Tow Vehicles/TM match

[TrailManorMan]

Originally Posted by [email protected]

I would think that more is better. Even if you are in the flat lands doesn't mean you won't want to go to the mountains sometime....right? So better to have more power even if you aren't going to the mountains. That way your TV doesn't have to work as hard no matter where you go.
Sure a more economical vehicle will save on gas, but when towing anything, you're going to want more power and that economy car would be at it's power limit and straining to get going. That's when things break, and that's the last thing your going to want on a vacation! So get something with plenty of reserve towing capacity and power.
Just my thoughts on this subject....
Tom

Not everyone needs a towtruck, i have towed with cars/ suv for forty years. No issues and no breakdowns, average 17000 miles pulling each year, east of the mississippi . Everyone is different and tows differently with different needs. Drive what you want, I save fuel costs year round when not pulling😀😀.

[rmHaar]

You can tow in mountains with a V-6. Modern engines put out a lot of power. Towed a Coleman pop up in Alaska with a V-6 truck and I've pulled our TM through the mountains in PA 4 times now and can it does fine.

[Padgett]

That is the difference. When I started towing things long, long ago, big (400 cid) V-8s were king but transmissions were 3-speeds and power died much above 4k rpm. My 72 400 produced 200 hp.

Cut to today. My V-6 peaks at 6400 rpm and has 90% of the torque max from 1800 rpm up. Weight is a bit less than my 72 A-body wagon. Rating is 290hp. 5 speed lock up (new ones have an 8 speed).

This means from 20-60 mph I can put more torque on the ground than my '72 wagon and have 2000 rpm cruise at 70 (wagon was 3000 rpm). 17-18 mpg towing in the flats vs 12.5.

And a car I can just flip the fob to for valet parking.

The next stage I believe is engines like the Ford Ecoboost 3.5 with turbo and direct injection so mine is obsolete already. These are the good old days.