Considering 13' - towable by VW?

[Maddy]

Robin:
Re: A/C. Luckily, I will be 5,000 ft up! I'm not going anywhere near the desert floor, except to drive thru to reach my destination. It will be hot in the high desert, but nothing worse than Virginia in the summer!!! When I was young (loooong time ago) and stupid, my cousin and I drove thru Death Valley in July, MIDDAY in a VW Bug. Didn't even faze us. Actually all the folks with water cooled engines were stranded on the side of the road and we kept on going with the air-cooled. Dumb luck!
I know rentals will be available, but I'm actually hoping to find a lease/option if I don't find something to buy outright. I don't relish the idea of renting for a couple of months, then moving again into something else. So that is why I figured it would be easier to stay in whatever I have till I settle down. I can do fun trips later, but just don't want to drag myself and the "girls" in and out. This has been a hellish year for lots of reasons and I want it to calm down. After fixing up my house, having the lookie-loos in and out, in addition to a lot of other medical stuff going on - I need peace and quiet and a little calm. So if I can just get to the point of getting on the road - that's my big first goal. Seems a long way off, but the minute the house sells, everything will accelerate BIGTIME!

[Robin G]

Much more pleasant at 5000 feet, though like you said it still can get hot. Just not as wicked as the lower elevations. Well hopefully you will be able to find an rv option that will meet the needs of you and your fur babies so that you won't have to move a bizillion times.

I am sending you, House selling wishes, cause I seem to be on a roll when it comes to selling property. Sold 2 of our last 3 homes in a day or less, the third took awhile because of wild fires). Sold our resort without even really thinking about selling it, (Opp's) But the money was right! so couldn't pass that up. Hope they work! Robin

[Roger C H]

More than horsepower, I think, that the body structure is important in towing. These unibodies just don't have the structural integrity to handle heavy weights. After all, they are mandated by our government to get good mileage. Mileage and weight are at the opposite ends of the spectrum. Notice that trucks, which typically have body frames, are rated to tow more. Cars in the old days had lower power engines than we have today, typically 80hp, but their torque came at a low speed and therefore was more applicable for towing. Remember the movie, "The Long, Long Trailer" with Lucy and Desi and how Desi had to trade in his Plymouth and buy a Mercury to tow the trailer? A Mercury was a heavier car.

[Greg N]

I thought you meant "same cars sold in the US"

I would still want to know more about the cars than hp and torque ratings. I guess I just wouldn't assume they are the same, based on what I've seen when in Europe. It's kind of like you can see a number of Ford Rangers here, and they all look the same, but have widely varying tow ratings based on things you can't see.

Regardless though, Maddy has to go by the US rating, since she has an American version of the car and will be driving here.

And even though there is a case to be made for the US being overly litigious, I know I (and maybe others or even you) would be thinking "compensation" if one of my loved ones was hurt or killed by someone towing, for example, a 1,800 lb. trailer with a small, short-wheelbased car rated to tow 1,000 lbs. maximum, and afterward my medical bills started flowing in. I'm not litigious by nature, but that would get my dander up, and I would figure the person who was knowingly towing at 80% over capacity should be more responsible for it than me, who was innocently driving along without an overloaded vehicle.

Raya

Seems scary, I work in the Trucking Transportation field (primarly equipment maintenance).
Come to California and go to one of the many DOT inspection stations and ask them how may big rigs are pulled out of service and cited for over weight violations.
Drive the 405 or 710 with the trucks going to the harbor that come across the border and domiciled in the US and imagine one or more of those big rigs being 3-15 thousand pounds over gross and you will see what we deal with on a daily basis.
Over the Pond Hynudai, Subaru, Opal and Ford have all been outstanding small car tow vehicles for years, and the same engine and platform are sold here in the US just under a different name.
To be legal and protect yourself in case you get in an accident by all means follow your owners manual, and hope that everyone else is following thiers.

Greg

[Maddy]

Much more pleasant at 5000 feet, though like you said it still can get hot. Just not as wicked as the lower elevations. Well hopefully you will be able to find an rv option that will meet the needs of you and your fur babies so that you won't have to move a bizillion times.

