Have to consider adding a Toad. Prefer all 4 wheels down. This will be our 1st. For 1997 U295 40ft.
Thanks for ALL Suggestions and Tips .......
Honda Element. The Swiss Army Knife of toads.
best, paul
2003-2005 Honda Element or CRV
4WD Jeep with transfer case neutral position.. Now have a Jeep Grand Cherokee.
Element & CRV are great, but will not carry my ATV, so the F150 is best for ME .
dave M
I wanted a convertible and my wife wanted a purple car.So we have a PT cruiser { it's our PURPLE TOAD Cruiser}. Light,cheap,and great for summer time sightseeing.Gam
Chevy Cobalt - with a switch to bypass the fuse that needs to be removed otherwise. Simpe to get ready to go and light weight so no brakes required by TN law.
2007 Tahoe. Electronic transfer case.
Sounds like there must be a good reason for choosing that year range. Not that we're close to getting a toad (have to have something to tow *with* first); but I'd be curious to know what makes these years extra-good.
Alex,
We had a 2004 Element, toad many miles, would call it nearly idiot proof, just do the instructions and go.
We still have our 2004 Element. 120,000 miles and counting. Plus 40,000 miles or so towing.
We took 3 full-size bicycles to Mexico in it. It still had room for driver and passenger.
We have a stick shift tranny. It's fun going thru 5 gears.
best, paul
Go with the Jeep Wrangler. Not too heavy and can go anywhere. I have used mine on the beach and in the mountains on off road trails fire roads and in the snow. I was in Yellowstone adn looking at a bear and the ranger said if you were on the road you had to leave so I pulled across the ditch and watched the bear for a while. It is a great towed vehicle and no restrictions on it either.
1994 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4WD was hooked to the back of the 1997 U295 when we bought both vehicles. ^.^d Both vehicles still work. To tow, I have to hook the Roadmaster Stowaway to the ball on the coach, attach safety cables, brake cable, light cable, install electric brake actuator with two pins, put transfer case in neutral, and put key ignition switch in position to unlock the steering wheel.
4WD provides the transfer case to allow four-down towing. We found 4WD is nifty for driving in snow as well. Some time we may actually take it on some "off the pavement" adventures.
Four wheels down, 2 axle, Featherlite 24' car hauler:
Why?
"Think outside the Box"
Carries any car we happen to enjoy and a full dress, touring motorcycle as well.
Ours, at various times, has carried 2000 and 2004 Honda Odysseys, a 2001 Acura MDX AWD (all set up for towing as well), a 1986 Mercedes 420SEL collectible , a 2010 Lexus RX350 AWD, in combination with either a 2004 Honda Goldwing or a full dress Harley.
We spent just over six weeks coming north from FL this spring, stayed in 12 different parks/campgrounds ranging from state to national to low/hi end as well as Wal-Marts. We never uncoupled the trailer. The current car and bike stayed sparkling clean, received no road rash and accumulated no towing wear and tear.
Understand it's not for everyone, but if you like keeping things pristine, it's difficult to beat.
One just has to use the campground search tools and call ahead.
Neal
2012 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited automatic (much improved over earlier years). 9K on road. 10K towed. Flawless. Our only car. Goes anywhere. Does everything but only 20mpg combined. Very easy to hook up unlike Honda CRVs we've towed. Had a CRV a few years ago but transmission failed at 3K miles after following manual exactly. Honda USA refunded purchase price. Bought a Saturn. Excellent.
We finally decided to try the Remco Transmission Pump. We wanted a Chrysler, Town & Country with "Stow and Go" seating so we can overnight in some of the small old National Park and State Park campgrounds where the 40 footer won't go. The only way to tow four down is with a transmission pump. So far 2000 miles and no problems. The transmission pump opens up many vehicles that otherwise can't be towed four down.
Hook up was relatively simple. A monitoring unit at the drivers location is needed. We used the existing front to back extra wires originally installed by Foretravel. The pump is powered by the coach starting batteries through the pig tail wiring. If for any reason the transmission pump fails an alarms goes off and a red light shows up so one can pull off of the road before damaging the vehicle transmission. Although the pump on this van was already in place, it appears that installation would be very easy and take just a couple of hours.
Just go to the Remco website, Recommended Vehicles : Remco (http://www.remcoindustries.com/Towing/RecommendedVehicles.php), to see what vehicles can be used with the Transmission Pump.
We've towed a 2007 4X4 Dodge Dakota for 6-years or so. Just replaced it with a 2010 Dakota. Like the Dakota its size/weight, and for the absolute ease of selecting neutral on the transfer-case; other than our '01 Jeep, couldn't be easier.
__________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature database 8450 (20130614) __________
The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus.
We have a 1998 Jeep Wrangler, 5 spd, transfer case with neutral position, removable soft top, good heater, goes anywhere we have wanted it to go. It cost $6000 two years ago. Probably won't change value for several more years. We use a StowMaster tow bar and a NSA ReadyBrake receiver/brake system. This lets us tow the Jeep with the coach or any other vehicle that has a 2" receiver and have braking.
