I use to pull my Hobie 16 by in early 80's with a Toyota Tercel, with a loaded sailbox . Engine about the size of a sewing machine. Hills were a problem sometimes, but I always got to the regatta.

Doug

Pretty much ANY car can tow 1,000 pounds. I've towed a Hobie 16 and 18 with a Ford Escort, Toyota Corolla hatchback and VW Rabbit diesel. I've towed the Prindle 18.2 with a Nissan Sentra. All of these cars had 4cyl 1.6ltr or smaller engines with around 100hp (actually torque is a better indicator for towing ability). They all did the job just fine.

I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND that you install an after-market transmission fluid cooler on the vehicle though! You can buy them online and they're easy to install. Just mount it in front of the radiator, connect the intake and output tranny fluid lines and add more tranny fluid to make up for the increased hose and radiator length. It's the transmissions on these smaller vehicles that suffer when towing and keeping the fluid cool goes a long way into making the tranny last.

That would be for automatic transmissions, right? We only ever towed with a manual transmission.

You can install a transmission cooler on manual transmissions. Usually automatics are already equipped with an oil cooler that is integrated into the radiator.

Thanks Robi, but do you really need one on a car with manual transmission?

We've found it easier to cut in half the recommended service intreval on transmission fluid is easier than installing aftermarket coolers and can give you an earlier indication of problems, or one forming.

Research and find out what gears are actually overdrive (in some newer manuals, 4th as well as 5th gear), less than 1:1, and avoid using them under load (up any grade). Same is true for automatics, be careful of the lockup to overdrive, if you notice the transmission shifting in and out of overdrive excessively, turn off the "O/D" or shift in to 3rd or Drive.

Jay, sent you a pm!

I have to post this every so often:
One boat, two trailers, two boxes, and I think there's a coupla kayak stuck in there.




This guy does 1000 mile round trip deliveries for me once to twice a month. Two boats and 5 kayaks is the max so far. 32 MPG +or- he says.

We use to double stack ALL the time WHEN 200 boat regattas were common. DUH never see those days again <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" />

I've used a 1989 VW Cabriolet to tow my T on a breakdown trailer repeatedly(500+miles 1 way). Trailering is less a function of H.P. and more closely related to braking the load. You don't want to be pushing through a stoplight if you are unprepared or underbraked( by neglect or design).

This is the thing that most people forget that scares me when towing anything. It doesn't take many downhill grades, or tight twisty down hill corners to start losing brakes on a little car. It takes caution to do so safely. Brakes and suspension are more of a determining factor in what a vehicle can carry than power.

Dude, these cars are less than $10,000 NEW. They don't even come with Cruise Control for pete's sake.So I'd figure a 2 year old model would run about $6,000.

I'd consider them as "disposable" (good American attitude there), and if I blew the engine after four years, I'd probably just drop another one in pretty cheap. A 1.6L 4banger is not too expensive. And being that small and simplistic, I don't imagine they'd be too tough to work on.

I agree that any modification would most certainly void the warranty. But how good are warranties anyway these days? I haven't read the fine print on any lately.

I wouldn't doubt that in the manual for any one of those cars it would say, "maximum towing capacity 1,000 pounds". And then in the warranty details it would say, "towing any trailer voids the vehicle warranty."

Have you considered the 4 cylinder Ford Ranger? They're pretty cheap, and get pretty decent milage.

I didn't intend to tow with mine, but with the price of diesel fuel this year I've been using it exclusively.

My 99 Dodge Intrepid ES has been a great car to tow, its got decent power and the rear seats fold down. Go find a used one, over the life of my car, I've gotten 23 mpg, its the ES with the 245 hp engine. When I have the Acat on the back, I have to keep reminding myself that its back there, I dont even notice it when I'm driving.

Dodge seems pretty overpowered (and overpriced) although much better looking than the compacts.

These midget cars get 35-40 mpg highway (not with trailer). And since I won't be hauling a trailer that much, I'm not sure I'd need something as big as the Dodge.

Maybe a Neon or something.

As far as accidents, unless I'm driving an Expedition, I figure I might as well get squashed outright rather than be permanently disabled for the next 40 years.

can you get trailer hitches for those cars? Might be a factor.

I still haven't figured out how to break it to Bonnie that the VW Jetta wagon is getting a hitch...maybe I quietly install it one weekend and act like it's always been there? <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Of course, she'll probably read this next week.

I own an Honda Fit. DO NOT ATTEMPT to tow anything with it, not even an a-cat, not even an opti.

****is skipped the warranty is automatically voided?

Warranty is pure BS.

I tow a double stacked trailer (non aluminum, two blades, one sail box and one truck box) with my Nissan Sentra...standard 5 speed, no AC....and get 20-25 mpg's. (without I get 32-34mpg) NO problems! The trailer hitch was a birthday present to myself. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />