Towing a trailer, anyone?

[scape]

+1 on this:

I wouldn’t put anything past the insurance companies or lawyers if you were involved in an accident while towing.

I think you really need to think about the manual's specs. 500-700lbs is pushing it in anything other than flat terrain, this includes people, cargo, hitch, trailer, and trailer-cargo... when towing, torque is a huge factor, as is what ever this little drive train can take care of. automatic vs. manual in hilly//rocky/slippery terrain makes this even harder. all in all, torque is a huge factor I think.

[fmicle]

Originally Posted by scape

+1 on this:

I think you really need to think about the manual's specs. 500-700lbs is pushing it in anything other than flat terrain, this includes people, cargo, hitch, trailer, and trailer-cargo... when towing, torque is a huge factor, as is what ever this little drive train can take care of. automatic vs. manual in hilly//rocky/slippery terrain makes this even harder. all in all, torque is a huge factor I think.

I really didn't feel a big difference in handling or going uphill. On the way back I even had the AC on. Didn't make a difference, smooth driving all the way. The only big difference is when braking, you feel the extra weight you need to slow down, so you should plan for it. I also noticed that the hitch ball took a beating on the rear side, but no scratches on the front side, so again, I think it's the braking and the potholes/cracks in the road surface that make the trailer bounce.

Unfortunately, I don't have a temperature gauge, so I can't tell if the engine got hotter than usual during this trip, but I am not concerned at all, judging by how everything felt.