Tow vehicle suggestions [Archive]

markgoodrich

09-30-2009, 03:21 PM

I'm considering the purchase of a trailer to haul the RT. However, I'll also have to purchase a vehicle, my Camry Hybrid warranty is void if a hitch is installed, much less used. It's getting close to time to retire my wife's old Malibu, anyway. Suggestions, given the following? Warnings, etc, also appreciated.

1. Fuel mileage is the highest priority, (the vehicle must be strong enough to pull the bike and trailer is a given).

2. Class 1 hitch is all that is needed, 1000 pound towing capacity a minimum.

3. 70-75 mph is normal highway driving speed.

4. No pickup or van.

Pat Carol

09-30-2009, 04:06 PM

I would suggest the Ford Explorer or Ford Escape. I had an Escape and towed a two place snowmobile trailer with two 600 lb. snowmobile's. It was flawless.

Good Luck
Pat Carol

hlothery

09-30-2009, 04:11 PM

I have towed with a Volkswagen Beetle (towing a 10ft sailboat.....now that was a sight). Had hitches on every car I owned until now (don't even think about it!!!). Now just have a hitch on the Wing. Any small SUV type vehicle is capable of towing your bike. I, personally, like the Toyota Rav4, or the Honda CRV. But the smaller US autos like the Escape or the GM equivalent will work nicely as well.

108625

09-30-2009, 04:29 PM

http://www.ama-cycle.org/features/2003/towbike.asp

markgoodrich

09-30-2009, 04:59 PM

deanwoolsey

09-30-2009, 05:28 PM

Get yourself a Kendon single trailer to put it on and a Taurus to pull it with. Should get you at least 20+ MPG when towing. Another option is a Dodge Charger. The rear wheel drive is better for towing (my opinion). I get 27 - 28 MPG on the highway with mine on the 3.5 motor.

35634

09-30-2009, 07:05 PM

This is the rig I used to move west back in 74. Had a custom hitch made, if a Spitfire can pull a trailer cross country ANYTHING with 4 wheels should work. (I wouldn't recommend an old Triumph though, not that great mileage and I was waiting for a jump when I shot this picture) I'd recommend a Smart car. RWD and weird.

32232

09-30-2009, 08:00 PM

DRUDOLPH148006

09-30-2009, 08:30 PM

My vote would also be for a Subaru, even the base 2.5L engine is factory
rated to pull 2000lbs. They are often used to haul tent trailers. They are a flat-four layout as the airhead BMW's are and often go 250,000miles without any
major work done on them. Add in the fact that they are AWD and get good mileage and you can't go wrong.

kgadley01

09-30-2009, 08:46 PM

Why no pickup? a small pickup would be perfect for the job.

markgoodrich

09-30-2009, 09:06 PM

Why no pickup? a small pickup would be perfect for the job.

No other use for one, the vehicle will be my wife's car.

hlothery

10-01-2009, 08:08 AM

AFAIK, ( with the possible exception of the Subaru) there are no small sedans designed for towing, and installing a trailer hitch will void the warranty of any of them. Having said that, I have had hitches (U-Haul makes and installs them on any vehicle made.....yes, there is one for the Cayman) on every sedan I have ever owned. Volkswagen Beetle, Dasher and Rabbit, Nissan Maxima, Acura Legend, Acura TL all had them. To tow a motorcycle or small utility trailer, just get whatever your wife wants and do it. Just don't expect any decent mileage while towing.

markgoodrich

10-01-2009, 09:00 AM

Thanks, all, the Subaru is a good idea, if I can get my wife to consider a car that doesn't have an American name (don't bother with logic...I've tried). Hugh, you hit upon an idea: buy a slightly used sedan of my wife's choosing, and no worries about the warranty when installing a hitch. I don't expect good fuel mileage when towing, but since that'll be a tiny percentage of the total miles driven, high fuel economy is still the primary consideration.

Cheers to all....

markgoodrich

10-01-2009, 09:12 AM

All Subarus can be had with a class I factory installed hitch. I have a Legacy wagon that gets 35 (Imperial gallon) MPG on the highway, and tows a bike trailer with no worries. All wheel drive is a big bonus in the winter.

35 IMP? That translates to what, 43 US? That's astonishing. I would have expected 25 US, tops, on the highway.

shire2000

10-01-2009, 09:21 AM

If you are looking for something small and gets great gas milage, yet still has enough power to pull a 1000 pound trailer, you just might look at a 2005 Dodge Neon. I see lots of them pulling tent trailers with no difficulty. I own one, but do not have a need for a trailer. I am averaging 45MPG Imp. in mixed city/Hwy driving. I bought it new in 2005 and have over 120,000KM on it now. Have done regular oil changes and 1 set of tires. No other maintenance required. Probably the most reliable vehicle I have ever owned.

Oh and remember that the Imperial gallon is larger than the US gallon. So my 45MPG Imp. is probably equivelent to around your 35MPG US.

jforgo

10-01-2009, 10:19 AM

get a Mercedes turbodiesel

lkchris

10-01-2009, 11:42 AM

I should have been clearer: no SUV, I want a sedan, and the priority is low fuel consumption. I'm well aware there are long lines of vehicles which will meet the basic need of pulling a light trailer (my Camry Hybrid would be perfect, but for the warranty issue [which, by the way, Toyota's CS can't explain other than say "the vehicle is not designed for towing."]).

