I drove two different 8-cylinder SUVs for a combined period of more than twelve years. For almost the past four years, I’ve driven my 6-cylinder 4Runner.

Today, I towed the above U-Haul trailer with my 4Runner, marking the first time I’ve done so with this vehicle. Naturally, this brings back memories of the numerous occasions on which I towed the same-sized U-Haul trailer with one of my long-departed 8-cylinder engines.

I’ve always missed driving an 8-cylinder vehicle, and today I missed it 100 times over. I still made it to my destination comfortably and in good time; I simply noticed the difference and did not enjoy it. As such, even if I tow a U-Haul only once every four years, it’s worth it to me to have all eight cylinders for the occasion.  This fully loaded 5×8 trailer caused my gas mileage on this trip to drop to about 15 MPG from my 6-cylinder’s usual highway 20 MPG.  I was still doing about the same speed with the trailer as I would without.  No doubt the mileage would be all the worse with 8 cylinders, but so be it.

I purposely downsized once, and once is enough. I look forward to returning to what I once had, because of course, 8 always beats 6!