Before ya'll bash my head in let me start by saying I have a small trailer ( 3 quads) that I need to pull.

The GF and I are looking to buy a new SUV. She loves the trailblazer SS but also likes the SRT8 and I'm the other way around. The only downfall I see to buying the SRT8 is that it can only tow 3500lbs where the trailblazer ss can tow 6900lbs. So my first question is, has anyone put a trailer behind their SRT8 and how did it do? I'm only pulling a small trailer ( 3 quads) so i'm well under 3500lbs. We do go to places like Glamis and pismo a lot with our toys so while the SUV we will be buying wont need to go off-roading it will need to leave the pavement. Is the SRT8 to much of a street Queen for us? I guess thats my main question.

Thanks,
Eric

Before ya'll bash my head in let me start by saying I have a small trailer ( 3 quads) that I need to pull.

The GF and I are looking to buy a new SUV. She loves the trailblazer SS but also likes the SRT8 and I'm the other way around. The only downfall I see to buying the SRT8 is that it can only tow 3500lbs where the trailblazer ss can tow 6900lbs. So my first question is, has anyone put a trailer behind their SRT8 and how did it do? I'm only pulling a small trailer ( 3 quads) so i'm well under 3500lbs. We do go to places like Glamis and pismo a lot with our toys so while the SUV we will be buying wont need to go off-roading it will need to leave the pavement. Is the SRT8 to much of a street Queen for us? I guess thats my main question.

Thanks,
Eric

It all depends on if you mind having your exhaust below your hitch. I tow my boat(2000+#) and 2 PWC obviously not at the same time but I have not had any issues towing. If the Jeep falls into the weight you need to tow I would choose that over a Trailblazer but thats me and I like running road courses with mine and I wouldn't recommend that in a Trailblazer. I have the Mopar SRT hitch and here are some pics.

http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w26/cmn1srt8/IMG_1064.jpg

http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w26/cmn1srt8/IMG_1063.jpg

http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w26/cmn1srt8/IMG_1057.jpg

I would like to see a Trailblazer do this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rijANx3g_I4

Lol .............

Well first off let me say that the cool thing about the SRT8 is that its a lot more exclusive and unique. People see a Trailblazer SS and for the most part its just another trailblazer. The SRT8 just turns heads and all around looks better. Not only that but it will out perform the SS as well. Only draw backs in your case is the trailer hitch will have to be custom or I guess there might be one out there that can work on the SRT8 since it has the center mounted exhaust. I hate to say it but to me it almost sounds like the SS might be a little better for you guys. You just need to figure out what is more important to you...bad ass looks and onstreet performance, or decent on street performance and some towing and offroad capability of the SS.The SRT8 is pretty much a sports car. It was not made for any offroading although im sure it would be fine doing what you need it to do.

I used to own a 2008 SRT8 it was super fun and got all sorts of attention from people gawking and asking about it. It was roomy and comfortable and was fun to drive. The only real negativse I could think of it was fuel economy (another area the SS wins in). Its downright bad and if its going to be a daily driver be prepared to fill it up every few days and its obviously a premium burner to. I knew what I was getting into when I bought it, but that was ultimately the reason I sold it.
Im not sure your budget, but may I also recommend the 2008+ models as they had a significantly improved and better looking interior and a revised front end with HID projector headlights which I also think look a lot better.

Overall the SRT8 is a reliable car.

Hope this helps.

James

I love that video Chad!

wink

heres a couple from this past summer, i ran into one hauling goods...

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x28/skrillazCrap/8aab7d91.jpg
http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x28/skrillazCrap/f8c79c3d.jpg
http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x28/skrillazCrap/a06ddc25.jpg

forget thats its a Henn. model- cause theyre not thats special at all really, but this guy floored the shiot out of it when he left.

btw- i dont agree with his SRT decals everywhere but yeah, he was hauling pretty well esp from a dead stop to 65.

great video for sure!!!

the Jeep, better looks/performance/priceless questions and stares/very unique/very reliable. (the guy that did my alignment for my springs yesterday was like "dude this thing is nuts, this is by far the coolest thing I have ever driven. Its on steroids lol"

Where can you get an suv to carry around the family, pick up groceries and easily run 12's. Once you line up at a stoplight and launch the beast you will smile and know you made the right decision.

The TBSS is just another car but the Jeep is much more and is something you will be proud of driving around town. With the Jeep if you want the power its there, but if you just wanna cruise around and chill it rides smooth

Oh yeah and one more thing this is by far the best forum I have ever been apart of. There are so many good caring people that will bend over backwards just to help another person out.

Go with the Jeep hands down.

Lol .............

LOL! Thats my boy Chad rippng down the Road Course:eek:

I have owned both. A brand new 06 TBSS and a 07 SRT8. Bottom line is don't waste your time with the TBSS. It is a serious POS that is smoke and mirrors. My tranny blew twice in 20K on the SS. It is a cheap 4 speed that has been in the Z28 since the 90's. The brakes are cheap, the interior is cheap. My driver seat squeaked so badly that the dealer could not fix it after 5 trips to the dealer. The engine has some power but since the torque converter is so weak it feels like a Buick off the line. The SRT8 is a corvette with a SUV top. Enough said. Save 10K and go with a wanna be SRT8 or spend the money and be happy. Also, the TBSS handles likea buick as well. It was a total waste of $30K in 06 when I bought one new.

