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Old 02-09-2017, 04:55 PM   #1
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Can a Volkswagen GTI with standard transmission be towed on a dolly?

We have decided to sell our amazing 2007 MINI S [moderator edit] and get a new GTI 6 speed - for the 4 doors and long distance driving comfort. The MINI is flat towable but I know the GTI is not, even though it is a standard. Can it be towed with the front wheels off the ground?
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Old 02-09-2017, 05:28 PM   #2
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Hmmmmm. How do you know the GTI with a manual transmission is not flat towable? I would not have seen that info anywhere else but in the owners manual.

Same goes for dolly towing. If the rear wheels of a GTI are just going along for the ride, I'd assume it's dolly towable. Maybe.....ask a tow truck driver?
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Old 02-09-2017, 07:13 PM   #3
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Well,
Unless things have changed in the last couple of years, VOA (Volkswagon of America) has never authorized ANY of it's fleet to be flat towed. I've checked many of the Dinghy Towing Guides over the years and, not one entry has been made by VOA. I have a few stored in my documents and, the latest is a '13. I just checked it again and, no VW entries.

But, that has not stopped may RVers out there from FLAT towing many of the VW models. I've spoken with many in campgrounds all over the Western U.S. and, about 100% of them were stick versions, none were automatics. And, a very large percentage of the folks that were towing them actually contacted the VW transmission techs at their local dealership and consulted them about the effects of flat towing manual versions.

And, just about every one of the techs replied that it would be perfectly fine. But, all these folks that I spoke with also stated that none of these techs would PUBLICLY confirm this as, it's against VOA regs. And, any that I spoke with, NEVER, EVER had any technical problems with their VWs, no transmission damage, no drive train issues, NOTHING!

So, while it's against the VOA rules, its being done. Your choice.
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Old 02-09-2017, 07:49 PM   #4
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Welcome to the forum, Dr.Steve.

Blue Ox makes brackets for a 2016-2017 GTI so somebody is flat-towing it. As has been said, a manual transmission VW mechanically can be flat-towed but is not sanctioned by VW for that purpose and never has been. Also, there should be no reason whatsoever why you couldn't dolly tow it.

GO HERE to see photos of the GTI with brackets installed and full description on Blue Ox's website.

Roadmaster has made base plates for 2014 and earlier models (no Autobahn --highest trim level, however) and is looking for a guinea pig to bring them a 2015 (and assume later models) for a free base plate if one volunteers to take their GTI to Vancouver Washington to have them fit it.
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Old 02-10-2017, 05:34 AM   #5
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I've tow dolly'd my 2010 a few times with no problems.

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Old 02-10-2017, 08:42 AM   #6
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You should check with RemcoTowing USA's store web site, Enter the car's vital stats and in the frame on the left frame and the main frame is full of answers.

Most all MANUAL transmission vehicles can be towed any way you like 4 Down, Dolly or trailer. HOWEVER THERE IS AT LEAST ONE EXCEPTION.

And I do not know what it is.
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Old 02-17-2017, 06:39 PM   #7
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i bought a 90 VW Golf Diesal 5 spd with 230,000 kms from a Retired RVer who towed it on all 4 wheels back and forth from Here( Alberta to all over the USA..nothing wrong with its transmission? maybe the new ones have a oil pump in them rather than a splash system? but i doubt it. i think its VWs way of saying No Warrenty on any tranny issues if you tow on all 4s.
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Old 02-17-2017, 07:00 PM   #8
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Ken, VW as far back as I can recall has never "officially sanctioned" recreational towing their cars. However, many have been flat-towing their FWD standard transmission cars for decades (as you can attest) all the way up to current models. I just talked to a guy on the road a few weeks ago who was flat-towing a 2017 Jetta 1.8T with a manual transmission.

As I mentioned in my previous post, brackets are made for a 2017 GTI so somebody is recreationally towing it despite VW not officially and publicly giving it the OK.
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Old 02-17-2017, 07:46 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dr.Steve View Post
We have decided to sell our amazing 2007 MINI S [moderator edit] and get a new GTI 6 speed - for the 4 doors and long distance driving comfort. The MINI is flat towable but I know the GTI is not, even though it is a standard. Can it be towed with the front wheels off the ground?


Yes, almost any front wheel drive can be dolly towed.
Click image for larger version

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You can even rent a dolly to try it out. We did local rentals 3 times (pick-up/return at the same place) before committing to a purchase.

And it is SO easy...
...no mods to the car - especially to the critical front-end crush zone.
...no wear and tear to the lower drive-line like flat towing.
...no risk of road debris damage with the car up-high on the dolly.
...no hidden miles on the car to explain and lost value upon resale.
...often available with built-in and automatic surge brakes.

We've put over 15,000miles on our second hand EZE-TOW. Works great.

Best luck
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Old 02-18-2017, 07:45 AM   #10
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can i tow a VW on all 4

i have a friend whom tows a Little Ford Focus with Automatic tranny. he just lets it idle in nuetral when he tows it.its 10 yrs old now..no issues.his wife wont drive a standard. i just sold my VW standard too. Wife didnt like the STINK , so going to build or buy a frame bracket on my old Nissan pickup with a standard and she can use it or stay in MH? our MH came with a nice BLue Ox tow bar.
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Old 02-21-2017, 07:57 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wa8yxm View Post
You should check with RemcoTowing USA's store web site, Enter the car's vital stats and in the frame on the left frame and the main frame is full of answers.

Most all MANUAL transmission vehicles can be towed any way you like 4 Down, Dolly or trailer. HOWEVER THERE IS AT LEAST ONE EXCEPTION.

And I do not know what it is.
Well, the BMW Z3 is one. I found a nice one for sale, and having a late midlife crisis I thought it would be neat (and fairly lightweight) to tow behind my View. WRONG. Did some looking and could not find anyone listing baseplates for it. Went to the Z3 forum and searched and found you could not. Destroys the transmission.

When you flat tow a manual transmission (traditional rear wheel drive) the ONLY thing turning in the transmission is the output main shaft. The yoke in the rear of the tranny, the bearing at the rear of the main case supporting the shaft, the bearing between the input and output main shafts, and the constant mesh gears that are mounted on the output main shaft, all have this shaft spinning in them, with no lubrication, as the fluid level is not that high in the case on many transmissions. In normal use, the engine is running, and this is spinning the input main shaft and the cluster gear/countershaft and this throws fluid up on the other components to keep them lubed.

So it is all dependent on how high up in the case the fluid level is, and that is usually fixed by the fill plug on the side of the case.

Long story follows, quit reading here if you wish.............

I have a '67 Ford Falcon 3 spd that dad bought new. For a number of years we suffered failures of the rear mainshaft bearing and excessive wear on the slip yoke in the tailstock. We finally concluded the fluid level was just too low to keep the bearing and bushings properly lubed. So to experiment, I filled the transmission thru the top cover, to a point about the TOP of the fill hole in the side of the case, and installed the cover. Used a dummy yoke and installed the transmission and put the front of the car on the ground so I could install the driveshaft without losing fluid. We never had another bearing failure after that, so the next time the transmission was out for a clutch or throwout bearing replacement, I installed a black iron street ell in the fill plug hole an turned it so it would overflow at about the point I wanted the fluid level at. Its still that way to this day. (car is largely in storage now, bu I do still drive it up and down the street once in a while).

Charles
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