Is anyone still using a car dolly?

I used a dolly for 10 years and 4 down the last 12. If I had to go back to a dolly I would give up RVing. I a now 75 and don't get up as easy as I did in the past. I also do not have my wife to help anymore and I don't know how I could put a car on a dolly alone.

My new car isn't towable, so I opted for a dolly. It's not as convenient as flat towing, but I do like the car so I made some compromises.

RVPA wrote:
4 DOWN IT IS>
Guess I need a new car.

Thanks all

Check your owners manuals and the Motorhome Magazine Dingy guide as some AWD vehicles can be towed 4 down. Most are Honda & GM.

4 DOWN IT IS>
Guess I need a new car.

Thanks all

Just because your cars are AWD doesn't mean they can't be towed 4 down. My car, 2013 Ford Taurus SE is an all wheel drive and we tow it 4 down with no mechanical alterations required.

Prior to this car we had a front wheel drive Fusion and had to use a dolly for it. You need to check your owners manual and find out what the recommended towing method is.

I have done both, a dolly and flat tow. Flat tow is easier but a dolly is not a crazy amount of extra work.

When camping we left the dolly hooked to the motorhome 90% of the time. We got pull through sites if possible or otherwise unloaded the car from the dolly and backed the dolly and the motorhome into the site attached together.

My biggest complaint about the dolly is that in my home province we had to licence it every year $50.00 and get it safety inspected every year $25.00 and the tires lasted about three years. So there are some maintenance costs with a dolly that you don't have flat towing

Since you are going to buy a vehicle specifically to be towed, then why not simply get a vehicle that can be towed four down? As already suggested, a Jeep Wrangler makes a great toad. You aren't just adding a third vehicle to tow, you are adding a versatile vehicle that can take you to many off road destinations while out in the RV.

Or instead of buying a third vehicle at all, you can always get a car trailer too and use the vehicles you already have. The problems with adding a car trailer to the mix are obvious, but lots of people do it.

Yes, I have, and occasionally use, a dolly. If I want to take the PT Cruiser with us, it is a necessity. When we took our vacation and went to Chattanooga, we wanted the PT, so the dolly got a real workout. We didn't find it all THAT bad, and not one of the RV parks we stayed in across the country had a problem with the dolly.
Back then, I had a Jeep. I towed it 4 down with a cheap Reese fixed arm towbar. No problems.
Now, the Jeep is gone, and I tow the truck with a Roadmaster Stowmaster 5000 telescoping towbar. I don't find it to be any better than the old fixed arm towbar, even though a new one is about 6 times more expensive than the Reese. But, I got a good deal on a used one.
I have also used a trailer for transporting a vehicle. There are a lot of vehicles that can not be towed on a dolly and can not be towed four down. A flatbed car hauler is a viable option. Yes, there are "inconveniences", but there are also advantages; ANY vehicle can be loaded, up to the size/weight limits of the trailer, a trailer can be backed up anytime anywhere any distance, a trailer can be used for other things (I used mine for hauling hay).
The bottom line is, there are advantages and disadvantages to each method. It all comes down to personal preference.

Edit: If you want to spend a lazy afternoon in a productive manner, find a rest area with a good view of the freeway, and sit back with a cold beverage of your choice, watching the traffic going by. Take particular note of the motorhomes, and what and how they are towing. I think you will see a LOT of four down tows (many of them Jeeps), many dolly tows, and the number of trailers will surprise you!

We use a dolly simply because it was a cheaper option than replacing our new Civic which can't be towed 4 down.

Dolly Pros: more vehicles (as you have found) can be towed on a dolly, there is no extra equipment to buy, Storing at home or a CG is not the issue folks would have you believe - over half of it tucks under the rear of the MH, you can use a dolly for other purposes - I used to take quite a few friends' cars to the shop to save on a tow bill, in summary they are versatile and not set up specific to a certain vehicle.

Dolly Cons; it's much heavier to move around and there is more involved to hook up than bars, getting the vehicle loaded and centered can be a pain especially in bad weather, it's another set of wheels and brakes to maintain, the straps will need inspected often on your trip as they can come loose.

The backing up issue exists in bars or a dolly so there is no argument there.

4 down is MUCH easier to manage and maintain, but dolly's are far more versatile. But I wouldn't get rid of a car simply for the tow method unless I was full timing. Then it would be 4 down, no question.

I've had both. Although 4 down is clearly easier, the dolly is no where near as difficult as some would have you believe. If you find a good vehicle already set up to tow...great, but if not and you find a car that you want, IMO a dolly is fine. Good luck.

Lou
05 Travel Supreme Envoy

ed6713 wrote:
.... Can't backup with it attached.

Why not? I mean with the car on it you obviously cant, but just the dolly you can. It's a PITA, since it wanders pretty easy, but i back up with just the dolly all the time. Especially when i stop at a truckstop for the night. I'll back the car up first, then back the MH and dolly in the space, then hook the car back up to the dolly.