On Friday, February 13, 2015 at 3:40:07 PM UTC-5, vontresc wrote:
Looking at getting a new vehicle this spring, and am currently looking into a Jetta Sportwagon TDI. Any of you guys use one to tow your ship? Good or bad?

Peter

If you look through R.A.S. archives (search on Sportwagen rather than Sportwagon) you'll see this vehicle has come up several times.

Bottom line: I've towed an LS8-18 in an Anschau Komet trailer and more recently my ASG-29 with 18M tips in a new Cobra trailer with the 2010 TDI Sportwagen. Works great. Three things I did:

- Make sure you have a tow bar that lifts the hitch to the proper height; you'll be looking at about a 4" or 5" rise.
- I run the rear tires pretty much at max allowable pressure when towing.
- I installed Firestone Coil-Rite inserts (airbags) in the rear springs. I've since decided these weren't absolutely necessary.

If I was going to be using the vehicle to tow all of the time, I might want something a little bigger. I also tow with the family Honda Odyssey, and it's a little more capable tow vehicle. But the Sportwagen is a fantastic compromise considering I use it to drive back and forth to work 98% of the time.

Erik Mann (P3)
2010 Sportwagen TDI