Researching Toads

[BirdbyBird]

I have been test driving small light weight cars in search of my next vehicle and possible toad. I plan to keep my Kia Sportage but it now has @100,000 miles and will last as a hauling vehicle only if I stop putting 20,000 miles a year on it. I am used to driving the small SUVs and before that a mini van and a small Ford hatchback. SO wanting increase my gas mileage and looking at the entry level economy I first looked at Honda Fit, Scion xD, Kia Soul....liking the open hatch area. Am having trouble finding manual transmissions of some units on the lots to even test drive. I drove a Versa sedan today and got to thinking that a sedan would be nice. If I keep junk (or a kayak) in the trunk...no one will notice! (I keep having to remind myself that the vehicle does not have to do everything. If I really need to take all the dogs somewhere...they fit in the MH.) In a sedan the dogs could ride comfortably in the back (like Karen's...? many people and dogs fit in the back? ) and the Sportage would be in the driveway when I was not traveling and available with its different hauling spaces.... I am looking for manual that can be towed 4-wheels down with minimal issues. (Sarah might suggest that the 65 mph limit is a good one for me ) Any experiences out there that I should think about in the decision process....

[Birdie]

Tina, what is the weight limit for your rig to be able to pull and the tongue weight?

[BirdbyBird]

The MH engine is a Chev 350....... I think the hitch maybe rated 5000...but I am wanting to go as "light" as possible and trying to get a vehicle that will improve the everyday gas mileage that I have had in the past with the Sportage...I have a history of putting on almost 20,000 miles each year. As long as I still have the Sportage sitting here in the driveway I can get a smaller run around car....

[sharon]

Why does it have to be a manual trans? Or is that what you prefer?

Make sure about your hitch...had a neighbor "thought" he had a 10,000# hitch...trailer he was towing got left in the middle of the road along with his hitch 10 miles from his house. Not a pretty sight. I could be totally wrong about this but I THINK DH made a comment at that time when we went to rescue him that the hitch weight is stamped somewhere underneath. Again, could be wrong about that, but wouldn't hurt to look.

[Birdie]

Not as many auto trannys that can be pulled 4 flat and very few light weight ones. Just about all Manuals can be pulled 4 down. Actually, they run between $1 and 1.5K cheaper too.

Keep looking and they will start popping up. Prolly after Jan 1 or April 1.

Yeah, what Sharon said about make sure of the weight. My E450 Super Heavy Duty is rated at 5,000 with a 500 tongue and some times the tongue will give you the biggest problem, specially if the car is under the weight, like barely. Heavy front can overload the tongue.

[sharon]

Not as many auto trannys that can be pulled 4 flat and very few light weight ones. Just about all Manuals can be pulled 4 down. Actually, they run between $1 and 1.5K cheaper too.

Keep looking and they will start popping up. Prolly after Jan 1 or April 1.

Oh. Thanks Birdie, didn't know that, we've always towed 4X jeeps, altho I read that some of the 4X jeeps can't be towed now. Think Jenny posted that. Another little piece of info to tuck away.

[BirdbyBird]

I did drive a used Jeep...it was fun but for everyday life I couldn't get past the low mileage figures and Ohio doesn't have the winter or summer temps to make driving around without the top all that exciting. ...and I figure that I use up my available environmental credits driving the MH so I need to balance it out

And you can get some of the automatics equipped with lube pumps...but the extra coat is another 1,000 over the cost of the usual tow bar and base plate, etc. I have driven manuals most of my life so it isn't that hard to ga back to....as long as my knees stay healthy!

[Bethers]

Actually, weightwise, there are automatic transmissions out there - like mine But mine is no longer made. What Karen (retiredhappy) has replaced mine by Chevy - and it pretty lightweight - what I was looking at if I hadn't found my car. And I like those Cobalts. You know how much we could fit in the car

All I can say - I don't buy new - so I found the models I would consider, and searched until I found one at a good price, and then got the price even lower. Unlike you, I wouldn't do manual transmission. I wanted a car to drive in cities, etc - and I hate manual transmission in cities. Also, when I had my broken ankle - couldn't have done manual transmission. So I think about all of that. (And, unlike lots, I simply hate manual transmission lolol - not saying it's wrong for you). Just don't want you to rule out auto because of weight.

I love my little car - and love even more that it came with some dings, etc - so I'm not worried about it getting more. When I drove through Iowa last week - on the dirt/sand/yucky roads - that car looked so bad - just hosed it off

Good luck on finding what will work for you.

[carold]

We have a manual (4 speed) toyota corolla. It gets about 40 mpg and is very lightweight. We carry our gas grille and propane tank in the trunk and still have room left over. I do get tired of shifting and may get an automatic next time around. Have had no mechanical difficulties other than what we've done wrong Have fun looking. carold

[retiredhappy]

Tina, mine is a Chevy Cobalt, automatic. Its light but fairly roomy for a sedan and the back seats do fold down for doggies. Chevy Malibu is also towable and only a little heavier than mine. I'm with Beth on the automatics. I CAN drive a stick but don't like to in cities. Most autos you will need to pull a fuse when towing to keep the mileage from racking up while towing.

[Birdie]

Tina go check out Motor Home Magazine on line as they do a Dinghy Guide every year telling which vehicles for that year are towable, Auto/Man, weight, expected mileage, retail prices and any particulars for towing that model. I just looked up the year 2008 Malibu and the weight is just over 3415, the HHR 3155, the Cobalt 2780. My Edge was 4078. If you can't find it on line let me know as I still have the adobe guides for 2008, 2009 and 2010. I didn't want anything older than that so I didn't research any others. I'd liked to have considered the Ford Escape Hybrid as it will tow auto 4 down, but the weight was nearly 3600 pounds and that only gave me 500 pounds less. I wanted more of the less!

As you know when you find the right one, you will know it. But it helps when you can print out or see the year, model and weight of every car in your zone. You then have a better idea of what you are really needing. When I bought the Edge I needed a high clearance vehicle that would go places other cars wouldn't go, i.e. I would never take the HHR to the birding places I took the Edge. I didn't have much time to make my decision or research things. I hope I did better this time. (Live and learn.)

[BirdbyBird]

Thanks Birdie......I have been referring to both the FMCA and the Motor Home List of towables....Unfortunately when I go back a year and check the 2009.....many of the makes don't show up ??

[Bethers]

Every year has different cars on the list ... but most of the ones towable stay towable during their lives. Like the Cavalier was - then replaced by the Cobalt which is for each year so far. I also, had downloaded all the pdf files for all the years. I was more willing to go back more years (thus my 2004 when I was only going to go back to 2005) but the mileage was low, and it's 5 years newer than the rig - price was right - voila, my first toad.

[Birdie]

The Owners Manual will always tell you. However, that is while you are looking...not necessarily a good thing. A couple of sites that will help you also are the vehicle recall sites.

One here for Ohio's Lemon Law
http://www.ohiolemonlaw.com/vehicle-recall-list.html

and this one for NHTSA
http://www.recalls.gov/nhtsa.html

Some of the autos fall off the list because they aren't being made any more. Their 'replacements' are not necessarily 'the same'. Owner's Manual gives you most information that you need. You are on an amazing quest. Still like the Honda Fit idea.

Amazing site that Liz and I saw here was a Pleasure Way towing a TT looked about 20 or so feet.

[carold]

Out Toyota Corolla weighs 2485. carold