Opinion on a Saab as a tow vehicle?

[Gigi]

Hello!

A friend is seeking a 13foot camper. She has a 1998 Saab, I think Turbo. It's a fabulous car and, having owned a Saab, I can attest to how great these cars are. The question is whether a Saab can tow a 13 foot camper. My Saab had a slightly wider wheel base, but, was older than my friend's car.

Any thoughts/opinions would be appreciated!

Thanks!
Gigi

My Webpage

[Chester Taje]

I would look in owners manual if you have one to see tow capacity of car.

[Gigi]

Hi, Chester, I will tell her to do that, good advice. She also has a company that works exclusively on Saabs. She could call them for an opinion.

I don't think I've ever seen a Saab listed as a tow vehicle. I love the looks of the old Saab and the thought of it pulling a vintage, curvy camper like mine, well, that's just pure fun!

Thanks, Chester!

Anyone else have an opinion?

[Lex M]

Hello!

A friend is seeking a 13foot camper. She has a 1998 Saab, I think Turbo. It's a fabulous car and, having owned a Saab, I can attest to how great these cars are. The question is whether a Saab can tow a 13 foot camper. My Saab had a slightly wider wheel base, but, was older than my friend's car.

Any thoughts/opinions would be appreciated!

Thanks!
Gigi

My Webpage

Gigi, maybe this website can help: http://www.towcar.info/
Choose for the trailer BIOD Scout or Eriba Touring and adjust the specs.

[drews60]

Hello!

A friend is seeking a 13foot camper. She has a 1998 Saab, I think Turbo. It's a fabulous car and, having owned a Saab, I can attest to how great these cars are. The question is whether a Saab can tow a 13 foot camper. My Saab had a slightly wider wheel base, but, was older than my friend's car.

Any thoughts/opinions would be appreciated!

Thanks!
Gigi

My Webpage

Trailer Life does annual tow ratings. For 1999 and 2000, all Saab models were rated at 2000#. I usually find them a reliable source for tow ratings. If you dig around, I'm sure you should be able to find the 1998 model ratings. I doubt if they'd be much difference.

The link is:

http://www.trailerlife.com/towratings/tr_index.cfm

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

[Gigi]

Gigi, maybe this website can help: http://www.towcar.info/
Choose for the trailer BIOD Scout or Eriba Touring and adjust the specs.

Lex! I haven't seen much of you lately, but, then, I haven't been on much lately. Did you come to the US with your camper?

Thanks for the information! I appreciate it!

I still have a goal of buying a trailer in Europe for a year long trip! One of these days...

Cheers!
Gigi

[Gigi]

Trailer Life does annual tow ratings. For 1999 and 2000, all Saab models were rated at 2000#. I usually find them a reliable source for tow ratings. If you dig around, I'm sure you should be able to find the 1998 model ratings. I doubt if they'd be much difference.

The link is:

http://www.trailerlife.com/towratings/tr_index.cfm

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

Hi, Drew!
Thanks for the link, I'll make sure she gets them!

Happy Thanksgiving to you as well!
Gigi

[ttmatson]

Greetings -

Have your friend talk to her mechanic - since they do SAAB's they will know for sure --- not wanting to start a "he said / she said" thing - as I know many trucks have Super Chargers / Turbos and they are towing so they CAN do so - I had a Buick Grand National and it was NOT recommended to tow at all. Several different reasons, but depends what the turbo on the SAAB was designed for - it may work, it may not.

Just a bit of advice from a former turbo owner

cheers
terry

[Tom Trostel]

Gigi,
I towed my Compact Jr. with a Nissan Maxima for 2 years and several thousand miles. My son tows a 1700 lb. popup with a VW Passat 1.8 liter turbo. Both our cars, and the Saab, are capable of towing a 13' trailer. Plenty of power, good brakes, strong transmission (with cooler); however, the weak link is the suspension. Especially the rear suspension is too soft and a fix is difficult to find. Most cars with 2000 lb. tow limits have only class II hitches available and a weight distributing hitch requires a class III. Very few car have air bag assist for the rear suspension available. So the trailer weight and tongue weight will have to be kept low and rear shocks and springs need to be in top shape. Hope this helps. Tom Trostel

[Brian B-P]

Although the list of applications for air bags may be limited (Firestone doesn't list a Coil-Rite for any Saab, for instance), if a set could be found for the Saab it might be a good idea.

If the car can't handle the couple hundred pounds of hitch weight that a 13' egg would have (maybe with upgraded springs), I don't think a weight-distributing hitch is the solution, either... but that's just my opinion.

By the way, there is more than one model of Saab, and I think there was in 1998... any specifics?

[CliveAlive]

Hello!

A friend is seeking a 13foot camper. She has a 1998 Saab, I think Turbo. It's a fabulous car and, having owned a Saab, I can attest to how great these cars are. The question is whether a Saab can tow a 13 foot camper. My Saab had a slightly wider wheel base, but, was older than my friend's car.

Any thoughts/opinions would be appreciated!

Thanks!
Gigi

My Webpage

It should be able to tow a Saabo!




But to a Volvo guy, this could be like a Chevy vs Ford thing