I am sending you, House selling wishes, cause I seem to be on a roll when it comes to selling property. Sold 2 of our last 3 homes in a day or less, the third took awhile because of wild fires). Sold our resort without even really thinking about selling it, (Opp's) But the money was right! so couldn't pass that up. Hope they work! Robin

Today it was around 90 with, what seemed like, 99% humidity. Hard to breathe when it's that soupy all day. I know it's an old saw, but it really isn't the heat, it's the moisture.
Maybe I should send you something from my house, you can rub it like a Genie's lamp, and send it back. Could sell my house faster?

Anyway, thanks to everyone for all the info and links. I'm going to concentrate on the house and if I come across a definite answer re the move, then I'll take care of that aspect as it comes. (You never know, I might end up with a little truck and an EGG at some point)

[Jan Adams]

I just thought of a trailer you could probably haul - a Puck. It was made to be towed behind a VW van. I believe the old ones weigh about 660 pounds.

That said, good luck on finding one in the US.

[Raya]

I've seen quite a few of these for sale in the US, and even looked at one before buying my Boler (on the same trip). From what I saw and what I've read on the web, the challenge would be to find one that wasn't a project (they're a worthy project, of course, if that's what you're looking for).

I would still probably want to weigh one to be sure, when cutting it that close, but a Puck is a good thought

Maddy, if you want to see one, search "Eriba Puck." There are usually a few on samba.com as well. The beds are shortish, but probably fine if you're not too tall. They are nifty campers. They have a steel frame and an aluminum shell (with a fiberglass top). Plywood floor.

Raya

[Maddy]

I've seen quite a few of these for sale in the US, and even looked at one before buying my Boler (on the same trip). From what I saw and what I've read on the web, the challenge would be to find one that wasn't a project (they're a worthy project, of course, if that's what you're looking for).

I would still probably want to weigh one to be sure, when cutting it that close, but a Puck is a good thought

Maddy, if you want to see one, search "Eriba Puck." There are usually a few on samba.com as well. The beds are shortish, but probably fine if you're not too tall. They are nifty campers. They have a steel frame and an aluminum shell (with a fiberglass top). Plywood floor.

Raya

Raya and Jan:
Wow, there was a Puck that sold on thesamba.com - looked really nice. I'm only 5'6" so a shortish bed is probably OK, I can always sleep on the diagonal
I'm going to put a "wanted" ad in thesamba.com. I tried to do that just now, but their categories were a little confusing. I have an email in to the webmaster to find out where to place it correctly.
By the way, the site is [b]thesamba.com, NOT samba.com (that one is a Saudi site)
I wonder how many of these were ever in the U.S.? This thread is amazing for all the different lite-weight models you all are coming up with.
Thanks for thinking of that one. Another lead to follow.
Since I'm new to all this, is there somewhere else to place a "wanted" ad that might yield good results?

[Raya]

I prefer to search for items for sale when I want something. Not that you can't place wanted ads, but searching is more active, which I guess I like. Also, only you know how far you'd be willing to travel for a Puck. I don't mind driving for something I want, but oftentimes sellers will be thinking "Oh, that's too far!" so I guess I wonder if they would think the same thing if I posted a wanted ad and would not respond. Also, when I'm selling something I rarely look at "wanted" ads first.

OTOH, some people have had good luck with "wanted" ads.

If you make a filler to go between the bunks, you could sleep a bit diagonally. They are amazingly smaller than something like a Boler 13, but if you're 5'6" and don't have a Saint Bernard, it could work

I found the largest number of Pucks on Craigslist. They were sold in the US through VW dealers for a time, so while not plentiful they are not super-ultra-rare. I've seen a number listed with misspellings, like "Uriba," so you might want to get creative in your searching

I think you will still want to be careful about weight, and you may want to actually weigh any trailer you are thinking of buying (vs. taking owners' word for it as people often grossly underestimate weight, whether knowingly or unknowingly).

The interior parts they use are already amazingly thin, light plywood. Nothing like the relatively heavy particle board doors and tables in Bolers and the like. Weights varied over the years, with newer ones weighing more (also, over the years framing could have been added to, etc.) I've seen all kind of weights claimed for the Puck, but 500kg is often mentioned, which is about 1,100 lbs.

I was very taken with the Puck, but I wasn't able to find one that wasn't a big project, and even though I'm only 5'5" and like small spaces, I felt it would be a bit tight for my use. But then I don't have the same weight limitation on my vehicle, so I didn't have the same motivation to make it work.

