Forum Discussion

drsteve's avatar
drsteve
Explorer
Jun 26, 2015

Chevy Malibu towing.

No, not as a toad. Today I saw a 2007 Malibu sitting in a parking lot with a Coleman Sequoia popup hooked to it. Wish I had taken a pic. The 'bu can tow 1000 lb according to GM. The Sequoia weighs about 1400. I wonder how long that sealed tranny will last? Or if a cooler was installed?
  • I once saw a Land Rover pulling a 5th wheel. Had a adapter/extension going to the receiver ball. Looked like a sway back mule.
  • If the fwd Malibu towing 1400 lbs is a danger then my fwd Minivan pulling 2,900 lbs is surely going to kill somebody any moment now.

    Some of these cars with measly 1,000 lb tow ratings would actually make amazing Tow Vehicles within reason. Lots of these cars make more power now and have superior brakes than HD trucks of just 20-25 years ago.

    The pic below is not doctored but each vehicle was customized to improve towing capability. Tranny coolers added if necessary, hitches reinforced to withstand WD, etc.



    Lots of non-trucks towing safely every single day in the U.S. and Canada.

    Thanks!

    Jeremiah
  • I'm having a hitch and wiring installed on my Ford Fiesta on Monday. I would have zero concerns pulling that with even my Fiesta. Granted, the concerns about longevity are not off-base, but for occasional towing it probably won't have a dramatic impact on a car's total life.
  • I'm not so sure I agree it's such a dangerous situation. If indeed the Coleman popup weighs only around 1400 pounds and is towed occasionally to local parks and campgrounds, it should pose no problem. Looks like someone is using what they have to provide some good times. I worry much more about 60,000 pound trucks one after another on the interstates, often driven by inexperienced, tired or drugged out "professionals" than some front wheel drive car with a popup behind it.
  • Unfortunate, but there are so many folks that don't do the research on their own vehicles, or simply don't care. They put themselves, family members, and the rest of us in danger on the roads every day.
  • Come on up here this next week(4th or July), or ANY Friday during the summer and I will show you that and even worse, multiple times a day. They come from the Valley by the thousands during the summer and the RV salesman down there do NOT have a conscience.