Why doesn't anyone tow with a car?

[NicePackage]

I rarely ever see anyone towing with a car. Today I towed a few hundred kms and I saw LOTS of boats being towed, all by trucks and SUV's. My jetta tows my 2000lb package just fine, and I wouldn't buy a truck just to tow a boat unless I NEEDED it..... it's like everyone who boats just happens to have a truck. :confused:

[stevek]

None of the specs I have read on newer unibody cars show any allowances for towing. Even most new SUV's are glorified unibody cars that have very limited towing capacity in their specs.

[Jay Smith]

Heck I could'nt get all my junk in a car and tow the boat too !!!;)

[jphii]

Heck I could'nt get all my junk in a car and tow the boat too !!!;)

You said it Jay. Try hauling all the **** you need to the races 750 miles away in a Jetta:rolleyes:

[NicePackage]

Pack the boat with your stuff. My trunk is full with 15 gals of extra fuel and my subs. The boat or the backseat gets the rest of it. I don't know what my car is rated for here, but in Europe it's rated for almost 3000lbs. Actually, I did see an STV being towed behind a Saturn VUE once. You guys who tow with trucks, do you need a truck daily or did you buy a truck to tow your toys?

[stevek]

My S10 is my daily driver. I have a fair weather car too.

This shows the Jetta as not recommended for towing http://autos.yahoo.com/newcars/volkswagen_jettasedan_2.5lpzev_2006/17783/style_specs.html?p=int

Perhaps I am missing something or you have a different model.

[Jay Smith]

I don't own a boat anymore ( thank God , my bank account has also slowly recovered as well too as the closer I get to retirement I have other bottomless pits to throw large chunks of currency at now;) ) but heck I live in Texas if you ain't got a truck and you live in Texas folks would think your a sissy...LOL No but seriousley I have a 1997 Dodge Dakota ( Black with the typical paint cancer most Dodge products are plagued with ) and we use it to go to the dump every Monday as I live in the sticks and have no garbage and trash pick up... Pain in the keester but sure is nice and quiet.. Loudest thing we experiance around here( except the noise of a Mercury Drag Motor Running ) is the neighbors cows raising sand when the rancher is late for feeding time ! LOL..........

See ya,

[NicePackage]

Stevek, yup, that's my car. Gotta love the rating.

Right from VW Austrailia:
http://www.volkswagen.com.au/pdf/Spec_Sheets/JettaSpecMY2006.pdf

Braked 1400kgs ~3000lbs
Un-Braked 690kgs ~1500lbs

I've heard these things before though, where a focus in US can't tow, but in Europe and Austrailia can tow a house. It helps to sell trucks here. Granted I'd prefer to tow with a truck, but I drive 30k / year and tow 5k.

The fact that it's your daily drivers, makes total sense for you guys.

[The Bilge Idiot]

I have always driven trucks, just seems more practical. But then I have always had a boat, a motorcycle or two, ATVs or a sandrail, not to mention big-azz coolers!

[Jay R.]

Its part of the life style. you gonna drag engines around in a jetta? engine parts? tools? I was a marine diesel mechanic for 10 years, I hauled tools and parts on a daily basis. and now, like Jay Smith, I have to haul my garbage to the dump as well. trips to home depot? the fiberglass shops. I just can't see living with out a truck!

[NicePackage]

I have a good quality (read: not home depot) utility trailer for hauling crap around. I LOVE the landscaper gate. Can't take the boat and the trailer tho. That's the price I have to pay to get 50mpg. The Jetta's 8 months old with 27k on it, it's kept immaculate inside. My old Mazda... I abused the crap out of that trunk.

Humour me (not trying to start anything, just askin'), if you guys lived where I do, in a linked home in a development with garbage pickup within walking distance to all the restaurants and stores I could imagine, including wal-mart and home depot, and you had an office job, and a car that physically could tow your boat safely, would you still have a truck?

[WILDMAN]

I use to tow my 27ft v bottom with a 1977 Camaro. The boat and trailer were 7000 lbs. People thought I was nuts. I always loved the looks and comments. After that, I always towed with a 454 Chevelle SS and 454 Monte Carlo SS. Now I finally own a truck.

[The Bilge Idiot]

I have a good quality (read: not home depot) utility trailer for hauling crap around. I LOVE the landscaper gate. Can't take the boat and the trailer tho. That's the price I have to pay to get 50mpg. The Jetta's 8 months old with 27k on it, it's kept immaculate inside. My old Mazda... I abused the crap out of that trunk.

Humour me (not trying to start anything, just askin'), if you guys lived where I do, in a linked home in a development with garbage pickup within walking distance to all the restaurants and stores I could imagine, including wal-mart and home depot, and you had an office job, and a car that physically could tow your boat safely, would you still have a truck?Yep, I'm single with no kids and I've had a couple of 4 door duallys, there is a real steep and nasty canyon (Parleys on I-80) in between me and my favorite lake, Pulling my 26' Sleekcraft, the dually takes all the "white knuckle" out of that drive, like a rocket sled on rails with a couch in it! A dually is more a way of life, than a vehicle. But even if I was in a situation like yours, I couldn't imagine not having a truck. Nice and roomy

[Slider]

I sold my truck. So I am left with my 1997 Pontiac Grand Prix. It does well and I never tow in OD. The only problem I have is when I purchased my hitch, I opted for the class 1 and not the class 2. I wish I had gotten the class 2 hitch now. Otherwise it does just fine.

[1BadAction]

you'll be wishing you had a real tow vehicle instead of that jetta when you try to stop short and end up with a smashed car AND boat because some dickhead pulled out in front of you. I guess you hauling a boat with a 50mpg car makes you better than us huh? :rolleyes:

[Scream And Fly]

Towing with a car? I wouldn't think of it! ;)

http://img36.imageshack.us/img36/1500/boat_towing.jpg

[--mirage1--]

In 10 years Trucks will still be towing and that Jetta will be tired and worn out. lol.

[Stoker1]

People buy what fits their needs.

(most of the time)

Go figure, that was easy to figure out.

[NicePackage]

I guess you hauling a boat with a 50mpg car makes you better than us huh? :rolleyes:
I believe that was inappropriate.

Thanks guys, I was trying to determine if your hobbies play a part in deciding what you drive every day.

[RNM018]

Not real sure how your JETTA is getting 50mpg and still has the ass to tow anything . My 1200 Suzuki motorcycle doesn't get 40 mpg . Go figure you must be driving down hill every where you go , and we just got plain old flat land here in Florida .:rolleyes: Rich Martin 018

[euro scott]

if i could find a hitch for my mercedes SL 500 , i might think about it

[OrangeCrush]

Got a 4wd suburban just incase i get a bad launch ramp. the town is in the process of doing ours over right now at the height of boat season. have to go to next town for therest of theyear.but the new launch and docks will be nice

[DoktorC]

Cars are for racing lol!! I need a truck for work but I'd definetly buy one to support my hobbies. A good friend towes his PWC/sled with a talon but it's burnt 2 clutches (to my 0 in my talon) and it's hard on it. It would seem that 1bad has some other issues..but he has a point about stopping...wanna buy some trailer brakes? lol.

