Towing cars with 4 wheels down! Which are cars best for this!

[Dennis King]

I have seen cars with front wheels on dollies and all 4 on the ground and a trailer with car sitting on it. I have a 2017 Georgetown 364TS with new Triton and the new 6 speed transmission!
I hear they cut the HP on the engine and maybe were trying to get better performance and mileage with the transmission at same time??
Any suggestions are appreciated! I tried swapping my wife's Prius for a Mustang or Camaro but no luck! Thanks Dennis

[Rich.M]

Jeep Wrangler is the best 4 down toad. That's why you see so many behind RVs. No steering lock, transfer case to neutral so no transmission requirement to start the car and cycle thru the gears ever few hours. No mileage accumulation on the odometer when towed. Also a lot of fun.
If that's not for you then look up the FMCA toad list online. It's getting shorter every year due to the implementation of CVT transmissions. You will have more choices if you look for a low mileage used car from a few years back. Good luck.

[360true]

We tow our Prius on a dolly. While putting the car on the dolly takes longer (about ten minutes), we can use any front wheel drive car, and get 55+ mpg when we arrive. Initial investment is less, it uses the Dolly's brakes and not the car's. Tracks well. Works well for us, but you will hear plenty from those who tow 4 down also. Personal choice as the both work really well.

[Tigger1]

At one point we were looking to buy a Class C and I came across this web link:

Downloadable Dinghy Guides | MotorHome Magazine

Click on each year from 2017 back to 2000 and scroll down to the dinghy listings (they're several pages down).

[BamaBob]

I second the Jeep as Toad.


Of all the vehicles in the Dingy guide, Jeeps are the only ones with no limitations.


Hookup is a snap - takes my wife and I less than 5 min. Then, simply push a button to get the transfer case in neutral and off you go!

[360true]

Full disclosure... I had an old Jeep Wrangler that I was planning to tow, but it got totalled two months before I got my motorhome. If doing it again, I would opt for another Jeep too!

[padcarroll]

My preference is dolly towing because I can tow almost any vehicle. As noted above you use the dolly brakes. I can adjust the brake controller to accommodate different weight vehicles.

[Harleyreb]

Hands down, the Jeep Wrangler. Just bought a 2017 Wrangler and it is a snap to tow compared to our Jeep Cherokee.

[JimFitz]

I bought a 2017 Honda Fit, 6 speed manual transmission. I tow with a Roadmaster system. It takes me 5 minutes to hook it up ready to go. Mileage does NOT accrue on the odometer. I put it in neutral, take off the emergency brake, flip 2 switches (which turns off the power to the car panel), and hit the road. I know a lot of people tow Jeeps, and they are great vehicles, but I travel alone, and couldn't justify the way higher expense of a Jeep. Good Luck. Fitz

[radman]

I tow a 2016 Chevy Equinox. I flat tow it no problems, the best toad was a 1997 Suzuki Sidekick.

[KatanaPilot]

Originally Posted by JimFitz

I bought a 2017 Honda Fit, 6 speed manual transmission. I tow with a Roadmaster system. It takes me 5 minutes to hook it up ready to go. Mileage does NOT accrue on the odometer. I put it in neutral, take off the emergency brake, flip 2 switches (which turns off the power to the car panel), and hit the road. I know a lot of people tow Jeeps, and they are great vehicles, but I travel alone, and couldn't justify the way higher expense of a Jeep. Good Luck. Fitz

Two thumbs up for the 6 speed Honda Fit. Easy to tow even with our Forester MBS and a lot of fun to drive around town. Great backup vehicle if the motorhome leaves you stranded.

[gmacklem]

Originally Posted by Rich.M

Jeep Wrangler is the best 4 down toad. That's why you see so many behind RVs. No steering lock, transfer case to neutral so no transmission requirement to start the car and cycle thru the gears ever few hours. No mileage accumulation on the odometer when towed. Also a lot of fun.
If that's not for you then look up the FMCA toad list online. It's getting shorter every year due to the implementation of CVT transmissions. You will have more choices if you look for a low mileage used car from a few years back. Good luck.

What he said!

I have been towing a 2013 Honda CR-V which does have some procedure to follow with warming up the transmission and you have to leave the keys in the ignition to unlock the steering. Note that the CR-V since 2015 is no longer towable flat due to a CVT transmission.

I just got a 2017 Jeep Wrangler and set it up for towing and you can put the transmission in park if automatic, in gear if manual, transfer case in neutral and keys in your pocket as it has no steering wheel lock. Note, if you buy a used Wrangler they had steering locks until about 2008.

[BamaBob]

Originally Posted by Harleyreb

Hands down, the Jeep Wrangler. Just bought a 2017 Wrangler and it is a snap to tow compared to our Jeep Cherokee.

Really? Both the Cherokee and Grand Cherokee have this very complex procedure to follow:

1. ACC on, put Transfer Case in Neutral
2. ACC off, shut door
3. Drive away

Now, in all fairness, maybe this is as of 2016 - I don't know what the procedures were prior to then - and this is our 1st Jeep

[Scott77]

We tow a 2017 Subura Crosstrek 5 speed manual all wheels down in neutral with the key on for the electronic steering .. I used the 6 pin on the plugin for the lights for keeping the battery charged ... 😎

[Hi Rider]

I'm towing a 2006 Jeep Wrangler and its is a breeze! Bet you could find a used one that would do a fine job for you.

[tadlockjp]

Depends on what your needs are.
It's only the wife and me so we don't need something big.
For th sat 6 yard we have toad a Smart Car.
Only weighs 1800 lbs.
Simple to set up.
No limit to miles or speed, no miles recorded on odometer

[AquaMan]

Originally Posted by Dennis King

I have seen cars with front wheels on dollies and all 4 on the ground and a trailer with car sitting on it. I have a 2017 Georgetown 364TS with new Triton and the new 6 speed transmission!
I hear they cut the HP on the engine and maybe were trying to get better performance and mileage with the transmission at same time??
Any suggestions are appreciated! I tried swapping my wife's Prius for a Mustang or Camaro but no luck! Thanks Dennis

Plenty of info on toads here (I tow Jeep), but to answer your concern about the cut in HP. The HP was cut but the torque was raised. This was done to take advantage of the extra gearing on the lower end and to keep the RPMs lower by maintaining a higher gear before dropping down. There is a considerable difference between 5 and 6 spd Gtowns (in stock form).

[BobHanke]

Jeep Grand Cherokee and regular Cherokee with full 4-wheel drive are also good toads. Regular Cherokee is the lightest of the three and lowest price.

[RudysWorld]

As it has been said it depends on your needs. DW wanted a small suv to haul grands around when not traveling. We tow a 2013 Chevy Equinox and it works great. As said before check dinghy guide, I would suggest before buying check owners manual to be sure. Most manuals are available online. Good Luck!

[Afawley]

We found a 2015 Jeep Patriot manual transmission. Just turn the key to auxiliary, put it in neutral and release the handbrake. We have a Blue Ox system which includes something that keeps the tow charged.

One tip - make sure you have an extra key as our Patriot locks itself after so long on the road.