Quote:
Originally Posted by Wavery
Tow ratings are a bit of marketing strategy.
The tow ratings in 2006 were based on what a vehicle was able to tow with a driver and 10G of gas. Any passenger, cargo and fuel weight added to the vehicle must be subtracted from the tow rating.
Just about any vehicle (including an old VW bug) can PULL a TM. The key question is, "Can the tow vehicle in question stop a TM in a safe distance at highway speeds?".
Along with the ability to stop, terrain and weather conditions must be considered.
Early this year, I returned to TM and I purchased a Honda Ridgeline which had a 5,000# tow rating. I considered that plenty to haul our 3600# TM with my wife and myself and about 300-500# of cargo (we usually carry a lot of firewood). I found, on our first trip out, that the Ridgeline was having a hard time hard stopping in the mountains. The Ridgeline had all new brakes. I decided that the issue may be that it needed a weight distribution hitch (WDH) to return lost weight back to the front wheels. A few trips later, I had to make an emergency stop on a downhill grade and nearly had a collision.
The next week, I sold the Ridgeline and bought a Chevy Silverado 1500. I lost about $3,000 on the Ridgeline because of all the $ that I put into it to be sure that it was up to the task.
Lesson learned........... good gas mileage doesn't necessarily equate to saved $.
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That was going to be my next purchase instead of the Odyssey to get a Ridgeline. Did some research on them and seem to be a good fit. Also the gas mileage seem to do better. Until I saw a youtube video of a guy trying to tow a 5000# boat. Cheaper mileage doesn't equate to being safe. Going for the Avalanche next. Our previous TV was a Suburban. Did good towing, but it would not stop at all.