Also Sprach V Crenshaw :

We are going to buy a new vehicle and we are trying to decide what kind
would
most closely meet our criteria of
1) hauling misc things like building materials, tools, an occasional
sofa or washing machine
2) Holding 4 or more people
3) towing the boat
4) As fuel efficent as possible

Easy. You want a diesel Suburban. To me, "building materials" means the
ability to carry multiple 4X8 sheets of plywood or drywall or
whatever. You're not going to do that with a minivan or short SUV. 4 or
more people means a standard pickup won't do, and a full-bed crewcab is an
ungodly huge vehicle. A 3000 lb boat is really stretching a minivan to
it's limit, but will be very comfotable behind a 'burb. As far as fuel
efficiency goes, a friend of mine with a '97 Diesel 3/4 ton 2WD gets 21
MPG, which Is far better than the 17 MPG I used to get with a much
smaller Nissan Pathfinder. Now, I have a 1990 Suburban, regular gas, 3/4
Ton 4X4 and get 12-14, or 8 if towing the boat... but's that's why I keep
my VW as a daily driver.


--
I shoot for the moon, but sometimes I hit London

-- Werner von Braun