Bottom line ... Flexibility for all of the things we want a towed vehicle to do for us. Everyone's needs and uses of towed vehicles is different. Figure out what your's are and get the best fit.
Roger
I have a 2005 Dodge Dakota 4x4, tows great but did buy a Jeep as I got tired of using my daily driver as a tow vehicle.......Jeep is more fun also!
I have to agree. It has to be a pre 2006 model as after that Honda did not sanction 4 down towing. We've now added a 2013 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited to the toad garage but still need to have the towing hardware installed.
Honda CRV 2011 is towable per owners manual.
2013 Toyota Carolla - manual trans.
We chose this vehicle because it is less than 3000# and does not legally require braking system in most states.
jack
Hi Steve;
We have an '01 Wrangler, but it's 90% an off-road vehicle; lifted, 33" mudders etc. Not really practical for towing, thou I "can" tow it if we really need or want to. I like the Dakota for the reasons stated. Our '07 was t-boned by a (testing) red-light runner and insurance totaled it. I went through the "what do I really want" scenarios, but found a very nice super-crew 2010 Dakota with 20K miles, so ....... M bed-extender, all my Roadmaster and most of my Blue-Ox hardware fits, too, which is nice!
I tow a 1992 Mitsubishi Montero 5 speed manual transmission running on 33" tires. It's my on/off road vehicle. It's setup for overnight trips also, to old to sleep on the ground anymore. :D
We've towed two Subarus, a 99 Legacy and a 10 Forrester. Both were standard transmissions. Put it in neutral with switch on Accessories and you're good to go.
Had a Samarai tin top. Lots of fun but uncomfortable and real slow.
Now we're towing a 98 Cherokee auto. Transfer case in neutral, trans in Park, key on Accessories.
For convenience and comfort the Subarus are hard to beat. Good luck.
jor
Just for info, we went from a 3300# Subaru Outback to a 4600# Chrysler Town and Country. I was really concerned about the increased weight but I can barely notice the difference behind the motorhome. I feel confident now that I can go to a full size pickup at some time in the future.
Kent,
The 6V-92 in the real world is used with heavy trucks and they are not HP monsters, they sure get the job done, so with your combined weight, you are still under half the normal weight. Relax and enjoy, just remember you gotta stop it.
Yes Sir - I use to pull 8900 gallons of unleaded gas with one of those! You do the math. The Silver 92 was a real step up horse when it came to the hills when loaded. Would drag that load much better than to old style 6V-92!!!
This thread really made my day. DW and I had been really disappointed our personal favorite car could not be towed four down so I modded my old 1998 accord coupe to be towed.
No substitute for our 2007 Toyota Solara convertible. This thread referred me to remco. They now make a pump for the Toyota. Thanks. Made our day.
No substitute for the convertible. Pretty good off road to a point.
I own a super duty 4x4 pickup and a garage full of dirt bikes so I understand the toyota s limits.
Its been off roaded many times. Just carefully.
Thanks for the heads up.
Bob
PatC, Guess you know one of the big reasons the Silver 92 was so much more HP, mainly doe the the bypass blower , freed up about 30 flywheel HP, the 8V gained about 36 hp, that is noticeable, other things helped too, injectors & turbo & DDEC.
Cheers
dave M
I guess I'm still the only one towing a Mini. Nothing beats a Cooper S ragtop for fun driving with 35 mpg. Just need the manual trans. Put into neutral and tow.
We tow a 2010 Honda Fit. The owner's manual tells me how to set it up to tow. We've towed it since we bought it in 2010 with no problems. But we do follow the instructions on how to set it up. It's quite light weight and I don't notice it behind our '96 U295. It's actually light enough that we might not need a brake controller but we use the Blue Ox Patriot and love it.
most states call out 3000 lbs as max w/o aux braking. Honda element about 3200 lbs. I tow it w/o any aux breaking, no problem so far.
SOme will say that is crazy, but then my wife might concur that I am crazy!
We tow a AWD 2005 Toyota RAV4 manual. This is the last year the RAV4 was available in the states with a manual transmission. It is about 10 lbs under 3K so I have never connected the aux brake.
Fairly compact compared to most SUVs, it is up off the ground so does super well off road and in snow. It laughs at deep snow that will high center Subaru AWDs and will go over Donner Pass in winter snowstorms without spinning a wheel.
Only down side is the stick shifts are hard to find and all RAV4 models are expensive on the used car market. 140K on it now with absolutely zero problems. Read online reviews.
Pierce
We are another member of the Jeep Wrangler 4x4 club. Bought our 1999 SE (4 cylinder) Jeep last year specifically for use with the RV when we head out. Found a BrakeBuddy for $200 on craigslist just a few weeks later. Have not towed it yet but have put 3,000 miles on it; mostly on the Moses Lake Sand Dunes ORV park which is just 15 minutes from our driveway.
2-door Wranglers can come with a soft top and 2-piece doors. The upper piece is easily removable in warm weather and the rear windows can all be unzipped to make it wide open in warm weather but still shady. If you want a convertible just take the fabric top off. They come with roll bars but ours has a custom roll cage for extra safety. Although ours came with the upper door piece with plastic windows, I found uppers with sliding glass windows for $100 on (where else?) craigslist. Just lift out one and plug another in. Takes less time to install them than it does to go into the garage to get them.
