BEST Cars to tow dinghy style

[dmckinley]

I am VERY new to this RV thing. Excited but nervous. WE are looking to purchase a car we can tow, Everyone has a different opinion. Can I get some suggestions out there? We have a 36 foot Itasca Meridian Diesal pusher.
THANKS

[S-n-L]

Welcome,

I would suggest looking at one of the towing guides to see what cars and trucks can be towed four down. Google towing guide, Motorhome magazine as well as FMCA have published them each year. You can go back many years.

I would suggest one of the Jeep brand vehicles as they are the simplest to set up each time you tow and have no restrictions for towing speed and no need to stop periodically and start the vehicle and run through the gears as many other vehicles require.

We have a 2014 Jeep Cherokee. It has been a great dinghy for us however there are many who have had issues with the front end wobbling when being towed. There is a fix for this. We have towed our Cherokee for over 25,000 miles over the past 2.5 years. We did have the wobble once going over a very bumpy road.

Overall I am very happy with the Cherokee however ff I had to do it over again I am not sure I would buy the Cherokee based on the many complaints but would not hesitate buying another model Jeep for the ease of towing.

[77Travco]

Chevrolet/GMC fullsize K5 Blazer/Jimmy. Super simple to work on, bullet proof straight axle suspension and a t-case that allows for flat 4 towing. I tow a lifted 1985 model... 81-91's are the lightest at about 4200lbs stock.

[imob]

I am curious on this as well. Other then having a larger vehicle to use what are the advantages to towing 4 down rear drive rather then a small front drive on a dolly?

[sirpurrcival]

A couple of issues. First of all, you have the dolly to deal with when you are in a spot. Not all spots give you lots of room over and above the coach and the car. Most can manage the two but many can't do the 3 or even have rules against or charge extra for a storage place.

The other is that you have yet another thing to license, maintain and so on. A trailer gives you more flexibility with what you can bring in terms of a car but also takes more setup to get ready for actually towing. Most flat toads can be hooked up in a matter of minutes. With a dolly, you have to hook it up. Then you have to get the car on it and secured.

[Possum]

I have towed a Jeep Grande Cherokee and loved the comfort but being I tow with a gasser the thisng was hard on gas towing the Jeep. I bought a Suzuki Grande Vitara and love both the ease of towing and the mileage improvement on the MoHo. Many miles over the last few years and the numbers are fabulous. Both were /are full 4 X 4 units.

BTW we did tow our SUV on a dolly and it was too time consuming to set up hook up and then store when not in use. YMMV but that's my 2¢ worth.

[Darwin]

I don't think there is one answer. I have been towing for approx. 35 years and many different cars. VW Rabbit, Jeep Wrangler, Isuzu Amigo, Jeep Grand Cherokee and Chevrolet Equinox. All have be acceptable, our current tow vehicle the Equinox is the easiest so far, I want something quick and easy. We have a roadmaster tow bar and ready brake. Ready brake hook up is connect one cable quick connect. Equinox set up pull one fuse place in neutral, key one click and go.

[dwarfracer1]

Chevy HHr's are simple to tow, hook up ,put in neutral,pull fuse,leave key in ign, and go

[Nick-B]

Hi dmckinley and Welcome to the Forum!

It would greatly help if you provided a few specifics of your needs.
New or Used?
Price range you can afford?
Do you want / need 4WD?
How much seating capacity?
What is your motorhome's towing capacity?

You'll get dozens of suggestion but many may not be applicable to your needs.

[twogypsies]

To give you an idea of what's out there that you can tow 4-down, check this out:

Downloadable Dinghy Guides | MotorHome Magazine

Not all cars can be towed 4-down and don't rely on a car salesman for the correct answer. You'll need to confirm with the car manual.

We towed a Jeep for 8 years of our full-timing and it brought great fun to our RVing. We used it in awesome places and went on rides with other folks staying in the campgrounds. It was a great addition to RVing.

We had a Jeep Liberty and it was very comfortable and easy to use for even 4 people. Unfortunately, it was eliminated from the lineup and was replaced by the Jeep Cherokee (completely different from the Grand Cherokee). The Jeep Cherokee is a beautiful car in and out and we know folks who have one and they perform beautifully on and off-road.

[IlliniCathy]

WE tow Ford Focus dinghy style. Leave key in and turn it off and go. no problems. GEts terrific gas mileage and has a roomy trunk. USed ones pretty inexpensive.

[Pa Miller]

Originally Posted by dwarfracer1

Chevy HHr's are simple to tow, hook up ,put in neutral,pull fuse,leave key in ign, and go

x2 on the HHR easy toad

[stepside454]

Originally Posted by IlliniCathy

WE tow Ford Focus dinghy style. Leave key in and turn it off and go. no problems. GEts terrific gas mileage and has a roomy trunk. USed ones pretty inexpensive.

I assume your Focus is a stick

[Brockx]

Very Happy with my KIA Soul "Basic", 6 speed manual, true 5 passenger, 2800 pounds, and a lot of fun to drive.