Volkswagen Golf - safe?

[Roger C H]

You don't have to be in the mountains. I-90 going west from the Columbia River at Vantage to Ryegrass Ridge is 13 long miles of uphill. My Jeep Cherokee just wouldn't tow my boat in third. I had to stay in second all the way. This meant a maximum speed of 30 mph on an expressway! It was the worst hill on I-90 all the way from Milwaukee, WI.

I haven't done that stretch yet with my present setup. May prove to be interesting. But at least the Subaru has 5 gears, not just 3; he, he.

The grade up the Siskoyous did take us down to 40 mph if I recall.

According to Wikipedia:

Maximum grade. Maximum grade is determined by a table, with up to 6% allowed in mountainous areas and hilly urban areas.

BTW: There is a difference between a truck pulling twice its own weight and a car pulling half of its. It is this: The truck was designed to do it.

[Deb & Chuck]

Originally Posted by Lizbeth

Sometimes conditions get bad real fast. In the blink of an eye.

We have been almost run off the road several times. I think vehicles towing trailers become invisible. And I'm talking about a one ton truck towing a 22ft trailer!

Weather can turn on you too. Many years ago we were going up to a local lake here in So Cal the last weekend in April. We checked the weather forecast and there was a chance of light showers. On the way up the mountain an unexpected cold front/storm blew in very quickly. It hailed and then started snowing heavily. There was no where to pull off. I was scared to death. I can not imagine what would have happened if we had been towing with a marginal T.V. Hubby slowed to a crawl as did everyone else going up the road and we made it safely.

I have a two wheel drive Explorer rated to tow my very heavy Boler (2200lbs). I hate towing with it. My next vehicle is going to be a truck, a 4x4 truck!

I realize many people are comfortable towing with smaller rigs but I am not.

We are with you on this point Lizbeth, we would rather have a bit heavier tow vehicle for safety than a couple more miles per gallon. There generally aren't 2nd chances.

[Robin G]

Melanie, As you see some of us have different opinions.

I lean way to the safety first side. I understand some think that it's ok when it's close. Can your car pull it, I am pretty sure it can. The million dollar question is, can it do so safely? Not only for the reasons given about liability, etc. But for the safety of your family. There have been to many horror stories of family's seriously injured, killed due to improper towing. I have read to many.

Some people don't realize how quickly the weight gets added to the trailer and car. A darn ice chest with soda, beer and ice can add a lot of weight. Lawn chairs, grills, sleeping bags, pots, pans and all the other camping gear can take you hundreds of pounds over your already cutting it close tow cap. Then add you, your spouse and your children and your not only underpowered (most likely) but your over weight which can reek havoc on the performance of the car and the handling of the trailer.

I love the fact that you want to share the experience of camping with your family. I love that your even investigating if it's a possibility! (so many don't). And I hope you can find a trailer that would work best for your family's camping needs and be safe at the same time.


There are other brands that weigh less, have you considered them? I would also recommend a sway bar (it will allow for more control). Keeps us informed on what you decide. And good luck on your hunt...........

[HikeSticks]

Melanie, I had the same range of feedbacks when I asked about towing with my 5 speed 2.0L Jetta. I have been traveling with mine constantly with NO problems at all. Just to be safe, I had brakes installed and I can stop on a dime. Last week I drove from New Brunswick, through Maine, through the White Mountains of NH and CT, through Quebec and Ontario, including downtown Toronto, through northern Ontario and back. I travel by myself so I can't comment on multiple people but I;m thrilled with my set up.
Good luck. PM me if you want more detailed info.
Cheers,
Barrie

[Casita Greg]

"We cannot answer that for you. We can just argue about whether vehicles get weaker and drivers get dumber on this side of the ocean. VW seems to think so. "

While I know that engineering technology has given us more horsepower per cubic inch, (or liters for those into metrics,) than older vehicles were able to provide. That being said, I still agree with the fact that a majority of todays drivers have definitely gotten a lot dumber than drivers used to be. Anybody who thinks that driving skills and common sense haven't deteriorated exponentially, especially in the good ole U.S., hasn't been out on the roads much lately. There isn't a day that goes by I don't see some absolutely imbecilic activities occurring while driving down the road.

Unfortunately, you can't legislate stupidity...

[Melanie]

So after all of that...I'm buying a new tent tonight!

I received so many different opinions / views but I really don't feel comfortable taking a risk, especially with two little ones. I'm still shopping though - and hopefully will find a Boler that needs restored for a really good deal - and when we buy a new vehicle in a few years, we'll make sure it can safely tow a loaded Boler.

Thanks guys.

[Michel, Bouchard]

Originally Posted by Greg Finke

"We cannot answer that for you. We can just argue about whether vehicles get weaker and drivers get dumber on this side of the ocean. VW seems to think so. "

While I know that engineering technology has given us more horsepower per cubic inch, (or liters for those into metrics,) than older vehicles were able to provide. That being said, I still agree with the fact that a majority of todays drivers have definitely gotten a lot dumber than drivers used to be. Anybody who thinks that driving skills and common sense haven't deteriorated exponentially, especially in the good ole U.S., hasn't been out on the roads much lately. There isn't a day that goes by I don't see some absolutely imbecilic activities occurring while driving down the road.

Unfortunately, you can't legislate stupidity...

Definitely not only in the good ole U.S., here too

[Ken C]

Roger,
Just down use a mustang to tow your boat article here

[mcbrew]

Originally Posted by Ken C

Roger,
Just down use a mustang to tow your boat article here

Living on the water, I've seen people do some pretty dumb things at boat ramps... usually in truck, though. We used to launch our sailboat with a 240D Mercedes all the time. Never had a problem. That car had all of 68 horsepower, and was rear wheel drive. Pulled a 4,000 pound sailboat out mod the water without straining.