This little Jeep gets 17mpg average and probably better if it was all on-the-road but I've never had a tank of gas that didn't include trail running or sand dune riding. It has 33" tires and is lifted 4" which makes it a little difficult to get into for a woman in an evening gown; so the DW never buys evening gowns!
At only 3100lbs it makes it a good toad for our U225 which is not what one might call over-powered.
Last month I took Hailey (12) out to the sand dunes. pulled the driver's seat all the way forward, put it in 4wd low-range and let her get behind the wheel for the first time in her life (she has steered our SUV while sitting on my lap and also has shifted the pickup when instructed so she was not completely new). I figured that low-range in the sand was perfect for a new driver to learn how to use a clutch and a 5-speed. She did surprisingly well.
The Jeep is loaded up right now for an overnight camping trip into the Cascade Mountains at Liberty, WA (an old gold mining town just off Highway 97) where a bunch of local off-roaders are spending father's day. The back seat is out and the space filled with tent, sleeping bag, cooler, cookstove, food and snacks. Plus 5-gallons of water and ice tea mix. (I'm not a big beer drinker.)
It's not a "Swiss Army Knife" thought.... because anyone who wants to ride in the back seat is crazy. And if they aren't, then they will be when you get there!!!
So far, the only place it hasn't taken me is to the opera.
Craig :)
Pierce, I normally don't argue with your research but the Rav4's ground clearance has been reduce from 7.5" to 6.3". The Suabaru Outback has been reduced to 7.87" from almost 9" after 2008. And they carry much more cargo, have a better ride and cost less.
I like Subarus. Can you tell?
I bought a Saturn sl2. It had about 75K miles was in excellent shape AND set up for towing. It weighs less than 3k lbs. It tows like a dream. I did not wish to spend a lot for a car just to tow and have been happy with it. I understand the Saturn Vue (SUV) is also easily towable. All you have to do is hook it up, put in N, and the key has to be left in on position. I have had no trouble with battery going down. The reason I bought this one was it fit the bill and did not wish to spend a lot for a car that I planned to use pretty much only for a tow vehicle.
We had a Saturn SC2 as our first toad. It was great, fun to drive, 33 mpg and relatively comfortable but it was too low to the ground for this old body. I think the View is also a great choice but they are hard to find and they are pretty small inside.
Correct. 2011 Honda CRV manual does in fact say it's towable 4 wheels down. Precisely why Honda USA gave us our money back on the spot without even blinking after the transmission failed. No letter writing. One phone call. Very impressive.
I have the CRV Blue Ox base plate if someone wants it.
I just punched a couple of holes in our drywall after reading your post. ;D
Can't figure where your source got their info. I just took a tape out to ours and the lowest point is at the front engine/gearbox protection skid and is just a fraction less than 9 inches. We have 235/65 16 tires mounted. Think this is pretty much the stock size. My son's girlfriend had a new Legacy and got it stuck in not so deep snow on her first day with it.
Actually, I am a real Subaru fan. Would love to have a WRX as a toad. Now that Saab is out of business, I noticed a huge number of Subaru models on the east coast of the U.S. this last fall. Lots of Vanagons with Subaru engines.
Pierce
Do you know how happy I was to finally catch you on something. Here's the link 2013 Toyota RAV4 Test Drive - Popular Mechanics (http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/reviews/drives/2013-toyota-rav4-test-drive-14873288). There is no doubt you will find the flaw in this article. How about that, I trust you more than Popular Mechanics.
I just looked at trading my wrangler in for a grand cherokee overland. I think it might be a nicer ride and it will lock. It will be sad to see the wrangler go. It has been around since 2001 but it is time for a different approach.
Woops. Typo. 2001 CRV was the problem. Our 2011 was fine but didn't meet our needs. Wrangler does.
it was too low to the ground for this old body (from Mr. Speers)
BUT, sure was a lot of laughs watching him try to get out of it...Carol and I called the move the rolly polly......
I have used both my Jeep Wrangler and Dodge Dakoat truck as my tow. Like the Jeep better....more fun with open sides and windows. I have looked at also getting a Jeep Overlan Summit or Jeep Sahara 4 door. I really like the Sahara, but for now I will keep my Wrangler for the next 5 years or so until I get a little older. Then comes the Sahara for probably and if God willing will graduate to the Cherokee Overland Summitt, what a great vehicle!
We tow a 2003 Jeep Wrangler, because it gets lousy gas mileage, doesn't have much room, and has a bone-jarring ride. Still, it's a hoot with the top and doors off on a pleasant day.
I have loved towing my wrangler. It is a hoot but it is time to go with an Overland now I think.
John, DW & I looked at the new Jeep with most of the options, seems it goes well into the $40's, so sticking with the CRV for the moment. What is the Overland ?
It is a trim level on the grand cherokee.
