Frustrated with online car shopping!

coolmom42 wrote:
I am looking for a Ford Explorer with the class III hitch. This hitch is part of the Platinum package, but not a lot of those available, and they are pricey.

I know the class III hitch is an option on the Limited version of the Explorer, and have found 3 ads that specify it. But most ads just say "tow package" or "tow hitch." That's not helpful at all, since there is also a class II hitch, along with a tow rating of 2000 lb.

Is there any way to tell from the VIN exactly what hitch/tow package is on a vehicle?

I am not aware of a VIN decoder, however when I purchased our last vehicle I used TrueCar.com.

If you select the level of trim you want it will guide you through to choose a color and then if you select the Options tab in the lower left there is an option to 'Build Your Own'. This will allow you to select the Class III tow package.

In my case we specified what we wanted and sent out the information to allow a dealer with a matching vehicle to contact us. A local dealer called me and we test drove the car. I wanted a different color and so they had a matching car brought over from another dealer. I had printed out the 'true car' price and used that as my base for negotiating and it went very smoothly.

Quick question. Do you know what you want to tow? There are some folks on this forum who can provide some good background regarding the capability of the Explorer relative to the size of the trailer. A new Explorer is a sizable investment so there may be an advantage in clarifying how well it will handle the trailer you have in mind. Manufacturers tow ratings are typically based on towing a flat bed type trailer with the minimum wind resistance and tongue weight. Travel trailers push a lot a wind and have more tongue weight than a flat bed.

Good luck,
Stu

I looked at the Explorer. Five thousand max won’t tow much and a short wheelbase too. Traverse is similar.

No offense but, why would you want to tow with an Explorer? The Excursion would do much better. I had a 2010 Explorer as a work vehicle. Not bad but, it didn't strike me as a capable tow vehicle. The Excursion is a much more capable vehicle.

Probably not.
Upgrading a hitch is easy. Is there a difference in fluid coolers, etc. between tow packages?