[baja200merk]

you'll be wishing you had a real tow vehicle instead of that jetta when you try to stop short and end up with a smashed car AND boat because some dickhead pulled out in front of you. I guess you hauling a boat with a 50mpg car makes you better than us huh? :rolleyes:
yea wait till that 2000lb boat pushes you and your jetta through an intersection... then u get t-boned and total your boat and jetta ;)

[Trikki1010]

My situation DEMANDS large vehicles

There is no other way to get 6 kids, 2 boats, camping gear, food AND BEER to the ROMP without a Suburban and Pickup, we're just a gas guzzling family:p

I can tow anything WITH anything, but there is a certain safe feeling knowing that the vehicle you're driving can handle any condition

1. Slimy ramps
2. Rainy day driving
3. Emergency stops
4. Flat tires

Maybe I hate to see people with there chit scattered along the side of the highway so they can get to their spare:eek: :D ;)

[Prairieboatbuilder]

I think that it truely is a safety issue .the fact that your have 300 hp to move your car doesn't mean you have the weight to be able to handle issues on the road a perfect example was on friday we had a real good wind here a guy with one of those 16 foot travel trailers that has a pop out in the front was being pulled by a 65 Nova(Big Block...;) )going to a car show wind blew on the side of the trailer put him in the ditch and created a back up all the way into Bass lake road sure he had the power but he did not have the weight to control it so the point is just because you can should you ???? and for the record I own a one ton dually, a 3/4 ton and explorer all tow what ever I want and the wife has her Volvo Turbo I am not putting a hitch on it for nothing ;)

Frank

[Ron V]

My family and I have been boating all our lives and never owned a truck until I bought my Toyota last year. We always towed with cars. The problem is that you have to buy a truck now to get the durability that the older cars had, because all of the passenger cars are front wheel drive except for Mustangs, etc. Anything over 1000 lbs. is pretty hard on front wheel drive. The suspension and half shafts are wimpy, and the transmissions are barely adequate to get the car down the road. For pulling boats out of ramps, the front wheel drive is great if you have a light aluminum fishing boat. Any tongue weight and it actually works worse because of the weight transfer when you give it the gas. I had a '80 Regal and '85 Cutlass that I towed with all the time, they were great. I also towed with my '00 Buick Century. That car got 25 mpg pulling the boat on the highway. But when that car bit the dust I bought the truck. It feels so good to be back in a rear wheel drive vehicle with a straight rear axle that I don't think I'm going back anytime soon.

The auto manufacturers can take independent rears and front wheel drive and put them both where the sun don't shine. It's okay for some college bimbo to drive back and forth to her job at Applebee's but the durability just isn't there.

[SUPERBASH]

Chicks drive jettas. Guys with boats drive trucks. http://img95.imageshack.us/img95/320/sasmokin7tq.gif (http://imageshack.us)

[jphii]

Pack the boat with your stuff. My trunk is full with 15 gals of extra fuel and my subs. The boat or the backseat gets the rest of it. I don't know what my car is rated for here, but in Europe it's rated for almost 3000lbs. Actually, I did see an STV being towed behind a Saturn VUE once. You guys who tow with trucks, do you need a truck daily or did you buy a truck to tow your toys?
Did you see the boat in my signature? I might be able to fit my helmet and Lifeline in there. My truck is my daily driver/work vehicle/second office/all around hauler/home away from home. Since I started driving trucks about 15 years ago they have been my main vehicle.

That said, when I was in to lake lice I towed 2 of them with a Honda. Beatin the crap out of a ricer was kinda fun.

[Capt.Doug Metko]

Chicks drive jettas. Guys with boats drive trucks. http://img95.imageshack.us/img95/320/sasmokin7tq.gif (http://imageshack.us)
LMFAO!
I can't even imagine towing my boat around with a Jetta:eek: My F250 long bed crew cab gives me the ability to deal with bad situations with out fear of taking a wild ride and I got room for lot's of stuff.

By the way, the girl I went out with last night was driving a Jetta;)

[Jay R.]

I gotta second what Badaction is trying to say, In a bit of a crass manor....
If you dig towing with your jetta thats great but I don't think your going to convience anyone to sell their truck or to tell you that your smarter than the guys towing with trucks. thats what they are for. I love my truck, you love your jetta, everyone is happy......

[1BadAction]

I dont care what he tows with really. I dont start a thread calling him out either.


it's like everyone who boats just happens to have a truck.


That's the price I have to pay to get 50mpg.

this whole thread is a troll as far as I see it.

[76baja18ft]

i towed a 18 ft boat for many years with a 1991 lincoln mark VII.. it did great.. 5.0 HO motor.. 4 wheel disc brakes.. and air suspension.. got 16 mpg pulling the boat... still have the car.. but mostly pull with my explorer or the dodge dually....

[The Bilge Idiot]

Chicks drive jettas. Guys with boats drive trucks. http://img95.imageshack.us/img95/320/sasmokin7tq.gif (http://imageshack.us)NO MORE CALLS PLEASE FOLKS, WE HAVE OUR WINNER!!!:rolleyes:

[NicePackage]

Ok thanks guys. Conclusion, not safe. :)

[Capt.Doug Metko]

Sorry you took offense to the kidding,but the bottom line is that towing a boat with a small car is not safe.....

[Markus]

I used to tow my boat with my mother's VW Golf. It even had the right color.

The weight of the boat and trailer was just at the limit of what a Golf is allowed to tow in Europe.

[sho305]

It really depends on the weight of the boat you are towing. Light boats with an OB don't amount to much and in most cases you could tow with a car (<2K lbs?). I would however strongly recommend if you have an automatic you change the trans lube often, put a cooler on it, and maybe put some water wetter in the radiator. I have two family cars one I4 and one V6 that had trans problems before 63K with normal use and no hitch on the back...and niether one can spin a tire.

But when you get a family or larger heavy boat, then you are gambling. I have a 19' V8 boat that a V6 ranger truck I had could hardly pull. With my diesel truck I hardly know its back there, I can stop no problem if I have to. With my smaller boats I keep seeing them in the mirror to remind me they are there. The diesel gets the same or better mpg as the minimum truck you might use, a 1/2 ton V8.

I drove over 50K a year for a few years trailering equipment, I learned why they had F350 duallies! They rule except in snow. On many occations those trucks saved my rear with more braking power, no swaying, very resistant to jack knifing, just plain brute force/weight to deal with a trailer. I even pulled back-loaded trailers no problem.

I know a guy that towed a 24' BBC scarab type hull with a chevy beretta v6. It had coilover shocks and a trans cooler, pulled it ok, but wanted to come around on you on every corner. That boat would have flattened us if it ever got loose. Boat was 4K lbs dry.

Lastly, boat trailers tend to not whip....but I know a guy who nearly got wacked when his travel trailer came around on the X-way for no apparent reason. He was driving an Excursion and I have no doubt it anything less he would not be here. The whole thing rolled at least 4-6 times and little was left. He still has injuries from it years later and can not work....head injuries. The whole rig was fairly new, he had driven lots of miles with trailers for work and play, he was experienced. He was even lucky because his family was not with him if you could call it that. That is why 5th wheel trailers are so popular, they don't do that. Hitch ball trailers are not something to take lightly. That trailer gets a mind of its own and you are screwed. Again, it really depends on the weight of the trailer and vehicle, if you are going 5 or 500 miles with it, etc. Multi axle trailers pull better also. A big truck is like a much better insurance policy for any problems you might have.