Dave M.: you don't need most of those options even if you 4-wheel in serious conditions. I just got back from an educational trip with our local off-road club. These folks are not amateurs; but I am. The roads they took me on (up to 6400 feet elevation starting at 2,000) terrified me. The only reason I didn't turn back about six hills into this trip was the thought of going back over those six hills. One of these was so steep that when the Jeep was headed up the hill I still had to duck and look for the summit that barely hit the top of the windshield... this was about a 200-foot-long climb.
If someone had told me Friday that my Jeep would be able to go up those hills (rutted, muddy, rocky, rooted up, and twisty) with me at the wheel I would have laughed at them. I doubt that I'll do it again but it gives me a whole new perspective on what that Jeep will do if asked.
I don't have "lockers"; only have a 4-cylinder engine; it's lifted 4" and has 33" tires (not mudders, though), a custom roll cage, rock sliders (they protect the bottom sides of the Jeep and let you rotate around a sharp turn by putting the bar up against a tree or rock and using that as a fulcrum), and front/rear custom bumpers. The sliders, cage, and bumpers were on the Jeep when I bought it. Done by the previous owner. All I've done is replace the rear shocks.
Everything on a Jeep can be customized at much less cost than Jeep will charge you.
I was too terrified to take photos during the Saturday trip but I drop out via a much easier (but still not easy) road this morning; also up to 6400 feet. Through an area that was burned last fall. Plus I discovered a potential forest fire when I spotted a root system fire in flames and led firefighters back to it.
Craig
I took my wrangler on one of the top ten off road courses a couple years ago. It is a bone stock sport wrangler and it went everywhere but two places the built jeeps went. One was a ledge that was higher than my hood and the other was a bowl where I did not have the clearance to get thru it. I went off 3 foot ledges climbed up old stream beds and crawled over rocks. Wranglers are amazing vehicles.
First time I took my 79 CJ7 Golden Eagle four wheeling (304 V8, quadratrac) I found it had more balls than I would ever have.
Craig and all who own Jeeps.....A dirty Jeep is a happy Jeep....enjoy the ride and thanks for pictures
Willys-Overland Motors was the original company name. The founder was John Willys.
My first "Jeep" was a 1949 Willys CJ2A with a farmer installed 6 cyl Studebaker Champion engine. I think he used it for pulling tree stumps. I could chain it up to a stout tree and with the Jeep on pavement in low range and first gear and the clutch engaged all four tires would just turn. Paid about $800 for it in the late 60's. Kept the 8K Ramsey winch and sold it for $1600 in 1974 when I bought a 1973 CJ5 V8 for $3200. Big tires and engine mods made for a great back woods and river bottom mud runner. This was easily the most fun vehicle I have ever owned. Sold it after three years for more than I had in it to an 18 year old who just about peed in his pants when I started it up. Then a new 77 CJ7 for three years. Then our first RV. 33 years later we are in a Foretravel with our 98 Wrangler.
Wheee!
All these stories, great memories!
Thanks, Roger
All that fun in a Jeep and you can still use it to go to the store... in every state!!! :D
Craig
I too had a 49 jeep, 4 cylinder that ran on two or three depending upon its mood. It too could pull up a tree or climb one if desired. Going down hill was lots of fun due to the full 1/2 turn play in the steering wheel. Needless to say, it never saw the road but it covered the 1400 acre back yard very well. No need for mosquito abatement either, it fogged every acre it saw.
Does anyone remember Nelly Bell?
Having been issued a M38A1 in the USMC, made wanting a jeep right up there with a bad headache. Little improvement in opinion since. :-(
Jeeps are tough according to what I've read here. However, there is some abuse that is just too much.
I seldom think of a military Jeep without thinking of the Chaplain's Jeep on Smoke Bomb Hill at Ft. Bragg, NC (1969). At Ft. Bragg they dropped lots of people and equipment out of the airplanes. They dropped the Chaplain's Jeep and the parachute did not properly deploy. The Jeep was only about 24" tall and didn't operate well after the drop.
You could put one like that in the storage bay, but it would not tow well. :P
Hi Kent,
Extending the memory a bit here. Was Nelly Bell the Jeep used in either Roy Rogers, or Rin Tin Tin?
Raymond
Nelly Belle was from the Roy Rogers show ,and driven by Roy's side kick Pat Brady.
I had a toy cast model of Pat Brady's Nelly Belle. Think it would be worth a few more dollars today if I had one.
I did not remember the jeep "nelly belle", so I did a search and attached. It certainly seems that a jeep is a dang good toad from the consensus. I may sound obtuse, I just wish they offered a diesel version jeep. I know they made and are considering making a Grand Cherokee diesel now (was with MB diesel, soon perhaps with a Fiat).
I have a friend who tows a Jeep Liberty diesel. They made it for a couple years before discontinuing the Liberty line.
FWIW -- I've read a couple of places the diesel [Fiat] Wrangler will intro in '14.
I was going to wait until the 2015 model year for the Wrangler diesel. I believe the company has in mind that if the Grand Cherokee diesel goes well, they'll introduce the Wrangler diesel in the 2015 model year. Then I found out the diesel option for the Grand Cherokee is $4,500 !!!!!!!!! So, I bought the 2013 Wrangler. $4,500 buys a lot of regular gas!
