OK, now for some words about a new truck.
After five years of using an '89 Jeep Grand Waggoneer that leaked like
the Exxon Valdez but never left me beside the road, I decided to get a new
tow vehicle to haul around my '65 Mustang vintage racer on an open tandem
axle trailer.
I thought about the motorhome route, but I live in a development that
doesn't allow storage, and I wasn't comfortable with putting it at some
U-Stor-It lot.
Then I thought about a Suburban or an Expedition, but the $40,000 list
prices scared me silly.
In the end, I bought a '99 F-150 2wd extended cab (now they all come with
those wonderful dual half doors for access to the back seat) with the
5.4-liter V-8, factory tow package, 3.55 limited slip and four-wheel disc
brakes with anti-lock. It also had air, tilt wheel, 60/40 cloth bench seat,
power windows, locks, cruise, etc. Tow rating in that configuration is 8,200
pounds, more than enough if I should one day get an enclosed trailer.
List was about $24,000,and I added a full camper shell painted to match
so I could have somewhat secure storage for all my race weekend stuff, and
full-length running boards, bringing total to about $25,500. A three-year,
36,000-mile lease was about $300 a month.
I've had it since April and done three races. It's fantastic. It's
painted the same color as my race car, and gets 14 mpg while towing. Since I
don't need it for everyday driving (I write about cars so I get a new car
delivered to my house every week by the manufacturers . . . eat your heart
out, my friends), I'm in no danger of exceeding the lease mileage.
Having a new vehicle to tow with takes a certain amount of hassle or
worry out of race weekends away from home. But I must say I find the thought
of a '50s Ford truck with modern running gear enticing as well . . .
Cheers.
Terry Jackson
Miami Herald
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