7700+ pound towing capacity was recommended to me by a friend, even for a small trailer (2 horse). I am intrigued by the hybrid SUV's....but looks like most have max. capacity of 6000 pounds. Problem I am having is my vehicle has to double as the family car, a.e. lots of driving back and forth to kids' activities, schools etc and my PT job locally which is also lots of driving back and forth 5-10 miles ea. way. I need the 3rd row so a truck is out of the question right now.
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To quote The Duke: I wouldn't.Originally posted by tpup View Post
Hybrids are a neat idea for city slickers (maybe) but as tow vehicles would be a non-starter. They are not designed for it and I'd not trust any of the manufacturer's hype on the subject.
G.Mangalarga Marchador: Uma Raça, Uma Paixão -
That would make me VERY nervous, even if you were pulling a Brenderup (the only trailer on the U.S. market designed to be pulled with a smaller towing vehicle). But even if you had a B'up, which is the only thing you can SAFELY pull with a hybrid SUV, I'd worry seriously about how the vehicle would hold up. Hybrids are relatively untested for towing.
But while we're on this topic, the people who would be most qualified to answer that question would BE the Brenderup folks since they've probably sold a B'up or two to a hybrid vehicle owner. The Toyota Highlander Hybrid is the most popular towing vehicle in Europe, from whence the Brenderup hails, so perhaps Simon and Chris Barr at B'up know a thing or two about towing with hybrids. They were extremely straightforward and honest with me when I was purchasing my Brenderup, and I bought mine used from a private party, so they knew that they stood nothing to gain monetarily from answering my questions.
If you can't/won't shell out the cash for a Brenderup, your other option is to buy a Ford Expedition or a Chevy Suburban.Head Geek at The Saddle Geek Blog http://www.thesaddlegeek.com/Comment
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I don't understand why people think they need to try to tow a trailer with a car. For around $3000 to $5000 you can certainly purchase a decent used vehicle that will tow a trailer safely- need a 3rd seat- buy an older suburban. They may not be pretty in alot of cases, but they certainly can get the job done alot safer than a car will....Comment
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Well, trailering aside (I've never seen one with enough power, even for a brenderup)....
Your 5-10 mile trips might not be enough to justify the higher cost of a hybrid anyways. Figure out how many miles you drive a year, cost of gas, etc., would the hybrid pay for itself or not? Would it save you enough to buy a cheapo pickup used exclusively for hauling?
Our annual driving justified getting a Prius for commuting, and then a second vehicle (3/4 ton Suburban) for towing, family trips, etc. But we put around 30,000 miles a year on our primary vehicles, our drive to work is 45 miles each way for both cars, plus kid commuting and job site visits, so say 200 miles a day for the family, so it made economic sense.where are we going, and why am I in this hand basket?Comment
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I agree with everything else you said except for this. It only takes 125 horsepower to pull a Brenderup. I pull mine with a 165 HP vehicle, and it's a very good towing experience; if your vehicle had 200+ HP, you'd have a *great* towing experience. You could easily use a Ford Escape Hybrid or Toyota Highlander Hybrid.Originally posted by rhymeswithfizz View Post
That said, once someine is done buying a hybrid vehicle + a Brenderup, that would be an EXTREMELY pricey proposition, like $35000+. For the price of a Brenderup alone (about $14K unless you luck out and find a used one), you can often get a dedicated towing vehicle + trailer instead. It's just a question of what works best for your driving habits and your pocketbook.Head Geek at The Saddle Geek Blog http://www.thesaddlegeek.com/Comment
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We tow a Prestige Brenderup with a Toyota Highlander hybrid and are very pleased with the experience. It feels very safe and, after three years, the car is holding up just fine. We only only tow one horse at a time, though, and have never tried pulling more than this.Comment
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It's really surprising, given the growing desire for smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicles, that trailer manufacturers haven't caught on. Brenderup seems to be the only small, light trailer available; it seems like there would be a market for someone to start a price-competitive rival.Comment
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Something else to think of on these hybrid cars is how well will the electric motor handle starts when towing- my BIL has trouble with their prius if they go out on gravel roads with a lot of incline- if the car spins out, it tells the motor to shut down for some reason...I don't know if any of the other hybrids do that, but I would be worried about how well the car would perform with the extra weight and resistance of a loaded trailer behind it....Comment
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Im confused as to why everyone is talking about "cars" and "Highlanders". Tpup mentioned a 6000# tow capacity..........that says Durango or Tahoe hybrid to me. Both are 1/2 ton suv's that could easily do light duty towing, and yes towing a 2h is light duty.
However to answer the question, no Ive not towed with a hybid suv. Personally I would have to do the math on the suv in question, but the additional "hybrid" mpg rarely offset the additional "hybrid" cost. I think the regular version of the suv would serve you better.Disclaimer;
Nearly all of what I post will be controversial to someone. Believe nothing you read on a chat room, research for yourself and LEARN.
Not in the 42% or the 96%Comment
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You can't give an all encompassing answer to this one. Most steel two horse bumper pulls when loaded, are going to exceed the 6000 lb towing capacity of the Tahoe Hybrid. A few aluminum trailers and the Brenderup will come in under that limit.
If towing capacity and safety was only related to horse power, then you could easily pull a Brenderup with a Mini Cooper, which has way more than the required 120 HP. In fact, I could probably hitch up my SMART car which gets better mileage than the best hybrids, and pull that trailer, even though the SMART only has 85 HP. But lets get this straight, the only car that even Brenderup allows *might* be safe to pull their trailers is a full size Mercedes sedan- a car that easily outweighs the fully loaded trailer. Otherwise, they are recommending only full size vans and SUV's...or real trucks.