To get this thread back on track, I choose the Subaru Forester with a manual transmission (the automatic was not towable). Subaru said it was towable with 4 wheels on the ground. No modifications needed other than the towing equipment and wiring for the lights. I installed it, not too hard for a good shade tree mechanic. You just have to make sure the key is in the accessory position so the steering wheel is unlocked, burglar alarm off, gear shift in neutral, and the parking brake off. If the gear shift is left in gear, especially first gear or reverse, you will probably destroy the engine. The Subaru's have 4 wheel drive, but I would not consider them real off road vehicles. They are fairly decent cars. I have aux braking for the car when the MH brakes are on, but not the breakaway feature.
Met a nice couple towing a 5'ver with a shortened OTR Volvo sleeper, who triple towed their forester manual 4 down. Left in first gear by mistake, didn't notice anything abnormal as they went down interstate at 65. Engine clutch and tranny shelled. Estimate was engine was turning at somewhere short of 20,000 rpm, according to owner. Bought new Forrester to replace, expensive mistake any of us could make
The WHY of Toad .... or was it eye of newt??
I spent a fair amount of time looking on the Remco site at appliances required to tow 4-down.
I also spent a lot of time looking at braking systems.
Before deciding on the vehicle, I decided that the M&G braking system was the way (for me) to go. No wires to pull, no arms to push, direct connection to the FT's air system.
After deciding that, I looked over the list of vehicles that M&G made units for and cross-referenced it with the Remco site.
I wanted to avoid pulling fuses, stopping every so often to 'stir' the transmission fluid, pumps, etc.
With my 4X4 automatic Jeep Liberty I put the transfer case in neutral, check to make sure it is, put the valet key in the wheel unlock position, lock the door with the clicker, and we are done.
Well, not quite done. Mary walks beside the rig as I take the first corner to make sure I have the ignition key in the correct position. We haven't drug the tires since instituting that procedure :D .
I looked at other Jeeps. The transmissions on some of the automatic 4X4s (the Cherokee for instance had two different ones, one worked, the other not) would not have worked.
I finally settled on the Liberty because of $$. I'm happy with the choice. A plus for it that I hadn't considered was that I could install separate taillights in the rear reflectors and not have to mess with the OEM wiring.
HTH
With manual transmission and floor shifter, be cautious about leaving anything in the front seats. We toasted a VW Beetle many years ago while towing. A tool fell forward from a front seat during a stop. It pushed the gear shift lever into gear. The V8 Chevrolet up front never notice the extra drag until the wheels on the VW locked up when the engine seized.
Our current towed vehicle is the '94 Grand Cherokee 4X4 with automatic transmission. It tows well with steering wheel unlocked, transmission in Park, and transfer case in Neutral. When we move for the first time after attaching the Jeep to the U295, I aim the mirrors down and look for Jeep wheels rolling and steering on the first turn of the journey.
Sage Advice Mr. Bray,
I did not note but I also always make sure wheels are turning well after hooking up the toad. I have someone watch and make sure wheels rolling freely. I too have bought a transmission (was not properly set up when I took off).
Hyundai Elantra Touring 2010 manual shift 5 spd.
-Lots of interior space and comfortable for a small car/ fun to drive/30 around town, so far 33-35 on the road. Nice looking/designed by Europeans and sold in that market for a few years prior to US entry as an I30. 10 yrs warantee or 100k miles. Online USAA deal for 15.5K out the door new. Like it better than the newer ones H builds, but it would be a better car(the new one's) with a 6 spd. manual... 40ish MPG but a bit less storage space.
Jeep Wranglers work for us, easy to set up to tow, great off road, and mostly my wife likes them.
Thanks for the discussion here. The new tires go on Thursday, and then the next "purchase" is trading the Town Car and Mountaineer for a toad. I'd like to do an even trade, but we'll see.
We tow a 2004 Honda Civic Hybrid with an automatic transmission (CVT). Why: It's my daily driver (I don't fulltime) and I didn't want a separate car just for towing. It's also light at 2600# and doesn't need anything special to tow. We have a four point check (key position 1, radio off, brake off, shifter neutral) and always have the other person check our work. We've been towing it since the car was new with zero issues. Honda cars are normally never listed as towable, but when I inquired I found this letter (I can't remember where). My point is if there's a car you are really interested in do a little digging. If the owners manual says no, check for service bulletins or ask the manufacturer directly. Forums can be misleading too. On iRV2 I found a post that said my transmission would "self destruct" if I tow it like I've been doing for the past 9 years - maybe I've just been lucky?
Another thing about taillight wiring: Diodes are OK but they inherently have a voltage drop which makes your lights look a little dim. I used standard $8 auto relays. Again, they have been working fine for 9 years.
2010 Cadillac SRX AWD. Absolutely the easiest toad to prepare to tow I have ever owned.
2005 Honda Element. Has been perfect. Also looking to add another as we are wanting to have something powerful enough to tow a trailer with. Jeep Commander is at top of our list.
We bought the 1996 Saturn 4-dr from the party we got our FT from. We just wanted a nice rig & tow car that we could use for a memorable retirement trip and later use, and we could not have been happier with either unit.
