Buying a new vehicle (or a used vehicle that feels new to you) is a big undertaking. There are so many factors to consider that it can be tough even to know where to begin your search. If you need the vehicle to do additional or abnormal things like towing, the hunt can be even more challenging. The following will explore one of these additional requirements: towing and how you can go about getting accurate information about towing capacity for most vehicles.
Of course, many factors influence a vehicle’s ability to tow a given weight, and these need to be taken into consideration when you’re looking at average capabilities. What sort of terrain is the towing happening on? Are you expecting extreme temperatures (either hot or cold) to impact your tire pressure during the tow? How far are you towing? And what shape is the car or truck in to begin with?
When buying a vehicle second-hand, it’s always a good idea to get a third-party inspection done. This will let you know if there is any natural (or unnatural) wear and tear that is going to influence your vehicle’s capabilities. A mechanic or a vehicle-savvy friend might be able to help you out with this. Be sure to mention what you’re hoping the vehicle can do during the inspection, as this can help focus attention on the areas of strain.
Read Up From The Manufacturer
Even if you’re buying a used car from someone you trust, it’s a good idea to read up on the make and model. This doesn’t just apply to those of us looking for specific information, but it pertains equally to everyone who is thinking of vehicle ownership. Manuals contain a lot of useful information that might come in handy to know about your car. It’s not too difficult to find most car manuals online now, meaning you can scroll through a PDF document and get all the stats pertaining to your potential new vehicle, at least as they were when the vehicle was new.
Some manuals will specifically list towing capacity and payload capacity right in the book. This is a particularly common statistic to include in heavy-duty vehicle manuals (think large trucks designed to pull more than their own weight). This being said, not all manuals contain towing capacity information (or if they do, it’s so vague it’s almost useless).
Seek Out Third-Party Testing Reports
In addition to the information provided by your vehicle’s manufacturer, you want to be seeing out third-party reports on any car, truck, van, or SUV you’re considering buying. Manufacturers are required by law to abide by a certain level of honesty, but they do have a bit of wiggle room and some extremely talented copywriters that know how to make stats sound snazzy and encouraging. Third-party testing reports are an excellent way to verify any information you found and fill in any blanks.
A wide variety of testing reports are available for most vehicles. You’ll be able to find safety and crash test studies as well as tests conducted on a particular vehicle element, including, you guessed it, towing capacity. LETSTOWTHAT.COM is an excellent example of a site dedicated to providing vehicle enthusiasts with the information they want to know about their cars, trucks, vans, and SUVs. Look for specific breakdowns that include the variations in your make and model available (sometimes, for instance, a car will come with both a four-cylinder engine and a six-cylinder engine). If a site or publication isn’t specifying which version of the vehicle they’re using, you probably can’t rely on the information they’re providing you.
Convert Measurements
When it comes to carrying capacity, most of us are working with pounds, but this isn’t always the case. If you’re given an answer using a unit of measurement you’re unsure of, take the time to convert it and get a good idea of what the information actually means for you. You can do these conversions yourself if you’re mathematically inclined or use an online tool to help you understand the difference between the pounds you were given and the kilograms you’re more comfortable with.
The above information should help you figure out what the towing capacity is of pretty much any vehicle relatively quickly. Again, if the vehicle is older or well-used, you might need to assume it’s not capable of its previous towing capacity. It is also crucial that before you tow anything, you ensure that it’s properly attached and that all loose elements are tied or strapped tightly.
