Community Forums

donnariley53 · 10-02-2014, 06:52 PM

We are shopping for a vehicle to tow. We currently own a Toyota Prius and several IRV2'ers have suggested we consider the Ford C-Max as a replacement which can be flat towed. We would not consider a used C-Max as Consumer Reports cite reliability issues. Are we crazy to consider towing a new vehicle behind our motorhome? Does anyone have a C-Max? We are considering a 2014 C-Max Energi and are wondering if there are charging issues at campgrounds ? I do realize we will need a portable charger to accomplish charging away from home.

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Gordon Dewald · 10-02-2014, 07:05 PM

Tow whatever you want behind your vehicle. Its your money so you can do what you want with it. The question I always ask myself "Do you want it?" If the answer is yes I feel I am worth it.

There are folks who will tell you to buy something used and save the money for something else. Why not have the something else be a new vehicle if you want it.

A new vehicle would warrant a better protection system than an older vehicle. Again your choice.

falconman · 10-03-2014, 11:50 AM

It only has a 20 mile range in electric mode, hardly worth the cost and hassle charging I think.

wilanddij · 10-04-2014, 06:37 AM

We have a 2014 C-Max that we're towing 4-down, and that's the reason we bought it. We towed a 04 Jeep Wrangler for several years, but its MPG was not a whole lot better than the MH. Then we bought a 09 Prius and pulled it for a year on a dolly. Loved the MPG, but hated the dolly. Love the C-Max; MPG plus 4-down. BTW, ours is not an Energi, but why do you consider charging at a RV park a problem? Seems to me it would plug into a regular 20A circuit same as your home.

donnariley53 · 10-04-2014, 06:52 AM

Thanks for your response. We are also considering the Nissan Leaf but it would require a dolly. We found an ad for one that retracts when the car is not on it to a point where it only extends about 3-4 ft behind the RV which, on the surface, seems like it would not be a problem even in a small, tight campground. Of course, I guess we'd still have to detach it to back into a back-in site.
Why did you hate the dolly?
We are "newbies" (purchased RV six months ago and will be retired in 2 months) and appreciate any/all advice.

wilanddij · 10-04-2014, 07:43 AM

Why did I hate the dolly? Let me count the ways.
Hated finding storage space at home and on the road (some RV parks just can't accommodate a place to store the dolly without pulling it with a vehicle).
Hated driving up on it.
Hated having to put on coveralls to lay on the ground to put on safety chains (the year we used it, seemed it was always raining when I needed to hook up).

So much easier to pull the toad up behind the MH, attach the tow bar, electrical cable, breakaway, & safety cables, test & go.

RoamingGnome · 10-04-2014, 07:48 AM

I bought a brand new 2013 Hyundai Elantra in mid 2013 to tow 4-down behind the MH. Paid $16k and got a vehicle with excellent reviews, 10yr 100k mi warranty, lots of passanger and cargo space, averages 38mpg, weighs only 2700 lbs (2830 lbs with tow bar, bike rack and two mtn bikes and some tools per the CAT scale) and no worry about previous owner abuse. I bought what I considered a "cheap" car because within a month after I got it I was tearing it apart to add tow-bar base plate to the front, 1.5" tow reciever to the rear for a bike rack, diodes in the rear-light circuits, battery charge circuit from the tow umbilical, and was about to beat the crap out of it towing it around the country. We towed it for 8k miles so far this year and drove it 7k miles. It has been dented by a hail storm in SD, bicycles falling into it when being removed from the rack in MT, firewood snags in the trunk carpets, small scratches in the interior door panels from recliner beach chairs tossed in the back seat for day-trips to Yellowstone Lake, melted chocolate spot on the carpet from a trip through the Badlands, all during its first big trip! The Tow Shield full-front bra has worked very well at protecting the vehicle while on the road - I wish I had a video of the air-flow beating I saw it get in my rear-view camera going down the highway during a rainstorm. It was like a windtunnel test with water instead of smoke in the air stream. It takes me less than 3 minutes to unpack and install the shield. As an added bonus, the rounded front of the car allows me to make extremely tight radius turns while towing it even with our tandem bicycle on a rack mounted on the back of the MH using a multi 2" reciever/adapter/drop-hitch that lets me have tow bar and bike rack on the MH hitch. This car was the perfect choice for me.

tlkhorses · 10-09-2014, 12:17 PM

We bought a C-Max and put a toed charger in it. Towed 4 down for a year now and never had a problem. I will add that there have been a couple of times I have gotten into a spot. Just unhook, fold up the bar and back up. Little harder to do that with a dolly I would think.

