Car Hauler for a Prius-easy load on & off

[NancyT]

Hi Ya'll. I have a 2016 Forest River Sunseeker 3010 Class C-RV.
I want to purchase the best, safest and easy to use car hauler to bring my old Prius along. I camp alone quite a bit, and with my hubby although not always and want to make sure I could handle it. I have used a tow dolly with another car so I have experience towing. Honestly, I want the smallest thing I can find but I have no idea where to start with research! Any advice would be helpful. I also even looked at the enclosed haulers but the shortest one I think is 14'. I guess that would do but the are bulky and heavier. Anyway, please and thank you for any sound advice!

Nancy

[Chuck_S]

Start with the towing capacity of your camper. Can vary. What's yours?

Same with your Prius. What does it weigh?

Got a trailer for the car -- yep, what does it weigh?

Prius is about 15 feet long.

-- Chuck

[dontay]

With the assumption your motorhome has a Ford V-10 engine and a 5000 lb rated hitch like mine I recommend a 16ft open car hauler. By the time you get a spare tire for it plus a tool box for straps and/or chains it will be tight getting the Prius far enough forward to make proper tongue weight. Don't forget a box for the breakaway battery or fit it in the tool box.
My Jeep is probably about the same length as your Prius and the front bumper rode a little over the spare when it laid flat on the trailer.
I used a cheap tool box meant for pickup trucks.

[Oaklevel]

An aluminum car hauler would probably be lighter than a steel one, A tilt bed may be easier for you to load and unload the car. No ramps to pick up. There are a lot of options and different car haulers out there. Aluminium trailers cost more. Prices in all ranges.

The breakaway battery usually comes with the trailer purchase. It is sometimes just a lantern size battery.

My biggest suggestion is to make sure the car doors clear the trailers fenders so you do not have to climb out the window.

A toolbox for the straps is nice but not necessary.

[Vansteenburg]

A trailer that is easy on/off, if you are not to worried about price is a Futura trailer.

These are a drop deck trailer. Makes it easy for a single person to load. They are lightweight as well, have a very low on-off angle and your Prius doors will clear the fenders.

[nvs4602]

Your motorhome is a lot like our 311fs on the Ford E450 chassis. It has a 7500lb tow capacity. We looked a long time at our options for taking a car with us. We have a 2013 chevy Malibu that can not be towed 4down. I couldn't find a tow dolly that the nose of our Malibu could clear without using some additional ramp, which I would have to stow. Open trailers where nice but where to store them when at the camp ground. I really liked the idea of an enclosed trailer for extra room and storage plus we could use it more for other things hauling furniture and the like. But then again storage issue at camp grounds. And $14k for the one I wanted.

We ended up buying a new 2020 jeep Cherokee trailhawk and had it setup to tow 4down . It ended up just making more sense buying a new car capable of towing. Then we didn't hat to worry about storage at camp grounds or at home. And we were going to need a new car anyway. I glad we did this option my wife and I can hook and unhook in no time and no storage issue.

[NancyT]

If you don't mind me asking as far as the towing equipment what did you purchase and approximately how much was the towing mechanism? We already have a good hitch. Or will that need to be changed? Maybe it might for the way it is stored. No worries if you don't have time. Thank you again!

[NancyT]

Oh my goodness, those trailers are awesome. Honestly, they are expensive but that looks like the way to go for towing. Thank you!