GM needs your feedback on Dinghy Towing

1. How many miles do you typically dinghy tow your vehicle yearly?
3000-6000, long trip next year will do over 10,000

2. What is the total (tow) mileage you have on your vehicle now?
Just got a new Chevy Colorado, no fuse to pull, auto transmission. Previous Buck Rendezvous 2002 has 145000 miles 2000 towed miles.

3. What is the total (tow) mileage you expect to put on the vehicle before you upgrade to a new vehicle?
25,000

4. When towing, what is the average amount of time between stops? (be it restroom or fuel)
2-3 hours

GM Engineer,

1.  How many miles do you typically tow your vehicle yearly?

We have an Acura MDX that we purchased new in 2004 and have averaged 10,000 towed miles per year.

2.  What is the total (tow) mileage?

About 62,000 miles between 2004 and September 2010 plus another 38,000 driven miles..

3.  What is the total (tow) mileage you expect to put on the vehicle before you upgrade to a new vehicle?

It's not the mileage that counts re upgrading.  It's the ability to tow the new vehicle with 4-wheels down, e.g., no trailer and no tow dolly required.  Another factor is can you tow it without stopping and running the engine every several hundred miles.  Also, GM might offer a fuse switch so you can remove the fuse that must be turned off, so the battery will not be discharged when towing, and replace it with a wire and switch to quickly turn the fuse on or off.  The owners manual says that you must remove a fuse on your Buick Enclave before towing.

4. When towing what is the average time between stops?

Probably 2 hours.  We usually stop for fuel or a driver change.

Another thought, can you set up the 6 speed trans so it can completely disconnect like can be done with a 4WD transfer case?

JerryF 

Was towing q 2000 Tracker - stick - 4x4 until 2008 when I switched to a TT

towed about 10,000/yr
never planned a change - gave car to daughter when I quit- still running well in great shape
I usually tried to stop at about 300 miles and ran car engine for a few minutes

We just finished a four-month trip in which we drove the motorhome 10,150 miles and the MDX another 3,300.  The MDX does not show miles towed, only miles driven.

ArdraF

Thanks to all that have replied so far.

1.  How many miles do you typically tow your vehicle yearly?

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  10-12,000

What is the total (tow) mileage?

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  47,500+/-

What is the total (tow) mileage you expect to put on the vehicle before you upgrade to a new vehicle?

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  60,000

When towing what is the average time between stops?

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  2-3 hours. Most stops are 5-10 minutes.  Longer stops are  at the 4-5 hour range.

Our next dinghy must have (if possible) the same attributes as our current 2005 Tahoe 4x4, i.e., 4 down, no fuse to pull, no limit on towing distance before a stop is required to run the engine, no need to have ignition key "on", simple "one button" transition into or out of tow mode.

Of course, one with all the size and half the weight would be good! :

Jerry previously mentioned towing our current Acura MDX.  We also had two prior toads.

In May 1997 we bought a Geo Tracker which was towed first behind a Lazy Daze 30' for 17,405 miles and second behind a Monaco Windsor 34' for 21,741 miles.  Therefore, the Tracker was towed a total of 39,146 miles between May 1997 and November 2000.

In November 2000 we bought a Jeep Grand Cherokee which was towed first behind a Monaco Windsor 34' for 7,430 miles and second behind a Monaco Executive 40' for 13,451 miles.  The Jeep was towed a total of 20,881 miles between November 2000 and November 2003.

Both of these cars were towed four-down and both were used extensively during four-wheel drive outings.  In addition, we added auxiliary braking systems to both.  We consider the ability to tow four-down absolutely essential.  High clearance for off-roading, skid plates, and low gears for four-wheeling are all pluses, not to mention safety features like air bags and good crash test ratings.  Even though we tow a lot of miles, we drive our toads on the highway most of all, so they need highway-safety as well.

ArdraF

1. How many miles do you typically dinghy tow your vehicle yearly?

A1: 2000-3000, just now,  Double that when I have money

2. What is the total (tow) mileage you have on your vehicle now?
A2, I put over 15,000 miles on my Lumina in "Trailer" mode before it died, it had about 200,000 total miles on it at that time.  That is in 4.5 years of towing.. Problem is towed miles do not show up on it.. Just on the motor home.

3. What is the total (tow) mileage you expect to put on the vehicle before you upgrade to a new vehicle?
a3: Alas, I now need a new towed

4. When towing, what is the average amount of time between stops? (be it restroom or fuel)
a4: 4 hours  (Breakfast to lunch, then another 4 hours to supper, then overnight)


Since you are with GM I will make this comment... If I had the money, there are currently two vehicles or vehicle groups I'd be looking at to tow,,  Since I'm currently basically broke I'll be getting the cheapest used rust bucket I can find.. But in a couple of years I hope to get something better.

