Here's $48,000. Buy something to tow this camper

We're car people, not camper people. That said, we've all been behind the wheel of a truck or SUV with a trailer hitched up, either for our own vacationing purposes or just to test out the capabilities of a new vehicle as part of our test driving duties. So, for this week's What Would You Buy, we're going camping. Virtually, at least.

Like I said, we aren't camper people by trade, so we decided to turn to some actual trailer experts in order to figure out what an average family-size camper would weigh. According to this recent article from RV Living, the Grand Design Imagine is a solid choice for buyers looking for a family-size towable. We then went to the Grand Design website and singled out the exactly middle machine in the lineup. Here are the stats for the Grand Design Imagine 2800BH:

• Cost: $55,078 to start

• Weight unladed: 6,386 pounds

• Gross vehicle weight rating: 8,495 pounds

Using those numbers, we need to sort out a suitable tow vehicle. As you can see, it needs to be able to pull around 6,400 pounds at the very least. Fully loaded, Grand Design says the Imagine 2800BH can weigh up to 8,500 or so pounds packed full of gear, water, food, and other various sundries and supplies. We're going to let our editors use their own judgment when choosing their virtual tow rigs, but suffice it to say a fuel-efficient sporty sedan isn't going to cut it this week. Since this is a traditional trailer and not a fifth-wheel, a pickup truck bed is not a necessity.

The rules are as follows:

• New or used, doesn't matter

• It has to be rated to tow at least 6,400 pounds

• It has to cost around $48,000

• You can spend less than $48,000 but keep in mind nothing will ruin a family vacation faster than an unreliable vehicle that breaks down

Why $48,000? Well, we went with what seems to be an average(ish) family-size trailer, so we're going to find a vehicle for an average(ish) sum of money. The average new car transaction price in America has been hovering between $48,000 and $49,000 this year, so there's our budget.

2013 Toyota Land Cruiser

Senior Editor Jeremy Korzeniewski: A truck makes a whole lot of sense as a tow vehicle, no doubt. But an SUV offers some benefits, too, including space for more passengers or covered space for valuable items that you don't want to store in an open bed. I've personally towed with a few V8-powered trucks and SUVs from Toyota and Lexus, and while they don't offer the sheer capacity of some American options, they are well equipped to handle something in this weight range. In fact, this particular 2013 Land Cruiser is rated to tow exactly 8,500 pounds, which falls perfectly in line with the trailer we've chosen for this imaginary exercise. And I wouldn't likely tow the trailer at its full gross weight rating anyway, so there would be at least a thousand pounds of leeway for passengers and cargo in the SUV. A Lexus LX 570 would also work, but when I found this sweet LC on Cars and Bids that went up for auction a little while ago with a gavel price within spitting distance of our self-imposed price cap, I decided it was a nice representation of what I'd be looking for.

2019 Mercedes-Benz GLS 450

Senior Editor John Beltz Snyder: Why not live in the lap of luxury on the way to the campsite? We’ve got two kids, and will likely want to bring a dog and/or a friend along, as well as our stuff. With a tow capacity of 7,700 pounds, we can free up a bit of in-car storage (and balance the load we’re towing) by securing some of our gear inside the trailer. We could even use the GLS to replace the family Palisade, leaving room in the driveway for the eventual EV for around-town driving. I already know my wife loves the GLS, so she’ll be happy. It’ll just be a little bit like when we used to tow our jet-skis in our GLK, but everything will just be a bit bigger now: the vehicle, the load and even our family. Thanks to Mercedes’ knack for depreciation, there are a lot of options within this price range with totally acceptable mileage. I’ll have to keep this idea in my pocket if I ever convince my better half that we should get a travel trailer.