I have owned both. A brand new 06 TBSS and a 07 SRT8. Bottom line is don't waste your time with the TBSS. It is a serious POS that is smoke and mirrors. My tranny blew twice in 20K on the SS. It is a cheap 4 speed that has been in the Z28 since the 90's. The brakes are cheap, the interior is cheap. My driver seat squeaked so badly that the dealer could not fix it after 5 trips to the dealer. The engine has some power but since the torque converter is so weak it feels like a Buick off the line. The SRT8 is a corvette with a SUV top. Enough said. Save 10K and go with a wanna be SRT8 or spend the money and be happy. Also, the TBSS handles likea buick as well. It was a total waste of $30K in 06 when I bought one new.

Enough said , thread closed now hehe ......

Not to mention... that video of Chad's Jeep in the road course was towing the boat passing Ferraris and all... :D
BTW, Chad, that video is awesome!

But seriously, you know you'll get most of the replies here are going to be for the Jeep of course. Yes I believe what you have to tow the Jeep can handle and if you are worried about scarping the front bumper when the Jeep hits the dirt just swap the front grille to a regular Jeep GC and that should fix that issue as well.

Go for the Jeep, you'll be able to tow and do this also...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Z9JQMgz1X0

It seems you live in so cal and do the same things I do as I have a quad and go to the dunes. From personel experiance just get the regular cherokee. The front bumper is to low and you WILL crack the front bumper going into the sand at pismo. But it also depends on how far off the beach you camp. If you stay next to the water you'll be fine go off the beach and the bumper acts like a snow plow. If you get stuck you need to get towed out backwards as the tow cable will pull of your front bumper. I was at dumont for halloween and took my rig out there and even on the flats there somehow managed to get a small crack on the bottom of the bumper. As much as I absolutely love my srt if its your main vehicle in and out of the sand I don't recommend it

the jeep pulls just fine. I've got a 21 ft pontoon i pull 2+ hours thru hills and mountains to the lake, needless to say it pulls just fine. the only reason the jeep is rated at 3500lbs is due to the tranny/transfer case. not the motor or suspension. you'll notice most vehicles with high towing capacity are not awd. there are a couple other threads on here with pictures of pulling trailers, boats and hitches. And either get the hidden hitch, or have a custom 2" built in thru the bumper.

See this is why I LOVE Jeep drivers. ALWAYS very helpful. I also have a 89 XJ that is pretty much dead. I could get maybe $500 for it if I sell it but I cant because that Jeep has driven through hell and back on a bi weekly basis. Best 4x4 toy I ever had and for the low price of $1200 when I bought it.

We have an appt. to go test drive a BLK 08 Jeep SRT8 fuly loaded ($29,999) this sunday. If I can turn my girl from a liker to a lover then I plan to get the srt8 and another 90-00 XJ. I'll transfer over my mild lift, tires, axles to the xj and that can be my tow rig. I think they both got the same MPG with the XJ being on 35's with 4.56 gears.

We have an appt. to go test drive a BLK 08 Jeep SRT8 fuly loaded ($29,999) this sunday.

That's unusally cheap. High milage?

That's unusally cheap. High milage?

Sorry it iss an 07. Our price limit is $30k so it just fits under it. Here is a link to it....please dont buy it out from uder me. :P

http://www.shanecars.com/carinfo.php/632

Sorry it iss an 07. Our price limit is $30k so it just fits under it. Here is a link to it....please dont buy it out from uder me. :P

http://www.shanecars.com/carinfo.php/632

No worries :) One Jeep SRT8 is enough for me.

Probably should consider spending a little more and buying a Ford Raptor... ditch the XJ's for good - saving the insurance and maintenance expenses. I have a 91 XJ with 172K, a lift and whatnot... thing turned into a money pit after 120K miles. You should know they are not good tow vehicles due to poor brakes.. and unless you spend $8K on a newer XJ, you'll be limited in towing capacity and pouring more money into a vehicle that's on its last leg again...

Think about it in terms of total cost over 5 years and what you'll have in the end.

Good luck.

.

It all depends on if you mind having your exhaust below your hitch. I tow my boat(2000+#) and 2 PWC obviously not at the same time but I have not had any issues towing. If the Jeep falls into the weight you need to tow I would choose that over a Trailblazer but thats me and I like running road courses with mine and I wouldn't recommend that in a Trailblazer. I have the Mopar SRT hitch and here are some pics.
I would like to see a Trailblazer do this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rijANx3g_I4


WTF did I just see you pass a F430 ? :eek:

WTF did I just see you pass a F430 ? :eek:


Ummmmmm. Sad but true. LOL! I guess he can afford one just doesn't know how to drive one.

