in years prior to your model are well documented.

 

[T2urtle]

^ its a spring chicken to me. While the 05 TL shouldn't have anything to do with the prev. generation v6 auto trans failures, it will still be in the back of the mind.

My reason for not getting a trailer hitch is mainly because lack of space to put the trailer. Obviously you can U-haul rental but it will require a little more planning and you to store all your random items in your trunk/backseat of the TL.

Hell most people i've seen on trackdays just use their daily drivers and they never had problems. 05ish CTS, 2010ish GTI, 2010ish accord. They've done it the whole racing season and no issues. Their logic was to cut down on the random costs and spend more money on tires and parts for the bikes.


CX3/CX5 or subaru outback comes to mind, if you must get something. I would look into the wagon/hatch world before looking into the pickup truck world if MPG was ANY type of concern.

 

[Yuriman]

You might consider a MT vehicle if you're planning to replace and would like to tow.

 

[jdoggg12]

I've got no real qualms about getting a manual... it's a PITA with one arm in traffic though, haha. I had a 96 Integra that was manual for a few years after my accident. I regret selling that thing!

The hitch idea sounds like the way to go... who would I go to to talk about installing a tranny cooler though?


Side note - any of you riders live in the SF Bay? I'm always looking for new partners in crime.

 

[JulesMaximus]

WR250X

I've had an SV650, couple R6s, and Gixxer 750/100. After losing my arm in a crash, the 250 has been enough to get me back in the seat. Next bike will likely be a KTM 690 SMC or Duke.... not much heavier. Working in the Industry has some great perks... unfortunately not for my 4 wheel transportation, haha.

As for the TL, yea, 134k miles... nothing ridiculous but also not exactly a spring chicken either, haha.

Called it.

Yeah, those are all substantially heavier than 300lbs. Still, your car could easily haul those too.