David,
Great minds think alike... ;) . We have the 2004 Element and just love it. Rugged interior for camping use, easy to tow...overall great. We opted for the Jeep Wrangler as we don't need to tow heavy trailers, but in stock version will tow 2,000 lbs. It will also do the trails Brad M. likes to go on ;D . Don't forget the Jeep Grand Cherokee as well. Properly equiped it too will tow anything the Commander will.
We have been very happy with our 2003 Honda CRV. Although it's not the greatest for gas mileage, it's a good size for commuting the 200-300 miles to and from the coach with a big dog and suitcases. That vintage (2003-2006) CRV had pretty good reviews and seems to hold it's value.
Well, i do not know if they will get it or not, but i bought my wrangler at the end of 2000 for 21k. It was a wrangler sport. I drove it 43000 miles and pulle it 300k miles. It had 5 sets of tires and one mouse to remove. Still had the original soft top too. The dealer just upped it a coupe thousand and put it on his lot for 15000. It cosr e less than a 1000 dollares a year to own plus gas and tires and a few oil changes. That really tells the story about a wrangler. Igot a grand cherokee now and i hoe it serves me as well. I bought it used and only oe year old for about 50 percent off the new price for an Overland GC. They are very easy to pull but this one ha a few more bells and whistles. It is also quieter inside and will go anywhere i point it. The wrangler was more capable but with my back and now my current situation I chose comfort. I do miss my wrangler and if all works out a 2015 Rubicon with a diesel might be behind the coach next.
We have a 2007 Ford Escape, 5spd manual, 4 wheel drive. It has been flawless. Our current 2000 F150 4x4 off road is not flat tow able.
Now with that said, we are looking to upgrade to a 2013 F150 4x4 SuperCrew. The 2012/2013s can be flat towed. And it will have a truck cap.
The biggest reason is that we added more toys to the toy box. We now carry 2 10' kayaks and 2 Prodeco folding electric bikes, plus what ever else the wife "needs". They fit in the Escape, but the bikes take a bit of time getting them tied down and the back seats must be folded down .
As far a mpg, the Escape gets 25 mpg regularly and the new F150 is rated at 22 mpg. So not much difference there.
My first tow was a chev HHR and it was great and lite tow. The only issue was the lack of power and the brakes were awful in the mountains. We now tow a 2013 GMC Terrain with 6 cyl. Good gas mileage so far 5000 miles. This car has the GMC intell computer in it and the dash Bluetooth and gps with onstar is amazing. The only issue has been a little noise in the steering when you make the first turn of the steering wheel, after that it is ok. Dealership put new brackets for one of the belts and it just about cured the problem. Lots of room for storage in rear of car. The six cyl allows me to pull my boat to the water after I sold the pickup to cut down on number of vehicles. In Texas registration and insurance has gone up and just having the pickup to tow the boat a few times a year made no since. So I would look at a multifunction vehicle. Dan
Hey Grant! Now that you had Xtreme customize that CRV to match the Xtreme paint job on your coach, you'll have to keep it for a lifetime... ;D
We now have a 2013 Subaru Outback with 6 speed stick shift. Tows great, runs great, all wheel drive that averages 30 mpg. For us as fulltimers, it is great since it holds a lot, has high ground clearance, and the all wheel drive for the mud hole and gravel roads etc.
Hi Peter. Right on! It's one of the reasons I had the CRV repaired. :o On my way home from Xtreme, in the rain just north of the Cda/US border, a herd of deer decided to insist on the right of way. Even though I just about missed them, the lead buck hit the car (and visa versa) hard enough to have it classified as "totaled" (the deer ran away). We like the CRV and hope to keep it for many years (and that deer has given me wide berth on my subsequent trips through there.)
Towed a Suburban for many years then wanted something a little more fun and in 2011 bought a Wrangler. Both tow great and are easy to prepare to tow. Found a plug-in light connector for the Jeep and didn't even have to cut into the wiring. I never could tell either of them are back there even with our old ORED Grandvilla pulling the Suburban. No battery disconnect is necessary on the late model Wrangler.
After many years of Oldsmobiles, Cadillacs and Suburbans the Wrangler is by far the noisiest worst-riding car we have ever owned. We LOVE it. Wouldn't go back.
Back in 2011 after looking at everything in the FMCA Dingy guide we decided on the 2011 Xterra Pro 4X. We wanted a heavy duty vehicle with off-road capability. The jeep was very attractive with the convertible top but the Pro 4X, the top of the line Xterra was $10,000 cheaper than the jeep. The list price was close to $35k but we drove off in one for $25k. The draw back to the Xterra is you can only tow the 6 speed manual transmission. My dad says that's OK a manual transmission becomes automatic after about 6 weeks. :)
The Xterra serves us well. It's been easy to tow although a little heavier than the jeep at 4000 pounds. We have done lots of 4 wheeling and love it. Just stay away from trails that are rated body damage likely!
