vehicles that be flat-towed

[RECVEH2005]

Is there somewhere a current list of vehicles that are able to be flat-towed behind a motorhome? We are considering a gas motorhome.

Mike

[tropical36]

Gjac wrote:
A point not made yet is to pick a car that you would want to use as a daily driver. Everyone's preference is differant, for example a Jeep makes a good tow vehicle I just would not want to drive it on a daily basis, some don't mind.

You're so right about the DD and I've always recommended that.
DW had a Miata with auto tranny and I have an F-150 2x4 auto, so we did without for awhile. Then low and behold the big boys began to scare her on the road so opted for a Wrangler and the sport car days are over. It's pretty nimble and she loves it as a mall crawler and I like it for it's off road capabilities.

[Gjac]

A point not made yet is to pick a car that you would want to use as a daily driver. Everyone's preference is differant, for example a Jeep makes a good tow vehicle I just would not want to drive it on a daily basis, some don't mind.

[tropical36]

jplante4 wrote:

2gypsies wrote:
... and if you travel in the western states you'll find more Jeeps. 🙂 Jeeps can give a lot of off-road entertainment. Everyone is different in needs and that's o.k.

Trip was through the southeast and I think it was pretty even between Jeeps and Hondas. With just a 300hp CAT, my biggest concern is toad weight.

Are you kidding me and at 35ft, the engine should be of no concern, unless you feel the need to be KING OF THE HILL. Our CAT C9 amazes me with the way it pushes our 41ft, with well over two tons of Jeep over the mountain tops and seldom drops below 5th gear overdrive, so even if you should drop into 4th, no biggie. Given you might be about 50HP under for the length, but then you could be closer with a weight ratio of around 29K-30K GVW in lbs. and maybe don't even weigh that. Just comparing apples to apples here, with no consideration to GCWR.
In fact with our old gas coach it did very well over the same terrain and was all over the Rockies. This with the Jeep being a good ton overweight for that coach (GCWR) and solely because of the Chevy tranny limits. Had to be careful on those long 6% grades, or it would go into limp mode. Never overheated the 7.4, though.
Besides all that, not all cars weigh 4500lbs, either.

[crawford]

Thank goodness for my Saturn great towing car since 03 with over 35,000 mile behind coach

[jplante4]

2gypsies wrote:
... and if you travel in the western states you'll find more Jeeps. 🙂 Jeeps can give a lot of off-road entertainment. Everyone is different in needs and that's o.k.

Trip was through the southeast and I think it was pretty even between Jeeps and Hondas. With just a 300hp CAT, my biggest concern is toad weight.

[RECVEH2005]

Wow! I really appreciate all the help! You folks are super! Thanks much; this will be a new venture for us after 19 years of fiver towing.

Mike

[-Gramps-]

2016 Dingy Tow guide and list

[Dutch_12078]

As a follow-on to rockhillmanor's post, we already had a paid for car we liked a lot that weighed well under our towing limit, a 2002 Toyota RAV4. We did find that we needed to install a Remco transmission lube pump to make it 4-down towable, but the cost of that was considerably less than the cost of trading in the car for a make/model we would not have liked as well. I installed the pump, base plate, and wiring myself, and we towed that car for about 30,000 trouble free miles. When we were ready to buy a newer toad, I found that everything on the 2002 RAV4 would swap right over to the then new 2011 RAV4 that we liked, except the base plate, so that's what we bought. We've now towed our 2011 RAV4 nearly 20,000 trouble free miles. My whole point being that towing a car we really liked was more important to us than the extra cost of modifying it for towing. Don't tie yourself down to only those on some list. Do your research...

[rockhillmanor]

On the flip side of using lists of cars. This is how I arrived at what type of car to buy to use as a Toad for the MH.

Find what type of car you like. One that can also be utilized in your family when not being towed by the RV. How many it can seat and cargo area and that the car weighs 'under' the weight your MH is rated to tow.

Look in the 'manufactures' 'Owners Manual'. Under the section recreational towing it will state whether the car can be towed 4 down or needs a dolly.

And, if you are buying the car from a dealer NEVER EVER listen to the salesman that says "Sure this car can be towed 4-down". Always check the owners manual. And if the manual is not in the glovebox make the salesman get it for you. :W

I ended up with a Chevy Tracker 4dr, 4x4. Seats 5 and still has cargo area and when back seats folded down had a huge cargo area.

[2gypsies1]

jplante4 wrote:
FWIW, I did an informal survey last winter of what's being towed (I looked at every class A going by to see what they were towing), and it seems the overwhelming majority were towing either a Honda CR-V or some version of a Jeep.

... and if you travel in the western states you'll find more Jeeps. 🙂 Jeeps can give a lot of off-road entertainment. Everyone is different in needs and that's o.k.

[damntough]

For information about Ford 4 wheels down towing, refer to the documents on the following sites.

http://www.fleet.ford.com/towing-guides/

[crasster]

There are many that can. So many options out there. The thing we settled on after a lot of though was a Toyota Yaris. The reason for this is they tow 4 down (standard trans), they are SUPER light and we never question weight. They are rock solid in reliability. When we visit mountains they are super fun to drive too and incredibly nimble around mountain bends. The MPG is awesome if you want to take a 3-4 hour trip out. Also the reliability is that of a Toyota... There are people that have driven these little 4 cylinder cars for 500k+ miles. You can get a good used one for $5500 to $8k.

[jplante4]

FWIW, I did an informal survey last winter of what's being towed (I looked at every class A going by to see what they were towing), and it seems the overwhelming majority were towing either a Honda CR-V or some version of a Jeep. I did this because I expected that after renting cars every time we needed groceries, we'd decide to get something we can tow. I've settled on a CR-V.

[RECVEH2005]

Thanks, folks, I'll get to work checking the references out.

Mike