Empty Weight - 03 Kia Sedona

[frankdamp]

Our only car is the Sedona. we don't often find a need for a toad with the kind of travelling we do, but there are maybe two trips a year where it would be handy.

I can't see investing near $3k in a car that's only worth about that to two four down, so I'm looking at dollies.

My problem is trying to find the weight of the Sedona. The manual says it's 4680 pounds, but doesn't say whether that's empty or max gross. My hitch is rated at 5000 lb., and the lightest dolly I can find is around 750 pounds, so I'd be over the limit for the hitch. With only two of us and two Labs and fairly frugal loading, we're well within the GWR for the rig, and we'd probably be within the max GCWR, but the hitch rating is the show-stopper.

I'm sure many toads I see out there are heavier than the Sedona, but can't get any help from Kia to pin down exactly what the thing weighs.
We're going to go get both the car and the MH weighed before we start this season

Does anyone out there have better data on the Kia?

[decodancer]

Curb weight 3708, not sure what that includes. Great vehicle, I've put almost no money into my 2005 and even tow with it.

[Cat320]

I'm not sure when the feds mandated them, but if you have a Tire and Loading Information sticker on the driver's door frame look at it. It will have the max cargo for that vehicle...subtract that from the GVWR and you'll have your answer.

[Gary RVRoamer]

The 4680 is curb weight, which means it includes water and fuel but no cargo or passengers onboard. That's going to put you over your 5000 lb towing capacity.

Here are specs on a couple variants of the 2003 Sedona:
http://www.cars.com/kia/sedona/2003/specs/

[frankdamp]

Thanks for the link, Gary. It wasn't what I wanted to hear!. I see people towing cars that I would expect to be much heavier than the Sedona (Ford Explorer, Crown Vic, Jeep Grand Cherokee), so they're either pushing their luck or have a much stronger hitch than my rig has.

[Gary RVRoamer]

I think all those are in the low 4000 lb category, depending on year and trim. But yes, you will see people blithely pushing their luck. If their lucks holds, all is well. If it doesn't, they will scream bloody murder at somebody else when it is really their own fault.

[alvinc]

Quote:

Originally Posted by frankdamp Thanks for the link, Gary. It wasn't what I wanted to hear!. I see people towing cars that I would expect to be much heavier than the Sedona (Ford Explorer, Crown Vic, Jeep Grand Cherokee), so they're either pushing their luck or have a much stronger hitch than my rig has.

The key to towing a vehicle that weighs close to 5,000 lbs with a 5,000 lb hitch is to tow it 4 down, no trailer or dolly.

The 2003 manual transmission Sedona can be towed 4 down, see your owners manual. The Automatic transmission can be towed four down with a transmission lubrication pump.

BTW, if you are not going to use the Toad very often you should consider renting a vehicle at your destinations. Depending on what you rent and where (location location location) it would cost from under $200 to $300 a week. For $3,000 you could rent a vehicle for 10 weeks.

[GaryKD]

Hi frankdamp,
I look at the value of a vehicle a bit differently. For me the value of a vehicle is the cost for me to replace it. I guess that is why I get a car repaired as long as it meets my needs. If you plan on keeping the car, and it is towable 4 down, go for it.

Consider getting the car weighed. Have a full fuel tank. Then you'll no longer be guessing about the weight concern.

[frankdamp]

Gary:

I'm looking around for public truck scales. They're scarce around here. Unfortunately, our nearby State Patrol weighbridge went digital last year and the displays go off when they close.

The cost of a towbar system for the Kia is high because I guess not many folks tow them. With that, a transmission lube system and an auxiliary braking system, it priced out at over $3,000. That's just not in the budget. Unfortunately, Kias don't keep their value very well, so trading it for a lighter weight station wagon with automatic transmission that's 4-down capable might not be feasible either.

DW won't consider a Saturn LW300 because they're orphans (they hold their value very well anyway). An older Volvo (960), BMW 5-series wagon or a Mercedes wagon might work, but I haven't researched weights or age/price comparisons yet.

I'm a bit surprised that the Reese hitch doesn't have any limit placard or part number on it, so I haven't been able to research what its weight limit is. That's the next part of the investigation.

Thanks to all for the inputs, folks.

Frank