The Best Used Cars to Buy If You're Towing a Boat

If you’re towing a boat, the vehicle that you buy is largely going to depend on the size and weight of your boat plus trailer. Most cars, realistically, aren’t cut out for the job. We recommend a pickup truck or a good, solid SUV.

With that in mind, we’ve evaluated several vehicles, and have narrowed our choices down to the Toyota Tundra, Dodge Ram 1500, Ford F-150, Chevy Silverado, and Ford Excursion. The popularity of these vehicles over the years means that you should be able to find a used one without difficulty.

  • Toyota Tundra: The Tundra has a towing capacity of up to 10,400 pounds, depending on the configuration. Even in the V6, it comes in at a very respectable 7,900 pounds, so it can handle most boats easily. The Tundra is also a nice-handling vehicle with a comfortable interior.

  • Dodge Ram 1500: Depending on the configuration, the Ram can handle up to 11,500 pounds. It’s available in V6, V8 and premium V8. It offers a comfortable ride, and a great exterior appearance, so you’ll look good heading to the marina.

  • Ford F-150: The F-150 is the granddaddy of all pickups, ranking high in virtually every “top ten” list for the past 30 years. Towing capacity is up to 11,000 pounds, depending on configuration. With the F-150’s luxurious interior, you’ll be assured of a great ride as well as a highly competent truck for boat towing.

  • Chevrolet Silverado 1500: This isn’t the most powerful truck available, with a towing capacity of 7,000 pounds in the V8 configuration. Still, it should be adequate for most boats, and it’s a good-looking truck as well – perhaps not quite as flashy as the Ram, or as stylish as the Ford, but very respectable and competent nonetheless.

  • Ford Excursion: Moving away from trucks and into the SUV category, this workhorse is great for towing large boats. It’s based on the F-250 frame, so it’s heavy-duty, and has a towing capacity of up to 11,000 pounds. It seats eight people, so you can bring friends along to enjoy a day out in the boat.

Towing a boat usually requires something a bit more powerful than a car, so we recommend a truck or an SUV. These five vehicles top our list of best choices for boat towing.


Next Step

Schedule Pre-purchase Car Inspection

The most popular service booked by readers of this article is Pre-purchase Car Inspection. YourMechanic’s technicians bring the dealership to you by performing this job at your home or office 7-days a week between 7AM-9PM. We currently cover over 2,000 cities and have 100k+ 5-star reviews... LEARN MORE

SEE PRICING & SCHEDULING

The statements expressed above are only for informational purposes and should be independently verified. Please see our terms of service for more details

Recent Pre-purchase Car Inspection reviews

Excellent Rating

(5,493)

Rating Summary
5,137
193
39
38
86
5,137
193
39
38
86

Jermaine

25 years of experience
382 reviews
Jermaine
25 years of experience
Dodge Durango V6-3.6L - Pre-purchase Car Inspection - Silver Spring, Maryland
Awesome mechanic! Very reliable !! Awesome personality! Explained everything and now I feel less stressed.
Hyundai Ioniq - Pre-purchase Car Inspection - Chevy Chase, Maryland
Jermaine was very friendly, efficient and professional. He kindly explained to me those things that did not score well in the service report, so that it didn't come as a surprise, and I would know what to do about it.

Caz

18 years of experience
146 reviews
Caz
18 years of experience
Mercedes-Benz GLA250 L4-2.0L Turbo - Pre-purchase Car Inspection - Woodstock, Georgia
Caz was extremely knowledgeable, personable and provided excellent service. He was on time for the appointment and answered and explained everything I asked concerning my vehicle. I will definitely use the company again and I would love to have Caz as my mechanic! Excellent!
Mercedes-Benz S550 - Pre-purchase Car Inspection - Mableton, Georgia
Caz Arrived on time much earlier than scheduled. He was very professional in inspecting the car and made excellent recommendations.

Brian

19 years of experience
138 reviews
Brian
19 years of experience
Lexus RX350 V6-3.5L - Pre-purchase Car Inspection - McDonough, Georgia
Brian was very informational and knowledgeable about the Inspection. He throughly inform me what issues on vehicle. Great Mechanic !!!
Ford Transit-350 HD - Pre-purchase Car Inspection - McDonough, Georgia
Great service. Honest , respectful and truly cares about making sure you get the best options possible at an affordable price. Finding a mechanic you can trust is rare. I highly recommend Brain.

Jay

24 years of experience
262 reviews
Jay
24 years of experience
Honda CR-V L4-2.4L - Pre-purchase Car Inspection - Glendale Heights, Illinois
Jay did a great job! Excellent at taking time to explain things about your car. And provided sound recommendation on repair. Courteous and responsive. I would definitely recommend Jay!
BMW 535i xDrive - Pre-purchase Car Inspection - Des Plaines, Illinois
Excellent ! Jay is very detail oriented and forward thinking. I would highly recommend him to anyone.

Need Help With Your Car?

Our certified mobile mechanics make house calls in over 2,000 U.S. cities. Fast, free online quotes for your car repair.

GET A QUOTE

Related articles

How to Find and Purchase a Classic Citroen
With many firsts to its name, including the world's first mass-produced front-wheel drive car, the French automobile manufacturer PSA Peugeot Citroen group began manufacturing its Citroen line of vehicles in 1919. Finding classic Citroen cars is much easier when you...
How to Transfer a Car Title in All States
Transferring a car title is necessary when a car is changing owners. Find out how to do so according to your state.
How to Buy a Car After Bankruptcy
Though bankruptcy can greatly impact your life financially, there are still ways to buy a car by managing your payments and having a good cosigner.

Related questions

Engine shaking when idling
The light on the dashboard may be for the traction control system, which is affected by the drive by wire throttle body on your vehicle. Have a trained technician, such as those at YourMechanic, scan the vehicle for fault codes,...
engine idle increases after shifting into park
You should first check for any vacuum leaks that would cause the engine to idle higher than normal. Even your idle in gear sound a little high. If no vacuum leaks are found in the intake or the brake booster,...
power door lock on drivers side not working
Hi there. It really depends on what is actually damaged which would determine the ballpark estimate for repairs. This type of problem can be as simple as a broken fuse or electrical relay or as complex as a damaged power...

How can we help?

Our service team is available 7 days a week, Monday - Friday from 6 AM to 5 PM PST, Saturday - Sunday 7 AM - 4 PM PST.

1 (855) 347-2779 · hi@yourmechanic.com