| Author | |
Becky Parker
Forum All-Star
Joined: May 23 2005
Location: Michigan
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2582
|
| Posted: Jan 22 2010 at 8:45am | IP Logged
|
 |
|
My DH and I are in the process of making a decision regarding a new car. We are looking at the Honda Odyssey (van) and the Chevrolet Traverse. We test drove both and I feel most comfortable in the van, but my DH makes a good point: We are a family that enjoys camping and would need to pull a small trailer for the bigger trips like West Virginia and Colorado (there's no way all our gear would fit in the storage areas of either of these vehicles - even with a luggage rack). He's concerned about the wear and tear pulling a trailor that distance will cause on the van. The Traverse is more like an SUV so that might hold up better under those conditions. So, long question short,
If you have driven either of these vehicles and pulled a trailor, what is your experience?
__________________
Becky
Wife to Wes, Mom to 6 wonderful kids on Earth and 4 in Heaven!
Academy Of The Good Shepherd
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
4 lads mom
Forum All-Star
Joined: Sept 26 2006
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1944
|
| Posted: Jan 22 2010 at 6:45pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
I don’t know, Becky, you should have been at the Auto Show last weekend, like some of us were with our teenage boys!  I have to say, my favorite was the Volvo XC90, or something like that.....are you buying new or used? I sat in the Traverse, but I, too, liked the Honda better.....did I mention the Volvo was my favorite? Have you looked at the Buick Enclave? I found it a nice in between the Traverse and Honda, although it is pretty much like the Traverse, just seemed nicer.
I didn’t hitch anything up at the show....sorry.
I have five kids, and I thought both the Traverse and Enclave, esp, the Traverse, seemed awfully small....not a lot of leg room.
__________________
Mom of four brave lads and one sweet lassie
Scenes From This and That
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
mom2mpr
Forum All-Star
Joined: May 16 2006
Location: N/A
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1550
|
| Posted: Jan 22 2010 at 9:10pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
I don't have towing info but I love, love, love my Odyssey.
It is 10 years old now, 135,000 miles and not a lick of trouble. Great car. I imagine if you could get a bigger engine--it has a V6, if I remember correctly--it would tow fine. I had planned on towing a pop up and the dealer said it would be fine with that weight, but no more.
Be aware though, backing up can be a little hairy. Honda does have back up cameras now that would help. At many a playground I have asked people to watch the back of my car while I backed out of a space. Also, never park nose down on a hill in a parking space--all you see out the back window is sky!! The one time I did this I ended up saying a prayer and backing out ever so slowly. I am thinking of this with a trailer on back.
Hope that helps. Good luck in your quest.
__________________
Anne, married to dh 16 years!, ds,(97), Little One (02), and dd (02).
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
JodieLyn
Forum Moderator
Joined: Sept 06 2006
Location: Oregon
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 12234
|
| Posted: Jan 22 2010 at 9:59pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
You could probably find actual towing specs for those online. If you stay within those generally you don't end up with other problems. I've seen mini vans pull trailers quite easily.. it all depends on the towing weight and what the vehicle can handle.
Me.. I drive a 15 passenger van and for the moment can manage to pack in everything we need for camping because we can have the rear-most seat out (making it an 11 pass. van)
But my dream is to have a dedicated camping trailer.. not like an RV but like a storage trailer that the camping gear stays in all the time.. you come home.. do any extra cleaning needed pack it all back into the trailer and it waits for the next trip.. then you just hook it to the car and go. 
__________________
Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
-Sir Walter Scott
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Becky Parker
Forum All-Star
Joined: May 23 2005
Location: Michigan
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2582
|
| Posted: Jan 23 2010 at 7:03am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Thanks Everyone,
Jodie, that's sort of like what I drive now. It's not a 15 passenger but it is a full size van that could have another seat in the back. It seats 8 as it is plus a huge space in the back for gear. I too have always wanted a camping storage trailer (we really enjoy tent camping) because the one thing about camping that I don't like is all the stuff in the basement, garage, etc. I love the idea of cleaning things up and putting them back away to store until the next time.
As sad as we are to see our van go ... it's time. I think that's why this is such a struggle. Nothing else that I drive has as much space, but I only have 5 kids and really, for the regular around town errands, we don't need so much. It's just the camping we need the space for, so that's why I asked about towing ability.
Anne, your comment about backing up is interesting. I felt that way in the Traverse, but thought the Odyssey was a little better. I know it's probably for looks but it's strange that all the new cars have such small, and high, rear windows. It doesn't seem safe.
4 Lads Mom, I think it would have helped to be at the car show!!! I have four boys and one girl too. I would have liked to pile all my kids into each one, with the car seats, just to see how we all fit. My DH and I test drove the Traverse and it was a week later that we test drove the Odyssey. I felt more comfortable in the Odyssey, but it had been so long since I drove the Traverse it was really just hard to compare.
Thanks for your helpful comments everyone.
__________________
Becky
Wife to Wes, Mom to 6 wonderful kids on Earth and 4 in Heaven!
Academy Of The Good Shepherd
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
JodieLyn
Forum Moderator
Joined: Sept 06 2006
Location: Oregon
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 12234
|
| Posted: Jan 23 2010 at 12:15pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
oh another things to consider.. as far as handling.. front or all wheel drive will handle better than rear wheel drive in general.. but I don't know if rear or front wheel drive works better for towing.
__________________
Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
-Sir Walter Scott
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
|
|
Forum Locked) 
4Real Forums : Tea and Conversation
Topic: Can we talk cars?
