Toy hauler/small vehicle

BIKERK9 wrote:
one can always tow 4 down or on a trailer

Do keep in mind not all vehicles can be towed 4 down, trailer yes, but 4 down does require a vehicle that is approved by the manufacturer and they are becoming fewer and fewer.

The Outlaw is a Class A Toy Hauler and has a 2,000 lb capacity in the garage area. One must decide what purpose the garaged vehicle has. On road or off road, cargo space for groceries & golf clubs, max speed, comfort, all weather=snow and rain or fair weather, distance of drives, etc. For light weight vehicles other than motorcycles, there are street legal golf carts, plastic cars like 1960s dune buggies, etc. In addition, one can always tow 4 down or on a trailer behind the Outlaw and have other toys in the garage.

So over the weekend I drove an iQ; looked at a smart and drove a Fiat.

At the end of the day I don't think we would be happy with any of them.

We are going to change direction and find a cj-5; add ac and call it good. We have a wrangler and it is to long; have access to a cj-7 and it is just on the edge, it'd work but it'd be tight. A cj-5 will definitely fit so that's the direction we are headed.

hbillsmith wrote:
I did drive a new Smart at the Mercedes dealership and I also drove the Fiat and IQ. I stand by my opinion. I agree with recomending a drive, everyone should decide for themselves.

Agreed, although we love driving our smarts and prefer them to the competition everybody looks for different things when driving. I think the Fiat 500 abarth has the best overall handling characteristics with the smart car a close second. Fiat 500 is bigger than we need it to be. Small correction on the one post, the smart car does not have a clutchless manual. It does not have a clutch pedal, it does have a clutch like any other manual, it is just controlled by the computer. One of the reasons we like the car. To each his own.

Thanks for the answers and the info--I will pass them along to my friend. He has never owned an RV before and is doing a lot of research before he buys.

I would watch the ramp rate for the toy hauler. I am not sure on the class ratings for toy haulers so maybe mine is not a class A but the ramp will only take so much weight at one time but the unit will haul much more. Size wise I could get my Dodge Avenger in my unit but the ramp won't hold it. Of course the unit is not set up to hold the weight of the Avenger either. Just something to think about.

haven't driven either; but i'm also considering either a smart or an iQ to go on the truck

correct me if i'm mistaken; but isn't the iQ also a four seater? Vs the smart being only available as a 2 seat option?

I did drive a new Smart at the Mercedes dealership and I also drove the Fiat and IQ. I stand by my opinion. I agree with recomending a drive, everyone should decide for themselves.

hbillsmith wrote:
I was looking for exactly the same idea. Small car, less than 10 ft, weight around 2500 pounds or less. Three cars come close - Smart Car, Toyota Scion IQ, Fiat 500. Smart car $12,000 drives like******because of it's clutch-less manual (and feels unstable above 30mph. Fiat is the nicest $18,000 but slightly too heavy. That leaves what I believe to be the perfect Toy Hauler car the Scion IQ. It drives fine on the freeway, weight is right in the acceptable range, fun to drive too $14,000. I drove all three and pick the Scion IQ hands down. Also, check out the Outlaw Class A, it is car carry capable.

Smart cars aren't unstable over 30 mph at all (but they are more susceptible to wind gusts). I go 80 in mine all the time and it is as stable as my SUV. I have it loaded in my toy hauler right now ready for a trip tomorrow. It is a little short on power at times, but it does well and I get up around 45 mpg. Try one out, but don't expect a corvette like drive from it. Mine is well equipped and cost about $16,000 in 2012. They are awesome in my opinion and weigh in at less than 1800 lbs. Best air conditioner out of my 4 vehicles!

I was looking for exactly the same idea. Small car, less than 10 ft, weight around 2500 pounds or less. Three cars come close - Smart Car, Toyota Scion IQ, Fiat 500. Smart car $12,000 drives like******because of it's clutch-less manual (and feels unstable above 30mph. Fiat is the nicest $18,000 but slightly too heavy. That leaves what I believe to be the perfect Toy Hauler car the Scion IQ. It drives fine on the freeway, weight is right in the acceptable range, fun to drive too $14,000. I drove all three and pick the Scion IQ hands down. Also, check out the Outlaw Class A, it is car carry capable.