[Ted Stryker]

NicePackage, I see your point to a point... My Father towed all of His boats with Cars for many years, but cars nowadays are a bit different.. His old cars were 350-400 c.i. Pontiacs or Buicks that had some weight, brakes, transmission and a frame to their arsenal... Basically they were trucks without the bed, and I do strongly prefer a bed if I can get a way with it because I don't like pulling a trailer if I don't have to... I think that our typical boat/trailer loads are may be acceptable in some case, but more than likely marginal for a modern car... I absolutely cannot stomach a vehicle that rattles, and the modern cars that I've ridden in that were used for towing seem to have some excessive squeaks and such but in all honesty it could have been My imagination... As far as using My boat for on-road storage, I prefer not to move stuff back and forth or worry about strapping it down... I also like to keep My things locked up so I don't have to park next to a window at the fast food place so that I can keep an eye on My stuff or have My things rained on.. Other than everday fuel mileage, there isn't a BIG reason for Me to not have a car, but the small nagging reasons are vitually endless... I owned a Mustang as My only vehicle for 6 years and it was very common inconvenience that I won't face again... I just don't think that the modern car was really made for towing, not the running gear, framework or suspension... We personally have 5 boats, 3 ATV's and a 35 HP tractor, and We just use the cars as a People hauler but the 4-door trucks do that just as well as the cars except for fuel mileage.. We can haul 5 people, all the tools, fishing/race gear and then some in a 4-door truck with a toneau cover and it's all locked tight and out of the elements while towing... At the same time We can move any trailered peice of equipment that We own, and this is a V8 1/2 ton truck... I can see your point, you live a predominantly urban life, but alot of these Guy's have other hobbies or requirements that have some equipment involved with the activity... If My Family was bound to Cars only, We'd have to sell the tractor and barely be able to pull the trailer that it sits on.. The car also would'nt have the covenience of towing and traveling, nor would it have the majority of it's exhaust system and underpinnings after a year on the hunting land.. My Girlfriend drives a 1998 Licoln that has a class 2 or 3 hitch on it, and I can stand on the ball of the hitch and jump My weight up and down and actually see the distance from the hitch to the bottom of the bumper grow and shrink with My weight.. With a couple of hundred lbs. of toungue weight mixed with our roads, I don't think that the structure back there would appreciate it at all... The best answer that I have for your question is that in the perfect situation, anything will work but some people really need the vehicle to multi task in a more abusive enviroment.. With that said, I do make fun of alot of Guy's that have Deisel dually's for pulling Bass Boats/Ski Boats or lawn equipment trailers.. Some of these Guy;s probabaly have other duties for their truck, but I know a few personally that don't have much of anything for their HD truck to do other than what I mentioned in My last sentence.. You have found something that works for you, meets your requirements with great ecomony and travel manners... That sounds like a good set-up, and If I were you I would stay on that plan for as far as I could..

[David]

I tow my Voo Doo with a Ford Focus, but I won't tow my Allison with it. The Focus is rated for 1000 lb. The Ally and trailer would be twice that, and I think that's too much. Its not clear to me why VW would rate a Jetta to tow twice what a Focus is rated for.

I think a midsize car, say a Camry (yawn), would meet my towing needs. The prior generation Camrys were rated to tow 2000 lb. Enough for most VKings, SS2000s, STVs, etc.

What I don't understand is the aversion to mini vans. They get better mileage, and cost less than SUVs and can easily tow any boat I'd want to own.

[Jay R.]

I had a dodge caravan I loved and was rated to 3500. I towed with a camery and it was pushed tinto an intersection more than once!

[sho305]

I agree with you guys, minivans are great. Easy to get in/out of, good visibility of everything, V6's have good power, same ride/mpg of a car nearly, and you can haul stuff in the back. My wife will have nothing to do with one even though the new ones look much nicer than they used to. I used one at work that had the power door, that was great. Half the time that was the only door I used....I would have worn that remote out in no time if I owned it, all it needed was a starter on the remote too. (Is that lazy or what? lol!)

That is a problem with a fwd car, a trailer can push the back end around because they are so light back there. I would recommend you load some stuff in the trunk and put stuff in the boat nearer to the bow (assuming the stuff in the boat is not heavy enough to drop your hitch to far). And often you need to beef up the rear springs as they are not made to carry much or be very stable.


I do use my truck for other things as well, like hauling cars on trailers and other odd items. The other day I put 3500lbs of patio stones in it and took them away. Some of it was a whole pallet, that way I didn't have to put them on one by one. There was another guy there with a half ton and when they laid a pallet on there the front tires near came off the ground...they took it back off. I had about a pallet and a half and the truck sat level. No it does not ride like a half ton (when empty), but I don't want to and don't drive a truck every day unless I need to. Its too big and too slow.

[Massbasser]

A few reasons I don't tow with a car. I fish small ponds and lakes that have nothing more than beach sand ramps. You don't want to have 2 wheel drive on these things. You also don't want to have a car that sits low so you'll have to back in and run the exhaust under water to launch the boat for extended periods of time. Not too mention the safety of the brakes and suspension being barely adequate. My next truck maybe a mid size instead of a full size. I'm looking at a crew cab Tacoma with a 4.0L and a 6 Speed Manual, should have plenty of grunt to tow my 3300 pound rig (approx. weight of boat on trailer with gear) I just want it for the manual transmission so I can do good burn outs. :D

[riebie]

Chicks drive jettas. Guys with boats drive trucks. http://img95.imageshack.us/img95/320/sasmokin7tq.gif (http://imageshack.us)

WRONG!!!
350 crew cab dually with 7.3 power stroke. Love it!!!

Ibad, why are you so sensitive? I didn't get that he was calling anyone out.It's OK, really.

[Mark1]

Sorry so late on this I have been out of town, but here is my two cents

1. pulling anything more than a couple of jet ski's with a light car generally isn't safe reguardless of power.

2. I assure you, a VW jetta isn't gonna yank out a 3000lb rig on a steep ramp that is slicker than all hell.

3. You just don't look as cool.

Thats my story and I'm sticking too it.

[1BadAction]

Ibad, why are you so sensitive? I didn't get that he was calling anyone out.It's OK, really.

maybe not, but it seemed like it to me. :confused: I just get sick of these (canadians and europeans) calling us out on fuel usage every chance they get. not only on here, but just about every car forum where they are. about the only people that agree with us are the auzzies :D

[GTO GEORGE]

Back in 1978, I towed my little 17' hotrod outboard with a VW Scirrocco and at 38K it started smoking; I pulled the head and it had the biggest ridge at the top of the bore I've ever seen, bigger than a dodge 318 work truck with over 200K that had few oil changes.

[STV Dreamer]

He is a good guy. He is Canadian. He drives and tows with a Jetta...2 faults....woopee.:)

Break him in gently guys.

