Considering these 2 toads

[pip8688]

I am looking at either 2011 Mini Countryman S front wheel drive or a 2011 Jetta TDI also FWD as a toad. Both being stick. Any experience with either?

Also, I could not find any bars for the Jetta? Suggestions?


Tom

[Meandering Retiree]

I pull a Mini Cooper S. Great mileage and great fun when we get to our destination. :-)

[mrschwarz]

I would go for the Jetta. We had a Mini. It was small and uncomfortable. My daughter has a gas Jetta and it's a great little car. It can actually hold 4 people, too. I don't know if it's flat towable or not.

[alvinc]

Check out: 2011 Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen Base Plates for Tow Bars | etrailer.com

[MegaRoadie]

One should consider all factors involved before any decission. Is it a car you will like to drive, what does maker say about towing, state laws regarding towed vehicles as well as common sense and safety, overall costs... all of these and many more then use your money and enjoy your vehicle !

Be safe out there, enjoy the Open Roads, Thank a Veteran for our great freedoms !

[ImagineIF]

I wanted to tow a new VW Jetta TDI Sportswagon with a stick shift. I have an automatic and love it. VW insist that it can not be towed for any great distance and can't be towed faster than 35mph. I should have ignored their limitations and just did it. I saw an Audi equivalent being towed that was towed for many miles without any problems.

[pip8688]

Yeah, what stinks is that nobody, I mean nobody(mfr or base plate mfr) can provide any definitive answer to whether a car can be towed all 4 down or not. Only list that is available is from FMCA, but that does not cover all the vehicles, specifically Mini or VW.
Only answers that I've gotten are from people with experience with them.

[Cat320]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pip8688 Yeah, what stinks is that nobody, I mean nobody(mfr or base plate mfr) can provide any definitive answer to whether a car can be towed all 4 down or not. Only list that is available is from FMCA, but that does not cover all the vehicles, specifically Mini or VW. Only answers that I've gotten are from people with experience with them.

I'm not sure what you mean by "nobody(mfr or base plate mfr) can provide any definitive answer to whether a car can be towed all 4 down or not." That might be true for the Mini or the Jetta, but the manual in my CRV has a section entitled, "How to tow behind a motor home" with exact instructions as to what to do.

[alvinc]

There is no law that requires the manufacturers to provide or document the ability to tow, flat or otherwise, any automobile. Thus it becomes a combination of public demand and manufacturer response as to whether they support the tow capability. For the manufacturer it is about what the vehicle can support, what they think they can support relative to the warranty, and how many additional incremental sales they think they can get if they provide the capability and documentation for the vehicle to be towed.

As bad as it sounds, it is totally up to the manufacturer.

The FMCA is just collecting published information. There is no requirement for them to determine if a vehicle is towable, nor are they likely to take on the liability of determining if the vehicle is towable.

[George Z]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cat320 I'm not sure what you mean by "nobody(mfr or base plate mfr) can provide any definitive answer to whether a car can be towed all 4 down or not." That might be true for the Mini or the Jetta, but the manual in my CRV has a section entitled, "How to tow behind a motor home" with exact instructions as to what to do.

2011 Chevy Equinox manual has a section on recreational towing with directions.