Community Forums

BSheehan · 08-18-2012, 08:33 PM

Hi out there. Any recommendations on a tow vehicle. I have a Damon Daybreak 32" Class A motor home. I will be looking for a good used vehicle to tow easily and safely. I have two kids 6 & 8 yrs. old, so I need enough room for 4 passengers.
Thanks Bryan

FW5000DRIVER · 08-18-2012, 08:50 PM

Lighter the better on gas. You also need to figure how you want to tow. Will it be on a trailer, four wheels down, two wheels up?

Idlemindr · 08-18-2012, 09:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BSheehan

Hi out there. Any recommendations on a tow vehicle. I have a Damon Daybreak 32" Class A motor home. I will be looking for a good used vehicle to tow easily and safely. I have two kids 6 & 8 yrs. old, so I need enough room for 4 passengers.
Thanks Bryan

Hi Bryan: I have a '96 allegro bay 34 ft with a ford 460 engine. I tow a 2000 ford ranger regular cab, 5 speed, 4 wheels down. The toad weighs 2900 lbs and I use the Ready Brake surge receiver/cable conduit system to the brake pedal on the toad. The coach has no trouble at all towing and the ready brake works well to help slow it down. The ready brake was inexpensive and easy to install. Just carefully follow the installation directions. Hope this helps you.

luvlabs · 08-19-2012, 06:48 AM

A Honda CRV or Honda Fit would be good choices. Both are relatively light and can be towed 4 down with automatic transmissions. Should be plenty of used inventory out there to choose from if you don't want to buy a new one.

troyrice76 · 08-19-2012, 06:54 AM

We just got a 2012 GMC Terrain. Tow it four down and it worked out great. We added a trailer hitch to it for our bike rack.

tncruiser · 08-19-2012, 07:03 AM

i have 3 choices
#1 jeep
#2 jeep
and
#3 jeep
it really is an easy tow and if your sons are like my grand sons they will find it "kooooooool"
brianj

slapfoot · 08-19-2012, 10:10 AM

Chevrolet HHR works well for many of us wanting to pull a small car with automatic transmission 4 wheels down. The last year they were produced was 2011, however, they are readily available. Who wants to tow a new vehicle anyway.......

HabitatGuy · 08-19-2012, 08:10 PM

Take a good look at a mid 2000's Jeep Wrangler. Easy to set up to tow, light enough and great fun to drive.

Solask · 08-19-2012, 08:33 PM

Just came back from a 350 mile trip (short test run) with our new toad, 2012 Ford Focus with ReadyBrake tow bar and surge brake system. Focus 6 speed automatic tows for down in neutral with no modifications and weighs just 2900lbs. Our old 98 Chieftain Ford 6.8 V10 towed it effortlessly. Hatchback has plenty of room and is fun to drive. Its also roomy enough to take on long trips when not RVing.

cb1000rider · 08-19-2012, 08:53 PM

First, are you comfortable driving that thing yet? Take it on the highway, spend a few hours driving it at speed. Get used to semis. Get used to passing others and being passed. Get used to construction zones where the lanes narrow.

Done that? Then tow!

My "cheap" suggestion is a 1996-2000 Toyota Rav4 manual. 2wd or 4wd, doesn't matter. It'll hold 4, doesn't cost much, generally reliable, common motor non-interference motor, low 20mph.

FW5000DRIVER · 08-19-2012, 08:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cb1000rider

First, are you comfortable driving that thing yet? Take it on the highway, spend a few hours driving it at speed. Get used to semis. Get used to passing others and being passed. Get used to construction zones where the lanes narrow.

Done that? Then tow!

My "cheap" suggestion is a 1996-2000 Toyota Rav4 manual. 2wd or 4wd, doesn't matter. It'll hold 4, doesn't cost much, generally reliable, common motor non-interference motor, low 20mph.

Is the RAV4 towable four wheels down?

njs42 · 08-19-2012, 09:00 PM

Very hard to beat the Honda CR-V Consumer ratings, safety ratings, resale value, frequency of repair, economy, it has been rated a best buy every year of production. I feel it is a really good car for a small family like yours. Roomy, silky smooth engine and transmission, easy to tow and use as a full time vehicle as well. Haul your kids and all their stuff easy.

Check it out.

cb1000rider · 08-19-2012, 09:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FW5000DRIVER

Is the RAV4 towable four wheels down?

Note the requirement for a manual transmission version.

Apparently some of the automatics older than 2002 were listed as towable by Toyota, but I'd dig deeper to verify before I tried it... that's generally true of anything with an automatic transmission though.

OlyJerry · 08-19-2012, 11:57 PM

I vote for the Jeep Wrangler. I've towed a 97 and now a 2001 both automatics. Easy to tow and agreed fun when you get there. Now looking at the newer JK 4 door Jeep Wrangler.