We build both TBSS and SRTs here and this is my take on it:

TBSS: Pros
Much cheaper to buy ( I see them for $17K here)
Tows more
Large parts selection for the engine
Easy to tune for very extreme mods
Can run a HUGE cam more reliably


Cons:
Has a very, very, very, very, very, need I say it again, very WEAK transmission. If you BEAT it stock, it can break. If you add 100HP to it, you WILL break at some point. Upgraded trans will run you about $3,500-$4500

Looks much like a "normal" SUV
Cheaper feeling interior
Stupid single side exhaust

I have left out things like softer ride, as that can be a pro or con depending on how you want it.

Jeep SRT8: Pros
Looks bad ass
Has a stronger drivetrain (sure everthing has a breaking point, but you can make 500WHP and not need a trans tomorrow like with the TBSS)
Corners and stops better

Cons:
Aftermarket parts cost quite a bit more
Cost of vehicle is much more
Tow rating is lower
No/very little transmission control
Much less ability to tune crazy/heavy mods vs the TBSS computer

Just thought I would list my thoughts based on having those trucks in here very month.

Tim C

Probably should consider spending a little more and buying a Ford Raptor... ditch the XJ's for good - saving the insurance and maintenance expenses. I have a 91 XJ with 172K, a lift and whatnot... thing turned into a money pit after 120K miles. You should know they are not good tow vehicles due to poor brakes.. and unless you spend $8K on a newer XJ, you'll be limited in towing capacity and pouring more money into a vehicle that's on its last leg again...

Think about it in terms of total cost over 5 years and what you'll have in the end.

Good luck.

.

Really? Yours turned into a money pit? Thats wierd....Mine has well over 400k on the clock and the motor was rebuilt once at 375k because I drove it home 150 miles over heating (long story but I had to) I already have upgraded brakes on the axles I would be swaping in. I do see your point but the ford raptor is just that....a ford. Not gonna happen.

We shall see how sunday goes, thanks for all your input guys!

Really? Yours turned into a money pit? Thats wierd....Mine has well over 400k on the clock and the motor was rebuilt once at 375k because I drove it home 150 miles over heating (long story but I had to) I already have upgraded brakes on the axles I would be swaping in. I do see your point but the ford raptor is just that....a ford. Not gonna happen.

We shall see how sunday goes, thanks for all your input guys!

How long have you owned a XJ? ... I'm going on 20 years.

How long have you owned a XJ? ... I'm going on 20 years.

I'm 24 and I've owned the XJ for two years now.... :roller::ninja:

I was debating on a Raptor before I bought the Jeep. Decided I don't go off-road, so why buy an extreme off-road vehicle. Also thought they were underpowered (the original). Anyways one showed up at Bandi one day. So I went over to check it out and asked how he liked it. He went into an instant rant saying don't buy one. The trannies are crap. He's had nothing but problems with it. And they've not been able to fix it. His wife was shaking her head yeah the whole time. So I thanked him, said good luck, and walked off shakin' my head. Your tranny is crap, but you're in the staging lane about to run the 1/4. :confused:

Back on topic... I'd get the Jeep. It's a unique vehicle you have to drive to appreciate.

wink

Allow me to clarify, I endorse the Jeep SRT... I have one. It's spending money on another 1990-2001 XJ for a tow vehicle I'm struggling with... I have one of those too. What I'm trying to say is there are alternatives when it comes to tow vehicles and in my opinion the XJ is not a good choice. It has limitations. Have you ever heard of a moto van? ... and yes, I have one of those too.

1. I would not buy another old XJ for towing and hauling...
2. I would buy another SRT for seat of the pants and going around corners raw fun ...
3. I would buy another 1-ton moto van for towing and hauling.

It's not my money so I will leave it at that.

PS. I don't like Ford's either.. I didn't know the Raptor has problems. Since he has offroad stuff, I wanted to open up the discussion for more offroad fun and towing options using the same budget. I'm a financial planner at heart. ;)

.

I see what your saying now a990dna, and it is a good point...

So I call the dealer Sunday morning ( 1 hour before we head down) and he tells me that he has someone looking at the srt8 now so I should wait to come down. I'm thinking to myself that he is playing the ol'dealer mind **** games so I head down anyway....just in time to see the SRT8 new owner drive off...

So the hunt is back on for another SRT8....hope this time is goes better.

I now own both an 07 SS & 07 SRT8, SS is alittle slower stock. but change the tc & it can now hang with stock SRT8. SS is smoother as far as ride is concerned, has more room, seats the same as SRT8. it does have a weak tranny, but then again, everything is weak if you beat the hell out of it long enough. I personally never had the issue's some SS owners where having, & that's probly cause I didn't horse beat it. I did mod it- tune, dual xhaust, lowered, cai. & it handled great. Givin I've only had my SRT8 a month & haven't got it tuned, lowered, xhaust & cai, but im sure it will once again pull away once I personalize it. Both cause neck injuries when you pass by. let me see if I can upload a pic of both.

my uncle just bought a 6.2 raptor granted it only has 400miles on it but he hasnt had any problems with it nor have we heard of any with them. maybe the raptor u saw wink was the 5.4 raptor with the 5spd trans the 6.2 has a 6spd. its a great truck rides amazing and corners very well but is PRICEY 45k+. cant go wrong with any of ur choices all 3 are agressive looking suvs/trucks with plus's and minus's