Wes, just don't tell them about the bottle of AXE on the dashboard....:eek: :D

CYA soon.....and don't let them deter you from posting here.

[Propster]

Americans used to tow with cars mostly, until the EPA decided that all cars had to meet fuel economy standards. That action kiiled the big cars used for towing. That was when the SUV's became popular, because they could haul people and trailers and did not have to meet the stringent EPA fuel economy requirements. Not learning the first time around, the EPA is now planning to mandate fuel economy requirements for SUV's.

[sho305]

But first Americans bought trucks, then the SUVs and larger cab trucks came out that they really wanted...except for the 'burban and Jeeps that were here already.:) Now we are down to little SUVs and a few convertable trucks like the avalanche/ridgeline...and still lots of trucks.

Americans do stuff; many of us live a ways away from anything. We have to haul stuff around all the time. How do you get that new appliance home? How do you get a new tree for your yard, a fence for your dog, your boat and family to the lake, go camping/atv'ing, tow anything bigger like a I/O boat, camper, or dead car? How do you plow your driveway or get through 3' of snow, or go down that muddy trail you shouldn't be on? You will not have any money left for your toys if you don't go do that stuff yourself...this is a self-serve country. (Yeah, service? Whats that???) You drive into a downtown of a larger city and no you will not see trucks around much, but everywhere else you do. All you have to do is look at the success of Home Depot/Lowes/Menards/etc to see what is going on here. You can't afford to have someone do something for you, so if you want it you go get it. (Well, unless you have some illegal slaves, I mean illegal immigrants in your area.)

[1BadAction]

rigelines arent trucks, fyi. ;)

[Rickracer]

....350 Olds motor/Th350/2.29 rear gear, tugging the car and a 1500 lb double axle trailer, did over 100K of about 30% towing, 70% non towing. Not one single towing related problem, BUT, I had the trailer set up right, proper tongue weight, 2 5/16" ball, and electric brakes. :cool:


P.S. I also built the trailer specifically with that type of towing in mind. ;)

[venom280]

maybe not, but it seemed like it to me. :confused: I just get sick of these (canadians and europeans) calling us out on fuel usage every chance they get. not only on here, but just about every car forum where they are. about the only people that agree with us are the auzzies :D


+1:D :D :D :D

[The Bilge Idiot]

Why doesn't anyone use nail clippers to mow their lawn? :rolleyes:

[venom280]

THEY DO IN CANADA AND EUROPE:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

[Stitch King]

I tow my liberator 21 with my 05 Mustang Gt Convertible. Might be a little over the 2000 lb rating but the ratings are very conservative. Nothing like flying down the freeway with the top down. I get more looks and comments going down the road than on the water.

[sho305]

rigelines arent trucks, fyi. ;)

Yeah yeah:) Funny part is every Asian truck or quasi truck/suv gets the same ugly mpg as the big three....but nobody notices for some reason. I like the ad for the honda where they give the bear a big fish...you ever notice how when they stop the thing slides over sideways from the boat pushing it?

[The Bilge Idiot]

Yeah yeah:) Funny part is every Asian truck or quasi truck/suv gets the same ugly mpg as the big three....but nobody notices for some reason. I like the ad for the honda where they give the bear a big fish...you ever notice how when they stop the thing slides over sideways from the boat pushing it? I about sh*t when I heard a commercial with one of those SUNDAY, SUNDAY, SUNDAY drag race announcer voices saying "DON'T MISS THE BIGGEST TRUCK EVENT OF THE YEAR, GOING ON THIS MONTH AT YOUR LOCAL HONDA DEALER"
W.T.F.?????????

[sho305]

They want to call it a truck, I don't care. It looks to me like it was easier to chop the rear top off of an suv than it was to make a four door shortbox truck....

I had a ranger that was smaller, likely held less stuff, and had a smaller motor that made way less power. I worked the living snot out of it just like a truck though. Lots of people want a cool "truck", but they don't really want a Truck....they want a camry or accord with a little box on the back. If it works for you get one. I laugh at EXTs to; a cadillac truck??? What a joke..."Don't put a scratch in my box!" they say. It really reminds me of a subaru brat, just a really big fancy one.

I'd much rather have a car and a truck that can do all I need. The only thing that ticks me off is this insurance industry that insures cars not drivers. If I can only drive one car at a time then why should I pay double for two cars? So I aggravate them by swapping it back and forth all the time. Also if one breaks I have a backup, and I get less wear on both.

[eliminatedsprinter]

Our most powerfull car is my Acura Integra.
My tow vehicle is a 25 ft RV. I wish I had something as small as a pick-up to tow with.;)

[jhwh]

here in norway you rarely see a truck or big suv towing a boat unless its' 30-40feet+

I tow with what's avaible, meaning everything from an old camry to 3 or 5 series bmws, saabs, whatever :)

[sho305]

A friend of mine had a 28' deep vee with twin BBCs. He could hardly pull it with a F150 4x4 5.0 in mid '90s...was new then. He was in second gear on any sight grade on the expressway. I think the boat was 8K lbs. Another guy got a 36' fountain and he had to borrow a dually diesel F350 from work every time he took it to the water or a slip. He had to use low lock in his half ton to move it in the yard.

[NicePackage]

I can't believe this went to 5 pages. At this point though I'm with jhwh.

As for the MPG statement I made it wasn't meant as bashing in any way. I was saying that this is the cost of 50mpg. If I didn't want 50mpg, I'd have a truck. Many of you have trucks, and don't get 50mpg but you get lots of perks that go with it. I have a V6 2stroke carb motor on an 18' boat, I'm hardly one to talk about saving the planet. Any more than this boat and I'll be buying a truck anyway, any more than 27' and it likely won't be coming out of the water during the season.

[pyro]

I can only afford one vehicle. With a limited budget, what can get me the highest daily driver mileage, and still squeak by towing 2000 lbs, even if it's a little sluggish in exchange for fuel economy? what would be best? Liberty? A Subaru of some sort?

[jhwh]

you should get an audi A4 1.9TDI pyro, another good alternative is the chrysler 300c with diesel, dunno if you get them overthere though. bmw 520D or 320D is also nice

2000lbs is nothing, my mini has like 2400lbs in max allowed tow weight :D

they get like 50mpg and has loads of torque and you get them with 4x4 which is nice on the ramp.

[sho305]

You can't get a diesel here in the US, they are illegal...or so it seams. They are starting in with the new clean diesel fuel now so supposedly we will get more european diesels here now. The only normal car you can get is the Jetta or Beetle VW TDI. Might be able to get a MB but thats not a normally priced car say well under $30K. Otherwise you can get a 3/4-1 ton full sized diesel truck that gets 20mpg from the big three and thats all the diesels they sell.

With the Great Lakes here people tow big vee boats all over all the time, though I think less with $3 gas. It is common to see 21-30' boats on the road, once in a while a bigger one. I can be in Lake Michigan in under 30 minutes from here.

I read the Liberty will tow a lot, more than the vehicle can handle. But they said they got 15-18mpg and I could not figure that out since a 1 ton truck can get 20 easily. I think there was something wrong with that one or the writer hates diesels. The gas model gets that good.

