I am looking into buying a 25ft. sailboat (83 Macgregor 25 for $3,000 or best offer) at 2100 pounds. I am wondering if my 93 Toyota Tercel with a 1.5 liter engine, or my 87 Toyota Van with a 2 liter engine would be able to pull the boat and trailer, or are my vehicles too small? (I don't have the Toyota owners manuals...) Thanks In Advance,
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Justin - O'day Owners' Web
Doubtfull
John - I wouldn't do it. Look at the plate inside the driver's side door and you ought to find rated towing ability. Do you need to just get it home, or will you trailer often? If the first, then I'd just go rent a U-haul. Justin - O'day Owners' Web
John - I wouldn't do it. Look at the plate inside the driver's side door and you ought to find rated towing ability. Do you need to just get it home, or will you trailer often? If the first, then I'd just go rent a U-haul. Justin - O'day Owners' Web
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Ken Shubert
Not Legal !
It's not legal to pull loads way beyond the manufacturers limits in most state. You'd better rent something with a respectable towing capacity to do the job. We've pulled a jet-ski with a Tercel and that was marginal. If you only trailer a short distance, a used 1/2 ton pickup that is past it's prime might be an economical option. Ken S/V Wouff Hong
It's not legal to pull loads way beyond the manufacturers limits in most state. You'd better rent something with a respectable towing capacity to do the job. We've pulled a jet-ski with a Tercel and that was marginal. If you only trailer a short distance, a used 1/2 ton pickup that is past it's prime might be an economical option. Ken S/V Wouff Hong
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Larry Watkins
Towing capacity
John; towing much of anything with a Tercel is asking for trouble. The frame, brakes, transmission and cooling systems are not up to it, and even the van is doubtful for the same reasons. Try to find a used truck. I know a guy who towed a Catalina 22, at about 2600 lbs, with a Toyota truck and it worked OK, but mountains were a challenge.
John; towing much of anything with a Tercel is asking for trouble. The frame, brakes, transmission and cooling systems are not up to it, and even the van is doubtful for the same reasons. Try to find a used truck. I know a guy who towed a Catalina 22, at about 2600 lbs, with a Toyota truck and it worked OK, but mountains were a challenge.
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Ken Cobb
Ditto
Most vans with V-6 engines are rated to 2000 lbs. at most, but your van has a 4-cylinder, which most likely is rated at only 1000 lbs. for towing, and even then that would be with an automatic only, not a manual tranny. Your Tercel is mostly likely rated at no towing capacity at all. I am not even to the really bad news yet. The MacGregor may weigh 2100 lbs itself, but with the motor, gear and weight of trailer, you are probably looking at a total towing weight of 2700 lbs. or more. The only family vehicles being made nowadays that will handle a load like that are sport utility vehicles and pickup trucks. At least you don't need a giant SUV like an Expedition; an Explorer will do.
Most vans with V-6 engines are rated to 2000 lbs. at most, but your van has a 4-cylinder, which most likely is rated at only 1000 lbs. for towing, and even then that would be with an automatic only, not a manual tranny. Your Tercel is mostly likely rated at no towing capacity at all. I am not even to the really bad news yet. The MacGregor may weigh 2100 lbs itself, but with the motor, gear and weight of trailer, you are probably looking at a total towing weight of 2700 lbs. or more. The only family vehicles being made nowadays that will handle a load like that are sport utility vehicles and pickup trucks. At least you don't need a giant SUV like an Expedition; an Explorer will do.
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Yankee Clipper
Towing
You need more vehicle. You may be able to pull the boat on a level road however, I doubt you could pull the boat out of the water on a ramp. Also, the comments made concerning breaking & etc. are true. If you are looking at a "McGregor" be very careful. As I recall they may have had some quality problems...It would pay to have a knowledgeable person look at it before you buy. Good Luck!
You need more vehicle. You may be able to pull the boat on a level road however, I doubt you could pull the boat out of the water on a ramp. Also, the comments made concerning breaking & etc. are true. If you are looking at a "McGregor" be very careful. As I recall they may have had some quality problems...It would pay to have a knowledgeable person look at it before you buy. Good Luck!
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Glenn Bevensee
Local cops will LOVE you....
Neither vehicle has the strength to pull that boat. What will happen, courtesy of Murphy's law, is that you will manage just long enough to get someplace where it will either totally jam up local traffic, or impossible to hook up the tow truck, like mid-span of a bridge... Then, your vehicle will suddenly 'remember' that it can't do it, and stop. Local newspapers LOVE to run photos, with captions, like "Thought he could do it..." Oh, and since they always send ME to stuff like this, the cop will NOT be happy when he gets there...
Neither vehicle has the strength to pull that boat. What will happen, courtesy of Murphy's law, is that you will manage just long enough to get someplace where it will either totally jam up local traffic, or impossible to hook up the tow truck, like mid-span of a bridge... Then, your vehicle will suddenly 'remember' that it can't do it, and stop. Local newspapers LOVE to run photos, with captions, like "Thought he could do it..." Oh, and since they always send ME to stuff like this, the cop will NOT be happy when he gets there...
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Don
Defending the Tercel...
While I generally agree with the cautionists here, I must admit that with my '91 Tercel (straight shit) I have pulled a pop-up camper, a 16' center console, and, yes, my former 21' Starwind sailboat (don't remember what it weighed, but it was not water balast.) While there are limitations on the Tercels, they will do it and I can testify to it. Would I do it routinely, probably not, but it can pull it in a pinch. And mine has 180k miles to prove it without any major repair bills.
While I generally agree with the cautionists here, I must admit that with my '91 Tercel (straight shit) I have pulled a pop-up camper, a 16' center console, and, yes, my former 21' Starwind sailboat (don't remember what it weighed, but it was not water balast.) While there are limitations on the Tercels, they will do it and I can testify to it. Would I do it routinely, probably not, but it can pull it in a pinch. And mine has 180k miles to prove it without any major repair bills.
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