Flat tow dinghy choices for 2018 Vista 29VE?

[GGcamper]

We just purchased our first Class A and are attempting to figure out what to use as a dinghy. We are in our 60s and looking for something affordable, small to mid size, reliable and easy to manage. Any recommendations? How old is too old for a dinghy?

[Eagle5]

Greetings GGcamper,
If you plan to take your Vista to a camping spot and stay there for extended periods of time, then a Towed vehicle (a.k.a. Toad) might be a reasonable thing to consider. If you plan to tour and see much of the USA in your Vista, with only the occasional "staying in one spot for a few days," then I would consider renting a car for those times.
How will you be using your Vista?
Welcome to the forum.
Eagle5

Winnebago Vista 29VE

[be happy]

Welcome,
Its getting harder and harder to find vehicles that can be towed 4 down for one reason or another. My first class A I towed a jeep wrangler, which is by far the easiest to tow in my opinion. Due to the lack of 4 down vehicles I have moved to a tow dolly which gives more options.

I could not find the article that used to come out every year giving a list of towable vehicles. I found this that might help https://www.rvingknowhow.com/best-ca...-behind-an-rv/

The key to any 4 down is in the owners manual. Do not take word from anyone saying yes or no go to owners manual.

There is alot of post concerning 4 down vs. tow dolly you may want to search those out also.

Good Luck

[thompwil]

We purchased our 2014 Equinox new and was just dumb luck it could be towed 4 down when we got our 2018 Winnie. It has been towed over 38K miles without issue and is still going. It's showing 78K miles on the odometer which does not accumulate while towing, so it actually has about 116K miles on the rolling components. I installed a fuse switch to make disconnecting the accessory circuits easy (don't have to pull a fuse). Hook up is fast and easy under 5 minutes. The Stay-N-Play braking system requires just throwing a switch. Unhooking is even quicker. And yes, as stated above, the owners manual gives clear instructions on what to do for towing 4 down. During lunch & break stops, I start the engine and run it for a few minutes shifting from drive to reverse to lube the transmission, it's more frequently than the manual requires but not a big deal. I figure replacing hub bearings and axle half shafts maybe due soon, but so far no problems.

[JLUSoCal]

Congrats on your new to you motorhome. I have the same model for the past 3 years and love it - perfect for my wife and I.

I tow a Wrangler Unlimited at 5k pounds (the limit of the hitch). As said it's easy to tow but was very expensive when purchased new in 2018. Wranglers hold their value and while fun to drive they are not as comfortable as many other cars / SUVs that are towable. We used to tow a 2003 CR-V that was easy to tow as well and weighed about 3,500 pounds.

Here's a guide going back a bit but as noted above, check the owners manual.

https://www.roadmasterinc.com/produc...ghy_guides.php

[GGcamper]

We plan to tour approximately 2-3 months at a time, seeing sights at most stops on the way. We tend to spend 3-8 days at each stop so that would be a lot of renting. Thank you for the suggestions.

[GGcamper]

Thanks! I have been considering the Equinox but was concerned about the 65 mph limit while travelling out west with 75 mph speed limits and the frequent "lubrication" by starting the car but it sounds like it isn't much of a hassle.

[thompwil]

Originally Posted by GGcamper

Thanks! I have been considering the Equinox but was concerned about the 65 mph limit while travelling out west with 75 mph speed limits and the frequent "lubrication" by starting the car but it sounds like it isn't much of a hassle.

I've held a steady 70mph in Texas and Arizona for a couple winter's travels without any problems. I really don't like to go any faster than that but have caught myself doing so, I prefer to enjoy the scenery.

The manual only requires starting every 300 miles. I just do it more often since it really isn't that big a deal and making it a routine keeps me from forgetting to do it. It's worked out well for us.

[Ray,IN]

Originally Posted by GGcamper

Thanks! I have been considering the Equinox but was concerned about the 65 mph limit while travelling out west with 75 mph speed limits and the frequent "lubrication" by starting the car but it sounds like it isn't much of a hassle.

You will not be driving at 75mph much, that is the maximum speed rating for truck tires; then there is the match box construction of the MH to consider. If involved in a crash @ 75 I hope your life ins. is paid up so your kids can bury the remains.


FMCA flat-towing lists by year: https://www.fmca.com/towing-guides-t...ur-wheels-down

[lawnarjax]

We tow a 2006 Jeep liberty. Mid size suv with select Trac 4wd. You can find a gasses pretty cheap. Ours is a diesel which are a little harder to find. But there are plenty of used flat towables out there. We have towed the jeep more than 20k miles over the last 6 years and no issues. Personally I would never buy a new car to flat tow just because of what the jeeps front bumper looks like now. Would look for reliable capable 4wd/awd used smaller suv if I needed to replace.

