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Old 02-18-2005, 04:59 PM   #3
fcatwo
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Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Anacortes. Wa
Posts: 396
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I wouldn't pass on getting a TM just because you only have a minivan to tow it with. If you are under GCWR, tow only a few times per year and can stay out of the highest mountains you should be OK. We towed our 2002 TM-2619 for probably 20,000 miles with a 2002 Honda Odyssey and had no problems at all. We had the Honda tow package, a WDH, air bags in the rear coil springs (although not just for towing), a Prodigy brake controller, and a transmission temperature gauge. Plus we observed the usual towing precautions of doubling normal following distances and exercising greater caution in all situations. We did have to remove the 2nd and 3rd row seats in the Odyssey and pack carefully to stay under GCWR but it towed great. We did get tired of such limitation after a couple of years but I would not have hesitated to continue towing with the Odyssey had that been our only option.

Minivans do share the limitations of all front wheel drive vehicles which are: less traction when starting off uphill, a less rigid frame, shorter wheelbase and (comparatively speaking) miniature components such as transmissions because the entire drive line has to fit between the front wheels. The hi-tech 5-sp transmission in our Odyssey was maybe 1/2 the size of many truck transmissions and although it was still going strong when we traded, I wouldn't expect it to have the durability of a larger transmission.
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Frank
Former 2002 TM2619 Owner
2005 Toyota Tundra AC 4X2
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