Dingy towing VW Beatle, stick

Doublebeagle wrote:
Thanks for all your responses. The car is 14 years old, and well out of any warrantee. We are going to go ahead and get it set up to tow 4 down. Any recommendations as to towbar and braking systems?

Again, thanks for all your input. It is greatly appreciated.

Doublebeagle,
Good for you, glad to see another VW toad. (even though I'm not towing one presently). I love to see one (RVer) going against the grain. Anyway, tow bars are like candy, you pick one you like. Most manufacturers of tow bars make different levels or, capacities of their units. So, you need to know the weight of your VW which, includes a full tank of fuel and, any thing you keep in it, while it will be towed.

And do not go by the printed matter of what it's supposed to weigh. Do yourself a favor and GO GET IT WEIGHED! It's cheap, quick and easy and, you then know for a fact what it weighs. Then, you can go shopping for a tow bar. I've found the last two that we bought, on eBay. One was a Falcon Tow master and the other one, our present one, is a Blue Ox. Both were in fantastic shape when we received them.

Both cost us way less than half price and we got more than just the tow bars. We got the whole setup.

As for braking, that too is a matter of choice. I've used the Ready Brake for three different toads now and it works flawless. It's one of the cheapest out there and, it's dependable and easy to setup. When it comes to actually hooking things up for towing, there's no "robot" to put down in front of the brake pedal and all that.
Your choice.
Scott

Thanks for all your responses. The car is 14 years old, and well out of any warrantee. We are going to go ahead and get it set up to tow 4 down. Any recommendations as to towbar and braking systems?

Again, thanks for all your input. It is greatly appreciated.

Toad'ing any of the manual transmission 99.5 thru 2004 VW MK-V platforms (Jetta, Beattles, etc.) is OK, mine is a 2002 Jetta TDI. Be aware that the TIME to install Roadmaster Tow Brackets takes a couple hours longer than Roadmaster's estimate.

I think it makes a big difference if there is no warranty in effect, like on the OPs unit, or if you have some warranty and have it towed in for transmission issues with towing brackets, etc. on it.
bumpy

Doublebeagle wrote:
Trying to find out if we can 4 down tow a 2000 Beatle stick shift. VW owners manual says OK for 50 miles.......Seems to me that if it's OK for 50 miles it ought to be OK for 500 or 5000. Anyone have experience with this setup?

Thanks a million. :)

Doublebeagle,
I've seen and read many threads on VWs as toads. Especially the later ones. And, I've talked with many RVers out there in the real world, at various camp grounds and RV parks, towing different models of the later VWs, especially the "TDI" stick versions. No less than 100% of them have had any issues what so ever. Many of them have thousands and thousands of miles on their VW toads. All of them of course, being a stick.

In the discussions with most of them, they told me that they too were concerned about towing their VWs so, many of them went directly to a VW dealer and, by-passed the service writer(s) and went directly to the transmission techs to consult them. And, like you, 100% of the techs told them there would be NO ISSUES flat towing them. The techs however, did say they cannot put it in writing because it would be in conflict with VOA rules and policies of authorization of flat towing of any of their fleet.

So, just having the word of experienced techs was good enough for the folks I've spoken with at all these places. They then went out and purchased base plates, tow bars and all the wiring necessary to make their VW toads, towable. And, as stated, not one of them ever had any issues. Several of them had several thousand miles on their VW toads. I really like and, have had two, later VW Beetles, an '03 and an '04, both TDI models. Neither of those cars, EVER dropped below 41 mpg, no matter how I drove them, and under any circumstances like hills, A/C on, full load of people, etc.

So, your choice but, it's done on a regular basis, even without VOA authorization.
Scott

VW owners manual says OK for 50 miles.......Seems to me that if it's OK for 50 miles it ought to be OK for 500 or 5000.

you can do it, I wouldn't.
many vehicles give emergency towing instructions, 30 miles at less than 30 mph etc.
bumpy

I had a 1998 Beetle manual tranny and towed it four down for years without a problem.Before I bought it I went to a local VW service center and talked to the lead tech in the service dept.His response was there is no mechanical reason that it couldn't be done. I would probably still have it but was looking for a little more room, Traded it for an automatic HHR and now have a 2012 Ford Edge.. All great towing vehicles!