Towing trailer and glider with a honda civic

On Wednesday, February 28, 2018 at 8:09:16 PM UTC+3, Mike the Strike wrote:
Many years ago, I towed my Jantar 1 in its giant steel and wooden trailer behind a 1.6 liter VW Golf. I did it once!

Lessons I learned:

1) Front-wheel drive vehicles are least suited to towing as they have less rear-end weight and suspension that's not always heavy duty.

2) A tow vehicle that's at least as heavy as the trailer

3) Preferably rear-wheel or all-wheel drive

When I started gliding, most people in NZ seemed to be using Ford Falcons or Holden Commodores (whether sedan, station wagon, or ute) for glider towing.

Sometime in the late 90s to early 2000s it suddenly seemed that a lot of people switched to using Subaru Legacy or Outback, or even Impreza/WRX. These cars tow well and stably on the highway, but also are pretty good at getting in and out of various places that people land out. All while using 2/3 the fuel of the Aussie six cylinder cars.

On Wednesday, February 28, 2018 at 9:32:07 AM UTC-8, Bruce Hoult wrote:
On Wednesday, February 28, 2018 at 8:09:16 PM UTC+3, Mike the Strike wrote:
Many years ago, I towed my Jantar 1 in its giant steel and wooden trailer behind a 1.6 liter VW Golf. I did it once!

Lessons I learned:

1) Front-wheel drive vehicles are least suited to towing as they have less rear-end weight and suspension that's not always heavy duty.

2) A tow vehicle that's at least as heavy as the trailer

3) Preferably rear-wheel or all-wheel drive

When I started gliding, most people in NZ seemed to be using Ford Falcons or Holden Commodores (whether sedan, station wagon, or ute) for glider towing.

Sometime in the late 90s to early 2000s it suddenly seemed that a lot of people switched to using Subaru Legacy or Outback, or even Impreza/WRX. These cars tow well and stably on the highway, but also are pretty good at getting in and out of various places that people land out. All while using 2/3 the fuel of the Aussie six cylinder cars.

Towing a Nimbus 3/25.5 in a Pfeiffer trailer, have used Subaru Outback, Holden Commodore, Chevy Tahoe and Toyota Rav4 (FWD only).
The Subaru was probably the best, followed by the Rav4.
The Chevy needed the V8 just to lug it's own weight around. It did not behave as well in various wind conditions as the others.
Jim

My wife's 3.6 liter (6-cylinder) outback will tow a glider trailer up
the steepest mountains in the US and pass everyone along the way.Â* It
still gets great mileage, though you do notice the difference towing.Â*
As long as weight is properly distributed, it's rock solid.

On 2/28/2018 10:32 AM, Bruce Hoult wrote:
On Wednesday, February 28, 2018 at 8:09:16 PM UTC+3, Mike the Strike wrote:
Many years ago, I towed my Jantar 1 in its giant steel and wooden trailer behind a 1.6 liter VW Golf. I did it once!

Lessons I learned:

1) Front-wheel drive vehicles are least suited to towing as they have less rear-end weight and suspension that's not always heavy duty.

2) A tow vehicle that's at least as heavy as the trailer

3) Preferably rear-wheel or all-wheel drive
When I started gliding, most people in NZ seemed to be using Ford Falcons or Holden Commodores (whether sedan, station wagon, or ute) for glider towing.

Sometime in the late 90s to early 2000s it suddenly seemed that a lot of people switched to using Subaru Legacy or Outback, or even Impreza/WRX. These cars tow well and stably on the highway, but also are pretty good at getting in and out of various places that people land out. All while using 2/3 the fuel of the Aussie six cylinder cars.

--
Dan, 5J

I towed with a diesel Jetta. No problem at all.