Quote:
Originally Posted by Ralph6410
Thanks for the response and information Dman1. The Highlander as a tow vehicle is a trade off that I appreciate. To go bigger would require a bigger vehicle... poorer gas mileage etc. A jeep Cherokee was a consideration but Consumer Reports give it a bad rating..
I have not yet picked my "trailer" but do want something that is safe and not a hazard to myself or the cars behind me.  What speed can you maintain say on a 6% grade pulling your Roo 19 rig?
I was following with interest your http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/sh...48#post3291148 that seems to abruptly stop on the way to pick up your Roo 19. How did that purchase go.. any issues returning at the border? This is an option that I am considering as well.. purchase in the US.. and would like to know what to avoid. |
Sorry I did not continue this thread. A week after I got back from this trip, due to the economic slowdown, a reduction in work, and a prick who I am so happy I am no longer working for, I lost my job, so the priorities shifted for a bit. I was able to land another job in my chosen profession by the end of that day, but I still had/have to work on building things up again. In all honesty, it was the best thing that could have happened, but that is pretty much why that thread died.
The purchase went fine. I would strongly recommend that any Canadian that has the opportunity to buy an RV stateside to do it. I am not sure what the availability of RVs in your area is. RV Direct in Des Moines from Edmonton is about the same distance I traveled from Moncton, New Brunswick to Elkhart, Indiana (about 2300km one way). I saved about $6500 once you factor in the travel expenses (approx $1500 in expenses off of my approx $8000 in savings versus buying near home...and that was just on a 19' Hybrid...imagine a higher priced trailer...even more savings). I have described my experiences on this purchase on the Hybrid Explorer forum. It took me about a half hour at the border, but I picked a low traffic crossing time to do this. Once I got it home, I had to bring it to a Canadian Tire store to get the federal inspection done (an employee noted the weight, year, and VIN of my trailer, and faxed the paperwork to the RIV. A week or so later, I got my RIV sticker. I then had to get my provincial inspection and registration done, but that wasn't much of a hassle.
If you are looking to get a trailer any bigger than this, definitely look at another tow vehicle. As for mileage while towing, I could be towing with a Yukon versus my Highlander and still get the same mileage on the highway...between 9 and 11 MPG. It's more about wind resistance than weight...I would likely get the same mileage towing a 7500 lb trailer...until the transmission hit the ground anyway. And given the Highlander's puny gas tank, I am at the gas station every 200 to 250km.
The Highlander tows my Roo 19 up steep grades without a problem while maintaining highway speeds (I didn't check to see how fast I could go up grades, but I could easily maintain highway speeds with lots of pedal left), but the mileage takes a significant hit. I chose to not push it as much up grades so as to save a bit of $$$ in gas. I also chose to slow down a bit once I realized the mileage I was getting. I started from Elkhart, Indiana doing 75MPH on average, with mostly flat driving. I toned it down to 60-65MPH once I hit the Ohio border, and spent the rest of the trip between 55 and 65 on the interstates.
Good luck in your choice of vehicles, and check out RVNet and Hybrid Explorer forums and run some searches on towing, and you can see how many different factors (and opinions) are at play when determining how much you can safely tow. Again, I wouldn't recommend anything larger than a 19' 3800lb dry trailer.
Trailer Prep package in Canada
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