Looking for a towable tow vehicle

[[email protected]]

My crew and I are purchasing a motorhome soon, and at the same time,
replacing her Toyota pickup with a more economical sedan. I'd like to
get one that's light enough to tow behind the motorhome on winter
trips, but heavy enough to tow the glider when the need arises. Iow a
towable tow vehicle.

I think the Honda Accord might fit the bill. Comments from anyone with
experience towing gliders with Accords or Civics?

-2NO in Tempe

[Charles Yeates]

>
> I think the Honda Accord might fit the bill. Comments from anyone with
> experience towing gliders with Accords or Civics?
>

Right you are. Our Honda 6 cyl has towed our PW-6 trailer 33,000 miles
over four summers at highway speeds with nary a problem


--
Charles Yeates

Swidnik PW-6U & PW-5
http://www3.ns.sympatico.ca/yeatesc/world.html

[Ray Lovinggood]

My first tow vehicle was a 1988 Honda Accord 2.0 liter
I-4 5-speed and it towed my home-built trailer (no
brakes) easily enough. However, on I-95 in Florida
where 18 wheelers were running about 95 m.p.h., I did
get blown around a bit.

Now, I have a 2000 Honda Accord 3.0 liter V-6 automatic
and it tows the same old trailer with ease. It doesn't
get moved around at all like the smaller, lighter Honda
did. However, what I miss is the manual transmission,
whether I'm pulling the trailer or not, but alas, the
auto was the only option. The four speed automatic
does not have an overdrive lockout, which I would like
when pulling the trailer.

I would still be driving the 1988 Honda if a driver
had been paying more attention and didn't pull out
in front of me. It was 'Ramming Speed!' and I totaled
my car. It had only 396,000 miles on it when it died.
And, it was running great! Sigh...

Ray Lovinggood
Carrboro, North Carolina, USA

At 19:31 02 February 2005, Charles Yeates wrote:
>
>>
>> I think the Honda Accord might fit the bill. Comments
>>from anyone with
>> experience towing gliders with Accords or Civics?
>>
>
>Right you are. Our Honda 6 cyl has towed our PW-6 trailer
>33,000 miles
>over four summers at highway speeds with nary a problem
>
>
>--
>Charles Yeates
>
>Swidnik PW-6U & PW-5
>http://www3.ns.sympatico.ca/yeatesc/world.html
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

[Charles Yeates]

> what I miss is the manual transmission,
> whether I'm pulling the trailer or not, but alas, the
> auto was the only option. The four speed automatic
> does not have an overdrive lockout, which I would like
> when pulling the trailer.
>

The technical specialist at the dealership said an automatic
transmission is best -- it knows when the load justifies a shift
My 2004 Honda Accord 6 cyl has a five shift automatic transmission,
Perrrrfect
--
Charles Yeates

Swidnik PW-6U & PW-5
http://www3.ns.sympatico.ca/yeatesc/world.html

[Greg Arnold]

wrote:
> My crew and I are purchasing a motorhome soon, and at the same time,
> replacing her Toyota pickup with a more economical sedan. I'd like to
> get one that's light enough to tow behind the motorhome on winter
> trips, but heavy enough to tow the glider when the need arises. Iow a
> towable tow vehicle.
>
> I think the Honda Accord might fit the bill. Comments from anyone with
> experience towing gliders with Accords or Civics?

A Civic works, provided you get a running start at the hills, and slow
down when the trailer starts swaying (70mph in calm conditons, 50 to
55mph in windy conditions).

>
> -2NO in Tempe
>

[Papa3]

It's not a Honda, but I towed with three different VW Jettas over 15 years.
Similar in size to the Honda, though perhaps a slightly stiffer suspension.
All three were manual 5 speeds. The VW was more than adequate for "normal"
duty, though I would think twice if I were doing a lot of high speed 6-lane
driving.

P3
> wrote in message
oups.com...
> My crew and I are purchasing a motorhome soon, and at the same time,
> replacing her Toyota pickup with a more economical sedan. I'd like to
> get one that's light enough to tow behind the motorhome on winter
> trips, but heavy enough to tow the glider when the need arises. Iow a
> towable tow vehicle.
>
> I think the Honda Accord might fit the bill. Comments from anyone with
> experience towing gliders with Accords or Civics?
>
> -2NO in Tempe
>

[BTIZ]

Jeep Liberty..

