4WD and Factory Trailer Package Questions ?

OneWurldGurl1

Hello Everyone, I brought my 2020 320 S Boondock home a few weeks ago and am now deciding on what TV I need. Right now I have a 2015 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 2 door and the towing weight is only 2000 pounds for it, so I need something bigger. I want to find a truck, used w low milage and have heard that I need to get one with the "factory trailer package" Not sure if thats completely true though because I get conflicting answers to that question from car dealers.  

Also, I'm not sure if I want 4WD or not, costs more for the vehicle, insurance is more, and I cannot say for sure if I'll every need it. I did get the Boondock Tab though and am going to boondock, but I cannot say for sure where or when. I am going to Big Bend in Texas in the spring, that I know for sure.  So my questions are: Do you have 4WD and do you use it? Did you not get 4WD and wish you did?  

Adding on to my post with more info, I live in Texas, I am not 100% sure if I plan on keeping jeep or not, if I do TV will be a second vehicle used just for travel. My husband will be joining me on some trips and when he does there will be 2 heavy kayaks on roof of TV (85 lbs each)  I plan on mostly boondocking  mainly in the Southwest and Texas. Most likely will encounter snow every now and then.  I'm now sure I want a truck, leaning towards Chevy Colorado, Nissan Frontier or Toyota Tundra.

thanks in advance 

jrhamel

We were set out to buy a used F 150 but ended up buying a new one. Ford had very good incentives, to good to pass up. Ended up with a 2019 4WD and tow package. We decided on 4WD because I wanted to prepared for anything, driving on beaches in Texas, Colorado off road  boondocking etc.  I would also recommend the a tow package, the nice thing about factory tow package is that its already done for you and you won't need to spend more to have it put on. 

teztab

I guess rhe need for AWD is a reflection of where you live and where you intend to travel.  Our primary home is in New England and, given the winters here, I would never consider a vehicle without AWD.  My wife and I have four cars and they all have AWD.

For towing, I have a 2017 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk which I purchased new at the same time we purchased our 2018 T@b 320S.  It has the large engine and factory tow package with a 4,500 lbs pulling capacity.  For me it is the perfect TV; comfortable, plenty of power and relatively economical.  It also has a remarkable off road capability which I find reassuring when venturing into challenging terrain and uncertain weather.

Bearing in mind a big part of the T@b attraction for us is that we do not need to drive a truck to pull our 320S, I can thoroughly recommend the Trailhawk.  I don't know about the used market availability or cost for this vehicle, but I would always suggest going with a factory package for any tow vehicle.   As well as just a hitch and electrical hookup, it normally means frame reinforcement and transmission cooling which are big towing advantages.  Hope this is helpful.

Homebodyatheart

We live in 4 season country so AWD/4WD is a good thing to have. I tow with a 2015 Toyota Highlander and love it! We just traded in a 2019 Subaru Ascent because my tow experience with it was awful. Didn’t need an expensive commuter car, got a Rav4 Hybrid and are much happier! We’re not really truck  people so the Highlander is  perfect! Good luck !

webers3

@teztab Ditto on Jeep Cherokee with factory tow package. Connecting Tekonsha brake controler to Jeep's tow package interface was easy. It tows my 320 very nicely, sometimes I forget it's there, the rear camera screen with the center dashed line allows me to align the hitch and the coupler without any assistance. 

Awca12a

edited-
While you've probably given us all the information you have, please note that to give any kind of useful advice, much more information is needed.   First, we'd need to know the tongue weight of the 320 which is an entirely different number from the trailer weight.  Next, we'd need to know if you plan to spend much time in the snow or gnarly off-road.   Will you be taking dogs or other people with you?  Will this be your regular commuter car requiring various size, cost, mileage, comfort compromises or can you dedicate a second family car to fill the 320 duty for outdoor use.  Will you bring kayaks and bikes with you?   

While I have an F150 with the Max Tow package in a crew cab configuration and 4x4, I chose this because I take large dogs with me and need the large back seat, have a tongue weight of close to 500# and wanted a pickup so my gear and mess was separate from the interior both from a mess standpoint and for safety in case of an accident.  A box of Kleenex can kill you at highway speeds so having loose backpacks, grill, chair, etc inside my vehicle was a non-starter.  One visit to a junkyard or one good call as a volunteer fireman to a motor vehicle accident will convince you of this truth.