If you can pull something, though, you better be able to stop it.
The brakes on most 125 HP cars and SUV's are not meant to stop an additional 6000 lb dynamic load. Take a look at the disc brakes on the front wheels of the full size mercedes- they are as big as truck brakes, for wise safety reasons.
Horses are a dynamic load that shifts constantly and is TOP HEAVY. Frankly, although the Brenderups are said to be safe, I wonder about my live load exceeding the weight of the trailer ( 2 average horses outweigh the brenderup). And I wouldn't pull it with something that, if the trailer caught a wind, would cause my lighter, smaller vehicle to be pulled along with it. There is a real advantage to a heavy tongue weight (that Brenderup proudly advertises it does NOT have) which adds to the stability of the tow vehicle in cases of wind shear.
The two horse brenderups run $16-20,000 around here. The hybrid SUV's start around $35,000. For that $50,000, I just picked up a brand new, 3H GN aluminum trailer and a 3 year old F350 dually, loaded with all the luxuries, with less than 60,000 miles on it."The Threat of Internet Ignorance: ... we are witnessing the rise of an age of equestrian disinformation, one where a trusting public can graze on nonsense packaged to look like fact."-LRG-AFComment
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Perhaps the OP is more concerned with helping the environment by purchasing a fuel efficient vehicle and less concerened with cost. I have seen hybrid work type trucks being advertised.
Not everyone wants a full sized truck and gooseneck and there are many safe options.
I would obviously ask lots of questions. Does being a hybrid reduce the hauling capablities on the flat or on hills? If not then it comes down to picking the appropriate tow vehicle and trailer to match.Comment
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True, I am quite spoiled by my 340 HP 3/4 ton Suburban, pulling my little 2600lb steel 2H - but I am also hauling in very windy hills/mountains so my perspective is different.Originally posted by jn4jenny View Post
where are we going, and why am I in this hand basket?Comment
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[QUOTE=enjoytheride;4033206]Perhaps the OP is more concerned with helping the environment by purchasing a fuel efficient vehicle and less concerened with cost.:QUOTE]
Personally, the safety of my horses, myself, and my passengers come before any thoughts about the tiniest amount of supposed extra "carbon footprints" left by a regular engine as opposed to a Hybrid vehicle.
A diesel engine generally gets much better mileage than it's comparable gasoline counterparts, and the extra torque that a diesel engine creates is ideal for towing. I've heard that they are also "cleaner" running vehicles from an environmental standpoint from various mechanics, if that is truly one of your concerns.
Just my 2 cents.
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I agree with what enjoytheride said.
(Which wasn't about SAFETY, but about the people saying it might not save MONEY.)
If I could afford a hybrid, I would get one because of its environmental benefits, even if it wasn't cheaper for me in terms of gas.
I wouldn't tow (except a Brenderup) with an SUV, though, regardless of whether it was hybrid or not: the full-size ones that are safe for towing are just gas hogs, and towing with anything smaller is plain scary.
I recently hauled a 15' boat up from Mass with an Explorer. I was within the tow rating for the vehicle, and the engine and transmission were handling it fine. But even that boat - NOT live cargo - tried to pull the Explorer around when the wind gusted (and it wasn't a horribly windy day) or the road was rough, and the braking was miserable. I can't imagine trying to do that with a heavier, LIVE load. I see people do it fairly regularly, mind you, but it's well outside my own safety parameters.
Proud member of the EDRF Comment
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Originally posted by enjoytheride View PostNow, I have to ask a question: IS a hybrid vehicle better for the environment?? I have read time & again that the manufacturing process involves so much transport of rare metals from other countries (I think the U.S. lacks these metals) & the manufacturing process is such as hog of scarce resources that the hybrid vehicles actually do NOT help the environment. To summarize: What I have read is that there is a huge environmental COST in the manufacture that is not totally offset by the environmental gain once the vehicle is on the road. I have not done an in-depth investigation of this so I don't know how true it is.Originally posted by Kementari View PostI agree with what enjoytheride said. (Which wasn't about SAFETY, but about the people saying it might not save MONEY.)
If I could afford a hybrid, I would get one because of its environmental benefits, even if it wasn't cheaper for me in terms of gas. . . .Comment
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No words of advice on towing w/ a hybrid. For me, the fuel savings wouldn't exceed the extra cost of the vehicle.
But, what I do know is please, please, please do NOT rely on the advice/representations of a car dealer. I've been told numerous times things which simply are not true regarding towing. Car salesmen grasp the concept of pulling the weight, but seem to have no concept of stopping or controlling the cargo.Comment
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I have never heard anything about the transport of rare metals from other countries for hybrids (to the best of my knowledge the basic difference is between lead acid batteries and nickel batteries - nickel is neither rare nor less environmentally sound: more, actually, as it's longer lasting and easier to recycle), but the oft-quoted "hybrids are less environmentally sound" article is debunked here: http://www.pacinst.org/topics/integr...sus_prius.htmlOriginally posted by Evalee Hunter View Post Proud member of the EDRF Comment
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Not the car salesman who told me one of those teeny three-cylinder SUVs (a Suzuki, I think) would tow a horse trailer. "Any four-wheel drive will," he said.Originally posted by Mav226 View Post
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[QUOTE=Char;4033232]Originally posted by enjoytheride View PostPerhaps the OP is more concerned with helping the environment by purchasing a fuel efficient vehicle and less concerened with cost.:QUOTE]
Personally, the safety of my horses, myself, and my passengers come before any thoughts about the tiniest amount of supposed extra "carbon footprints" left by a regular engine as opposed to a Hybrid vehicle.
I think that's why the OP was posting...to see how people felt about the relative safety of a hybrid.Comment
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