> wrote in message
oups.com...
> My crew and I are purchasing a motorhome soon, and at the same time,
> replacing her Toyota pickup with a more economical sedan. I'd like to
> get one that's light enough to tow behind the motorhome on winter
> trips, but heavy enough to tow the glider when the need arises. Iow a
> towable tow vehicle.
>
> I think the Honda Accord might fit the bill. Comments from anyone with
> experience towing gliders with Accords or Civics?
>
> -2NO in Tempe
>

[Ted Wagner]

> Jeep Liberty..

Don't want another SUV -- we already have a Honda Pilot. Looking for an
economical sedan that can serve as a backup tow vehicle for the mistress and
daily vehicle for the wife.

[BTIZ]

"Ted Wagner" > wrote in message
news:1107404484.3f4bd8fbe97bd4efb397a1c1979a5796@t eranews...
>> Jeep Liberty..
>
> Don't want another SUV -- we already have a Honda Pilot. Looking for an
> economical sedan that can serve as a backup tow vehicle for the mistress
> and daily vehicle for the wife.

I did not think a Jeep Liberty counted as an SUV... but I suppose if you
would call an entry level Ford Explorer ann SUV... then maybe soo..

BT

[Stefan]

Greg Arnold wrote:

> A Civic works, provided you get a running start at the hills, and slow

And here we go again... In Europe, we tow routinely with 60 to 70 hp
cars. Works for us, even in the Alps. Obviously US pilots are a
different species.

Stefan

[Bert Willing]

But then, our cars in Europe are engineered with decent suspensions -
something still not heared of in the US... :-)

--
Bert Willing

ASW20 "TW"


"Stefan" > a écrit dans le message de news:
...
> Greg Arnold wrote:
>
>> A Civic works, provided you get a running start at the hills, and slow
>
> And here we go again... In Europe, we tow routinely with 60 to 70 hp cars.
> Works for us, even in the Alps. Obviously US pilots are a different
> species.
>
> Stefan

[Pete Reinhart]

Jim Phoenix was using a Jeep Liberty to tow his Nimbus 3 for a while and
reported that it did well. You could query him to get his full experience
with it.
I'm using H rated Contis on my Benz and find them fully the equal of the
many previous sets of Michelins. Car is also equipped with optional but not
publicized factory trailer towing springs and custom receiver hitch.
Supposedly H raters have a stiffer sidewall and somewhat softer tread
compound. You can really feel a difference in handling and ride. I'm using a
good grade of "trailer" tires on both my trailers which weigh between 2100
and 2500 lbs. gross. Both are good to 85 on the highway and no problem.
Personal opinion is that tow vehicle mass and tongue weight are the key
elements after good tires. I have a freind who occasionally tows his open
class trailer with and older VW Rabbit diesel. He doesn't worry much about
high speed oscillation. There was an article a year or so ago in Soaring
about an accident that occurred because the tow vehicle was too light and if
I remember was not loaded correctly.
Cheers!
"BTIZ" > wrote in message
news:8EgMd.2388$Tt.802@fed1read05...
> Jeep Liberty..
>
> .

[Eric Greenwell]

Bert Willing wrote:

> But then, our cars in Europe are engineered with decent suspensions -
> something still not heared of in the US... :-)

We heard of them long ago, and we even build them here, like the BMW -
you've heard of it, I know! The Toyotas and other Japanese cars have
decent suspensions, certainly equal to the Passat and similar. And even
the fully American vehicles long ago became decent to compete with
Japanese and Europeans. Anyway, it's not the suspension that hauls the
trailer up the hill, it's horsepower.

You are not towing your glider trailers _up_ the Alps at 70 mph with 70
hp cars, are you? If you are, they aren't as high or as steep as I thought!


--
Change "netto" to "net" to email me directly

Eric Greenwell
Washington State
USA

[Stefan]

Eric Greenwell wrote:

> You are not towing your glider trailers _up_ the Alps at 70 mph with 70
> hp cars, are you? If you are, they aren't as high or as steep as I thought!

I don't even drive at 70 mph up the Alps _without_ a trailer, because
the streets there are not only high and steep, but also quite narrow and
curvy.

