best tow MPG to move 3500lbs - dodge cummins or small car??

[mcrews]

Originally Posted by stillsearching

It's not a question about vehicle stresses, it's a question about mileage.

I know a guy whose a CAD engineer who made some special one off hitches and vehicle mods so that he's been pulling 3500lbs with a compact for over 50,000 miles of road time with no problems. So the vehicle can do it - the question is at the end of the day who is likely to have the mileage advantage...

Nice thing about forums......facts dont have to be verified

Reminds me of all the guys lowering their cars and claiming there's no additional wear......

You can be all the CAD engineer you want to be.....but you cant redesign bushings etc to keep from wearing out do to excessive loads beyond the design perimeters..
A compact car has parts machined to go on a compact car. smaller bolts, thinner bushings...the list goes on.
My Kia sportage is listed at 1500 lbs max.
a Kia sedona (van) is only listed at 3000.

But the REAL is SAFTEY.
So unless this is a 'hypothetical case'.....you really need to expand your thought process

[mcrews]

another thought.....
High school kid learned how to override the ecu on daddy's BMW M5 on a bmw forum. Just like you, he asked. (he didn't just read it)
Killed himself and 3 buddies. Guess who the attorneys went after.......

So my cma advise to you is.......safety first.

[Frank Lee]

3500 isn't as huge as it sounds... it's like towing an empty, modern family sedan. If speeds are low, accels and decels gentle, roads good, it probably is OK.

[mikeyjd]

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

3500 isn't as huge as it sounds... it's like towing an empty, modern family sedan. If speeds are low, accels and decels gentle, roads good, it probably is OK.

It seems like it would become more of a question of weight distribution than overall weight in this range. For instance towing a car in neutral on 4 tires is allot different than towing a load of roofing shingles on a single axle trailer with 500-1000 gross tongue weight. The more I look into it the more I think the wear and tear of trailers on gas sipper's isn't really meant for anything beyond occasional/semi-occasional light duty (1000-2000lbs) work. I mean it will definitely save money short term, and if you can't afford to get a truck then it's a useful option, but if you like to make your vehicles last then it's somewhat counter-intuitive for regular use. Just my .02 as i move forward.

P.s. i'm still planning a light duty aero trailer for my festiva. This will likely not ever exceed 1000 pounds total gross weight (including trailer) and will include trailer breaks. We each have to find what works best for our situation.

[ksa8907]

personally, id go for a 1500 pickup with a v6 and 5 speed. its a truck, everybody has parts, the parts are designed for light towing.

i posted this in another thread but ill repeat here, anything can tow anything but you cant stop 3500-5500lbs safely with a small car. think about that family who just had to slam on the brakes cause a deer ran into the road. can you control and stop your trailer?

plus if you go with chevy,dodge,ford you can play with gear ratios easily and really drop the cruising rpm's for empty return trips

[jere]

I would be looking a the Buick Roadmaster ( or the two other GM variants),V8, ~5000lbs towing capacity, 8 seats, and can clear 21MPG, less drag than a large pickup,you can fit a 4x8 sheet of plywood in back with the seats down, cheap parts and cheap upgrades.

[Honda100]

Here's a quick comparison, but not exactly what you're looking for. I had a Mitsubishi Legnum (Galant station wagon, 2.4 GDI petrol) that I usually towed 1500 lbs with all over the place. Average mpg, 16.8 US over about 2 years.

I then got a P38 Range Rover, 4.0 V8 petrol, and since it could tow 7700 lbs safely, I was able to load up the trailer to it's max of 3000 lbs (vs. the 1500 I towed with the Mitsu). Average mpg, 15.7 US over a period of 5 months.

The Mitsu had to work really hard around town while the Range Rover was barely breaking a sweat (even with the small engine), so I figure that it's also about efficiencies. If you're straining the small car (remember the Legnum isn't that small), you're going to be getting fairly bad fuel mileage whereas something that isn't straining will return you decent mileage.

[justme1969]

http://www.tensionnot.com/pictures/C...ng-On-Vacation

and if it can haul it it must be ok!

http://www.tensionnot.com/pictures/C...-To-The-Garage

[Frank Lee]

I want that guy's trike!

[2000mc]

This seems familiar... http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...ncy-22923.html