Raya

[Maddy]

I prefer to search for items for sale when I want something. Not that you can't place wanted ads, but searching is more active, which I guess I like. Also, only you know how far you'd be willing to travel for a Puck. I don't mind driving for something I want, but oftentimes sellers will be thinking "Oh, that's too far!" so I guess I wonder if they would think the same thing if I posted a wanted ad and would not respond. Also, when I'm selling something I rarely look at "wanted" ads first.

OTOH, some people have had good luck with "wanted" ads.

If you make a filler to go between the bunks, you could sleep a bit diagonally. They are amazingly smaller than something like a Boler 13, but if you're 5'6" and don't have a Saint Bernard, it could work

I found the largest number of Pucks on Craigslist. They were sold in the US through VW dealers for a time, so while not plentiful they are not super-ultra-rare. I've seen a number listed with misspellings, like "Uriba," so you might want to get creative in your searching

I think you will still want to be careful about weight, and you may want to actually weigh any trailer you are thinking of buying (vs. taking owners' word for it as people often grossly underestimate weight, whether knowingly or unknowingly).

The interior parts they use are already amazingly thin, light plywood. Nothing like the relatively heavy particle board doors and tables in Bolers and the like. Weights varied over the years, with newer ones weighing more (also, over the years framing could have been added to, etc.) I've seen all kind of weights claimed for the Puck, but 500kg is often mentioned, which is about 1,100 lbs.

I was very taken with the Puck, but I wasn't able to find one that wasn't a big project, and even though I'm only 5'5" and like small spaces, I felt it would be a bit tight for my use. But then I don't have the same weight limitation on my vehicle, so I didn't have the same motivation to make it work.

Raya

Just came across this on another site. Not for me, but interesting.


Safari Condo Alto: The Alto is another Canadian-built travel trailer with a very innovative expandable design. While other expandable trailers use soft-side construction, the Alto has a rigid glass sidewall that is revealed when the roof is raised. This results in a unit that has more than 8 feet of headroom with the roof raised, but with the roof closed, its aerodynamic 7-foot height is easy to tow and it fits in a standard garage. The trailer uses aluminum construction. The floor plan is much like other high-end teardrop style campers with a galley on one side, a small bathroom opposite the galley, and a dinette that converts to a bed. The large amount of window space makes the Alto a unique travel trailer that has the feel of a much larger rig.

[Ken C]

There is a thread on that safari in the forum here, It sure would be fun to see inside of it. I reminds me of the new Hi-lo mojo that just came out. You can google that one to take a quick peek if you have never seen it yet.

[Maddy]

There is a thread on that safari in the forum here, It sure would be fun to see inside of it. I reminds me of the new Hi-lo mojo that just came out. You can google that one to take a quick peek if you have never seen it yet.

They have a PDF brochure on their website. It looks fabulous. Why can't the US mfrs get creative like this? It is so well thought out. They even make fitted awnings and screenrooms for it. Boy, if I didn't have my dinky VW, I'd be tempted to get one. I love innovative design.

[Jan Adams]

I love the design of the Safari but the price, that is another thing. I believe it is about $25,000 or higher.

[Roger C H]

They have a PDF brochure on their website. It looks fabulous. Why can't the US mfrs get creative like this? It is so well thought out. They even make fitted awnings and screenrooms for it. Boy, if I didn't have my dinky VW, I'd be tempted to get one. I love innovative design.

Until you get burned by a design that hasn't matured enough to drive out all the bugs. LOL

I speak from experience. :-(

[BC Glen]

Maddy, Your main problem with your car is that it is Front Wheel Drive. Having weight on the back of a front wheel drive vehicle tends to make the towing unstable. That doesn't mean it can't be done but exceeding more than 50% of your towing vehicles weight means the balance & weight shifts are more dangerous. That's probably why your towing limit is set at 1000lbs. which should be pretty close to 50% of the Vw's weight of around 2200lbs. Think of going too fast into a corner or hitting a dip while changing lanes or Braking. You can easily see that under those conditions the trailer could become the "tail wagging the dog." In the UK & Europe Trailers are typically towed by small cars with smaller engines than we get here, the big difference I think is the speed at which they are towed. Speed is your enemy when towing as problems escalate the faster you go. In my opinion it should be the law that all towed vehicles including commercial vehicles should be restricted to 80 kms/55mph. for everyones safety. Here in Western Canada a Commercial Vehicle (Tractor Trailer) is involved in a serious accident more than once per month & these are supposedly experienced Professional Drivers. If they get into trouble doing this daily you will be taking a risk with little experience but keep your speed down, leave lots & lots of room in front of you & aim high in your vision to keep an eye on what's happening up ahead. This is good advice even if you move driving a different vehicle. Oh & please let me know how you make out & where in Arizona you end up. I am starting my Winters in Arizona next December. Good Luck, Glen

[Gina D.]

this one might be a reasonable compromise for your needs

alite 400

they pop up quickly and have a cargo rack on top.

