In the past, our family of 3 used a Windstar w/ a 3.8 for towing. Ford sets a rating of 3500lbs with the factory installed tow package. We found after taking our fully packed TM to the scales that we were just at the limit. So ... out came the third row bench seat and we set limits on our packed items.
The minivan towed fine for several trips to the coast and even a long interstate trip that was generally flat. Our last trip however was to California's gold country which included driving hours on winding mountain roads. It was clear that there was not enough of a safety margin on the minivan.
After reading up on the workmanship of the Windstar (quality was not job #1 on this one), we determined that towing near the limit is like burning a candle on both ends. So we just bought our first SUV - a 2004 Yukon. It has a towing limit well over 7000lbs. Now we can load up and even bring family and friends along to enjoy our TM. We have the peace of mind knowing that we have the right "tool" to get the job done.
Now we're off to Clearlake, CA for the weekend ... Brett