The guy in the mustang must have done something really dumb. A boat won't pull you into the warer, because once the boat reach the water, it floats! Once it floats, there is only the weight of the trailer behind the car. Boat ramps can get slippery, and can be in various stated of disrepair... I'm betting the guy was in reverse and thought he was in drive/first or there was a drop off at the edge of the ramp and he backed in too far.

[Roger C H]

Actually, it was a 1977 Jeep Cherokee 2dr, 4wd with a 258 cubic inch, 4.2 liter AMC inline-6 engine and 3 speed. (with the 4wd it actually had 6 speeds, but I couldn't use 4wd on dry pavement). Of course I had a machinist's tool chest in the back full of tools, and other heavy things.
Actually, this is a good illustration of power vs speed. That engine had plenty of pulling power, it just was not geared for speed. (Vantage Bridge = 574 ft alt; Ryegrass Summit = 2535 ft alt). It is not as steep as other grades but it is l o n g.

[Lizbeth]

Roger are you saying the summit was 2535 ft? 'Cus.....well.....that's a tiny hill.

[Raya]

Melanie,

Sounds like a good plan. There are some pretty neat tents nowadays: Really light and easy to set up and practically leak proof! You can even touch the walls when it rains (Probably only funny if you ever camped in an old canvas tent....)

Your plan to move into a Boler sounds like another smart one. If you find a fixer-upper, it can be a relaxed family project (since you will have the tent concurrently), and once you have it ready to roll you can get a suitable tow vehicle. Heck, when the kids get older they may very well enjoy the tent as their own "private suite."

Roll on! (And keep us posted on your Boler quest )

Raya

[mcbrew]

If the Boler is too heavy, and a tent doesn't scare you away, take a look at the Quicksilver aluminum popup campers over at http://www.livinlite.com/

[Melanie]

Originally Posted by mcbrew

If the Boler is too heavy, and a tent doesn't scare you away, take a look at the Quicksilver aluminum popup campers over at Quicksilver All Aluminum Ultra Light Campers, Ultralight Campers, Lightweight Campers, Ultra-Lightweight Campers

Thanks for the link...Lighter than the Boler? Maybe. As beautiful? Not even close. I think I'll hold out for a Boler.

Any other lightweight options on the market?

[Carol H]

I also tow with a car and not one for supporting the overkill on tows as I like leaving a slightly smaller foot print in the environmental department but I am with Raya on this one. Not a chance I would tow with a cap of 1321 lbs -would scare me. Not only is the tow weight to great for the car but I would be suprised if you can find a pro who would install a class II hitch on a car with a 1321lb rating - suspect they would worry about being sued for doing it. Been known to be wrong though! :-)

[Melanie]

Originally Posted by Carol H

I also tow with a car and not one for supporting the overkill on tows as I like leaving a slightly smaller foot print in the environmental department but I am with Raya on this one. Not a chance I would tow with a cap of 1321 lbs -would scare me. Not only is the tow weight to great for the car but I would be suprised if you can find a pro who would install a class II hitch on a car with a 1321lb rating - suspect they would worry about being sued for doing it. Been known to be wrong though! :-)

Remember, the tow rating WITH trailer brakes is up around 3000 lbs and that would require a class 2 hitch...no?

[Carol H]

Sorry Melanie I didn't "remember" as I only read your first post were you were asking about towing with a tow cap of 1321lbs - no mention of the tow had a higher number with trailer brakes :-) If your tow manual states the cap goes up to the 3000lb range then you should have no issues getting a Class II installed and IMHO towing a 13' glass egg with brakes. I still would not tow anything without brakes over the 1300lbs though even if I had the right class hitch on the car.

[Raya]

Carol,

Yes, I would have answered differently if I had known the car was rated to tow 3,000 lbs., but that was added info later in the thread.

I still think the OP might run into issues with capacity when taking all of the weight of four passengers and gear into account, and comparing that to some of the other VW specs (which one has to do).

Sounds like she has a plan though

[Carol H]

Suspect your right Raya re total cap. I have no idea as to what that might be on the tow in question but hope its checked as well. I also did not read through to see she has 4 passangers. One of the reasons I am comfortable with my tow is that I don't have any more than 2 passangers which also = less gear in the tow and the trailer. If I had a full car as well I might not feel so good about it all.

[Robin G]

Melanie, I just saw this post on the general forum and I remember this "new" option being discussed before. Hopefully all the info will be found for you and others who have tow cap issues.

Here a link to the post on general forums. http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...tml#post221345

I also wanted to comment on the weight of a loaded boler as being in the 1250 range. From reading here, many times quoted trailer weights from manufactures are not the actual/accurate weights. I am not saying this is the case with the bolers your interested in. And though I think you have solved your camping dilemma for at least a few fun future campouts with a tent (plus I believe it's a wise decision until you have the proper tow vehicle for family towing). But I kinda figured out that your, heart is set on a Boler (they are cute lil things!) But would suggest taking anything you are interested in buying to the nearest weight station and finding out the accurate empty weight before you buy.

Also do not take manufactures weights at face value (even new) because many of the weights stated are before upgrades and appliances are installed. Have a wonderful time camping with your tent. I hope you create many great family memory's.

I would also check out this link that Frederick post every weight in he does. It will show you how "weighty" some of our trailers can be. http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...ing-42610.html


If you look into the archived Rally forum you will find weight in info over the years. I didn't see any Bolers in the link I sent you but, as I said check into the other Oregon archives if you want to investigate further.