I'm just a poor boy, from a poor family... (Tow Ve

We have a 2002 boat under contract - and nothing to tow it with.  It will require a, barely (~4500#), Class 3 hitch capable (ideally outfitted that way from the factory) vehicle, and the Admiral wants it to be mechanically reliable.  It mostly will be used to run to the gas station (no nearby marina on the lake, even if I were willing to pay another buck a gallon), with the occasional road trip.

We MAY bite the bullet and go to 5 figures - but it's distinctly not a preference.  I'm giving up a 100K miles 2005 Town and Country extended Stow-and-Go van in perfect condition in order to make this happen.

Just for conversation's sake, if you had $7500 as your budget, Van, SUV, extended-cab pickup all ok:  Year unimportant, so long as it could document reliability, and already had a Class 3 hitch system (electrical, transmission, radiator suited to the job) installed, what would you look for which would easily manage that load and, ideally, a few passengers?  All things considered, quieter is better, but I don't want my begs to get in the way of the askit ☺

Thanks so much for the hive mind.

L8R

Skip

Skip, I've got a 99 SN that I've pulled with a 2000 Dodge Durango (with a 4.7) to TN and FL. with NO issues. Drug a 88'SN for years with the same tug to NC, TN and FL for years with no issues. It is 4WD so that in itself has helped tremendously especially on wet ramps. It's got 203K miles on it and its still going strong. Gets poopie gas mileage towing the boat at a whooping 10-13MPG but its the price you pay for dragging a boat everywhere. 18 if I'm lucky when not pulling a trailer. Living on Lanier I also use it to carry Gas Cans as it's saved a ton of $$ in fuel for the boat vs buying marina gas. Using a cargo carrier in the receiver is the way to go for a gas hauler. I bought a 15 gallon roll around can and the cargo carrier is the ONLY way to go with such a huge can. Don't feel you have to drop big $$ on a Boat tug. For what you wanna  use it for, You should be able to find one I'd think for under 10k.

Correction MrMcD.

I have a 2005 Jeep Commander with a HEMI and it is rated at 8000 LBS.  She is full-time four-wheel drive and sucks mid-grade gas like no other but tows like a dream.  She has 205K on the clock. Probably worth $5K on the used market.  My guess. 

I have the same mopar 4.7 as Tim has in the Durango in a Jeep Liberty 06.  It has 200K and it is not my primary tow vehicle, but tows with ease.  You probably want the size of the Durango or the Dakota more than a Liberty though.  It does require some periodic wrenching but at 200K its is still running strong.  

Scratch what I wrote, mine is a 3.7 - not a 4.7.  It tows easily but there is no replacement for displacement right :)

A Tahoe would be a great vehicle in your budget

Depending on where you are you can pick up a 07-14 for around your budget and if you can find one with under 140k miles you should have a good car for a long time.

Maybe it's just me or maybe what my dad has taught me but I think I would have bought my towing vehicle first if I new what size boat I was looking for.....  

My wife has a BMW X5 with the 4.8L V8, it tows very well, has huge brakes and plenty of pulling power.  But when I tow I always grab out old Yukon, it just feels stable towing the Nautique.  Even on 100+* days it has never heated up at all while towing.