What "toad" to buy

Goldencrazy wrote:
I also have talked to three people who were towing the new Fiat. They are smaller but fun car to drive and make great toads in the mannual tranny models.

They are also at the very bottom of the list in reliability. If you get the urge to buy one of these things, I would strongly suggest spending some time looking at enthusiast forums, and long term reviews. There may be worse cars out there, but I doubt it.

rr2254545 wrote:

dshinnick wrote:

We have a 2009 Honda Fit. After hooking up the tow bar, it requires no other prep than to start the engine, run through the gears from top to bottom, ending up in neutral, letting it idle for awhile, then shutting it down.

Do your research before committing. Don't get stuck with a cumbersome procedure that you have to do over and over and over. And yes, having a toad is a no-brainer. It allows you to take advantage of a park's weekly rate, yet be able to see the area, take day trips, run to the grocery store, etc. We wouldn't be full-timers without one. No way.

dave

I got rid of my 2009 Fit as it was a PIA running through gears etc I felt it was cumbersome and time consuming - it also had a towing speed limit -
Got the Jeep love it and do not miss the Honda at all

Seriously? I tow a Honda. I hook-up the bar and sit in the car to reverse it and lock the bar arms. The next step takes an excruciating and painful TWENTY seconds. I run the trans through all the gears, leave it in drive for 15 seconds, and reach down and flip the fuse disconnect switch. I leave it run, in neutral, for a few minutes as I'm connecting the remainder of the tow system. Next it's reaching in to turn the key off. This might be a total of thirty seconds, total.

I can see why you would like a Jeep better, they are fun and cool, but claiming that hitching a Honda is a time consuming PITA is a bit of a stretch.

I also vote for the Jeep Wrangler.

lanerd wrote:


We don't use our toad for off roading; however, it is AWD, and providing there's sufficient ground clearance, it will go just about anywhere. I'm not sure how much your Jeep weighs, but our Terrain is only 4000 (right on the money, by the way) as we have weighed it several times.

I use to have a beefed up 1st gen Bronco and we DID do a lot of 4-wheeling in our day. While it WOULD go anywhere and was fun to drive off road, driving it OTR was something else all together. We now enjoy the comfort, ease of driving, super stereo system, AC, NAV, leather...... Getting older does have its pleasures.

Ron

Before the mods, 3770 lbs. With a custom bumper and winch, 3943 without passengers (this also includes about 50 lbs. of gear/tools). We also have a super stereo system and A/C but did without the NAV because we have custom off road maps in our portable. We also went without leather - top down, sudden rain, mud flying, stream crossings - just too much work. With the interior we have, we can hose it out when it gets muddy.

But, the highway ride can be rougher in the jeep - the mudder tires are loud, as is the convertible top. I just turn the stereo up louder...

My original point was that the Terrain and the Wrangler are not comparable, regardless of price or weight. They are made for two different types of driving experiences. Well, typically. More and more jeeps have never been off road. Which is really, really, sad; that is where they prove themselves.

I also have talked to three people who were towing the new Fiat. They are smaller but fun car to drive and make great toads in the mannual tranny models.

There are lots of good choices for a toad. We have both a Honda Fit and a Jeep Rubicon. We mostly pull the Fit because it has a lot of room in the back and gets great gas mileage. We pull the Rubicon when we want to go off road. They are both great toads.

If you want a nice small SUV with an automatic transmission a 2014 or older Honda is easy to tow with no modification. If you don't mind a manual transmission the Scion XB is a nice economical car to tow with a lot of interior room. Both these vehicles are under 3500 lbs.:)

I tow a 2014 Honda CRV all 4 wheels down my tow bar is a Roadmaster it was recommended by a welding shop that installs lots of tow bars per year on motorhomes. I have my towbar and base plates inspected every year and it still does the job. I bought my tow bar new in 1999.

lanerd wrote:


Absolute correct on that statement.

We don't use our toad for off roading; however, it is AWD, and providing there's sufficient ground clearance, it will go just about anywhere. I'm not sure how much your Jeep weighs, but our Terrain is only 4000 (right on the money, by the way) as we have weighed it several times.

I use to have a beefed up 1st gen Bronco and we DID do a lot of 4-wheeling in our day. While it WOULD go anywhere and was fun to drive off road, driving it OTR was something else all together. We now enjoy the comfort, ease of driving, super stereo system, AC, NAV, leather...... Getting older does have its pleasures.

Ron

I have a Jeep...a Trailhawk :) Right at 4280 lbs (per CAT Scales), all the creature comforts (Leather, A/C, Sat Radio with weather and traffic, Nav, power everything, UConnect, etc.). Still retains the 4 wheel drive for the more "rough and tumble" end of pavement if you want to get "out there" (several nice rock crawling videos on UTube), but, still, a very comfortable road car. For 4 wheel down, you just need to make sure that you get the Active Drive II transmission (it has the electric transfer case with neutral). I'm currently getting an average of ~28 mpg in our mixed driving on this trip with the 3.2 litre V6. The only thing that I haven't gotten completely used to yet, is the engine cuts off at stop lights, stop signs, etc. (if certain parameters are met) and then instantly restarts when you take your foot off the brake. The first few times it did it, I was a bit concerned, but, the system seems to work just fine and it isn't quite so unsettling now to stop at a stop sign and have the engine die...

We originally looked at the Grand Cherokee and the Wrangler, but, didn't like the size/weight of the Grand Cherokee and didn't like the ride and Spartan looks of the Wrangler. Like Goldilocks, the Trailhawk was "just right".

Like everything else, though, it all comes down to personal preference as long as the 4 down towing capability is met; there are many cars/trucks/SUVs out there that will fill the bill once you get your personal tastes ironed out. I like the capability of being able to get "out there" every now and then (saw a nice herd of wild horses in an area that only 4 wheel drive would go), but, not everyone is interested in that capability.

dahkota wrote:

lanerd wrote:
x2 for the Equinox...and it's sibling, the GMC Terrain. Both are excellent toads, much quieter, smoother, better mpg than any Jeep Wrangler or Honda CRV, plus they can be loaded with options that can make it a perfect toad and every day car.

Ron

Many true things; but your Terrain is heavier, longer, and more expensive than my Jeep. The Terrain also has less ground clearance, a larger turning radius, and no 4 wheel drive.

With a Jeep, I get a convertible, go anywhere, vehicle that expands my access in most all conditions and is a lot of fun to drive. We wander beaches, deserts, mountains, and forests all over the country. Most of those places would not have been reachable with an all-wheel drive, no clearance SUV.

Your choice is really dependent on what you like to do. If you stick to paved roads, get something small and practical. If you like to explore where the pavement ends, a Jeep is your best choice.

Absolute correct on that statement.

We don't use our toad for off roading; however, it is AWD, and providing there's sufficient ground clearance, it will go just about anywhere. I'm not sure how much your Jeep weighs, but our Terrain is only 4000 (right on the money, by the way) as we have weighed it several times.

I use to have a beefed up 1st gen Bronco and we DID do a lot of 4-wheeling in our day. While it WOULD go anywhere and was fun to drive off road, driving it OTR was something else all together. We now enjoy the comfort, ease of driving, super stereo system, AC, NAV, leather...... Getting older does have its pleasures.

Ron