Skip to main content ↑ ↓
Topic: Vehicle for towing (Read 2059 times) previous topic - next topic
0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Vehicle for towing

Yahoo Message Number: 2096
I have put about 40,000 towing miles on a '99 Ford Explorer and the front end had to be worked on--new ball joints etc. After work was done went to Florida and when we got back the front seems to be having problems again. Have not taken it back to the shop but will do so this week. My question is what vehicle would be suitable for towing about 12,000 miles per year plus using it as an every day vehicle or should I think about a trailer?

Thanks
Egon

Re: Vehicle for towing

Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 2111
You can't go wrong towing Honda products and they can be towed 4 wheels down with no added equipment. We have towed various Honda Civic and Accords and even an Acura with no problems. Good gas mileage while sightseeing also.

Dede

Intrigue 11240

Re: Vehicle for towing

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 2112
Egon,

We recently bought a 2002 Honda CRV - automatic. Honda says you can tow them. We haven't towed it much, but the little we have, there has been no problem.
I have towed a Honda Civic - automatic with no problem, but Honda does not state that you can tow them. There is a trick. With the engine running DO NOT go from Reverse to Neutral then turn the engine off. As I understand it, this will put you in a false neutral and you could damage your transmission when towing it. With the engine running, go from Drive to Neutral for a true neutral before turning the engine off. Then towing the car should not damage your transmission.
We towed a Saturn, which Saturn says you can tow them (except for the new SUV called a Vue). Many people are Saturn lovers, but I was very happy when I got rid of mine.

Good luck.
Art

Re: Vehicle for towing

Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 2113
That's an excellent observation Art. I wonder if that is true with any of the other manufacturers...like Jeep.

Re: Vehicle for towing

Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 2115
Jim ... I think this is just for Honda. As I understand it, 10+ years ago Honda said you could tow their vehicles. All of a sudden they said you couldn't tow them (with the manufacturer's warranty), but there were no changes to the transmission. I think some folks towed in the false neutral instead of the true neutral, had damage and Honda didn't want the responsibility for it.

Art

Re: Vehicle for towing

Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 2116
Hi Art: Could you be more specific ? I am looking at a '96 Saturn wagon as a possible tow.

George

Re: Vehicle for towing

Reply #6 –
Yahoo Message Number: 2117
Art,

When towing your 2002 CRV do you rack up mileage or not? My friend just bought one to tow (has not set it up yet with tow bar or brakes) but was told by the salesman that all tow mileage would show on the odometer. I said I would check with someone who had a '02.

Thanks, Ed
--->

Quote
We recently bought a 2002 Honda CRV - automatic.
Honda says you can tow

them. We haven't towed it much, but the little we > have, there has been no
problem.

>
Art
Yahoo! - Official partner of 2002 FIFA World Cup http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com

Re: Vehicle for towing

Reply #7 –
Yahoo Message Number: 2119
Ed:

We recently bought a 2002 CR-V , but have only towed it a few hundred miles. The downside is that there is noticeable road noise with it, but liveable. Otherwise it drives & tracks great... you don't know its behind you. Mileage does NOT add up with this Honda. A Q & A section in an RV mag. once answered that by saying vehicles having ELECTRONIC IGNITIONS do not add up mileage. We also towed an '88 Acura for approx. 40,000 miles....without probs.over a 10 year period, but its mileage did add up. RVers have done the research on towing for the mfgs.
REMCO Mfg, in Omaha, (800) 228-2481 ; www.remcotowing.com are in the after-market towing business. They are good about sharing their info. if you have Qs about a specific car you're thinking of buying to tow. My bottom line is to not buy a vehicle whose mfg. does not approve of it being towed. It should state it in its owner's manual. A new car warranty is too valuable to jeopardize in my view. The March, 2002 FMC Mag.carries their annual article, includes which mfgs. allow their vehicles to be towed. There's lots to choose from.
Both the Honda 5 speed and the auto. trans. are towable, 4 wheels down. The 2002 Honda manual, P.224 " Towing Your Vehicle behind a Motorhome" describes how to setup the trans. BTW, Honda has just come out with a larger, 6 cyl. SUV. Decide quickly cuz Acura / Honda have a history of being slow to produce new products = pent up desire for them , then, their dealers ask for MSRP+ prices. In Nov.a dealer here in the SF Bay Area wanted $ 4500.00 OVER MSRP for an Acura MDX .

Happy Hunting......Don

From:Ed V