New Tow Vehicle

Jackpod, we are in the same place as you are.  Our Veracruz has a 3500# capacity and does just fine around here as well as handling the Appalachian hills, as long as we are driving and towing within it's limits.  We haven't gone more than 4 hours away from home, keep it at or below 60 mph, and just basically take it easy.  But knowing that we want to start taking longer trips next year has got us already talking about getting a new TV that will better handle the hauling, and it was M who actually started the conversation (a first for her 'cause she never talks about vehicles!).

I don't want to drive this to the point where we are telling everyone that they need a diesel F-350 to tow a pod - that would be silly.  I've seen people tow excavators with F-350's.  I myself tow a tractor, with backhoe and the works with my 2008 Pathfinder.  That's around 6000 lbs, tows easily.  Really we are obsessed with weight, and that has very little to do with it.  It's really the frontal area.  You need something that can handle the weight indeed, but most SUV's can handle 2500#.   Tongue weight it the next myth that we talk about, these r-pods have tongue weights of about 250#.  You can have someone that weighs more than that in your back seat.  So it's not about tongue weight.  It's about the aerodynamics of the pod - or lack thereof.  It's about getting the pod to 65mph when you are trying to keep up with traffic.  My opinion is that you need two things - horsepower and traction.  You could have 500Hp, but if it's in a FWD platform, you can't get that power to the ground due to the way the forces load the vehicle.  You can have RWD but if you only have 150HP, you won't get that pod above 50MPH.  So I recommend RWD based platform (preferable with a frame) and at least 250Hp.   I bet that you'd be better off towing with a Camero than an FWD SUV, (okay maybe that's a little bit of Reductio ad absurdum).  -- Someone try this and report back :-)  

 Anthony I think you gave the best explanation of a good tow vehicle.  David

Add "get a long wheel base" to the list.  Not sure if that was mentioned yet on this thread.

There sure has been some great information shared since we asked the question about tow vehicles. We are not new to towing - had a 30' Alpenlite Fifth Wheel for several years that we went all over the country with, and a Chevy truck that towed it. We also love to get out and drive - taking the back roads as much as possible - and don't mind doing it slowly if needed. So some of you may be yelling at us, but we've purchased the Nissan Pathfinder. Did a lot of research and had some great conversations with a Pathfinder owner here on the boards before we made up our minds. It'll be the correct and only vehicle for us for many years to come and the fact that it's loaded with everything except a kitchen sink is great. But won't need the kitchen sink because it'll be behind us!

So, watch for a red Nissan Pathfinder in front of a 2011 176 - Abby the Bichon on her special foam cushion between us. Hope we see lots of podders this summer and at the r-pod village at the rally in August.

Thanks again for all your terrific information.