2020 Thor Vegas cheapest car to tow without dolly

[Scubawise]

hi i can tow 8000 lp but want a small 2 person cheap car to tow easily without a dolly etc

[16ACE27]

The older cars are, the cheaper they are.
If you want an inexpensive new car to flat tow look at the Chevy Spark manual transmission or Sonic.

My son bought a Spark a couple of years ago for under 10K out the door, I bought a Sonic for under 15K out the door.

[Scubawise]

Wow thanks

[taylorbob1]

I purchased a NEW loaded 2020 Chevy Spark Activ Manual Trans 60 days ago for $13,888
(I replaced a Toyota Prius with 225k miles that needed a tow dolly)
Added a Blue Ox baseplate ($400) + Blue Ox tow bar ($200) from Amazon.

I use magnetic Stop/turn lights on the rear roof ($29)

I’m currently not using a brake system
Chevy Spark is 2,200#, so lighter than most loaded single axel utility trailers.
(My previous Prius+TowDolly set-up was about 3,600#, and that tow dolly did not have brakes)

Other cars I looked at was Mitsubishi Mirage and Fiat 500

[Bob Denman]

Look for one of these...
They weigh about 2000 pounds, and can be towed 4-down, or put on a trailer.

https://www.thorforums.com/forums/at...1&d=1598554729

[ducksface]

The word cheap kinda needs defined.
A good way to lose $8,000 over 60 months is to buy the cheapest new car you can stand to drive. That ain't cheap.

A good way to not lose a penny is to buy a $10k or less little vintage car with a classic flare and following.

A clean $5,000 pinto or spitfire or Subaru brat or Isuzu Ironman or 1995 miata or revisionist tbird is likely never going to be worth less then they are now. If they go to absolute zero, you're still ahead of that new cheap car by thousands of dollars.
(what's that odd Subaru coupe they made on a maybe brat frame. Odd looking thing)

Someone's complete tow setup they no longer need is a good bet.


You'll have to define
Cheap
To get an answer fitting your want.

And you need to price tow bars and required brake set ups.
Some are THOUSANDS of dollars in added equipment.

[taylorbob1]

Originally Posted by ducksface

The word cheap kinda needs defined.
A good way to lose $8,000 over 60 months is to buy the cheapest new car you can stand to drive. That ain't cheap.

A good way to not lose a penny is to buy a $10k or less little vintage car with a classic flare and following.

A clean $5,000 pinto or spitfire or Subaru brat or Isuzu Ironman or 1995 miata revisionist tbird is likely never going to be worth less then they are now. If they go to absolute zero, you're still ahead of that new cheap car by thousands of dollars.
(what's that odd Subaru coupe they made on a maybe brat frame. Odd looking thing)

Someone's complete tow setup they no longer need is a good bet.


You'll have to define
Cheap
To get an answer fitting your want.

And you need to price tow bars and required brake set ups.
Some are THOUSANDS of dollars in added equipment.

I looked for and found many towable used vehicles, but most were high mileage or beat up without any of my desired options.
And those used car prices seemed very inflated vs buying new.

Most Fords with automatic trans can be towed.
So the low priced end includes Fiesta or Focus. But few cream-puffs with low miles and all the options were available under $14K within 200 miles of me.

As I said above, I replaced a high mileage Prius on a TowDolly. So the Spark works great for us.

[ducksface]

I don't doubt the spark works well and I trust your opinion enough to not even bother shopping if we need a new towed vehicle. I'd just buy the spark based on your research.
But.
It's a loss.
And a loss ain't cheap.

A definition is needed.

If he has the monthlies but not the downstroke, or has the downstroke but doesn't want the monthlies, is it cheap today, is it amortized over life as cheap?

Lots of questions.

[Scubawise]

Great you all are the best!

[Bob Denman]

The game is afoot: happy hunting!

[Lt Keefer]

I went the old car route for my first toad. Got a high mileage Trooper and put almost no money into it. Thing is, it drove like crap, got bad fuel economy and didn't have the safety features or creature comforts of a modern late model vehicle. Went through a number of upgrades until we tried a Honda. Been towing a CRV for over 10 years with no complaints.

[Chinasrig]

I'm towing a 2009 Mini Cooper S convertible 6 speed behind my 2015 Vegas, can't tell it's back there. One advantage when you do get to where you are going you have a convertible and it's as much fun to drive as vehicle I've ever owned.

[JoeB]

We bought a 2014 certified pre-owned Honda CRV w/22k miles for $18,995 last summer and installed a Roadmaster Nighthawk tow bar, and an Invisabrake breaking system. Tows like a dream behind our 2017 Windsport 35M. I can hardly tell the Honda is back there, and find myself looking at the rear view camera a lot just to be sure.

[EA37TS]

The cheapest car to tow depends on the negotiating skills of the buyer. Nobody on this forum can answer such a question because what may be cheaper for one may not be cheaper for another based on many factors.

The OP needs to determine what they need in a vehicle and then negotiate the cheapest price they can get.

[DWM]

1 - Is it important to have a manual transmission or does it matter?

2 - Would a mazda miata work or is it better to go with a cheap used car?

[Chinasrig]

Most 2 wheel drive cars with a manual transmission are flat towable but as in the case of the Mini the manufacturer does not state it in the owners manual.

As far as the Mazda goes, I don't have any history but I don't think I've ever seen one being towed behind an RV.

[16ACE27]

Originally Posted by Chinasrig

Most 2 wheel drive cars with a manual transmission are flat towable but as in the case of the Mini the manufacturer does not state it in the owners manual.

As far as the Mazda goes, I don't have any history but I don't think I've ever seen one being towed behind an RV.

Plenty of Miatas behind MHs. A couple of members here have had a Miata for a toad.

[Bikerbob]

I bought a use 2014 Spark back in 2015 for $9k with all the blue ox tow wiring and hardware. The speedo now has 44.5 k miles plus ??? towed miles (have to turn off battery when towing or it will run out of power). It is a great tow vehicle because its low weight (#2200), how easy it is to hook up (put the manual drive in neutral, disconnect the battery, turn on ignition and you are all set), and versatility. The Spark is a four door so it can handle 4 adults and if you put the rear seat down there is plenty of space for the#80 dog or beach chairs. I saw a stripped down 2020 manual drive Spark advertised at my local Chevy dealer for $12.8 k so it is still a deal even if you buy it new.

[Bob Denman]

Originally Posted by DWM

1 - Is it important to have a manual transmission or does it matter?

2 - Would a mazda miata work or is it better to go with a cheap used car?

The answer to both questions is, "It depends..."
My Smart has an automatic; yet uit can be towed 4-down...
As far the the Miata: it might depend on the transmission and model year.

[Scubawise]

Here is a document of every car you can tow based on year

https://www.motorhome.com/download-dinghy-guides/