[PHISH]

I tow with an '01 Grand Am GT and I got a transmission cooler added. It was suggested by the dealer. The place that installed the hitch told me he wasn't sure if it was necessary for the Grand Am. He also said that he is 100% certain it would be necessary for a Caravan though. Their tranny's are suppose to heat up really fast.

[sho305]

Given how cheap they are, I would recommend a trans cooler for any car you tow with unless it has a tow package that usually includes a larger or additional one like a truck would...though I don't know of any cars that offer that. I would also change the trans fluid more often if you tow much. A light small trans gets better mpg....and thats what they are doing with them. Ever notice how the engine power cuts out when they shift? The ECU cuts the timing advance so it does not stress the gears when they change, and they make the trans weaker....then they tell you thats to make it shift smoother, and it does but thats not the real reason. Ford cars are really bad with that. After researching my little ford I found many trans guys recommend a cooler for that car without any word of towing. I have a little 8' trailer I was thinking of putting a hitch on for, but now I'm not so sure.

[eliminatedsprinter]

Volvos have 5,000 lb tow capacities (according to Trailer Boat Magazine) and I understand they tow pretty well....

[sho305]

Its not always about ratings either. If you tow something that weighs the same as your tow vehicle with a ball hitch...you are asking for it. The more capable the tow vehicle is the better, such as HD tires/suspension/etc, but if you get in trouble that weight you have over the trailer is a big part of your safety. If that trailer pulls you off the road you will be wishing you had it. Or actually, sometimes its if that trailer 'rolls you off the road.' Boats do tend to pull easier than other trailers, I think that is why they can get away with more. My diesel truck weighs over 7K lbs empty, but it can handle 10K lbs because thats what its made for and rated for. Another nice thing is I never worry about getting out of a ramp, or not having power to get up a hill, or overheating/etc., like I might in a car.

[STV_Keith]

I have towed my STV on it's tandem axle trailer with a 87 Buick LeSabre. Not exactly advised - the stock front wheel drive trans didn't like it. I had 3 tranny coolers on it, and I had to be real careful to go fast enough to keep the trans in lockup. Come out of lockup and the trans temp climbed QUICK.

The car was rated to tow 1000#. The 2500# rig was just too much for it. With the hills/mountains we have out here, and the heat, it just wouldn't do it.

I did come home from Lake Mead one day, it was aobut 110 out. Had to stop and drop the boat, then cruise around to let everything cool off, dump the water from the cooler on the rad, then climb out into Vegas. I wasn't all that thrilled about towing with the car that day, but it's all I had. :)

[STV Dreamer]

My Saturn Vue is AWD V6 and is awesome for towing and great on gas.
NEVER been stuck at any ramp.....even the muddy or steep gravel ones. Smokes thru the snow also. My company pays for it and I could have something bigger and sweeter....really, but I think these things are good for the value.
I towed my Procomp around a few times with a Sunfire V4:eek: .....now that was painful.... but it got me to the lake:)

[sho305]

I've towed my share of things I should not have. I have a V8 I/O 19' thats an old heavy thing with a single axle trailer. I tried to pull it with a ranger I had for a while and it swayed all over the road, could only go about 45 with it. I ended up putting much better truck tires on it, new shocks, and a rear sway bar to get it to tow right. I had to fix the surge brakes and rebuild the mechanism to take the play out of the part that moves. It was still gutless but it went straight after that with 60psi in the tires. That 4wd truck already had overload springs in the front and 2 additional leaves in the back on each side. When I bought the boat a friend towed it to my place with a plain chevy truck like it was not even behind him, and I thought boy that pulls easy....

One time I borrowed a friends little 4dr GM 4 cylinder car and a car dolly. I put my 4dr grand am that was the same size car on the dolly and pulled it with the other car. Man was that something...didn't go over 45. I countersteered all the way to the shop about 10 miles away because it kept pushing the car sideways...because dollys do in fact turn under there. A truck never did that. That is not a good idea to do that, not at all, but I got it there and fixed it. I was as afraid of trashing his car or blowing the trans as I was of doing a powerslide with that rig. It took me half a mile to get up to 45 because I didn't hold it on the floor after I finally got onto second gear. He said to me afterwards, "See, told you it would pull it no problem."

[jhwh]

My personal opinion as to why you don't see too many cars towing boats anymore is the engines. Remember back in the 70's when sedans were gigantic and had big V8 engines? Nobody cared much about gas mileage. Nowadays you see so many cars with 4 and 6 cylinder engines. I'm no mechanic, but I would imagine that constantly towing a boat and the stress of pulling it out of the water and up the ramp would be pretty hard on a 4 cylinder. I used to see a lot more cars towing trailers in the 70's than I do today. Just my opinion.:)
you can't rate a car by the number of sylinders like that. if you can tow the boat or not strictly depends on the tow rateing cabability if manufactorer says it can tow it. it can :)

I'w towed my 20fot hydrolift thru norway with a bmw 316 with 105HP, just gotto use lower gears up steep hills and mountain passages.

same, I got my old aero 18 offshore from sweden, used an 1986 camry with 100hp to get it, drove for 23 hours straight ;) no worries at all

however, getting up from the ramp with the camry is another story.



I towed my hydrolift again to the shop for jetting the carbs with a BMW 520 E60 yesterday, perfect towcar, no worries at all with automatic and 170HP.

just for the record, I also own a dodge ram 2500 (2004 mod) witch can tow aprox 12000lbs.

but boat, trailer, engine and fuel is only aprox 1300-1400lbs so I didn't bother useing it.

to bad my mini doesn't let me mount a hitch due do the center exhaust, or I would have tried towing with that as well ;)

[mercdrag]

I towed all last year with my 1975 olds 98 custom cruiser wagon. it pulled the boat like a dream with all the room you could want. but she is back in the garage, just could not take the sun burning it up in the dusty campground.

[venom280]

LIKE M-B SAID, THOSE LIL CARS AINT GONNA HOLD UP TO THAT KIND OF WORK! YOU GUYS THAT GO TWICE A YEAR TO THE WATER SHOULD DO JUST FINE:p :p BUT I AINT GONNA EVEN BUY A CAR, MUCH LESS PULL ANYTHING WITH IT, A CAR WILL WUSS OUT IN THE REAL WORLD:D :D

I OWN 3 TRUCKS, ALL 4X4,ALL CHEVROLET,2 GAS BURNERS AND 1 DURAMAX, ALL POWERHOUSES:eek: :eek: I GOT PULL:D

AINT IT GREAT IN THE USA!!!:cool: :cool: :cool: :cool:

[David]

Do you tow every weekend or do you keep your boat on a lake? For those of us with the luxury of lakefront boat storage, towing with a car is easier. I don't tow much. I could rent a truck to tow for the amount I need to tow my Ally - twice a year.

[NicePackage]

David, was that a question for me? I have a slip for my boat and it stays in the water most of the time. Sometimes I take it to other lakes or bring it home (60 miles) to do work on it or boat locally. Where I live I have no reason to ever exceed 55mph while towing (50mph speed limit). Whatever boat I have next though likely won't ever stay in the water, but I'd just park it next to my slip on the trailer which means launching it every weekend, which is only 12 times a year.

