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Old 04-25-2016, 07:48 PM   #1
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Older VW Beetle as dinghy?

I've searched to see if a 2000 VW Beetle w/manual transmission is flat towable. There are NO VWs listed in the Motorhome Dinghy Guide for 2000. Does that mean that they are not flat towable?

The VW does have front wheel drive - I guess that makes a difference?

My search has found numerous opinions both yay and nay about flat towing a VW Beetle.

I don't own the car - just found a listing for it and liked the looks. I guess I can try to find an owner's manual on the car for a definitive answer.

Anyone using this specific type of VW as a toad? If so, how do you tow it?

Thanks.

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Old 04-25-2016, 08:18 PM   #2
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Met a fellow with a Hyundai that he flat towed, but it wasn't designed to be, he said he just started the car & towed it in neutral with it idling & had towed it over 50k miles that way.
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Old 04-25-2016, 08:26 PM   #3
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Originally Posted by Travelin' Texans View Post
Met a fellow with a Hyundai that he flat towed, but it wasn't designed to be, he said he just started the car & towed it in neutral with it idling & had towed it over 50k miles that way.
I had researched and almost considered flat towing my old Toyota Prius, (in neutral with it's hybrid engine idling). While it's not recommended, sometimes ya gotta do what ya gotta do. And it does work.

I ended up using an Acme EZ-tow dolly.
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Old 04-25-2016, 08:30 PM   #4
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Originally Posted by Travelin' Texans View Post
Met a fellow with a Hyundai that he flat towed, but it wasn't designed to be, he said he just started the car & towed it in neutral with it idling & had towed it over 50k miles that way.
Oh my goodness! I can't imagine doing that! Seems like a terrible waste of fuel. But I guess it worked for him.

We've just begun looking for a dinghy, and I love the look of the VW Beetles. The one I found (upon further research) seems WAY over-priced, so not too sure whether we could work things out with the seller even if it turns out to be safely flat towable.
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Old 04-25-2016, 08:41 PM   #5
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We just recently bought a Ford Focus just for that purpose. Easy and fast to get ready and very light to tow....
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Old 04-25-2016, 09:19 PM   #6
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Just about any manual trans car is flat towable - sometimes company doesn't do the test work to recommend it. I have flat towed a Mini Cooper manual for many miles ( as have others), but it is not " approved". But there are enough beetle powered dune buggies, etc. being flat towed that I think you are safe. Beetle probably old enough dingy towing wasn't a big thing !
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Old 04-25-2016, 10:41 PM   #7
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Originally Posted by Stan fowler View Post
Just about any manual trans car is flat towable - sometimes company doesn't do the test work to recommend it. I have flat towed a Mini Cooper manual for many miles ( as have others), but it is not " approved". But there are enough beetle powered dune buggies, etc. being flat towed that I think you are safe. Beetle probably old enough dingy towing wasn't a big thing !
Do not confuse the Old beetle (Dune Buggies) with the New Beetle. The Old Beetles with a manual transmission were very easy to tow. The New Beetles with an automatic transmission would be very different. I would not flat tow any vehicle without knowing for sure it would not damage it.
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Old 04-25-2016, 11:30 PM   #8
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Ok-forget the dune buggy reference- the question was about a manual transmission equipped beetle, and I stand by the answer. Automatics are another issue - mostly un- towable.
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