I'm currently towing a 2007 Chevy Colorado, 4 down. It's 4WD and very heavy. I also own a 2005 Honda CRV(DW's). We get about 6.5 mpg towing the Colorado. DW does not want to buy another base plate. Will it be easier to tow the Honda with a dolly than the Colorado 4 down? Thoughts?
Without geography, you're nowhere
2008 Tioga Ranger 31 W
07 Chevy Colorado 4X4 Toad
BrakeBuddy
No.....I have had both and I never knew how much trouble a dolly was until we went 4 down. I guaranty that after a month or 2 with a dolly you will wish you had the base plate installed .
Tallyo
2012 Phaeton 40 QBH
Freightliner, 6 spd Allison
2010 Chevy Equinox 2LT w/ Brake Buddy Vantage
Drinks-6, Eats-4, Sleeps-2
Semper Fi
Then what happens when you get into a bind and have to back up? Unhook all the straps, back the car off, unhook the dolly and turn your rig around? Or unhook the car in a matter of minutes? We HAD a dolly til some one stole it. They did us a favor!
Strangely, the naysayers will be the ones who post the most about dolly towing.
Those who do it successfully, and like doing it, rarely chime in.
IMO, there IS NO "right" or "wrong", there is merely personal preference.
My personal preference would be to put the Jeep on my flatbed trailer to tow it.
The naysayers will say that is impossible, stupid, too much weight, there is no place to put the trailer in any campground in the world, etc., just like they do about using a dolly.
If it works for YOU, that is all that is necessary.
As for getting into a situation where you have to back up, if you pay attention and practice situational awareness and attention to detail, that should never happen. If it does, then the penalty you pay for inattentiveness is unhooking and solving the problem.
Good luck.
CM1, USN (RET)
2002 Fleetwood Southwind 32V, Ford V10
Toad: 2006 Jeep Rubicon LJ
Other toad: '06 PT Cruiser, Kar Kaddy dolly
Toy: 1977 Dodge W100 CC SWB, 3/4 ton axles & springs
"When seconds count, help is only minutes away!"
If your concern is about the fuel consumption you're splitting some pretty fine hairs between towing the Chev or the Honda. My guess would be from a cost standpoint by the time you add the weight and the cost of the dolly the difference will be miniscule.
The fuel savings versus the cost of converting the Honda or even buying a tow dolly will never be recovered.
Going back several years (1999) we ran trans Canada and down the east coast and back to northwest Washington State without a tow vehicle, chalking up about 8,700 miles and got 6.7 MPG with our 32' 1990 Winnebago/Chieftain. The next year I bought a used Jeep Cherokee and set it up to tow 4 down and towed it and then another Cherokee for 6 years and another 50,000 + miles and averaged 6.6 MPG.
You're not going to accomplish much if anything from an economics point.
Do what you think you gotta do, that's my nickles worth.
Roger
1991 - 38" American Eagle - 8.3 Cummin's w/Allison 4spd
(Purchased 4-15-10 w/5,600 miles on it)
99 Dodge Durango/SLT 4X4 - Toad
I suspect there are far more who have tried a dolly and switched to 4 down than went from 4 down to a dolly or a trailer.. We are not necessarily nay sayers but folks who found a better way for us?
While every method has benefit for some, since this poster has a choice I gave him my opinion. I started with a dolly because my car wasn't tow-able 4 down and the dolly offered the least expense for a past time I wasn't sure we would continue. Once we found out that RV'ing was for us we switched cars and towed 4 down.
It's my understanding that if your CRV is an AWD you can't tow on a dolly unless all 4 wheels are off the ground, so your decision may be made for you.
Doug
Doug & Sandy
Jill (11yr old Golden)& Charmin (16 yr old something)
Henry NOW a camping cat
2008 Southwind
2009 Honda CRV
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