Time has come to point where the F150 with the heavy ATV has an end in sight, so for a proper, light, easy, simple I think VW Bug or other very light type.
Any great suggestions ?
Thanks
We love our Honda CR-V for a toad as well as an excellent general purpose car. A little heavier than a VW probably.
I test drove a Fiat Arbarth a few days ago. What a blast. Dave with your need for speed this may be a good choice for you. It only weighs about 2300LBs and no limits for towing speeds. This may be our next Toad.
If you want to retain some of the ATV lifestyle then you can move to a Jeep Wrangler. Our 1999 2-door soft-top weighs in at 3100lbs. Easy to tow 4-down and a good trail exploring vehicle even with standard tires. Legal to drive to the mall everywhere. Fuel mileage not the greatest (our 4-cylinder gets 16-17mpg) but I hear the new ones are better.
You can actually see the spark plugs and wires and work on them yourself. Heck, I can weld on mine.
So many options and after-market devices and doodads it can be a hobby all by itself. :P
Craig
Honda Element the "Swiss Army Knife of Tows"
best, paul
the Hyundai Elantra Touring, was designed and sold in Europe for a couple of years, before sold here during 2009-2011. Neat little VW/volvo look alike that has lots of space inside, fun to drive/5spd manual, 32 mpg so far.
Tow a Miata, you never get the grin off your face, about 2400 lbs, tows 4 down with a manual
We're right at this point ourselves. The Smart is towable 4-down as is, and at first we were leaning that way. Our trip to Michigan knocked it out of further consideration, though. It is strictly a two-pace car, and there were three of us on that trip. The FIAT 500 was next, and we still may end up going that way. The manual transmission models are towable four-down. We've also considered VW diesels with manual transmissions. They would give us the fuel economy of the Smart but with more seats. They are scarce as hens' teeth, though, and priced accordingly. We're now looking more at the Honda CR-V. That would use more fuel than the others, but would give us lots more flexibility. A shopping trip to Springfield is in the works for later this week.
Our personal choice is Honda CR-V. It's fairly easy (there is a shift/idle in neutral procedure to follow), a fantastically useful vehicle (ours is our primary daily car as well), but it may not be what you consider "light".
Honda's Fit is towable with an automatic transmission 4-down as well (officially approved by Honda). Smaller, lighter, might be worth a look.
We've towed a Fit for about 15k with no issues. 2500-2600 lbs depending on model/options. Most of our miles are suburban/rural and we average 36-38 mpg. Similar shift/idle in neutral procedure as CRV. And there is the Honda reliability factor. But it is significantly lower to the ground than my pickup. ;D
For us, the CR-V is a better choice than the Fit just because of the size factor. Jo Ann loves her Town Car, but we're both getting tired of climbing out of it. My Mountaineer is much easier to get in and out of.
Dave, funny you should mention the Renault. My best friend in high school had one. It was one of the few automatics (early 60's, as I recall), and a blast to drive. The transmission was electro-magnetic, and when it went out the car was scrap. Another fun car was the Austin America. Again, though, the automatic transmission was the weak point (used the engine oil as the transmission oil).
RAV4 AWD manual. Goes anywhere on or off road in any condition and weights 2990 lbs. Stop every 300 miles to idle for 5 minutes. 27 mpg highway. Last year 4 down is 2005. No more sticks imported to U.S. after that. 8 7/8" ground clearance.
Pierce
We were hoping to tow our '07 Rabbit but no go with an automatic. Never really got a straight answer for a Jetta Sportwagon TDI manual. We settled for a '98 Wrangler. Seems like the best of all worlds for us. We have gone where no Rabbit could have ever taken us.
Roger and Susan
Remco says they have no information on any of the VW lines, but the VW dealership in Springfield told us that the manuals ARE towable. My cousin has a gas New Beetle with manual transmission that still has the baseplate on it from the previous owner who did tow it four-down.
Dave M,
I have 1995 suzuki sidekick 2dr 4w/d 5 speed and it is a great toad and a tough little trucklet. It's not a jeep wrangler but it does have 4wheel low and the same stock ground clearance and can go anywhere they go. Only 2700lbs, 1.6 liter, 16valve, fuel injection, and 95 hp, and a lot of fun to drive to drive! It has both hardtops (light and easily removable), a/c and 27+mpg highway. Simple blue ox towbar and no auxillary braking necessary. Lots of aftermarket goodies available such as an OME suspension Tracker Lift: Suzuki Sidekick, Vitara, XL7 & Tracker Lift Kits (http://www.rocky-road.com/sidekick-tracker-lift.html) which makes it great for offroading and smooth for highway driving. It currently has 120,000 miles with about 60,000 towed miles from prior owners. With manual locking front hubs and larger all terrain tires it will go just about anywhere. It's actually the most versatile and fun vehicle I've ever owned. I've towed it with a 29' minnie winnie with no problems and can barely feel it back there. They are easy to work on and I've only had to replace the front wheel bearings and the necessary maintenance items.