The two classes I find most interesting are 1: Jeeps: They tend to be easy to tow (Mechanical transfer case means you need make no major modifications to the vehicle,, Just install aux-brakes and tow lights and a base plate and you are good to tow)

2: Chevy Volt.  The two things that concern me about the VOLT (ANd perhaps you can answer one of these) are the brakes... Can you operate traditional hydraulic "Binder" type brakes (like on the aforementioned Lumina) with a remote system like the US-Gear Decelarator (Suggestion... Chat with US-Gear about that) and 2: I am not a fan of Lucky Goldstar (Your battery partner)

2009 Saturn Vue XR AWD

GM Engineer said:

1. How many miles do you typically dinghy tow your vehicle yearly?

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6000

GM Engineer said:

2. What is the total (tow) mileage you have on your vehicle now?

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6500

GM Engineer said:

3. What is the total (tow) mileage you expect to put on the vehicle before you upgrade to a new vehicle?

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36000

GM Engineer said:

4. When towing, what is the average amount of time between stops? (be it restroom or fuel)

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1.5 to 2 hours

1999 Honda Accord EX automatic

1. How many miles do you typically dinghy tow your vehicle yearly?
8 year average is about 8000

2. What is the total (tow) mileage you have on your vehicle now?
63,000

3. What is the total (tow) mileage you expect to put on the vehicle before you upgrade to a new vehicle?
100,000 plus

4. When towing, what is the average amount of time between stops? (be it restroom or fuel)
2 to 3 hours

John From Detroit said:

2: Chevy Volt.  The two things that concern me about the VOLT (ANd perhaps you can answer one of these) are the brakes... Can you operate traditional hydraulic "Binder" type brakes (like on the aforementioned Lumina) with a remote system like the US-Gear Decelarator (Suggestion... Chat with US-Gear about that) and 2: I am not a fan of Lucky Goldstar (Your battery partner)

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Although I'm not on the Volt transmission team, I do know that in it's current configuration, the Volt is not towable due to power generation while moving.

Tow Chevy HHR 4-6k miles/yr. Will tow it until maintenance costs loom large or we quit RVing. We stop at 2-3 hr. intervals. If we tow more than one day consecutively, I will start the car and run it through the gears. Rarely exceed 65 mph except occasional downhill coasting. Love the fact that the series of GM cars tow 4 down with little modification or cautions. If there is one thing I could ask for would be a factory installed accessible switch to cut out the ignition circuit instead of pulling the fuse (a "tow mode").

Here is an idea for GM.  If a vehicle is okay for towing 4-wheels down mention in the owners manual (near the how-to part of the towing explanation) which fuse to remove so the battery does not discharge while it is being towed.  This would be a great help.

JerryF

JerArdra said:

Here is an idea for GM.  If a vehicle is okay for towing 4-wheels down mention in the owners manual (near the how-to part of the towing explanation) which fuse to remove so the battery does not discharge while it is being towed.  This would be a great help.

JerryF

Click to expand...

It does:

4. To prevent the battery from
draining while the vehicle is
being towed, remove the
following fuse from the
instrument panel fuse block:
(IGN SENSOR). See Instrument
Panel Fuse Block on page 10‑38
for more information.

See?? so simple Even an adult can do it.>>>Dan

    I bought a 92 Toyota Tercel for $500 about nine years and 86k miles ago.  I got it cheap because the engine had a bad cylinder.  I've put two sets of tires and a starter on it but no engine work except for spark plugs and routine oil changes.  Still gets 42mpg.  Very easy to tow.  Put it in neutral and the key in ACC.                    1.  1500 - 2500      2.  22000    3. will upgrade when I win the Lottery or the wheels fall off.    4.  2 - 3 hours

First, I am glad that GM is becoming more interested in catering to the RV'er.

How many miles do you typically tow your vehicle yearly?  8000 miles

What is the total tow mileage on your vehicle now?  14000, part of one year was a Cadilac on a tow dolly.

What is the typical tow mileage you expect to put on a vehicle before you upgrade to a new vehicle?  100,000+

When towing what is the average amount of time between stops?  2-3 hours

Current Towed Vehicle is a 2008 Jeep Liberty. ( I really wanted a Chevrolet Extended Cab Colorado with 4 wheel drive but dealer did not have one and stated he couldn't get one)

Tow Vehicle:  2008 Saturn Aura XR

How many miles do you typically tow your vehicle yearly?  4500 km

What is the total tow mileage on your vehicle now?  44000 km.

What is the typical tow mileage you expect to put on a vehicle before you upgrade to a new vehicle?  100,000 km or less

When towing what is the average amount of time between stops?  2-3 hours or short legs and long ones 6 hours

1. 7K        per year
2. 40K      total
3. 40K      trade
4. 3Hrs.    time for stop

Above miles was on My 2003 Malibu

Now have a 2011 Cruze with no towing miles. I expect to put on 4K in 2011.

Wayne

2007 Saturn Vue

1. How many miles do you typically dinghy tow your vehicle yearly?
approx, 10,000

2. What is the total (tow) mileage you have on your vehicle now?
approx. 40,000

3. What is the total (tow) mileage you expect to put on the vehicle before you upgrade to a new vehicle?
60,000

4. When towing, what is the average amount of time between stops? (be it restroom or fuel)
5-6 hours