FYI Potential new TOAD

[Joe Hogan]

We have started to focus on a new Toad. We did the Dolly tow for a while. It worked out OK but it was just another item to keep track of and maintain.
We briefly considered a trailer but think that would be a mistake.
Sooo, a flat tow of some sort. A Wrangler which is the easiest flat tow just does not work for us.
We have narrowed the choices down to a Ford Escape Hybrid or Maverick pickup truck.
Unfortunately Ford is in a bit of a crisis at the moment and doesn’t seem to be able to build reliable vehicles. Endless recalls and plant shutdowns make finding either of these on a dealer lot literally impossible.
The local dealer wanted me to order the car/truck sight unseen. And for that privilege they would charge me $$$$ above MSRP. No thanks.
We have chosen to wait for Ford to catch up with demand.
Thoughts? Does anyone trailer a vehicle?

something like this

 

[Lab00Rat]

Maverick is not flat towable. Ford Ranger is.

 

[Joe Hogan]

According to the User Manual the Maverick Hybrid is flat towable.

https://www.fordservicecontent.com/Ford_Content/vdirsnet/OwnerManual/Home/Index?Variantid=9218&languageCode=EN&countryCode=USA&VIN=&userMarket=USA&div=f&buildtype=web

 

[Lab00Rat]

I stand corrected. Hybrid was not an option when I last looked at the Maverick.

Good luck finding one.

 

[Bigblockyeti]

Unfortunately Ford is in a bit of a crisis at the moment and doesn’t seem to be able to build reliable vehicles. Endless recalls and plant shutdowns make finding either of these on a dealer lot literally impossible.
The local dealer wanted me to order the car/truck sight unseen. And for that privilege they would charge me $$$$ above MSRP. No thanks.
We have chosen to wait for Ford to catch up with demand.

I've run into the same thing casually shopping (with no real intent to buy) an F150 or F250, both 2wd and equipped to pull close to the max without checking all the boxes that require super high profit margin appearance packages for what's otherwise little more than a 2wd work truck. I don't think they're in a crisis, I think they've realized they can sell less vehicles for more money with a smaller work force and better line executives' pockets with short term gains at the expense of loosing customer loyalty. They're not alone, Toyota wants a mint for the Sienna and a mega lead time to go with it.

For flat towing, I want what I suspect what no one else does; one of the last manual transmission Honda CR-Vs.

 

[MemoriesByTheMile]

We trailer a vehicle. If you don’t like having to deal with a small dolly, I would assume you won’t like dealing with a much larger trailer.
We like it as we can choose the car we like, not have to deal with potential suspension issues on the car, and have extra storage (hybrid trailer).
The trailer is an extra item to maintain too.

 

[JRW-NAW]

We are happy with the Ford Ranger we tow.

 

[Joe Hogan]

Apparently this upside down world we live in continues….

called several Ford dealers regarding a Maverick. Order banks “might” open in August, nothing in stock to view.

I’d like to just sit in one prior or maybe just see one prior to ordering it.

 

[Jeff G]

Apparently this upside down world we live in continues….

called several Ford dealers regarding a Maverick. Order banks “might” open in August, nothing in stock to view.

I’d like to just sit in one prior or maybe just see one prior to ordering it.

A friend waited two years for his ordered Maverick. Today he canceled and bought a Jeep Wrangler.

 

[Joe Hogan]

 

[Joe Hogan]

Our choice ended up to be a Ford Flex. Checked all the boxes for us.

 

[JRS]

Great move to flat tow! Good luck

 

[Rich W.]

Our choice ended up to be a Ford Flex. Checked all the boxes for us.View attachment 20165

I had a spark plug boot on my air fitting too (supplied by M&G) and it still got clogged. I ran high pressure air backwards through the line and got a big, wet, blob of crud out of it, and unfortunately the Admiral was standing right in front of the fittin when it came blasting out. But it was clear that while it was plugged I had no toad brakes, so now I keep a rubber cap on it when disconnected so there’s no chance of crud getting in there.

 

[Nick 42]

I tow a Kia Forte GT, manual transmission, with a Blue Ox base plate a road master tow bar. Love it, nice little car with a lot of pep. Hitch it up, throw it in neutral, shut the door, and hit the road.\ It is a 2023 model.

 

[Bigblockyeti]

That's great to hear you can still get something like a Forte GT with a manual, heck even finding a Civic with a manual is tough and if you want it sporty, it's $40K. I'm still a very, very long ways off from finding that inexpensive. I really like the specs on the KIA stinger, if I could have it Rwd and with a 6 speed manual, I would have bought one already.

 

[Nick 42]

Why do you want a RWD? Mine is FWD, I had a Ford Focus FWD and both do well. I just want to have a vehicle to go places when I arrive at my destination.

 

[DennisT]

That's great to hear you can still get something like a Forte GT with a manual, heck even finding a Civic with a manual is tough and if you want it sporty, it's $40K. I'm still a very, very long ways off from finding that inexpensive. I really like the specs on the KIA stinger, if I could have it Rwd and with a 6 speed manual, I would have bought one already.

There may be a 2018 Hyundai Elantra Sport (6 speed) available sometime.

We’ve been towing it since we bought it new and are looking to move to a Grand Cherokee or something.

 

[Bigblockyeti]

Why do you want a RWD? Mine is FWD, I had a Ford Focus FWD and both do well. I just want to have a vehicle to go places when I arrive at my destination.

368hp in a FWD car weighing 3900lb would perform poorly (& dangerously). It's AWD as is due to the number of folks in the target demographic lacking the skill to handle that power in a RWD only car.