[sho305]

David, was that a question for me? I have a slip for my boat and it stays in the water most of the time. Sometimes I take it to other lakes or bring it home (60 miles) to do work on it or boat locally. Where I live I have no reason to ever exceed 55mph while towing (50mph speed limit). Whatever boat I have next though likely won't ever stay in the water, but I'd just park it next to my slip on the trailer which means launching it every weekend, which is only 12 times a year.

Should not be a problem towing with a car then. Most people I know tow all over the place, every weekend. They might go 1/2 to 3 hours away. I have not had time to go boating anywhere but on my lake lately, but I still was using the truck until late last year for other stuff. Now its just been sitting around here not eating fuel.

[Storz]

We used to pull my dads with a 96 Corvette, then later a 2001 Corvette....got a lot of looks :)

[PaulR]

I towed my boats for ten years with cars. In the late 80's I had a MOD VP Bridgeport that had to run on Av Gas so I hauled two 6 gallon jugs in the back of my '86 Vette! I had a custom made receiver hitch that was bolted to the car with 14 bolts because the whole rear of the car was aluminum.

Sorry for the picture quality. These are pictures of pictures.

[sho305]

Hey was that a turbo 'bird with T-tops and a viper?? Very nice rig! Of course the turbos were not the greatest I guess anyway. I had a T/A with the 400 and I could have pulled anything with it but never did. I think the 17' and below boats you can pull with a car pretty good, at least these types of boats such as 'streams. They just don't weigh anything, much different than your typical I/O wellcraft.

[PaulR]

Yeah...that's a 1980 Turbo TA Indy Pace car and the boat is a 1980 Viper powered by a 1982 200. The whole rig was only 4 years old when I took that pic. Wish I still had that car now. I see them on Auto Trader for $25K...nuts!

[Juggernaut]

towing with a truck has its obvious advantages. ive never towed with anything but a pickup, but i borrowed it. i now have a '83 mercedes 3L diesel.with rwd. it weighs 4575 pounds, dry. i plan on towing a MX15 with a 1500 I6 hangin on the transom.the boat un-rigged weighs 495 lbs.
i assume ur towing your 184 baja with the 150 omc. ur boat should weigh about the same as mine, if not more.. but the deciding factor in a tow vehicle is the weight of the vehicle, the braking system, front or rear wheel drive, and the weight of the boat.
my car weighs twice what my boat should on the trailer, its got 4 wheel disk brakes, and rear wheel drive.. your jetta is front wheel drive, it weighs about the same as ur boat, but im not sure about what brakes it has. butbesides pulling your boat out of a crappy ramp, its all about safety. how safe are you in ur jetta?

[captcarb]

I've towed with my 96 Impala SS for 9 years now. I bought it new in the spring of 97. It's still going strong at 99K, including many trips from FL to IL and Wisconsin and back. If the trunk it full, I use the boat for storage. The Posi has handled every ramp I have been on (Many ramps). I also get to freeway speed on the on ramp before I enter traffic.

jim

[Tango]

I tow with my 1995 Z28 Camaro all the time. People just laugh... and it is funny. Especially when I pull up to the pump and still get 15-18 mpg at 65-70 mph on the freeway. I towed my Vector all the way from Savannah to Houston with the car. While living in Savannah I would tow the 20" CC fishing rig from MWR to Tybee Island every weekend and could get it out of the ramp without breaking the tires loose. I even pulled a 28 foot Contender out when the truck that was trying couldn't get traction enough to pull it out. Gotta hate that limp Chevy truck rear axle one wheel pull when you gotta big boat. The Camaro just hooked up on its drag radials and 3.73:1 gears and yanked that boat out!

And why not...? My LT1 350 has more torque and HP than a full size Cheby truck. My 4L60E with Corvette servo and extra clutch pack is stronger than a Chevy truck tranny. My 3.73:1 rear gear with torque arm suspension and 26.5" tall tire gives me a better gearing than a Chevy truck... So, why would it not work? I've got better brakes and a lower CG than a Chevy truck....

Guess that's why I eventually bought a Ford SuperDuty diesel F250 so I could get it all!

[sho305]

You are right, but if you have a heavy trailer behind a car (not an old huge car, a modern car) and something happens like a tire blows, you hit gravel/water and slide, someone hits you, etc; that heavy trailer can easily take your car and drag you right off the road and possibly flip you over in the process. But if you have a F250 diesel the truck will usually tell that trailer to get the **** back behind the truck and the trailer does it.;)

People roll travel trailers every year here and get killed even with trucks, sure boats pull better but you never know.

[mark30]

My dad used to pull his 19' MFG deep-vee with an '84 BMW 318i. The 318 was a trackcar with a 2.5 M50 6cyl and short gearing. It towed the boat surprisingly well, he even took it from NC to northern MI and back a few times.

[bearclaw]

I've used both. Trucks are nice for the sheer heft and power. But I don't currently have a truck, I commute 33 mi. one way each day and wanted something that was kinda quick, had rooms for dogs, had AWD, could tow but still got decent mileage. So I drive a Volvo V70R wagon: goes like stink and tows my ~1400 lb. boat/trailer like it's not even back there. Has the big 4-wheel disks so stopping not a problem. Gets around 22 mpg average.

If I had to replace it, I would probably look at something like a V-6 Tundra, or one of the bigger Subaru's. If I were towing something bigger than 2000 lbs., it would definitely be a truck.

[sunapeeboater]

People roll travel trailers every year here and get killed even with trucks, sure boats pull better but you never know.
So true lost my dad that way in 05 and he was in a heavy duty truck. I always use my truck to tow boats sleds what ever.

[Bryan1257]

I drive an 18 wheeler for a livin and when I see people pullin medium to large boats and rv trailers, I get nervous!!! I have personally been pushed thru an intersection in my z71 with my old 22ft.pachanga and I anticipated the light change. I seen the result of inadequate vehicles towin trailers out of their league. Great towin capacity but can`t STOP:eek:!

I know the post is old but that is a scary thought towin in a car, not a truck that has mostly all the necesary tools to tow and pull and STOP!

[jhwh]

the V70R is rated 4000lbs here bearclaw, in germany and sweden its rated aprox 4600lbs since they dont have as many hills as us.

speaking of overkill, I towed jetskies yesterday, with a Q7, rated at 7716lbs.

btw norway + sea + jetski + 27th september is not a good idea. almost a meter waves in a small fjord, and ofcourse the damn thing died and I spent ages getting towed back.

[jacklake2003]

I think towing with cars is fine, if your respect the fact that that they cann't stop as well as a truck made for towing. Driving styles must reflect this, or you will get hurt! I think the original post was perhaps pointing out that a lot of people by this very expensive vehicle (truck) just for towing. It works great for the 1 day a month they tow the boat, but the other 29 days a month you have a vehicle that is not fully utilized. I have a truck (Ranger 4x4) but a car is usually better for the purpose of transporting people, is much more efficent, and drives better.

I believe a lot of it is due to the American culture of exploration, adventure and readiness. Like me, I don't need a 4x4 in Atlanta, but that one time a year I'm in a rain soaked grass field, it feels good to push the 4wd button and know I won't get stuck.

