Tow dolly vs. 4 down?

[jymbee]

... I never experienced the ease of 4-down so I don't know what I was missing.

Well right there pretty much describes a whole host of things I'll probably never be able to afford! What the sea breeze feels like cruising on my yacht, the engine sound of my new Cessna fixed wing, the comforting feeling knowing my maid and butler will be taking care of all my needs... 

Great input with different perspectives and experiences from folks who have been there done that. I learned a lot about options for towing and will take it all into consideration as we get nearer that final decision.

 

[Corky]

One point that I might add, when pondering this choice, is to check and see how well the intended toad fits the dolly.
Not necessarily how the toad fits on the dolly, but how well the straps fit the toad.
I dollied several toads without any problems until it came to my 2005 Ford Focus SVT. All of possible problems that could occur -did.
The clearance between the wheel and wheel-well, the angle of the straps both front and rear made it almost impossible to make a clean connection. And to top things off I had to actually lay on the ground to get everything hooked up, so I always planed my departing showers accordingly.
Granted my SVT was a little strange, and I may not have done everything the same way everybody else does, I only mention this as it helped make my decision to go 4-down. 
Good luck in your choice.

Corky

 

[NY_Dutch]

When we decided to bring a toad along after buying our first Class A, our Toyota RAV4 4WD automatic could not be dolly towed, so our options were buying a different car, trailer towing, or 4-down towing. We loved our RAV4 and didn't want to part with it, and the hassles of dealing with loading and stowing a trailer turned us off to that idea. We found that we could buy everything we needed for 4-down towing the RAV for about $2200 including the needed Remco transmission lube pump. We chose a ReadyBrute Elite all-terrain tow bar with an integrated auxiliary brake system that was considerably lower cost than buying separate units. Add a Blue Ox base plate and we were in business. It took me most of a day to install everything, and we were good to go. We later on replaced the original 2002 RAV4 toad with a new 2011 RAV4, and everything we had switched right over except the base plate. The uninstall/reinstall took about 10 hours spread over two days working alone. It takes less than 5 minutes to hook up or unhook the RAV, and I've never seen anyone load or unload a dollied toad as fast or as easily. And no kneeling or reaching under a dirty car needed...

 

[Bill N]

We decided we never wanted a dolly after watching a man in Tok, Alaska try to get the mud off the tow straps so he could then clean the car off enough to move it off the dolly.  It took about 1.5 hours and, believe me, he was not a happy camper!  But he sure provided the rest of us with our daily entertainment!

ArdraF

When we had a travel trailer I observed a guy with a dolly pull in, remove the vehicle and snake the dolly in between the trees behind his coach.  It poured for about 3 days and he decided to leave.  I had to help him pull that dolly out and it had been sitting in a pretty muddy spot (in which the straps were laying).  Got it hooked up to the coach and I left the rest to him but I noticed his nice tan tee shirt was a very dark mottled brown after he finished hooking up the straps.  That picture stuck in my mind and when we bought a motorhome I had no other thoughts than 4 down.  JMHO.

Bill

PS:  I should add that our Chevy Cruze was not towable 4 down so we traded it in for a 2013 Sonic which has proved to be a perfect toad and general all around town car for the wife.

 

[Old_Crow]

When we bought our first motor home about 8 years ago, my wife and I both had Wranglers as our daily drivers.  Only question was, which one was going to get the tow bar and lights. 
Now that we've sold everything and moved into the coach, we traded my Wrangler for a newer one. 
I've seen too much fun with dollys over the years to want to deal with it myself.

 

[Pausingnomad]

I've not towed either way yet, but the notion that an Odyssey can be towed 4-down is news to me. I have an Odyssey and would love this option, but have never seen it show up on the dinghy guides. What year/trim are you towing? I'd love to be wrong in my assumption it can't be done.

 

[NY_Dutch]

I've not towed either way yet, but the notion that an Odyssey can be towed 4-down is news to me. I have an Odyssey and would love this option, but have never seen it show up on the dinghy guides. What year/trim are you towing? I'd love to be wrong in my assumption it can't be done.

According to Remco Towing's listings, 2013-2017 6-speed transmission equipped Odysseys must be dolly towed, and the 2018 Odyssey with either a 9 or 10 speed transmission must be trailer towed. Remco says this about towing the 2013 and older Odyssey equipped with a 5 speed transmission:

"Officially from both Honda and REMCO the vehicle is not towable. However, we at Remco have a large number of customers who are flat-towing that vehicle behind their Motor Home and they are not having any issues. Follow the "Emergency Towing" procedures in the owner's manual to a "T" except ignore the restrictions and follow those procedures each and every time you tow. NOTE: If you choose tow your Honda, and have any damage to the Transmission as a result, you will have to pay for that expense out of pocket. It is nothing that Honda or Remco will warranty. Also, it should be noted that Remco sells no aftermarket product (Lube Pump or otherwise) to make this car towable."

 

[jymbee]

I've not towed either way yet, but the notion that an Odyssey can be towed 4-down is news to me. I have an Odyssey and would love this option, but have never seen it show up on the dinghy guides. What year/trim are you towing? I'd love to be wrong in my assumption it can't be done.

We also have an Odyssey and have read the disclaimers copied here by NY_Dutch. We've also read enough reports of Odyssey owners towing their vans 4 down successfully to conclude it can be done IF one closely follows exactly the procedures outlined.