I still lust after a jeep mostly because of all the after-market equipment available to customize a jeep. Humm... it's probably a good thing. All I need right now is more stuff that I can throw money at!
see ya
ken
We're nowhere near rich enough to afford a brand new Jeep (or Xterra Pro, for that matter). I just watched Craigslist for six months to get an idea of pricing for second-hand Wranglers and decide what I wanted (I'm too big for a CJ5, for instance). Sue wanted airbags for both passenger and driver. I wanted something that I could weld on and drive without worrying about body damage. One day, last September, I saw a 1999 Wrangler for $4k and called the guy. He said someone was on their way to look at it and I figured that he'd buy it at that price. But, nope. The first guy thought it was "too rough". I found it just right. Custom roll cage, rock sliders, and front bumper ready for a winch, 4" lift and 33" tires. Just a 4-cylinder engine and barely able to do 65mph but for $4k seemed right. I didn't even argue him down.
WA state tried to tax me for $7k when I registered it the next week. Luckily I found some data to back up my pricing.
We are really more rough-and-tumble folks. We built our 32' cruising sailboat from a hull-and-deck, the two airplanes I've owned and flown had to be started by hand (Taylorcraft BC12D and Luscomb 8A). Sometimes it takes a while to get things the way we want them but we do it ourselves 9 times out of 10. Although I must admit that, at 70, my body refuses to do some of the stuff I used to do.
Used Jeeps are everywhere and they are so simple to work on (heck, you can even see the spark plugs!!) and parts are so easy to find (and cheap) that second hand models make perfect sense.
Craig
If we bought what we could afford We would be in a pop up camper.
Sorry to resurrect an old thread but this seemed to be the right place to ask if it is possible to flat tow a 2009 Subaru Forester with an automatic transmission. There seems to be a lot of conflicting information about it out there. Thanks all.
Jeff
Automatic, NO. Manual, YES.
That's what I thought, thanks.
As long as this thread has been revived, I can add a little to my response. I mentioned earlier that we bought a 1999 Jeep TJ 2-door soft top 4-cylinder for $4,000. We're now in the third year of ownership and have towed that toad about 4,000 miles (over 2,000 just last month).
In order to get it ready for towing 4-down I bought a Harbor Freight $79 tow bar. The Wrangler already came with a custom built very-heavy-duty front bumper (the previous owner was a professional welder), rock sliders, extra roll bar cage, and rear bumper along with a 4" lift and 4 33" wide tires capable of being deflated to 15psi for rock climbing and stuff. (Did that once.)
With the way the bumper is fitted to the frame there was little reason to get a base plate so I had a local welding ship weld AND bolt the HF receivers to that bumper.
The first trip with the Wrangler gave me about 9mpg which was disappointing but I thought that perhaps the tires were at fault. Luckily lots of Jeep owners are moving from small tires to big tires; I was thinking big tires to small tires. This worked in my favor and I bought 5 nice road tires on super cool rims for $200 and put them on the Jeep in place of the 33s. Mileage up to over 10mpg now!
Bought a BrakeBuddy off Craigslist for $300.
LED lights from HF for $30.
On our last trip we put about 300 miles on the Jeep between shopping trips, casino trips, one trip through Yosemite NP, several exploration trips, and one off-road adventure to an old historic mine (Sweetwater).
I think between taxes, registration, Brake Buddy, tow bar, welding, winch (also HF) and the LED tail lights we're into that little Jeep for less than $5,500!!!
Can't think of a better all-around toad good for excitement, adventure or grocery shopping. Or all in one trip!
WDR
Great info I am looking at 2003 to 2006 Jeep Wrangler Rubicons myself.
Our toad is a 2005 Toyota RAV4 AWD 5 speed manual. Last year for the manual transmission in the U.S. (2 diesels and 6 speed manual trans everywhere else). Unrivaled Toyota reliability with no timing belt, etc. Just under 3000 lbs so don't use aux braking. Excellent ground clearance for off road in sand, dirt, mud plus super snow traction. Choice of tires make a big difference in ride. 170K now with only one set of plugs, front pads, 3 sets of tires, and a battery. About 27 mpg highway, 24 city. 2WD models are geared for little lower highway RPM so get about 2 mpg better.
Absolutely love this vehicle.
Pierce
Any Jeep TJ, very simple to tow. I agree with the "old school" harbor freight tow bar set up. We have towed out TJ several thousand miles with zero issues. About 2 minutes to hook up and be gone.
3 weeks ago we picked up our 2015 Jeep Wrangler Sport ( Auto ) for towing and running around locally. When we purchased our GV from Ed & Evelyn it came with a tow bar called TOW ME 7500 TOW BAR, I have not found a link to be able to buy the Baseplate for this unit so I was thinking I would make my own. With this new thread opening I read that a few of the Forum members are happy to tow using the Harbor Freight tow bar..... Pros and cons please?
Geoffh
....well it sorta chose me, my sister got me a Honda Fit (like hers) when we went to Hawaii for a year, then when I moved back to the Mainland the Fit came along & the Explorer got to go back home to Montana....so I actually had the Fit before I even got the coach, it's a great 4 down toad, holds a ton of stuff & is fuel efficient.....oh and I finally got her set up & am learning to hook up & tow this week :o so watch out!