A TDI VW or TDI Audi will be perfect. TDI = diesel and it's fabulous. When you look be sure to look at Audis because generally speaking VW dealerships suck in the service department.

lkchris

10-01-2009, 11:44 AM

get a Mercedes turbodiesel

Mercedes only approves its SUVs for towing in the USA, although hitches are available and I'm pretty sure there's no warranty hit.

hlothery

10-01-2009, 01:21 PM

Mercedes only approves its SUVs for towing in the USA, although hitches are available and I'm pretty sure there's no warranty hit.

We have an E350. While you can get a hitch through U-haul, there is a warranty hit on the sedans. Only the SUVs are approved to tow. The towing package (hitch and lights) from Mercedes and BMW (had one on a past X5) is over $1000. I like the TDI suggestion.

jforgo

10-01-2009, 01:33 PM

Mercedes only approves its SUVs for towing in the USA, although hitches are available and I'm pretty sure there's no warranty hit.

I had a hitch on my 1979 300SD. With a 1200# capacity Harbor Freight trailer, great for dump runs, wood runs, expediting getting ex's stuff outta here!

no warranty issue, of course

now have a hitch on 300DT

TomBarnhart

10-01-2009, 01:36 PM

Quit fooling with these wimpy vehicles. Check out Jay Leno's FL-70 Pickup (Custom built Freightliner Rig). Diesel Power, Air Brakes, and big enough to intimidate all the cell phone and texting morons.

32232

10-01-2009, 01:37 PM

Thanks, all, the Subaru is a good idea, if I can get my wife to consider a car that doesn't have an American name (don't bother with logic...I've tried).

Cheers to all....

The name may not be American, but the Outbacks and Legacies are made in Indiana.

And unfortunately, your conversion was backwards................the Imperial gallon is 20% larger than US, so mileage on a US gallon would be 20% lower, say 27-28 US mpg.

ghostridery2k

10-01-2009, 03:05 PM

http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc118/ghostridery2k/103_0849.jpg

proper way to tow a beemer.

I did pull with this same vechicle 7X12 aluminium trailer with my 05 Tiger and suzuki cruiser on 1000 mile trip and KLR and my tiger on the way back.No issues in handling at all,stoping was longer then normal but trailer with brakes will be the ticket.

81twins

10-01-2009, 09:24 PM

We have a subaru outback wagon and a new jetta tdi sedan... both with hitches and both have been used to trailer various motorcycles. They have both performed well. However the jetta gives exceptional fuel mileage and diesel is less expensive than gasoline up here. I find it more comfortable to drive and the turbo-diesel has lots of torque and so you hardly notice you are pulling a trailer. The dealer was not excited about a hitch but was more concerned about hitch weight as they assumed the trailer weight would be less than 1500lbs.

535is

10-02-2009, 02:13 PM

proper way to tow a beemer.
I've had a hitch on all but one of my five E28s (just didn't get around to the one I sold quickly) to tow my bikes on a 6' x 8' tilt-bed (snowmobile!) trailer. Never had a lick of trouble (well, except for the exhaust melting the trailer wires last year on the way back from Watkins Glen) and even managed 28 mpg with my 1982 528e. :thumb

118078

10-02-2009, 07:27 PM

You got the Imperial Gallon conversion backwards.

35 MPG Imperial is about 28 MPG American.

My RT measures it as 5.6L per 100 Km. Now that's fun to convert!!

32232

10-03-2009, 06:51 AM

You got the Imperial Gallon conversion backwards.

35 MPG Imperial is about 28 MPG American.

My RT measures it as 5.6L per 100 Km. Now that's fun to convert!!

The conversion factor from Imp. MPG to & from l/100 km is easy. Divide 282.40387 by either the MPG or l/100km and it will convert to the other.

There's a similar constant for doing the USG conversion; it can be found on the 'net.

kantuckid

10-03-2009, 07:07 AM

Try the fact that they are a green company and build them in Indiana. If you don't need a PU, you do need some hobbies!

Thanks, all, the Subaru is a good idea, if I can get my wife to consider a car that doesn't have an American name (don't bother with logic...I've tried). Hugh, you hit upon an idea: buy a slightly used sedan of my wife's choosing, and no worries about the warranty when installing a hitch. I don't expect good fuel mileage when towing, but since that'll be a tiny percentage of the total miles driven, high fuel economy is still the primary consideration.

Cheers to all....

kgadley01

10-03-2009, 07:55 AM

Try the fact that they are a green company and build them in Indiana. If you don't need a PU, you do need some hobbies!

thats kinda what I thought, every family needs a PU. IMHO I mean just how can you go to Lowes or Home Depot without a pickup. plus most women love them.

pffog

10-03-2009, 05:13 PM

Here is my track day rig, can haul 3 bikes in it. Pulls all day at 75-80 and my kids say they saw 100, and sadly I believe they probably did do it just to prove they could. Oh, did I say the car has over 150K miles on it, and is only a 2.3 liter 4 banger, turbocharged, of course.

One of my sons has pulled it with his Saab 9-5, no problem.

With the 9000, I get 19 mpg @ 75mph, low 20's at 65mph. I also have an open trailer, and with 2 bikes get 23-25. Car gets 29-31mpg when not towing. My son gets about 20, with the big trailer on his 9-5.

I would also say most European cars, the Subaru, I would have to think most midsize Ford/GM/Chrysler products should handle a small trailer pretty easy.

http://www.easy-clan.com/ski/richard/SAAB%20TRL%20SMALL.jpg