KennyGolub · 10-13-2014, 05:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wilanddij

We have a 2014 C-Max that we're towing 4-down, and that's the reason we bought it. We towed a 04 Jeep Wrangler for several years, but its MPG was not a whole lot better than the MH. Then we bought a 09 Prius and pulled it for a year on a dolly. Loved the MPG, but hated the dolly. Love the C-Max; MPG plus 4-down. BTW, ours is not an Energi, but why do you consider charging at a RV park a problem? Seems to me it would plug into a regular 20A circuit same as your home.

Hi !

Could I ask why you hated the dolly?

Thanks,
Ken

Scarab0088 · 10-13-2014, 09:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wilanddij

Why did I hate the dolly? Let me count the ways.
Hated finding storage space at home and on the road (some RV parks just can't accommodate a place to store the dolly without pulling it with a vehicle).
Hated driving up on it.
Hated having to put on coveralls to lay on the ground to put on safety chains (the year we used it, seemed it was always raining when I needed to hook up).

So much easier to pull the toad up behind the MH, attach the tow bar, electrical cable, breakaway, & safety cables, test & go.

Quote:

Originally Posted by KennyGolub

Hi !

Could I ask why you hated the dolly?

Thanks,
Ken

The answer above the question...

But I HAVE to ask a question too...why would anyone EVER get under the car for attaching the safety chains?

If the only hard points are up-under the toad body why, would you not just buy and mount a second piece of chain to make that connection and leave it on the car for connecting to the dolly chains?

Most all modern cars have a tie-down hoop just under the bumper that is made as a hard-point

And I would never attach chain to suspension parts...but that is just me.

Flat towing is great, but for those of us that must use a dolly (or don't wish to dissect our car's fascia for baseplates and such), there is no reason to make it more difficult.

Safe travels

Mr_D · 10-13-2014, 10:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scarab0088

The answer above the question...

But I HAVE to ask a question too...why would anyone EVER get under the car for attaching the safety chains?

If the only hard points are up-under the toad body why, would you not just buy and mount a second piece of chain to make that connection and leave it on the car for connecting to the dolly chains?

Most all modern cars have a tie-down hoop just under the bumper that is made as a hard-point

And I would never attach chain to suspension parts...but that is just me.

Flat towing is great, but for those of us that must use a dolly (or don't wish to dissect our car's fascia for baseplates and such), there is no reason to make it more difficult.

Safe travels

Teh front end is too far forward on our Ody so I wrap the chain around the lower A arm and I do have to get down and reach under although now that I'm towing four down I don't need to do that.

wilanddij · 10-14-2014, 04:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KennyGolub

Hi !

Could I ask why you hated the dolly?

Thanks,
Ken

Why did I hate the dolly? Let me count the ways.
Hated finding storage space at home and on the road (some RV parks just can't accommodate a place to store the dolly without pulling it with a vehicle & didn't have a trailer hitch on the Prius).
Hated driving up on it. Needed extra 2x6's to keep from bashing the front spoiler because the ramps were too steep.
Hated having to put on coveralls to lay on the ground to put on safety chains (the year we used it, seemed it was always raining when I needed to hook up).

So much easier to pull the toad up behind the MH, attach the tow bar, electrical cable, breakaway, & safety cables, test & go.

stonekeepers · 10-14-2014, 04:30 PM

We bought a 2013 C-Max SE to tow behind our Class C Sunseeker. It's been great so far. We did have a flat and had to have the car towed to the nearest Ford dealer. I learned that there are not many 2013-14 vehicles that have any kind of spare. :-( they just have a can of inflation stuff. But, the tow was free. Replacement tire was expensive.

We have over 30,000 driven miles on the car and have towed it at least 5000. Our mpg on the car is 41mpg consistently. Love that part. Only real issue is that we went to Quartzsite last winter and I wanted to go rockhounding in the desert. The C-Max is NOT a high-clearance vehicle and not well suited for that kind of off road travel. It's great for traveling in the city...comfortable and easy to drive. It's a great city car.