The sidekick/tracker/x90 are identical as far as drive trains and good ones are getting harder to find because they are inexpensive and great for offroading. Check out this website for a lot more info. ZUKIWORLD online | Your Suzuki 4x4 Resource - Editorial and Forum (http://www.zukiworld.com/)
Jerry
Another vote for the Honda Fit - pulled one for two years - fun to drive, great mileage and has room for 4 real people - "Smart for 2, Fit for 4". Switched to a CRV as my bride thought the Fit's ride was a bit choppy. For me, I think a Subaru WRX (manual) would be my car of choice if I were a solo Rver. Those things are crazy fast and very reliable.
I have the 97 Tracker which is same as Jerry's Sidekick (just not as nice looking). I have a problem I can't get to the bottom of though. Drive it on expressway for 20 minutes or so and the A/C compressor stops kicking in and it wants to idle so low at a stop that the engine will shut off. Next outing won't do it at all. Then it does it again. As far a toad...you don't know it's back there and it will go anywhere. There is a big market for tricking these jeeplets out with all kind of aftermarket stuff so they are in demand for that purpose. If I can't get to the bottom of my situation soon I'm going to sell it and look for a mid-2000's Grand Vitara 4WD which can be towed four down with the auto transmission but I'll need a brake-buddy or something. My wife won't do a stick. Her current vehicle is a 2002 XL-7 which is the stretched version of the Grand Vitara (smallest 3rd row seat vehicle ever produced) but it is not 4WD so can't be towed. Bought it new and never had a moments trouble with it...pity that Suzuki never really took off like Honda or Toyota. My wife's sister has a Honda van about the same vintage and it is always in the shop.
Dwayne, we just sold our '97 Tracker ($1900) but had the same problem as you are encountering with the engine quitting at a stop. Another Tracker owner told me that when I first started it up to keep my foot as lightly as possible on the gas for about two minutes. Then put it in gear and go. Worked for me as I never had the engine stop on me if I did the start procedure. I also told the new owner he must do this also.
Sounds like the idle air control (IAC) problem I had in a previous vehicle.
Yeah, our Honda Element had a 5 speed. The gears are so fun I go thru all 5 in a city block.
best, paul
Too bad VW is not selling their 1900lb 261mpg car in the US yet.
261-MPG Volkswagen XL1 Entering Production In 2013: Report (http://www.motorauthority.com/news/1054256_261-mpg-volkswagen-xl1-prototype-revealed)
best, paul
Dwayne,
When I first got mine it had a rough idle and the code light was on. I thought I had a problem with the EGR system. I took it off and cleaned it and then used Sea Foam in the gas tank and through the air cleaner. I also changed the O2 sensor. This helped but didn't stop the rough idle and the code light was still on. It's supposed to idle at about 700 rpm and when the a/c compressor kicks in it should idle up to about 1000 rpms. I brought it to Robert Greenberg owner of Top Performance Auto Service. He is one of the top mechanics here on the Ms gulf coast and is familiar with trackers and zukis. He quickly found a small rubber vacuum hose leak, replaced it and and it has run like a top ever since even when I let it sit up a week.
The idle is factory set but can be changed and and it should never just quit idling when the a/c compressor kicks in. The other problem I had later on was a bad heater a/c fan resistor that caused the blower to work intermittently or not at all. Changed it and no problems since. Also the code light will need to be reset at certain mileage intervals.
Hope this helps,
Jerry a.k.a. Murph
Honda Element is towable four down (automatic) in earlier years (2003-2006?) As documented previously, "Swiss army knife" of Toads, about 3200 lbs (I tow mine w/o aux brake. decent mileage, AWD version available, seats fold up, come out, or fold down to make two bunks. We have used that feature to expand the sleeping capacity of the coach on NASCAR weekends.
any stick shift Subaru a great choice, cant go wrong with any of them
For us, the big problem is even hybrid vehicles is that we'll be running on the gasoline engine most of the time, so why carry the extra weight of the batteries? A trip to church, for example, is approximately 30 miles one way. Going to Sam's is 50 miles one way. Our plan for full-timing is to stay in one place long enough to see and do all that we wish to before moving on. That means that we could be driving up to 250 miles in one day, which is far beyond the electric range of any vehicle.
I also wanted a subaru Baja 5 speed. www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PgjxNsM_m4 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PgjxNsM_m4#ws) Plush interior, 26 mpg, easily towable and great little sport truck. There's even a turbo version. You can put a top on the back and there is even a small door between the cab and the bed (dogs or skis?). My friend had one but traded it in on a big SUV before I could get it. Darn it!
