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Here's why you don't live in Europe. The caption is "E220D tows well". Boy I bet they'd love to see how an American truck/SUV handles it. Or that they'd be blown away at least by the capabilities.
Actually it shows you how absurdly unnecessary huge trucks and SUVs actually are for almost all people.
Actually it shows you how absurdly unnecessary huge trucks and SUVs actually are for almost all people.
Most cars can tow 3,000 lbs or so.
Wouldn't push it, though. Today's sedans and coupes (what's left of them) usually don't have a ladder-frame and rear live-axle that can withstand a lot of tow-weight, like the old full-size BOF cars from GM and Ford. They make do with lighter-duty unitized bodies, independent suspensions, and smaller engines/transmissions....although a few large SUVs today do, admittedly, still manage to tow quite a bit with IRS.
Wouldn't push it, though. Today's sedans and coupes (what's left of them) usually don't have a ladder-frame and rear live-axle that can withstand a lot of tow-weight, like the old full-size BOF cars from GM and Ford. They make do with lighter-duty unitized bodies, independent suspensions, and smaller engines/transmissions....although a few large SUVs today do, admittedly, still manage to tow quite a bit with IRS.
7k plus with the big ones, full Range Rovers have insanely good towing as well. Most comfortable tow I've ever had.....totally level, full roll control and a 5.0 supercharged V8
Saw a really unusual license plate this morning. I have never seen "WEIGHTED" written across the top of the plate. I have no idea what that means. Also North Carolina had odd periods or something to break up the way it's usually spelled. Just a weirdo plate.
Looks to me like those are fasteners (or empty holes for fasteners) on the bottom of the plate between the O and R on NORTH and the I and N on CAROLINA. Just a guess but they seem to line up directly below the fasteners on the top of the plate.
Actually it shows you how absurdly unnecessary huge trucks and SUVs actually are for almost all people.
Most cars can tow 3,000 lbs or so.
I mean the campers we have in the US tend to be a lot heavier than 3,000 lbs(except for those ultralight teardrop type trailers that are catching on in the overlanding community).
With the sketchy things I've seen people try simply because their vehicle has a hitch, I wouldn't accuse anybody over using too much vehicle to tow here. Seen plenty of people with small trucks/SUV's end up wrecking because they overestimated their vehicle's capabilities.
Towing anything in a regular modern car is silly and will ruin it over time. That used to not be the case when all the cars were BOF. Crazy you could tow what my LX tows with an old Caddy, but I kind of like it at the same time. They had tow packages optional but you didn't really need them unless you were a serious tower. I'm not sure the tow capacity of the Yukon but I think it's a decent amount more. I haven't fussed with it bc the hitch is in the LX and it's a great tower itself.
I mean, people are free to knock themselves out. But a modern car isn't engineered to tow things. I would NEVER hook 3000lbs up to my cars, that's insane...and why we own an LX that would tow daily for 350k miles.
Every time I’m in the UK I’m mystified watching all of the Audi wagons, Mercedes sedans, etc. pulling travel trailers (with the doors on the opposite side of ours). So different from here.
When I was a kid, my great-uncle pulled a 28’ travel trailer with his huge Lincoln sedan, bounding down the road. Always amazed me.
For reference, mt trailer is 26’ and 6500 lbs loaded (5500 lbs dry).
About these European cars, I bet my SL would tow, but my god I'd NEVER do it. It's on the ridiculously robust W124 platform made even nicer for SL duty.
W124s were luxury cars, the ones sent here, but utilitarian cars there. So many cabs etc etc.
Obviously what you tow matters, but if you spend time in Europe you do realize how much you can do with just an ordinary car. Americans think we need the absolute most capable car to do everything but it’s really not true. Like I said, you can tow a little trailer with basically any car. They make small camper trailers that are designed to be towed by a regular car. You see it all over Europe. Those cars aren’t ruined. Every Mercedes has mounts on the roof for crossbars. In Europe they put big luggage boxes on top of regular cars and use them for travel vs driving around a huge gas guzzling vehicle alone 355 days a year so they can take it on vacation for 10 days lol. If you really think about it, it’s silly.
Obviously if you tow a boat or a serious camper or something you need more vehicle than that. But if you need to tow a lawnmower, or a small little single camper or even motorcycle or two you can do that with many sedans.
