Newbie w/ tow vehicle question...

[cowgirly]

Hi all! I'm thinking of purchasing my first trailer (a vintage 1964 Aristocrat Mainliner) and am hoping for some advice from you knowledgeable folks:

I’m trying to get an idea of what kind of vehicle I’d need to tow this trailer. Seller said it's 2,000 pounds but I can't find anything online to corroborate this... any one have an idea?

And regarding a tow vehicle: currently I drive a 1997 Honda Civic 4-door manual transmission - and everything I read online advises against towing anything with this car. So I’d need to sell it and buy another - what kinds of older-model, reliable cars could easily handle towing it up the occasional mountain (I live in the NW), but still be an everyday around-town vehicle for the other 48 weeks of the year? I'm only looking to own one vehicle, mostly used for city driving with the occasional roadtrip. I'm also NOT looking to buy a pickup truck (I live in the rainy, wet Pacific NW where it seems like a bad choice for most of the year). So what are the specifications I should look for in a tow-worthy, city-livin' vehicle - engine size etc?

Many thanks for your advice!

[yillb]

jawsthemeswimming428 wrote:
I would recommend towing with a small SUV or something similar. The tow rating for your vehicle is a theoretical maximum. I don't like getting anywhere near that number. My TT is just below 4000lbs empty. Then add all the essentials and it's probably somewhere between 4750 and 5000. My Jeep is rated to tow 6200lbs.

Theoretical? Its either the max limitation or its not. Their is nothing theoretical about this. Maybe you misspoke ?

[time2roll]

If you are into retro maybe a 1964 Galaxie 500 or Chevrolet Impala 🙂

[cowgirly]

Awesome, y'all are great. Thanks for suggesting I have it weighed first - and where to do so - that's a smart move before I buy a new vehicle. I feel like I have a much better idea of how to go about this, now... am open to more ideas, and thanks for all!

[Mortimer_Brewst]

I would suggest looking at mid-size SUVs such as the Ford Explorer, Honda Pilot or Toyota Highlander. There are others as well. They all have longer wheelbases and higher payload capacities than the small SUVs mentioned earlier. A minivan might be an option as well. In any case I'd definitely look for a vehicle with a tow package and a strong engine as you'll be pushing some air with that trailer.

[KD4UPL]

The safest thing to do is insist the trailer be weighed before you buy it. There are scales at lumberyards, scrapyards, feed mills, quarries, and truck stops. Except for truck stops you can often use the scales for free if you ask.
I don't know that trailer but even if it is only 2,000 pounds empty you will need to add the weight of all the water, propane, food, gear, clothes, etc. that you plan to haul. If you don't want a pick-up then a small SUV WITH A TOWING PACKAGE would be a great choice.

[lanerd]

A v-6 Chevy Equinox or GMC Terrain are rated for 3500 lbs. Seems to me that this would be a good match up for a 2000 trailer.

[mbopp]

If you insist on sticking with a car.....
My wife's V-6 Toyota Venza is rated for 3500# towing WITH THE TOW PACKAGE.
And I recall her previous Subaru was rated for 3500 or 4000# towing.
Either way, I'd make arrangements to get the trailer weighed before you buy it.

[NYCgrrl]

Think of what you originally comfortably towed it with and find out the specs "backwards" via your experience:).

[cowgirly]

Thanks to everyone for your input! I'm getting a better idea of what to look for. Also, I edited my original post to say that I"m NOT looking for a pickup truck - it's rainy much of the year here so it seems like a bad choice for an everyday vehicle (no room for friends, and would need a cap to have a useable "trunk" space). Please keep the ideas coming, I appreciate it!

[kohai]

jawsthemeswimming428 wrote:
I would recommend towing with a small SUV or something similar. The tow rating for your vehicle is a theoretical maximum. I don't like getting anywhere near that number. My TT is just below 4000lbs empty. Then add all the essentials and it's probably somewhere between 4750 and 5000. My Jeep is rated to tow 6200lbs.

I agree, if you don't want a truck for 48 weeks a year, probably an suv of some sort however many have poopy tow capabilities. Our Toyota 4runner can do 500 tongue weight and 5000 tow weight (v6). Gas mileage is not impressive either for a daily driver -- about 18-21.

[jawsthemeswimmi]

I would recommend towing with a small SUV or something similar. The tow rating for your vehicle is a theoretical maximum. I don't like getting anywhere near that number. My TT is just below 4000lbs empty. Then add all the essentials and it's probably somewhere between 4750 and 5000. My Jeep is rated to tow 6200lbs.

[samsontdog]

I had a Aristocrat Mainliner way back in the 60s. I towed it with a 59 Chev 1/2
Apachi 6 cy or some name like that. Also had several more Aristocrats that the names I can not remember. They were good TTs. I remember another name, Low Liner. Those were the days. We had 5 kids at the time in one of those 14 or 16 ft TT with no BR and ice box for ref. I would buy a 6 cy Toyota P/Up or a Ford half ton. Either one would tow it just fine

[Old-Biscuit]

Buy a 150/1500 PICKUP truck with 'tow package' (trans cooler, larger radiator, receiver hitch/wiring harness)

Great grocery getter, adequate bumper pull tow vehicle and truck bed for hauling items

Replace the 'P' rated tires with some good LT 'E' rated tires


On Edit:
Some Aristocrat info....weights listed are most likely DRY weights

https://www.tincantourists.com/wiki/doku.php?id=start

http://www.myvintagetraveltrailer.com/vintage-aristocrat-trailers/

http://aristocrattrailer.webs.com/

https://www.pinterest.com/explore/aristocrat-trailer/