what type of tow bar to use

We have a 2007 Malibu Maxx LT that we towed until this spring. Got a Demco baseplate and a Ready Brute Elite tow bar. Just pull the fuse and follow the procedure in the owners manual on towing. You will not have a problem.

If price has anything to do with your choice. Don't jump the gun on buying stuff to tow. Add up the entire cost of everything you will need first. Going totally new and somebody else doing all the work price was about $4,000 for us.

Short answers:
No, not every car can be towed 4 down, not even every stickshift car. Most of them can be adapted to be towed. Google Remco.
Majority of folks here like Roadmaster or Blue Ox towbars.

Shopping for a car, we bought an '06 CRV, stickshift, specifically because it would do double duty for us with minimal hassle. Very pleased with it.

Agree, look for used. The tow car should be used as it take some abuse. You might even find a tow car with base plate already installed.

As for a towbar, I have a ReadyBrute Elite system with Ready Brake as part of the system. For around $1K you will not find a better tow bar and brake system combination.

I was lucky enough to find a RoadMaster Stowmaster about an hour away for $50. Well worth the road trip. I purchased a $37 set of quick disconnects, $25 safety cables and a $12 set of magnetic lights. So for just over $100 I had a basic tow package. I plan to add a ReadyBrake surge brake system ($375) down the road and I will be totally set for towing a 1994 Jeep Wrangler.

Jose

Liltippy wrote:
I have a ReadyBrute Elite system with Ready Brake as part of the system. For around $1K you will not find a better tow bar and brake system combination.

For around $800, the Blue Ox Alpha BX7365 tow bar with the Blue Ox AutoStop BX8893 braking system works well also.

Amending path1's Roadmaster link: http://roadmasterinc.com/vehicle_guide/tow_bar_brackets.php

If you want to use the car's tail lights instead of the Mickey Mouse ears on the trunk you'll need a tail light kit similar to one of these.
Parts list (each item purchased separately):
Tow Bar
Base Plates
Security Cables
Tail Light kit (security cables may be included)

If you buy new and have a shop perform the installation, your out-the-door cost will be anywhere between $2,300 USD and $3,000 USD. The $700 difference usually accounts for the shop's labor rate/install time for a given vehicle, and if you buy a higher-end tow bar. A higher-end tow bar can add $200 to $300 to the total cost.

Note: it is possible to mix-and-match different brands of base plates and towbars. Example. I recommend against buying used base plates. There is no easy way to know how much metal fatigue they may have endured.

There are towbars that can utilize an integrated external surge brake. If your tow bar requires a separate braking system and you don't choose an external surge brake, expect to budget at least $1,000 , just for the braking system.

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Now the fun part....

Does your coach have a rear sway bar/trac bar?
Does it have the OE front sway bar?
Does it have a steering stabilizer (as opposed to a steering damper)?

When towing the rear sway bar/trac bar is highly recommended.
Replacing the OE front sway bar with a heavy-duty one and replacing the OE damper with a stabilizer may be recommended.

In my case the steering damper was leaking fluid. Switching to a Safe-T-Plus made a big difference. Each of the above, if bought new and installed by a shop, should have an out-the-door cost of about $450 USD to $500 USD for each one.

If your Maxx has 4 speed OD automatic and is not the high performance model, the automatic is one that can put up with four-down towing.

You need brackets or baseplate to connect a tow bar, a tow bar, lighting, and for a car that size behind a C, a braking solution. Tow bar can be as little as $100 or over $1000, braking from a few hundred to more than a thousand, lighting from $20 what I paid for a magnetic base light set) to a couple hundred (installing wiring and diodes to integrate RV and car). Not a lot of variation in baseplate or bracket costs for a Malibu, $200 to $600 depending on installation costs, not like you can bolt a couple tabs to the bumper as on sold old Jeeps.

Overall cost depends on who does the work, typically as much as half the cost of towing prep might be labor. I installed my own baseplate, was ten hours work sitting and laying on a hot driveway, should have paid the shop $300 to $400 to do it but didn't want to wait. Braking and lighting installation cost can be low or high, depending on your choice of solution.

A lot of people towing choose a car specifically for the task, older GM compacts certain midsize are a common choice, so you got lucky there.

The 2006 Malibu Maxx can be towed with automatic transmission. Here is a link to the download site for Motorhome Magazine's 2006 dingy towing guide

2006 towing guide

I tow a Honda Element with a automatic trans and 4 wheel drive and it's been great. I can't tow over 65 mph and use the same procedure as the CRV. I use a Towmaster 8000 lb tow bar I picked up cheap and a Towmaster base plate. I did all the work myself including the wiring and it cost me about $750. I would make sure what ever tow bar you use is rated more than what you need. I was told I could not tow my Element but I did some research and it has the same drive train as the CRV. I towed the Element over 1400 miles in one week with no problems. I could have towed a car or a truck much bigger and heavier than the Element but I love the ugly little car it does everything we need.
I had one guy at a campground in Boone NC tell me I couldn't tow the Element and I ask him how he thought it got here from MD.