[wahoonc]

I prefer 4-down to dolly towing. The number of vehicles that can be towed 4-down shrinks every year. I have a buddy who uses a VW Thing. I believe he has more than one. Dead simple to hook up and super lightweight IIRC around 2,000#. IMHO the lighter the better. That being said we currently have a 3600# Ford Fusion Hybrid set up for the towd. We also have access to a 2018 Equinox and a 2024 Ford Maverick Hybrid Lariat on order.

Aaron

[edju]

I've got the similar unit, 2018 Sunstar 29VE. Had it now over three years and 20K miles later. I've been towing a 2021 Subaru Crosstrek manual. I chose it for the AWD, higher ground clearance and a little over 3000 lbs, plus it's fun to drive. Subaru doesn't list it for flat towing since 2014, but as a manual transmission, it has been working just fine. When it was listed, there was no speed limit and I've often done 70 or more depending on the roads. It's lower cost than a Jeep and less weight, but also not a pure offroad vehicle if you're wanting to do that. There are a lot more options of you get an older car, but I opted for newer for obvious reasons. I've tried to attach a pdf of the 2015 and 2019 Motorhome magazine Dinghy guide, but they were too big, so try a search . Here's a link to something from Roadmaster. https://www.roadmasterinc.com/pdf/dtg_2023.pdf.
Hope it helps.

Ed
CO & TX

[Ray,IN]

I posted the hot link to FMCA flat-towing lists by year but forgot to say, even with using a published flot-tow list, the final authority is the vehicle specific owners manual, recretional towing paragraph.n I have found errors in published tow lists.

[powercat_ras]

Originally Posted by GGcamper

We just purchased our first Class A and are attempting to figure out what to use as a dinghy. We are in our 60s and looking for something affordable, small to mid size, reliable and easy to manage. Any recommendations? How old is too old for a dinghy?

The main thing is to keep under the 5,000 pound maximum weight limit for the vehicle being flat towed. That is Ford and Winnebago's limits. Adding the weight of a towed car to the Ford F53 impacts performance climbing grades at altitude, expect to go up them at lower speeds like 40 MPH in worst case. It is important to have a towed car brake assist, AKA "brake buddy". This will keep your stopping distance to similar lengths that you had without the towed car in hard braking / panic stops.

Personally, I tow a 2020 Ford Escape Hybrid (the only version that is flat towable), and use a Blue Ox Patriot Portable Brake Assist Box. It weighs well under 5,000 and has seating for 5 and a large cargo area behind the rear seat. It also can have a 2" hitch receiver so you can add a bike or scooter rack.

You may be able to find someone retiring a older car equipped for flat towing that still has a lot of life left in it. IRV2.com is a place to look they have a classified section with towed cars listed there. IRV2 also has listings for the brake assist , and some towed cars have an integrated (not portable) brake assist such as Invisibrake.

[Ray,IN]

powercat is right. The RVing forums/websites is a great place to find a used vehicle to tow 4-down. It's all ready to tow, which eliminates a lot of expense.

[Ray,IN]

Originally Posted by GGcamper

We just purchased our first Class A and are attempting to figure out what to use as a dinghy. We are in our 60s and looking for something affordable, small to mid size, reliable and easy to manage. Any recommendations? How old is too old for a dinghy?

This is an example of what I mean:https://www.rvt.com/Honda-CRV-EXL-20...30259-UX231318

[GGcamper]

Thanks Ray. This is all new to us so your comments are helpful.

[Ray,IN]

The most recent model Honda CRV that can be flat-towed is 2014. Honda changed their transmission design for 2015, which eliminated flat-towing.
IMO Honda CRV is a great choice if buying used. New, I'l check out Ford's small cars, I forget the model.

[creativepart]

We tow a 2016 Lincoln MKX SUV and it been both a great daily driver and a great toad for 55,000 miles. The Lincoln Aviator replaces it and is still towable in the FWD model. The Lincoln Corsair PHEV is a bit smaller and is towable as well. But the PHEV is harder to find and costs more than the larger Aviator.

Ford family models are towable, too.

A great option is the Ford Maverick pickup truck (the hybrid model only) and it one of the cheapest options, too

[Hermes2]

We've been towing our 2020 Equinox for about 25,000 miles. Easy to tow, connect and disconnect and great for those side trips you're talking about. There's a lot of information on set-up for these on the iRV forums. A good used one will set you back $20-$25k.