Jerry a.k.a Murph
I bought a 2011 Jeep Patriot to go with my retirement package, It would go on the trailer behind the bus, Last car I will ever buy,
Its all wheel drive, Should be good for off road, when the Bus is parked,
It has a 2.4 litre motor, Nice car, But, Its as gutless as, wont pull a trailer, Up my drive its second gear max, Any hills, It dies before it gets there, Open Hiway, Its changing gears all the time,
Definately a bad buy for my requirements, Off road, Dont think so,
Trade it for a '13 Wrangler 4 door. That new V6 is a sweety...
Here are a couple of photos of a RAV4 with a horse trailer loaded with household, books, furniture for a total trailer weight of 7500-7700 lbs. Had to load the trailer rear with the heaviest items as it started to bring the RAV4 front wheels off the road. Figure about 10,000 lbs total. 2.4 liter 4 cylinder, 5 speed manual. 11 mpg w/loaded trailer, 27 w/o. Bias tires looked like radials but were new and held up well.
Second photo is later in the day nearing the Eisenhower Summit at over 11,000 feet. This is why we LOVE the RAV4. Very slow at the top but temp gauge never moved off the thermostat the whole trip even in hot weather.
Trip was last fall California to Ohio with the trailer, then D.C. with return via the south after the trailer was dropped off.
Pierce
Now I have someone who can answer my question. I've heard that the Fit has almost as much room as the CRV and wonder if that is true. While I find the interior of my Fit very spacy, I find it hard to believe that the CRV does not have that much more room. So please tell me - is it true??
Our new 2013 Jeep Wrangler four-door gets 24 MPG on the highway.
..... from my perspective, this original question thrown out by dave... and he can certainly address this again, if he wishes............( simple I think VW Bug or other very light type.) has begun to go on in different directions................. unless brought back to the original question.
........... it was a good one, I think. His reasons, were his own and we all have differing reasons to take a toad.
Now... If I got that wrong. Ok...
but moving on.
I'd guess there is a bunch of folks wanting to go Offroad and need or want 4 wheel drive.
I'd guess there is a bunch of folks just wanting to drive around in the localities they wish to visit. yeah? no?
Some want luxury and some don't, so there is a big difference between all these vehicles... (4 wheel drives, amenities, those tiniest Smart cars or Fiats/go carts or heck...just go on to mopeds.., or the more common little vehicles that some of us drive, that also meet most of the markets wishes.)
Going there!! it seems there is a significant cluster of folks that love the Honda Fit.. I did too and chased the market to buy one. At the time... I 'wanted' a small car to be able to transport my father and his wheel chair, so needed enough space behind the back seat and...enough space in front of it for anyone traveling. Test drove all the little ones and ended up, buying the Hyundai elantra touring model because it was quieter, more plush, had more room............ simple needs. Fit was 2nd in line. (Note: what I bought is no longer made.)
All info is good, but if looking for a small car...there is a limited number that might be exceptional . From there, bet's are off, but let's keep the focus on the question.........
Dave ,I don't want to get to far from the original question, but I will, we have had 2 Saturn Vue's and loved both of them, they give us the warm and fuzzys.
Per Edmunds.com:
Weights and Capacities 2013 Honda Fit:
EPA INTERIOR VOLUME 111.4 cu.ft.
CURB WEIGHT 2496 lbs.
CARGO CAPACITY, ALL SEATS IN PLACE 20.6 cu.ft.
MAXIMUM CARGO CAPACITY 57.3 cu.ft.
Weights and Capacities 2013 Honda CR-V:
EPA INTERIOR VOLUME 141.3 cu.ft.
CURB WEIGHT 3305 lbs.
CARGO CAPACITY, ALL SEATS IN PLACE 37.2 cu.ft.
MAXIMUM CARGO CAPACITY 70.9 cu.ft.
Now, how the EPA comes up with those numbers is beyond my pay grade...
Styrofoam peanuts...
Having owned a Fit and a CRV I think the interior space difference is mainly width (+6") and length (+17"). Honda's site lists interior volume as +10 cubic feet (90 vs 100) and I think that is a more representative number than the EPA figure. The extra 6" width in our CRV definitely gives you more elbow room up front. I also think the interior on the CRV has higher grade materials. Our Fit was a 2008 model and it did not have a good driver left foot rest - rather uncomfortable on a longer trip. They fixed that by 2010 (maybe 2009). The Fit has a good ride but is a bit choppy. Interior noise levels are about the same and both are louder on coarse pavement than a Chevy Equinox or Ford Escape. Something to consider if you live in an area with a lot of that type of asphalt paving. Gas mileage is much better in the Fit - we averaged 32 (city/highway overall) versus 24 on the CRV.