Towing with a Pontiac Vibe

[Dominique]

Hello all

I need to change my tow vehicule for my '74 Boler Porto II. One of my option is the Pontiac Vibe rated at 1500 lbs. The original Boler spec sheet says 900 lbs but i know its a bit more. My plan would be to add a transmission cooler and break on the Porto II. What do you think?

Ty in advance for your advise

Dom

[Donna D.]

If you can tow your trailer to a place to get it weighed... I'd do that first. You know what "they" say when you assume....

[Nancy]

Do what Donna recommends first off to really know your weight. My stripped down 13 foot Scamp weighs around 1500 lbs.

Our son has the Toyota Matrix. Always wanted to hook up my Scamp and see what happens.

Found his manual to be rather vague about how much one can pull with it. I don't remember exactly what it said, but I was looking for information about how much weight can be in the car as well as how much weight can be towed.

My son does pull a utility trailer with stuff inside, but that stuff doesn't weigh as much, nor does it stick up in the air like our trailers. The frontal mass was another thing I searched his Matrix manual for. Once they hauled paving stones and a few sand bags for a yard job. He was light in the front and the trailer did not handle well, braking needed to be planned well in advance.

Personally I think you are asking a bit much of a Vibe.

Nancy

[Pete Dumbleton]

I was really not happy towing my Scamp 13' with a pickup truck rated to tow 2,000lbs until I did some changes on the truck to balance it and reduce overhang. My relatively optionless Scamp, loaded for the road, scaled at 1,750 lbs. I believe 1,500 lbs is not enough...

[Sheryl M]

Our first trip out we towed our 13' Scamp with my husbands Pontiac Vibe, and found that it really was too much camper for the car. On the way home we went to a truck scales and weighed the camper. It came in around 1350 lbs [IIRC], but you could definitely feel a "lug" on the car going up hills, etc. I would not recommend a Vibe for towing.

[Kevin K]

To short a wheel base and to light of a car.
I would NOT tow with this car.
But its your choice.

[Cam A]

Can it do it; yes. Should it do it - perhaps not. As Donna says, first step is to weigh the trailer. There is a constant debate around vehicle towing capacity, versus the mileage/driveability of the vehicle when you are not towing. If you're after AWD with the Vibe, consider a Subaru, which will tow 2,000 pounds (I'll admit that I'm biased since I have one). If not, there's lots of 4 cylinder vehicles which will haul around a Boler quite cheerfully. Good Hunting.

[Michelle A]

In a past life I owned a Toyota Matrix. It was a lovely car, but it seriously lacked horse-power going up hills. I can only imagine how much it would struggle with a trailer in tow.

We also have a Subaru Forester, which has a towing capacity of 2400 (with trailer brakes).

Good Luck!

[Dominique]

Ty all for your replys. I went to a dealer today and i have my eyes on a Pontiac Torrent now. Ill keep you posted.

Dom

[bill&sandra]

Hello all

I need to change my tow vehicule for my '74 Boler Porto II. One of my option is the Pontiac Vibe rated at 1500 lbs. The original Boler spec sheet says 900 lbs but i know its a bit more. My plan would be to add a transmission cooler and break on the Porto II. What do you think?

Ty in advance for your advise

Dom

My son-in-law has a Vibe and has towed our little 13' Scamp--bare bones before and he said it did not like towing at all. I think part of the problem was the amount of stuff--packed coolers, etc that had to go in the 'trunk' of the car, but he said they tried it with everything out of the trunk and put in Scamp and it still did not like it. I think the little thing is just too underpowered for pulling. Even we have trouble on long inclines with our VW diesel TDI where we have to shift down. We are also pretty low to the ground and the hitch scrapes here and there. If you go to any of the rallys, take a look at what folks are using as tows and ask around. If you aren't with a trailer yet, just drive on in and plant yourself in the meeting room and snag folks as they come in--say you are doing a survey!!!
We are always willing to brag on our Tows!
Good luck! My best advice is to do a search on Tow Vehicles here and see what they feel is the best value/best tow. But don't feel shy! We'd all love to gab with you at any rally you show up!

[Paul from NWOnt]

It's like 2 lumberjacks riding double on a moped:

It can be done.

It wouldn't look quite right.

Likely ill-advised.

[Mike Magee]

I towed a 13' with a little Dodge Omni from Michigan to Colorado and back. But it's what I had, and all I could afford to have. You are looking for one to buy. It's more practical to buy a tow vehicle that can do more than you need it to, than to buy one that's marginal at best. I'd recommend looking only at ones with at least 2,000 lb tow rating, and 3500 would be even better. The Torrent is 3500.

Have you looked at the Toyota Rav4? Similar size, HP, and capabilities. I have driven them and really like them. I only got a Highlander instead because I tow every day for work, about 3500 lb... and the Rav would be marginal at best for that.

Happy shopping!