BAC Forum
General Boards => General Discussion => Topic started by: Peggy Aakre on December 05, 2020, 02:21:43 AM
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Hi, my husband and I are what we would consider newbies. We have had our 2000 Beaver for two years now but have only been able to take three trips with it due to our jobs. Here is my question:
what is the best and easiest vehicle to tow? I have seen articles on-line about Ford F150, Jeep Wranglers, Nissan Versa? We currently have a 1999 Jeep Wrangler that we tow but it doesn't have AC so thinking about getting something else. We really don't want to have to hookup oil lines, etc. Need it to be as simple as possible. I even see that some of the tow vehicles have a MPH limit on them. any suggestions??
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Honda CRV Watch which year, the newer ones cannot be towed flat.
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The Honda CRV is flat towable thru year 2014. The 2015 and later with the CVT transmission are not towable.
Richard
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Currently I tow a 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland. Shift into neutral, push a button, put it in park and off you go. When you arrive, shift into neutral, push a button, put it into gear and off you go. About as simple as it can get. When you put it into neutral the odometer is disengaged so no tow milage is added to the car. Overland and Summit models have a far better ride as the have an air bag supension. Also, be sure to get the right transmission.
I have approximately 55,000 tow miles on this Jeep, with 115K driving miles on the odometer. Other vehicles i have towed are a Honda Accord (back when you could), Mercury Mariner (same as Ford Escape, went through 2 transmissions), Jeep Wrangler (definitely not as comfortable as the Grand Cherokee, but easier to drive off road)
What would I get for a new tow car -- another Grand Cherokee, without hesitation, but i would also consider a Ford 150. What would I get if I didn't have to tow it -- lots of other choices since there are a lot of cars that can't be towed which are more dependable than Jeeps.
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Prior to 2011 the explorer had to be the limited and then you had to install a neutral tow switch. That said its just hook up tow bar and power chord, turn on neutral tow and go. After 2011 or maybe 2012 no neutral tow needed, just hook and go I guess.
We have the 2006 linited with 145K on the odometer. We have used it behind 3 Beavers with only a couple issues.
I would have a newer Explorer or an F150 but the Ranger quad cab is nice too. I think that is towable.
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We have towed our 2002 4WD Chevy Avalanche for about 30,000 to 35,000 miles over 8 years. It has an automatic transmission with a push-button, electric shift transfer box. Put the transfer box in Neutral, shift the transmission to Reverse and Drive for about 1 second each, shut off the engine, put it into Park and it's ready to tow. We use an Even Brake for the toad auxiliary brake and a Brakemaster 8,000 lb towbar. Power is taken from the umbilical cord to keep the toad's battery charged. Hooking up the toad and performing our pre-departure safety check takes about 10 minutes.
We like to tow the pickup because we carry extra stuff in the bed under the tonneau cover, like a Honda EU3000is generator, etc. The coach's shore power cable is long enough to reach the generator carried in the pickup. It's very convenient when dry camping/boondocking overnight in rest areas or for days/weeks in the desert.
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Cadillac SRX models till they stopped making them are towable. 2 wheel drive or the 4 wheel drive are both towable. All you have to do is raise the center console cover up, push a small button down, shift to neutral, and ready. We have used our 2012 SRX for 6 years now and no issues with it.
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I currently tow a 2013 CRV which is pretty straight forward to tow. If I were you and you like the Jeep I would consider adding air conditioning to it. Aftermarket systems can be had for around 1000 dollars which might give you the biggest bang for your buck.
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Lots of toads I see are like our 2007 Jeep Liberty 4wd. Easy to put into tow mode.
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We tow a 2013 Ford Explorer. Love it
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We bought a 2019 Chevy Equinox AWD Diesel. Extremely easy to set up and tow. Put it in neutral, set it to AWD, shut off the engine and go.
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Peggy, as a BAC member you are by default in the FMCA, and they have annual towing guides. Check at their website for information regarding any brand, year, and model you are interested in. Motorhome Magazine/Good Sam offers a similar guide.
We like our ‘97 Explorer and have towed it since 2006. But we are chagrined that the latest models are not towable. Many General Motors manufactured vehicles have been towable for some time as have Jeep’s. But some are more involved than we’d like as to setup. Another reason to check the available guides for the model years considered.
But caution that dealers and manufacturers should be consulted prior to any final decision, because it’s not uncommon to have mfrs. amend their towing allowances after the fact.
Joel
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Thanks for all the very helpful info. Great to know, especially since we were considering a new Honda CRV and I see the new models don't tow.