We chose our 2012 Jeep Liberty because we needed true 4WD and something that could be towed 4-down. It looks like the need for 4WD is going away, so the next toad will be something with better fuel economy.
The major advantage to the HF tow bar is that it only costs $80.
The major disadvantage to the HF tow bar is that the owner has the responsibility to ensure that the tow bar is mounted correctly and securely. There is template. I told the welder where to mount the fittings and how to mount them and he followed my instructions (telling me that they were overkill - which was my intent).
The ability to easily inspect the assembly for damage or wear is another advantage. Just get down and look. Nothing is hidden behind grills or hidden in plastic. It's right out there in the open.
If it looks like there is going to be excessive wear I'll just put bushings in before it gets severe.
Craig
Jeep Wrangler 1st one was a 2006 TJ 2 door long jeep, now 2012 Wrangler 4dr hard top, it rides decent, goes any where you have any business going, easy to set up to tow, and decent gas mileage.
I first towed an HHR and it was light and never new it was back there but it had a lack of power and the brakes were hard to keep. Had to turn the rotors and the brakes would get hot in mountain driving. Now tow a GMC Terrain. Six cyl so lots of power. M&G brakes and brake away. Blue Ox tow bar and base plate. Now can feel it on long pulls. Coach still runs at 180 temp. The Terrain gives us lot of room to carry stuff. It has the up graded communication system so the on star and phone system is great. This system gives you pandora etc. I think next time it will be a four wheel drive small pickup such as the colorado or canyon. These give you room to carry and off road capibilities. These trucks are back this year and have wifi built in which is a bonus. DAN
FWIW, I still have a Roadmaster Stowmaster 5000 Towbar for sale. Its in GA and I will taker any reasonable offer, it includes quick disconnects.
Gary B
2006 Saturn Vue. All wheel drive. Honda V6 drive train. Plastic body panels. Four door. Plenty of power. Available usually for less than $10,000 so not a big loss of you have to change. Getting ready to tow after tow bar baseplate is super simple. Hook up to coach, start Saturn, let idle for five minutes in neutral, turn switch to off, pull ignition fuse, GO. I replaced ignition fuse with inline fuse holder and toggle switch inside the cabin so I don't have to open the hood, take off the fuse box cover, and pull the 30A fuse every time. I just leave my "tow key" in the ignition in the ON position and toggle the switch to off. The engine quits running & we're ready to go.
I tow an '86 Chevy Blazer diesel 4x4, the civilian model. It's full size, gets 20MPG and doesn't require any modifications to tow. I can fix anything on it and it will tow my 26' enclosed trailer if I need to. Unfortunately, a lot of other people must like them too because you will pay $5K to $10K for one in good shape.
TOM
Honda Element (2003 AWD Automatic) - simple to tow 4 down, light, versatile, reliable, available to buy, service everywhere, three minutes idle in Neutral and turn key from run to acc position and head down the highway.
Just picked up a 55,000 mile Nevada Chevrolet Tracker convertible (not a misprint) - will be setting up for towing - 2800 lbs curb weight (no aux brakes required, automatic, manual transfer case (shift to neutral and go) and high fun factor with top down or off road - ($5,200 total investment, they can be had much cheaper but this one was no rust, no wrecks, condition matched mileage, clean car fax) will let everyone know how it turns out.
I tow a Suzuki sidekick which is under 3000 lbs
2013 Subaru Outback Premium 6 speed manual tranny. Put it in neutral, be sure the brake is off, key on 1st notch ( not aux) about 3500 lbs. Easy to get in and out of, high ground clearance, comfortable, 30 mpg highway. We are full-time so this is our only vehicle.
My favorite toad it the 2004 Ford F150 Pickup with the 8' bed, can haul lots of junk, some might be useful some day. The F150 is a V6 4.2L, 5 Speed manual Mazda transmission, 2 wheel drive, so just unlock steering wheel, Put in neutral and haul butt. Have towed it over 30,000++and much more with zero issues, with the Blue Ox and AF1, very easy & quick to hitch & go.
Not looking for fancy fluff, just a dependable toad. Bad part, NO cruise control.
We had an 2002 Tahoe Z71 4X4 and now a 2012 Yukon SLT 4X4. Found them to be simple and easy to be placed in the towing mode.
Reese
We have towed our 2007 Jeep Liberty almost 26,000 miles.
A major reason was the ability to install the M&G brake system in them.
No worries about braking force needed when the engine isn't on and the vacuum assist isn't working.
No worries about the battery running down. No extra stuff to stow.
(Can't tell I'm sold can you) ;D
Blue Ox Alpha tow bar.
Easy to connect. Unobtrusive attachment points on the Jeep when not in use.
Doris and I are on our second Saturn Vue an 08, our next one will be a Cadillac SRX.
I have 3 vehicles setup to tow, a 1995 Suzuki Sidekick 4dr, a 2005 Honda CRV, and a 2010 Toyota Rav 4. We get the most enjoyment out of the Sidekick, it is lifted, fitted with goodies for off-roading.....but on the highway above 50 MPH it's like riding a loose chainsaw.
The other evening we pulled in beside another MH pulling a new Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk. I believe I found my next tow'ed !