I have used the 4x4 exactly twice while towing and that was because I was being an idiot and figured that the 4x4 would save my bacon if the maneuver didn't work.  The 4x4 in my case is when I'm not hitched and want to go on service roads or snow in the NE.  Plenty of people do without it and I've questioned whether it's worth the cost and maintenance many times but I have two 4x4 pickups and that's my choice.  Big picture, with a 320, if you don't know whether or not you need it then you probably don't know how to properly use it and should first take an off-road class to learn when/where/how to use it.  I say this because odds are by now that you've not needed an extraction that a 4x4 would have gotten you out of.  And YES, I've taken a long weekend 4x4 class taught in Vermont by a company that trains National Geographic teams to drive in very remote places.  If nothing else, the class itself is a blast as the final evolution is no pedals backwards down a hill and placing your vehicle between two trees after making it through a course where the vehicle is at a 50-degree angle.   

SO to answer your question, you probably don't need it but if you do, nothing else short of a 3rd party extraction will get you out of the bind.  But you don't need it for normal use and getting into and out of campgrounds.   The Boondock TAB just means you won't get the trailer hung-up on normal service roads but not that it will serve you in real off-roading.  I have a Boondock as well and it was worth the extra 1".

While I'm not sure if the tongue weight or tow capacity meets your new 320 till you post that data, if you like the Jeep, take a look at the new Jeep Gladiator.  Otherwise check out any of the small pickups such as the Ford Ranger or Toyota Tacoma as you don't need the size of an F150.  That said, the best vehicle out there bar none is the F150 but I'm biased.   If you absolutely must carry all your gear inside your vehicle and don't care about being killed by flying equipment, there are plenty of SUV's to choose from and the Trailhawk has gotten many strong recommendations across multiple forums for different applications.  

Lastly, getting the tow package means different things from each manufacturer.  Usually it means you get a built-in hitch, hitch wiring and the all important trailer controller which avoids the need to install a 3rd party device that measures your speed using an accelerometer.  There are usually additional packages that add Tow/Haul buttons that adjust transmission loads to help with hills while towing and in case of really great companies like Ford, add additional cooling, mirrors and other mechanical suspension supports.  For a 320, much of the Max Tow equipment is overkill so getting a trailer controller is all you need.

GatorEgg

2019 Toyota Tacoma 4x4 Sport.  Haven’t used 4x4 with trailer yet.  I’m the always try to be prepared type.

MuttonChops

@OneWurldGurl1 ;
Consider a 2016 or newer Chevy Colorado / GMC Canyon. I am very happy with mine.

Some Colorado/Canyon pluses when shopping used.
== All trucks are built for towing, have transmission cooler and V6 models full 7,000# rating
== All trucks are pre-wired for an aftermarket brake controller
== Towing package adds receiver, 7-pin, limited slip rear axle, lower axle ratio*, and Haul/Tow mode**

So any V6 Colorado/Canyon will handle the T@B 320.

At least one Forum Member is towing with the 4-Cly engine but that would not be my recommendation.

* This depends on the engine/transmission/trim package . . . decode VIN to know what truck has.

** Not sure, might be standard on all above base trim
    Users manual does state Haul/Tow Mode is not required for the T@B 320 weight
    I use it for more control; stop & go traffic, mountains

4x4;  Since you are coming from having it available you will miss it if not there.  I've only used mine while towing on loose gravel or true dirt roads . . . more for peace of mind an a bit more control than really needing.

If you go 4x2 then think you would be happier with a limited slip rear axle.  Expect it is part of the tow package for the sport fishing crowd as boat ramps can get messy.

I do use the 4x4 while camping. After T@B is set-up I'll be out driving forest, etc dirt roads.

Best of Luck on your research.

rkj__

I tow my T@b 320 with a 4x4 pickup. I’ve used the 4x4 to deal with low traction surfaces on several occasions. 

One location I camped had many steep hills, and the roads were gravel. I had a pull through site. Long story short, I could not stop on the gravel slope, then reverse my truck to hitch my trailer back up. The rear wheels would just spin in 2WD. 4x4, no problem. 

This is is just one example. Sand, mud, and even wet grass can make things challenging for 2WD vehicles. 

Some people never leave pavement with their trailers. 

You need to evaluate where you realistically expect to be camping.  

OneWurldGurl1

Thank you everyone for your comments! I very much appreciate them. I did add onto my original post with a bit more info.  I am now leaning towards a truck for a variety of reasons and thanks to your comments am also seriously considering going with 4WD.  