It IS small, like the motorcycle tent trailers, which makes it light.. and it has hard sides.

I almost got one when my first 13 foot Burro came along. It is not a lot of room for the money, but it has all you actually need. With 2 cats.. it would be "cozy"

They have a pretty nifty kitchen option, an all in one unit with stove, sink and small water tank that can be used indoors, or picked up and put on an outside stand for outdoor use.

[curtis c]

neat! i can pull my lite house around like that that would be a great rig for a little car.

[Maddy]

Maddy, Your main problem with your car is that it is Front Wheel Drive. Having weight on the back of a front wheel drive vehicle tends to make the towing unstable. That doesn't mean it can't be done but exceeding more than 50% of your towing vehicles weight means the balance & weight shifts are more dangerous. That's probably why your towing limit is set at 1000lbs. which should be pretty close to 50% of the Vw's weight of around 2200lbs. Think of going too fast into a corner or hitting a dip while changing lanes or Braking. You can easily see that under those conditions the trailer could become the "tail wagging the dog." In the UK & Europe Trailers are typically towed by small cars with smaller engines than we get here, the big difference I think is the speed at which they are towed. Speed is your enemy when towing as problems escalate the faster you go. In my opinion it should be the law that all towed vehicles including commercial vehicles should be restricted to 80 kms/55mph. for everyones safety. Here in Western Canada a Commercial Vehicle (Tractor Trailer) is involved in a serious accident more than once per month & these are supposedly experienced Professional Drivers. If they get into trouble doing this daily you will be taking a risk with little experience but keep your speed down, leave lots & lots of room in front of you & aim high in your vision to keep an eye on what's happening up ahead. This is good advice even if you move driving a different vehicle. Oh & please let me know how you make out & where in Arizona you end up. I am starting my Winters in Arizona next December. Good Luck, Glen

Well, my house is still up for sale, so I have lots of time to resolve this.
I think I've pretty much zeroed in on the Puck. It's light enough, and if in good shape, has basically what I need. I don't really fancy the A-line pop-ups, since my research has shown that too many of the hinged sections eventually misalign and create problems.
As far as speed goes, if I get a little camper (Puck), I will be taking my time and not trying to get there in a hurry - that's the whole idea behind this. I have done the cross-country trip twice before, always in a hurry. Would like to do this move slowly and relax a little. By the time I sell my house and pack everything into storage, I will need to relax BIG TIME. I'm a very careful driver and always have in mind that most drivers around me are dangerous in one way or another, so I'm extremely vigilant.
And if I can't get things worked out, I might have to get a small motorhome and drag the VW.

Glen: I'm going to a high desert area. You are probably going to be looking for a low desert, warmer area to winter in. There's lots of that in AZ. Check out Wunderground.com for weather info and pix for areas you might be interested in. If you want a nice small town in the mountains, look at Jerome. Very small but nice, an old mining town - you can do Google Earth and get a street level view with their camera icons - you probably know this already. Or check the outlying areas around the larger cities. You can get a good idea of what each area looks like and what businesses are around. I have extensively investigated the town to which I plan to move. I've familiarized myself with each neighborhood, and most of the streets. So, when I get there and start looking at houses, I don't have to waste a lot of time being shown to areas I don't like. I've made some good, helpful contacts (via email) with some local animal rescue people since I have pets and this is going to be a different lifestyle for them also.

I'm now looking at dual citizenship, US & Canada. Most of my family is Canadian (Maritime French), even though I was born and raised in the US. I have some family that is now in BC, so I may get up there sooner or later.
Thanks, Maddy

[Maddy]

Here's something I just came across. Don't know if this has been mentioned on this forum before. Enjoy!

Looks like the answer to my original question.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56XL0TysIn0

[Ken C]

here is a (82 i think)rabbit that has the TDi motor in it.