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We tow a 2014 All Wheel Drive Ford Edge Sport. Using a Blue Ox base plate and a coach mounted "Avail" receiver tow bar... and a Patriot brake system. This is the 2nd Ford Edge we have towed with no issues. The Blue Ox system is tidy and convenient but I have had some issues with the Patriot brake system bouncing loose.
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We tow a 2018 GMC Acadia. Put in neutral and go. Has to have 6 spd auto new ones have trans that can’t be towed.
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the chevy blazer from a few years ago was just swith a couple of times in the trans mode and away you go. lock the ingition, wheel, doors, etc and it works great.
I also like the air brakes for the toad. reduces the need for a lot of adjusting.
also the light bar we bought at the hemet intl rally is a snap. No wires to get tangled or cut.
takes 6 or 8 minutes once you get the toad in position
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I tow a 2009 Chey HHR .with it you simply turn the key on to unlock the steering placed the automatic transmission in neutral and remove a fuse with I replaced with a switch which makes it easy .
I use a Road master base plate and coach mounted tow bar as well a Demco air force one tow brake system .
It all works well a d you'd never know the car is back there so I also have a Roadmaster brake monitor installed and a second rear facing camera looking down over the tow car which gives me a great view combined with the backup camera for those pesky tailgaters.lol
The HHR makes a great grocery getter and with it's co pilot seat folded down it will take several eight foot two by four in side
Hope this helps Eric
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Eric,
What are you doing with 2 by 4's while on vacation? LOL
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I tow a 2016 Mini Cooper Countryman. But... Mini's can only be towed 4 wheels down if they have a manual transmission. And BMW does not warranty a Mini if it is towed (I hear). Since I bought mine used after the warranty ran out, it's not a problem. I have a Blue Ox tow bar and baseplate. I have battery charging through the light connection. I have an RVI Brake, which provides braking. In most states, only an emergency breakaway brake is required if towed vehicle is under 3000 pounds, but I like to have the brake in there anyway. It is easy to hook up, which I do by myself.
The Countryman is the largest Mini. The S model is turbocharged and pretty peppy! I enjoy driving it around town, and since it weighs less than 3000 pounds, it is easy to tow! The downsides are: (1) there is not a lot of baggage space, (2) it is like a sports car, a little rough and noisy, and (3) it is pretty crowded with 4 full sized people in it. And if you don't like to shift, it won't work for you!
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Fred
I'm retired now and I don't know where I found the time to work in the first place. Lol
Eric
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We’ve been towning a Chevy Colorado 4WD for the last year. Installed the M&G Air brake which was a pain but it’s a super easy at hook up. Just plug in the air line. The Colorado is under 5000 pounds and I don’t even notice it behind the Beaver. Only drawback is you have to disconnect the battery.
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The late model Ford Explorers are very towable. I tow a 2018 Explorer 4x4 behind my 95 Marquis. You do have to have a battery disconnect and stop every 6 hours and run the engine for a few minutes to lube the trans but neither of those are issues for me. I seldom drive more than 6 hours and the disconnect is just a button push. The explorer is a great vehicle. I had "Coach Masters" in Bend Oregon install the tow bar and all the needed wiring etc. and they did a great job. If you are ever in the central Oregon area and need something done, I highly recommend them.
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Unfortunately the latest Explorers aren’t towable. Escape, Edge, F-150, and Lincoln Nautilus are good Ford options. See the upcoming FMCA Magazine issue for the 2021 towable options. You should have received an email from FMCA today with a link to the online version.
Of course, use due diligence in your final choice... not all versions of a model have the right drivetrain for towing. Consult its manual and dealer before buying.
Joel
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Love towing our Jeep Wrangler, so simple to work with. Take a look at the 2011 or newer unlimited. I like the Sahara models.
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Might be worth waiting for this one. Flat towable, according to the mfg. Pick up and SUV on the way.
https://www.caranddriver.com/rivian
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We tow a 2016 Jeep Wrangler 4 door. Bought it new now has 78K miles plus another 10K being towed. Not had one issue. No steering lock so just put transfer case in neutral, tranny in park , remove key and go. We have found that every national park visited has 4 wheel drive only roads, usually down in the bottom of canyons and the Jeep has taken us to some great scenery and locations.
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The FMCA website maintains copies of the annual towable vehicles lists going back several years. If you are logged in to the FMCA, this link should work: https://www.fmca.com/towing-guides-towing-four-wheels-down/
We towed an '04 manual shift Subaru Forester for 60k miles and a '07 Ford Edge for another 60. The Subaru was my favorite. We now have a towable Ford Fusion but not hooked up the towing equipment.
The page looks like this: