Towing And Off Roading Questions

[Suburbinator]

My neighbor pulls a 23' toy hauler with his 5.3L Tahoe, and he's more than happy. I have the same drivetrain in my Suburban and pull my Jeep/trailer combo, which is right at 6000lbs and it does fine. It's no diesel, but considering the all around nature of these trucks and the simple maintenance and reliability, it's a good vehicle.
My Jeep is used for the hardcore trails, but I've found if the Burb fits on the trail, it does just fine. Wheelbase and ground clearance hurt performance, but it goes most places with no fuss and 2wd. I see a lot of desert sand out here - the heavy Burb with the G80 differential just digs in and goes with an easy right foot.

 

[TheOrteganator]

Thanks for all the input. The more I look into it the better an option the Tahoe looks. I like the Nissan Pathfinder but it just doesn't tow nearly as well, and the V8 Explorer is definitely up there on my list too but it has some major reliability issues. The Tahoe is super reliable, inexpensive to own, fuel efficient (considering it's a 5k+ lb. SUV), and nice to drive every day.

I'll probably be looking to buy in about a month or so, hopefully I can find a sub-100k mile 4x4 with leather interior for a good deal. I'd love to have a Z71 because they look nicer but I'll probably end up with the non-Z71 for the sake of purchase cost.