Re: Pulling a trailer with a Civic Hybrid

"jim beam" <spamvortex@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message 
news:zpKdnd6ngNBvzIjVnZ2dnUVZ_****nZ2d@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> James Sweet wrote:
>> "jim beam" <spamvortex@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message 
>> news:_5udnQjHmeeB1ojVnZ2dnUVZ_hmtnZ2d@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>>> Jeff wrote:
>>>> R.J. Babin wrote:
>>>>> Anyone out there attempted pulling a trailer with a Civic Hybrid? I 
>>>>> have a 400 pd trailer that I pull 2 to 3 hundred pounds of kayak
gear 
>>>>> with. Anyone have some feedback?
>>>>>                                                               R.J. 
>>>>> (Bob) Babin
>>>> Look in your owner's manual for the towing limits. I think the limit
is 
>>>> 1000 lbs. However, keep in mind that the car is not meant to tow
stuff.
>>>>
>>> i gotta say, as someone that's lived in europe for a while, the
concept 
>>> we have here of needing a honking great truck to pull a tiny little 
>>> wheelbarrow is just bizarre.  in europe, the exact same vehicles as we

>>> have here have up to 3 times the rated towing capacity, same 
>>> transmission, engine, everything.  and what do we see?  europeans 
>>> hauling honking great trailers with tiny little cars.  the hybrid will

>>> tow a trailer just fine. just look up the towing capacity on an
european 
>>> or even japanese website.
>>>
>>
>> I've towed a ~2500 lb boat and trailer behind my 2950 lb Volvo 240, it 
>> handles fine, though you certainly can feel something is back there.
The 
>> hitch design has more to do with it than the vehicle.
>
> and whether the trailer has brakes - again something we don't do much
over 
> here.  i think it's pretty much compulsory in europe.

I think you hit the nail on the head with that one. Your capacity is much 
greater and you are much safer with a trailer that can stop itself.

I towed a 1500 lb. popup camper behind an '81 Civic sedan 5 sp. once a
year 
and it pulled just fine. No harm to the engine or clutch.

Stopping was another matter altogether. A panic stop from 30 mph at a
short 
yellow light in a drizzle took me most of the way through the
intersection. 
Dropped the trailer right off at the dealer to have brakes installed.

Jon