A interesting change of events has transpired within the last week or so...
(back story first)
I made up my mind in February to prepare to purchase a new SRT. I have sold my convertible (4th car), got the wife into a cheaper monthly payment new car (with warranty- and she loves it- double win) and bought a cheap beater to drive while I get my current tow rig/ DD SUV ready to be sold (08 TBSS)
The events that have happened is that I owned a 18' open trailer and in anticipation to go to a big drag racing event in Bowling Green beginning of October put it up for sale (first time in 4 years I will be taking a vacation at this job). My fun car 13 GT500 has never and will never see rain... so to go to this event and stay 3-4 days I needed an enclosed trailer.
I end up blowing my stock clutch in my car drag racing on a Saturday night and order new parts plus cancel my trip to Bowling Green. Car has to be transported (via trailer) to the guy everyone recommends for the clutch install which is a 2 hour drive.. Only day I am off is Sundays.... So I schedule to drop the GT500 off Tuesday for the coming Sunday. Get a call Thursday morning on my trailer (which is still up for sale and I MUST use the coming up Sunday). Tell the guy what's up and he still wants to come look at it.
Comes and looks at it and says he has to have it now and offers me $200 more than what I had it listed for ($500 more than what I paid for it a year prior)... I accept and promptly start searching for new trailer.
Buy a brand new enclosed trailer in the size I think I need the next morning before work and have it delivered.
It is a 24' V nose Freedom trailer with dual 5200lb axles with brakes on both (10k GTW) and plenty of not important extras. Love it....
I work for a dealership and since my TBSS is still being cleaned in prep for being put up for sale I decide to take a dealerships vehicle to tow my new trailer with my car in it on Sunday.
The ONLY vehicle we have that can really tow something large at the time is a 2013 Cadillac Escalade ESV (6.2 liter rated to tow 7,800lbs).
Everything seems fine except the Caddy really seems to be downshifting allot and running 3k- 4k rpms during the drive (yes it was in tow mode, and I had cruise set at 70MPH- Caddy only has 4k miles on it and it is unlikely it has ever been used to tow- has full factory tow package)
So when I get to my destination I am talking with the owner and voice my concern about the high rpm and 6.8 MPG average during the trip... He then asks the questions of what is it rated at etc.. And then he asks me a question I had given thought but never actually checked since I just bought the new trailer... " What do you think that trailer alone weighs?"
To which I replied: 1,500-2,000 lbs... instant laughter from him makes me nervous and we read on the trailer and conclude the trailer alone weighs 3,999 lbs!
No wonder fuel mileage sucked and it was downshifting... it was towing nearly 8,000 lbs.... (plus the tow vehicle itself is a tank with a much longer wheel base than the SRT) I discuss with him my intent to purchase a new SRT and he says no way.. need a 3/4 ton truck... not my style and really not an option for what needs I have for a DD/ Tow rig..
So mighty wise members... what are your thoughts?
I am going to take the trailer with GT500 to the weigh station, unhook the trailer and get the actual weight of the load... Which should come in at ~ 7,900lbs if we are right about the trailer..
The SRT has the power (70 HP more than the Caddy, 60 ftlbs more torque- plus I plan to add a blower within the first 6 months of ownership of the SRT)
But it has a shorter wheel base than the Caddy and weighs nearly 800 lbs less... It will have enough brakes though
I have already started looking into the Reese weight distributing hitch with integrated sway control and have been searching though all the forums since I got home Sunday night....
Can it handle it? The Caddy did not really sway much even though it was quite windy....
I have also searched and I do not see where virtually anyone has done a air suspension on a WK2. Is there a reason why not? I am thinking this will not only help with looks and ride (so I can still be lowered) but that it will allow me to tow while being lowered + help with my above the factory's max towing limit....
Thoughts?
There is literally nothing on the market (new) that fits all my needs like the SRT and has a higher tow capacity (that I know of) and is still in the same realm price wise as the SRT...
Sorry for the long read.. summary = need to tow 800lbs more than factory limit
(back story first)
I made up my mind in February to prepare to purchase a new SRT. I have sold my convertible (4th car), got the wife into a cheaper monthly payment new car (with warranty- and she loves it- double win) and bought a cheap beater to drive while I get my current tow rig/ DD SUV ready to be sold (08 TBSS)
The events that have happened is that I owned a 18' open trailer and in anticipation to go to a big drag racing event in Bowling Green beginning of October put it up for sale (first time in 4 years I will be taking a vacation at this job). My fun car 13 GT500 has never and will never see rain... so to go to this event and stay 3-4 days I needed an enclosed trailer.
I end up blowing my stock clutch in my car drag racing on a Saturday night and order new parts plus cancel my trip to Bowling Green. Car has to be transported (via trailer) to the guy everyone recommends for the clutch install which is a 2 hour drive.. Only day I am off is Sundays.... So I schedule to drop the GT500 off Tuesday for the coming Sunday. Get a call Thursday morning on my trailer (which is still up for sale and I MUST use the coming up Sunday). Tell the guy what's up and he still wants to come look at it.
Comes and looks at it and says he has to have it now and offers me $200 more than what I had it listed for ($500 more than what I paid for it a year prior)... I accept and promptly start searching for new trailer.
Buy a brand new enclosed trailer in the size I think I need the next morning before work and have it delivered.
It is a 24' V nose Freedom trailer with dual 5200lb axles with brakes on both (10k GTW) and plenty of not important extras. Love it....
I work for a dealership and since my TBSS is still being cleaned in prep for being put up for sale I decide to take a dealerships vehicle to tow my new trailer with my car in it on Sunday.
The ONLY vehicle we have that can really tow something large at the time is a 2013 Cadillac Escalade ESV (6.2 liter rated to tow 7,800lbs).
Everything seems fine except the Caddy really seems to be downshifting allot and running 3k- 4k rpms during the drive (yes it was in tow mode, and I had cruise set at 70MPH- Caddy only has 4k miles on it and it is unlikely it has ever been used to tow- has full factory tow package)
So when I get to my destination I am talking with the owner and voice my concern about the high rpm and 6.8 MPG average during the trip... He then asks the questions of what is it rated at etc.. And then he asks me a question I had given thought but never actually checked since I just bought the new trailer... " What do you think that trailer alone weighs?"
To which I replied: 1,500-2,000 lbs... instant laughter from him makes me nervous and we read on the trailer and conclude the trailer alone weighs 3,999 lbs!
No wonder fuel mileage sucked and it was downshifting... it was towing nearly 8,000 lbs.... (plus the tow vehicle itself is a tank with a much longer wheel base than the SRT) I discuss with him my intent to purchase a new SRT and he says no way.. need a 3/4 ton truck... not my style and really not an option for what needs I have for a DD/ Tow rig..
So mighty wise members... what are your thoughts?
I am going to take the trailer with GT500 to the weigh station, unhook the trailer and get the actual weight of the load... Which should come in at ~ 7,900lbs if we are right about the trailer..
The SRT has the power (70 HP more than the Caddy, 60 ftlbs more torque- plus I plan to add a blower within the first 6 months of ownership of the SRT)
But it has a shorter wheel base than the Caddy and weighs nearly 800 lbs less... It will have enough brakes though
I have already started looking into the Reese weight distributing hitch with integrated sway control and have been searching though all the forums since I got home Sunday night....
Can it handle it? The Caddy did not really sway much even though it was quite windy....
I have also searched and I do not see where virtually anyone has done a air suspension on a WK2. Is there a reason why not? I am thinking this will not only help with looks and ride (so I can still be lowered) but that it will allow me to tow while being lowered + help with my above the factory's max towing limit....
Thoughts?
There is literally nothing on the market (new) that fits all my needs like the SRT and has a higher tow capacity (that I know of) and is still in the same realm price wise as the SRT...
Sorry for the long read.. summary = need to tow 800lbs more than factory limit