Show us your small Tow Vehicle set-up

[SuperTrouper]

Check out this 4HP rig. Plenty of low end torque and traction when you need it! Also watch for the mouse at :21

Watch horses pull a tanker truck out of snow

[ALANSD]

Originally Posted by Andrew T

Just another way to go.

Andy

thanks a lot, I am open to sedans as well. Having 4 cars in the family already makes the dad mobile and tow machine a big purchase.

[ALANSD]

I may have found a super deal on a Toyota Tacoma double cab V6 with tow set up .
Better mileage and alittle smaller than the Excursion. Sure it won't tow as well,,,but it could fit my needs

[gmw photos]

Originally Posted by ALANSD

I may have found a super deal on a Toyota Tacoma double cab V6 with tow set up .
Better mileage and alittle smaller than the Excursion. Sure it won't tow as well,,,but it could fit my needs

I have followed this thread with some interest, but have stayed out of commenting because I did not want to cloud the issue since you stated "small" tow vehicle. Also, because I am not towing an A/S, but a SOB instead.

However, now that you have thrown the idea of the Taco into the mix, I will say that I am towing my trailer with "the sister vehicle" to the Taco. My Frontier works well for towing my 19' sub-4000 pound trailer.

It and a Taco are not really what I would call "small" though. Expect about 17 to 20 mpg out of a Taco in normal daily driving, and around 11 to 14....maybe 15 on occasion, towing something like your A/S.

[Andrew T]

I Like the Tacoma, they still have a relatively low center of gravity and the suspension is firmer than most full size trucks. You will find the handling much more direct than the Excursion.

If the Tacoma is going to need new tires you can improve it quite a bit with a slightly different size. They have been built with a variety of sizes but if you post or email me the current size I can give you some suggestions.

What are the 4 sedans you already own?

Andrew T

[SteveH]

Don't remember how many, but it was just a few years back the rear suspension was so soft on the Tacomas that people were having trouble towing little 17' Casitas with them. At that time, Toyota would install a different rear spring pack to solve the problem.

[ALANSD]

the Tacoma deal fell through, I wasn't quick enough on the trigger. So where I am now..
- My Exc runs great and has 157K on it. Being its paid for and costs little to maintain, and has new tires, it might make sense to keep on using it. Seems I might gain a bit in fuel mileage with some of these choices, but the overall extra cost may not be justified.
I really still like the Jetta idea, just not ready financially to make that leap, as I woudl need a somewhat newer model from all I have read.
The Touareg looks like a great choice, but suffers from lot of mechanical issues, though I take a lot of online "reviews" from owners with a grain of salt having spent a lot of my life in the automobile business.
-Chrysler 300 looks great, just not my style at the moment.
- Dodge Magnum is very cool
- I like the newer Ford Explorer but need a very late model to gain gas savings.
- The Saturn sedan looks good and they are affordable. I worked for Saturn in the 1990s so I have some affinity for them.
- Disaapointed in the Jeeps, mileage wise. The LIberty may not be a good choice, I do like Grand Cherokee and have owned 2 but the mileage is no great pick up.

Guess I am on hold, still looking, reading and considering. Somehting will come along meanwhile I am driving the EXC. Open to other ideas and considerations. This has been interesting so far, and we have managed to stay away from the highly opinionated anti smaller vehicle posts.

[xrvr]

Personally I would prefer a large tow vehicle. But I think a Toyota FJ cruiser or jeep wrangler would suit my needs. Under 4000 pound trailer and a driver who drives like an old man, under 65 mph. If my current tow vehicle dies before I do, I may look into those options. Any more pictures of FJ orWrangler towing? Jim

[gmw photos]

On the subject of what is small, midsize and large, let me throw this thought out there regarding the Frontier/Tacoma.
Back in the 70's I had a Buick Centurion. So called full size car, that most folks would remember as a "big" car. 455CI V8. In reality, the car had just over a 120" wheelbase, and weighed about 4300 pounds.
Step forward to my 2006 Frontier. 127" WB, and weighs almost 4700 pounds. So I will leave it to each person to decide in their own mind where the Frontier/Tacoma size trucks fit into size category.
Someone mentioned the soft rear suspension of the Tacoma a few years ago. That was one of the reasons I chose the Frontier ( the rear suspension seemed a little firmer ). At the time, I drove both brands, and decided I liked the "feel of handling" better in the Nissan. Also the Frontier has disk brakes on the rear, the Taco had drums back there.
The Nissan also make a little more power and torque than the Toyota, but the power diff was not really enough by itself to make it a deal maker or breaker.

Speaking of the FJ, there is a guy on a few of the forums that is using one to tow a Escape FG trailer, and he says it does well pulling the trailer. He also pulls the same trailer with a Hemi 1500 truck, and even comparing the two tow vehicles, gives the FJ high marks.
If you are one that believes in the idea that very short wheelbase vehicles do not make good towing platforms, then the FJ may not be for you.

[Road Ruler]

Originally Posted by zigzagguzzi

Any more pictures of FJ orWrangler towing? Jim

[xrvr]

Thanks, jim

[Andrew T]

Friends we travel with towed their 25 International for a few years with a 4 door Rubicon with the 6 speed manual. I drove it several times, it performed quite well and handled suprisingly stable. The Rubicon has LT tires and pretty firm shocks and with the 4 door model the wheelbase to overhang ratio is very good.

Andrew T

[crazeevw]

Originally Posted by ALANSD

here is a photo I came across...Its a Golf TDI ..smaller than the Jetta.
This trailer weighs 3500lbs. mine weighs 4000 or so.

Wait! What? You mean I could tow an Airstream with my VW Golf TDI? Wonder if next time I should get the TDI with an Automatic instead of a 6-speed manual.....

Hmmmmm.......

[tallen5]

We tow our 22' sport with an FJ cruiser.

[ALANSD]

Love those,,wish I could have one but not right now

[ALANSD]

Originally Posted by crazeevw

Wait! What? You mean I could tow an Airstream with my VW Golf TDI? Wonder if next time I should get the TDI with an Automatic instead of a 6-speed manual.....

Hmmmmm.......

truly one of the most popular tow vehicles in Europe. Lots of photos and info on this.

[ALANSD]

Originally Posted by Andrew T

Friends we travel with towed their 25 International for a few years with a 4 door Rubicon with the 6 speed manual. I drove it several times, it performed quite well and handled suprisingly stable. The Rubicon has LT tires and pretty firm shocks and with the 4 door model the wheelbase to overhang ratio is very good.

Andrew T

I like that Jeep a lot. Looks great and Jeeps are fun.

[ALANSD]

I have seen Dodge Chargers from 2006 - 2008 that are affordable and have under 100,000 miles. IS the 2.7 ltr 6 cylinder sufficient for towing?

[cameront120]

What other cars do you already own (I think you said there are 4)? Are any of them candidates for towing?

[truckasaurus]

I love the Jeep picture, my wife has a similar (Sahara, Unlimited, Auto, non Tow pack) 2013 model and it's a fun vehicle but I wouldn't relish the thought of towing much with it. If that picture is a few years old it would have probably been a much lower powered version and it must have crawled up hills. I'm curious to see what the new diesel version might be capable of but won't get might hopes set too high. Interestingly we drove both our Jeep and Tundra across country last year at the same time and at 110 kmph ish they used the same amount of gas at each fill up.