I think the European idea is to be a bit more practical and not drive a 2500HD everyday to work just to pull the jet skis on the weekend. But, we are a little more adventursome people and tend to use trucks for other things besides towing. Also, the type of person that buys a boat tends to be a little more of a "hands-on" type of person and can truly get more use out of a truck. Also, Americans tend to have a little more disposable income resulting in having more "toys".

So to answer the original question, I think it's a little bit of both.... Most people towing with trucks use their trucks for other things, but at the same time, maybe we get a little carried away and sometimes buy a little more truck than is necessary.

Chris

[sho305]

Who dug this thread up:smiletest: I've been able to leave my boat at the lake lately, but I still use the truck to get stuff like lumber and appliances and I plow snow with it. I thought about selling the diesel, but in reality if I replaced it with say a smaller F150 that could still plow and haul...what would I gain? I'd get near the same mpg with half the truck. Now if I need to pull a car on a trailer or something heavy its no big deal. Thing is my inlaw keeps getting 20mph with his 4x4 crewcab diesel, that is near the same as many smaller AWD suv/wagons. Fuel is still a little more, but hard to turn that down if you need a larger vehicle and don't put that many miles on. Just the same I'd still rather have something smaller to drive daily with.

[jhwh]

20mpg aint all bad.

just got my new toyota landcruiser diesel here, it does 26mpg mixed 33 highway or something and 20 for in town driving. my 2004 dodge 2500 hemi ram used over twice that ammount. but it was much cooler, I must admit.

[Riverman]

Towing with a car is fine, provided you tow with a REAL car - V8, full frame and rear wheel drive. The Panther has plenty of pep, is very stable and has GREAT brakes. Can't beat 'em!

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y66/river_57/Panther1.jpg

[delawarerick]

Towing with a car is fine, provided you tow with a REAL car - V8, full frame and rear wheel drive. The Panther has plenty of pep, is very stable and has GREAT brakes. Can't beat 'em!

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y66/river_57/Panther1.jpg

:iagree:My crown vic is heavy has all wheel disc brakes and enough power to get out of the way. It is hard to beat a truck I miss my c-10 1985 long bed chevy truck with a 5.0 4 barrel carb and about a 400 rear:eek:. In city 10 mpg on road over 55 6mpg. But I could launch & pull a cruse ship.:D I have never liked a small size truck if you own a home it makes trips to lowes easy. Rick

[Riverman]

I tow and launch my boat locally using my truck, a 98 Chev 3/4 ton. Of course it's better than the car but on a 12 hour trip with the boat (I did 2 this year) you can't beat the car. Much more comfy and far easier on gas.

[bearclaw]

the V70R is rated 4000lbs here bearclaw, in germany and sweden its rated aprox 4600lbs since they dont have as many hills as us
...

It's 3300 with trailer brakes on the US models, 1600 without.

I think wagons will have a renaissance in this country, along with the crossovers that everybody's making now, like the XC60.
They do a lot of things well and make sense as gas inevitably goes higher.

[sho305]

Hey I forgot, we fixed up the ramp at my lake and I used my golf cart all summer to launch/pull the boat. :D:D:D The big 16 bayliner:p The cart takes 10 gallons all summer and the boat takes 5 gallons an hour or something like that. Only 85hp seems to make me hold the throttle down more, and you all know about those modern efficient design Force outboards.:rolleyes:

[bearclaw]

Hey I forgot, we fixed up the ramp at my lake and I used my golf cart all summer to launch/pull the boat. :D:D:D The big 16 bayliner:p The cart takes 10 gallons all summer and the boat takes 5 gallons an hour or something like that. Only 85hp seems to make me hold the throttle down more, and you all know about those modern efficient design Force outboards.:rolleyes:

At the marina I worked at during high school, we had a golf cart as a yard car. Amazing what they will tow. We just kept a couple spare drive belts on hand. :D We also disabled the governor on it and had "sidecar-style" races around the island with it. It had chrome kneebars on it that you could grab and lean wayyyy out on the turns, til your shoulder almost touched the gravel. While we were supposed to be out servicing boats in the slips, of course. God I loved that thing. And that job. <sigh>

[Brian38]

Can anyone explain to me what a car is?Not sure if I've ever seen one?Wouldn't it be cool to see a guy pulling a 28' skater with a VW Bug?

[typhoon]

Of course you can't tow a large boat with a small car, I don't think that is what the whole thread was about.
We see a lot of guys over here that "must have" a large diesel light truck to tow with, even though the trailer is only 1200kgs (2600lbs).
Frankly, really big boats on trailers (and large trailers in general) is predominantly a US only thing, over here, an 18ft boat is a fairly large trailer boat, but we do tend to have lots of half cabin boats as well, which can be fairly heavy for their size. Anything larger and they're usually behind an F250 or similar, although Toyota Landcruisers are extremely popular here for towing large trailers.
I don't buy the "needing" a truck to tow smaller trailers, a modern car can outbrake and corner any truck out there, which means controlling a trailer better. I've owned an F150 and didn't see any real advantages to towing with it, apart from a nice low first gear in the manual gearbox.
As for modern cars not being rated to tow, well, they are in the rest of the world. Our Mitsubishi Magna (Diamante to you US guys) is good for 1600 kgs (3500 lbs) and Mitsubishi has a hitch available for that weight, so they are serious about it! It has the brakes to deal with the trailer and 170Kw (230hp) all of which is midrange torque. It tows easily up to it's rated weight. And with traction control and stability control, it is not an issue. As for reliability, our last two Mitsubishis went to 300k kms (200k miles) when we sold them off, purely for the desire for a newer car.....no mechanical issues at all.
My 2.3 litre turbo Volvo is rated for 2300kgs (5000lbs) and with the massive brakes on it, I don't even think about not towing with it. I wouldn't tow a trailer that heavy with it though, it just doesn't have enough grunt, but again, 1500 kgs(3500 lbs) is easy.
I've never had any properly loaded and well maintained trailer try to push any vehicle I have been towing with around.
I'm not bashing anyone with a truck, if you need one to tow a larger boat, you need one. I am just saying a car will tow just fine if you respect the limitations. To say they won't is simply untrue.

Regards, Andrew.

[RotorRider]

Yep, good analysis, Andrew. Everybody will have an opinion based on their own experience and need. One answer will not fit all. But a lot of good discussion will help anyone narrow down what they need.....to bad you can't demo each option for a while to get the best match. !!

[typhoon]

Yep, good analysis, Andrew. Everybody will have an opinion based on their own experience and need. One answer will not fit all. But a lot of good discussion will help anyone narrow down what they need.....to bad you can't demo each option for a while to get the best match. !!

True..Imagine turning up at a dealership with say a 30ft Scarab with bigblocks and asking if you could take their truck on a 4 hour trip, just to see how she goes?!:D
Unfortunately, you often don't get the whole truth from people when you ask how something tow, pride of ownership and justifying the purchase tend to narrow one's perceptions and ignore some deficiencies.

Regards, Andrew.

[RotorRider]

Bruddah, you just said a mouthful....I am looking for that perfect vehicle that doesn't exist, I will try to pick the best compromise !!!

[gfinch]

It doesn't matter what it can pull, it matters what it can stop and won't be steered by. Like you all have seen the Suzuki Samurai pulling a 18'+ boat, I stay as far away as I can from them. Then theres the Diesel dully launching a pair of lake lice then flooring it up the ramp to park, I stay farther away from them!
I pull my XB2003 with a 93 Lexus ES300, the trailer has electric brakes and I use a Prodigy controller. I've had to stop quickly a couple of times and with the electric brakes I haven't got into trouble,yet. I won't pull my 19" Champion bass boat though because it has Hyd surge brakes. Surge brakes only apply when the trailer is pushing against the back end of the tow vehicle.
If the trailer is pushing harder then the rear tire grip your going to jack knife.

[RotorRider]

Gary, those are good and valid points, especially matching vehicle and brakes to the actual boat and weight being towed...especially depending on speed, distances involved, and weather factoring in with wet roads, etc.
Personally, I doubt if I will be going too far more than a few times a year, and with a under 3,000# haul I think a P/U with decent engine, brakes and tires will serve...I will look at a few vans and possible SUV's too.
It is possible some larger cars could serve, but then I need a bit more utility, and I like things secure out of the weather.....I have done some crazy towing with jeeps, and have been the tail on the dog more than once !! I agree some of the newer vehicles are very lightly constructed to get good mileage, but don't have very good attachment for towing, even if power and brakes could handle it. :smiletest:

Gordon.

[jhwh]

this kinda qualify for "car", its "only" 2200kg heavy aprox, tows 2800kg legally, the brakes on trailers in all of europe is based on the weight transfer to the ball, meaning car barkes, the hitch gets pressed in, ativates mechanical brakes. not exactly a foolproof system. hyd/electric are illegal.

http://anders.fqdn.no/gallery2/main.php/d/5017-2/DSC01100.JPG
http://anders.fqdn.no/gallery2/main.php/d/5020-2/DSC01101.JPG

[wizbang 13]

Been towing with half a car for 30 years. half of a boat,too.

[150aintenuff]

so can someone explain why surge breaks are allowed and electro/hydraulic arent.... electricly comtrolled hydraulic brakes are possiblty the best system out there....


surge brakes are basically junk... because you have zero stopping power if you lose your vehicles braking system...

[jhwh]

so can someone explain why surge breaks are allowed and electro/hydraulic arent.... electricly comtrolled hydraulic brakes are possiblty the best system out there....


surge brakes are basically junk... because you have zero stopping power if you lose your vehicles braking system...

our DMV/governtment is retarded when it comes cars/trucks, but its' actually the same for all of europe. anything up to 7600lbs has this system. and over that it's mostly pneumatic, but thats proper big trucks pulling then.

when I came to a halt at intersection when towing boat to storage one of the rear wheels locked, so i had to reverse to push brakes in to free, then go again... nice system! :o

[hawk232]

i think alot of it is mostly a lifestyle. I know i have gotten spoiled to just being able to toss stuff into the bed of the truck, and never think about being able to stop while pulling my boats or lawn trailer.

as for the comments of cars having better brakes, i would like to find some FACTUAL info. take the guy towing with the camaro, saying that it will stop better than a truck. EMPTY this is absolutley true! I just dont think that once a trailer is thrown into the mix that would still be the case though. look at the break size for starters, the lt1 cars have 11.5" fronts and 12 or 12.5" rears, the chevy truck by comparison is something like 13" fronts (not sure of rears) and the pads are MUCH MUCH bigger in the truck ( i have had lt1, ls1 and trucks as well). I have no factual evidence, but I just cant imagine that a car could stop a trailer as fast as a full size truck.

[G-Body]

I consider my El Camino a car and I tow with it all the time, of course, it has a 6.0L swap, trans swap, upgraded rear end, the suspension might not be stock either;). Come to think of it the body and interior are stock......and the rest looks stock....from about 10' away if your not looking close. I mean its a little more than I need to tow my 10' boat, but the bigger rating comes in handy at times. Like when the trans on the suburban pukes.....The el camino didn`t mind flat towing that thing home at all. The suburban is barely under the 5k limit on the El Camino but it worked out great. The only thing that sucks with the El Camino is a wet launch ramp.....its just like towing with the vette....you have to heat up the skins a little before they will pull you up the ramp:D. In my family every car must have a hitch.....no one escapes. The suburban has one, my brothers caprice wagon, the El Camino, moms caddy sedan deville, the vette....the vette always leads to interesting conversations. I would actually like to pick up a LT1 caddy fleetwood before they are too hard to find, great fuel economy, stupid heavyduty frame suspension and brakes, and a 7K rating with the tow pack.

[Darkside's Calling]

I just sold my Astro van (unibody, v-6) and am building 2 '64 Galaxie's (1 wagon, 1 2 door hardtop) that will be set up for towing the boat. I have receiver hitches, and am swapping front disc brakes onto both. I figure full frame, 390 4 bbl, C-6, and 9" is the same running gear as a 1/2 ton truck or Bronco with a hell of a lot more class.

another bennie of the older iron.... no computers... basic tool box will keep you going.

[brockshydro]

my dad told me a story of when he sold his truck and got the itch to go fishing. all he had was a :reddevil:honda goldwing:reddevil: well he welded a hitch on it and went to the river.the boat was a 15ft cedar strip boat with a 70hp motor. said it pulled real good not to good for stopping was a little tricky with no reverse but did the job:D. sorry to bring back such an old post but typed in suzuki samurai and this is what came up.

[marjae]

My tow vehicle for Allison XST17. Huge engine, monster brakes and racing suspension. (and limited slip for slippery ramps)

[Danger731]

I think the original poster is now 80 years old and can't see the screen.

[RotorRider]

A lot of these are available for 2 - 4 thousand, ex-cop. Anybody have experience towing with one ? For just a cheap tow for M/C and #3,000 pound lake boats, might be an option....opinions, etc. ??? :cheers:

[nealxb2003]

Cars would be fine for a short tow in flat country, but most don't have the motor to really haul a boat. There are some exceptions, but most are not sufficient in my opinion. I won't even tow my boat with a truck with less than 8 cyl (diesels excluded in this statement). V6's, even in trucks, only pull the lightest of boats. Yes, I could get by with a V6, but I pull my boat every single weekend. Usually multiple trips per week. I want something that is going to pull it with ease, as in not even know its back there.

[VELOCITY 3.6GT]

My general rule of thumb when trailering is whatever the max trailering weight the tow vehicle manufacturer recommends cut it in half and that should be pretty close to what is reasonable.

[GTO GEORGE]

I pulled a 17' ski boat,GVW probably less than 2K#, with a VW Scirroco, back in the '70s and I sold the car to a friend. He had a valve job done on it at 40K miles and when they pulled the head, there was a ridge in all the cylinders that looked like it had 500K miles on it.

[jhwh]

my new beast.
twinturbo, v8, diesel :)
tows 7000LBS legally, and easy, difflocks on all axels, air suspension so I can adjust height of ball etc.

blame my cellphone and the sun :(

http://bilder.driftfun.no/d/133268-3/mms379_DSC01322.JPG