You'd be surprized what you can do with astonishingly few horsepower.
Agreed, towing a double seater may be a bit harder, but still works with
70 hp. Maybe not at 70 mph uphill, but who cares? How often do you tow a
trailer? Once or twice a year for holidays and twice or thrice for a
retrieve, ant that's it in most cases. For me, spending two or three
hours more in a year for towing (assuming the worst case scenario) is
much better than having to drive an insane SUV the whole year. But then,
we don't occupy distant countries to ensure our oil supply, either.

Stefan

[Udo Rumpf]

"Stefan" > wrote in message
...
> Eric Greenwell wrote:
>
>> You are not towing your glider trailers _up_ the Alps at 70 mph with 70
>> hp cars, are you? If you are, they aren't as high or as steep as I
>> thought!
>
> I don't even drive at 70 mph up the Alps _without_ a trailer, because the
> streets there are not only high and steep, but also quite narrow and
> curvy.
>
> You'd be surprized what you can do with astonishingly few horsepower.
> Agreed, towing a double seater may be a bit harder, but still works with
> 70 hp. Maybe not at 70 mph uphill, but who cares? How often do you tow a
> trailer? Once or twice a year for holidays and twice or thrice for a
> retrieve, ant that's it in most cases. For me, spending two or three hours
> more in a year for towing (assuming the worst case scenario) is much
> better than having to drive an insane SUV the whole year. But then, we
> don't occupy distant countries to ensure our oil supply, either.
>
> Stefan

In the US and Canada when participating in contests requires a slightly
different set of wheels not fancy but something that will be appropriate
for the
distances traveled. As an example: this year I will be attending the
Seniors,
in Florida 2500km. A month later I will be going the South Carolina
an other 1800 km. In June it will Utah again at least 3000km and after that
maybe a couple of local contest each let say each 600km. All one way.

Out West I will be cruising at 140km/h up or down moderate four lane
Highway hills
with my cruise control on. Let me assure you the difference between 150 hp
(American) and 220 Hp plus and the right handling car makes this kind of
driving not a pleasure but acceptable.
Regards
Udo

[Stefan]

Udo Rumpf wrote:

> Florida 2500km
> South Carolina 1800 km
> Utah 3000km
> a couple of 600km
....

Agreed. But how many glider pilots fit the same pattern?

Stefan

[Eric Greenwell]

Stefan wrote:

> You'd be surprized what you can do with astonishingly few horsepower.
> Agreed, towing a double seater may be a bit harder, but still works with
> 70 hp. Maybe not at 70 mph uphill, but who cares? How often do you tow a
> trailer?

About four big trips (and lot of little ones) and 10,000 miles a year.
For example, if the 18 meter class National competition is held in
Uvalde, it's a 4000 mile round trip for me. Even to go to Minden is a
1400 mile round trip.

Once or twice a year for holidays and twice or thrice for a
> retrieve, ant that's it in most cases. For me, spending two or three
> hours more in a year for towing (assuming the worst case scenario) is
> much better than having to drive an insane SUV the whole year.

And most US pilots that fly close to home agree with you, and use
whatever car they have.

--
Change "netto" to "net" to email me directly

Eric Greenwell
Washington State
USA

[Tom]

Nether do we.

What we don't have here are gas taxes that triple the cost (we do have
gas taxes, but they are not ridiculous).

[Papa3]

Pete,

Thanks for confirming my suspicisons (see thread I started just above this
one). Looks like saving a couple of bucks by dropping the speed-rated
tires cost me in the long run.


"Pete Reinhart" > wrote in message
...
>> I'm using H rated Contis on my Benz and find them fully the equal of the
> many previous sets of Michelins. Car is also equipped with optional but
not
> publicized factory trailer towing springs and custom receiver hitch.
> Supposedly H raters have a stiffer sidewall and somewhat softer tread
> compound. You can really feel a difference in handling and ride. I'm using
a
> good grade of "trailer" tires on both my trailers which weigh between 2100
> and 2500 lbs. gross.

[Jack]

It's a shame someone has to turn an otherwise informative debate into a
political insult. But rather than use all those muscles required to
frown, I'll just use the four required to raise 1 finger for ol'
Stefan...

Jack Womack