Now my last question (mostly to myself, but if you have any advice I'll take it, is on keeping or selling my Rubicon. It's a 2015 with very low  milage, only 10847 miles on it and it's in perfect, looks brand new condition. (Normally we use my husbands car for just about everything). My reasons for keeping it are that, I love it, it's paid for and I will keep it until it drops, which at the rate I'm going will be in about 15 years.  
If I get a used TV and only use it for travel, which I'm going to guess will be about 1000 miles per month, sometimes more ( for trips to Colorado, Arizona and Florida) and sometimes less (staying in Texas and going up into Oklahoma). I can drive that until it dies, then get another second hand one.  I believe this make good economical sense, because I loose $ selling the jeep and as soon as you drive a new vehicle off the car lot you loose more $.  Agree? or disagree.   

VictoriaP

OneWurldGurl1 said:

 I believe this make good economical sense, because I loose $ selling the jeep and as soon as you drive a new vehicle off the car lot you loose more $.  Agree? or disagree.   

Three vehicles = 3x gas, maintenance, and insurance, so to me, it’s an emotional decision, not an “good economical sense” one. Cars that sit around and don’t get used enough develop problems (dealt with that over the last year with my late husband’s car until I finally gave in and sold it.) Plus, though you presented it that way, it’s not an either/or decision; you can sell the Rubicon and still buy a used tow vehicle instead of a brand new one. By selling the Jeep, you might be able to significantly reduce or even eliminate payments on a used truck.

All that said...it’s really up to you and your husband and your financial situation. If you can afford to keep 3 vehicles and you don’t feel ready to let go of the one you’re attached to, then keep it for a while and see how much you actually use each of them. The decision to keep or sell may be more obvious or easier if one mostly sits around unused for a few months. Good luck!

lkc001

I bought a lightly used, low mileage, 2016 Nissan Frontier SV 4x4 CrewCab with tow package last year.  I love it.  Nissan states tow rating 6,100 to 6,500 (although I don't know what makes that 4,000 lb difference).   I bought a trailer brake controller from e-trailer that came with the vehicle specific plug & play wiring for my vehicle and had a trailer specialty shop mount it and run the wires.  Easy peazy.  It tows my 320S like a dream even in the Colorado mountains (I live near Denver).  No sway, doesn't drop the rear end of the truck, etc.  Towed this summer in a high wind and while big rigs in front of me had their trailers getting buffeted by the wind, I was very stable.  Very comfortable ride.  I would never buy a 2 wheel drive in Colorado--they are too hard to sell if you want to & you never know if you are going to need a little 4 wheel drive if you ever go off the paved roads.

4ncar

@OneWurldGurl1 hang onto the Rubi as long as you can;they don’t depreciate as much as other cars. The secondary market is hot for them. I had 2 since 2008; the first one I sold for 5,000 less then what I paid for it, 5 years later & 73,000 miles. My last one I sold for more then my Jeep GC. THE GC was ‘14 summit with the ecodiesel,and the rubi was an ‘09. 

I tow  with a Colorado with the mini dura Max. I get excellent fuel economy, and no issues with weight. Factory tow package get a number of items:

1) integral break controller 
2) heavier brakes; 4 piston front calipers
3) Eaton locker in the rear( not limited slip)
4) trans cooler

I tow a 320s Outback(now boondock). Though I haven’t used the 4wd as yet, I will. I surly did with all my jeeps!

ChanW

Another plus with 4WD is that you might have a wider range of gears, ie: you might have a low-low ('granny gear'), which can be very helpful in going very slowly up a pitted dirt road, for example when boondocking... You probably would not have that option with AWD.

OneWurldGurl1

Thanks everyone for your comments, they gave me lots to think about. 4ncar about my "Rubi" I was shocked when I checked on resale value! so even though it makes me feel sick to even think about it, I'm now leaning towards selling it and getting a new 4x4 Colorado.
 I really don't need 2 cars, and not having a car payment for the new truck would be nice. Also, I drive the jeep about once a week to run errands and every now and then for a quick trip.
 The truck I would be driving 100's of miles every few weeks to go camping. After thinking about that fact for a bit, I can't see any point in keeping the Rubi, other than I love it. 

4ncar

OneWurldGurl1 said:

Thanks everyone for your comments, they gave me lots to think about. 4ncar about my "Rubi" I was shocked when I checked on resale value! so even though it makes me feel sick to even think about it, I'm now leaning towards selling it and getting a new 4x4 Colorado.
 I really don't need 2 cars, and not having a car payment for the new truck would be nice. Also, I drive the jeep about once a week to run errands and every now and then for a quick trip.
 The truck I would be driving 100's of miles every few weeks to go camping. After thinking about that fact for a bit, I can't see any point in keeping the Rubi, other than I love it. 

I feel your pain, as I miss all of my jeeps, but I’ll get another eventually! shocked good, or shocked bad??