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Car Forum / Driving, Maintenance, Tuning / RVs / March 2005

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Anyone Tow With a Honda Pilot?

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Richard Minami - 08 Mar 2005 06:06 GMT
Hi, just wondering if anyone tows with a Honda Pilot.  We currently tow with
our old Ford Exploder.  It's just getting a little tired, and the wife would
like something a little newer.
The Pilot is rated at 3,500 lbs towing, or 4,500 when using high octane fuel
(sounds kinda cheesy).  The towing prep package is a dealer installed
option.  I can't seem to find what it includes.  I don't think the Pilot
comes with a transmission cooler standard.  The engine is rated at 255 HP
and 250 ft/lbs torque.  It sure rode nice.  But I wonder how it would tow
our 1,800 dry Coleman Yukon.  I'm guessing that with water, gear, fuel and
passengers, we'd be something like 2,300 lbs (is that good guess for a
family of 4 (2 toddlers) + a beagle?).  Our Explorer is rated for 5,000 lbs,
but it seems to work  pretty hard.  It has a tough truck chassis and good
cooling though.  It's been reliable, it just creaks a lot now.
Just wondering if any other people tow with their Pilot.  Seems like if
you're going to buy an SUV, and use it as such, you'd want to take it off
road.  But you probably can't sleep in it, you'd tow a trailer.  Too bad
Honda doesn't have a bigger engine for the Pilot.
Oh, the Chevy Trailblazer and new Ford Explorers were nice as well.  But
they sure get crummy gas mileage.  We only tow out trailer 6 or 7 times a
year, but I'd like to think that will increase as the kids get older!
Thanks in advance for your input.

Signature

Richard Minami
'94 Ford Explorer XLT 4x4
'97 Coleman Yukon

Bob Burns - 08 Mar 2005 12:31 GMT
I tow an Aliner Sportliner trailer with our '03 Pilot.  Honda says you
"need" both trans cooler and power steering cooler.  I believe you could
have issues with the warrenty if you tow without them.  Cost about $500 if I
recall correctly.

The Sportliner as you may know is very light, about 1500 lbs.  It tows very
easily, don't even know it's there.

WE traded in our '00 Explorer- had electrical reliability problems.  Be
aware the Pilot is a car, while the Explorere is a truck.
Signature

Bob Burns
Mill Hall PA

> Hi, just wondering if anyone tows with a Honda Pilot.  We currently tow
> with
[quoted text clipped - 21 lines]
> year, but I'd like to think that will increase as the kids get older!
> Thanks in advance for your input.
Mark Filice - 08 Mar 2005 19:49 GMT
>WE traded in our '00 Explorer- had electrical reliability problems.  Be
>aware the Pilot is a car, while the Explorere is a truck.
What truck platform is the Explorer built on?

I always thought it was an SUV--which isn't a truck.

Mark Filice
2004 Homestead Settler 255RS
1999 Chevrolet Suburban 2500
Richard McBane - 08 Mar 2005 20:24 GMT
>>WE traded in our '00 Explorer- had electrical reliability problems.  Be
>>aware the Pilot is a car, while the Explorere is a truck.
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
> 2004 Homestead Settler 255RS
> 1999 Chevrolet Suburban 2500

The early ones were built on the Ford Ranger platform.  Not certain that
they still are.

Signature

Richard McBane

Richard Minami - 08 Mar 2005 21:43 GMT
Mine is a '94, which I believe is built on the Ranger chassis.
Richard Minami

>> In article <pWgXd.6272$603.3105@newsread2.news.atl.earthlink.net>, Bob
>> Burns
[quoted text clipped - 12 lines]
> The early ones were built on the Ford Ranger platform.  Not certain that
> they still are.
Mark Filice - 08 Mar 2005 23:49 GMT
>Mine is a '94, which I believe is built on the Ranger chassis.
>Richard Minami

According to this 2000 Article in the New York Times, the original Explorer was
built on a Ranger chassis.

http://tinyurl.com/599um

Apparently, there have been some modifications since then.

Mark Filice
2004 Homestead Settler 255RS
1999 Chevrolet Suburban 2500
Jim Redelfs - 09 Mar 2005 04:08 GMT
> The Pilot is rated at 3,500 lbs towing

OK.  Is *YOUR* Pilot rated at that?

> or 4,500 when using high octane fuel (sounds kinda cheesy).

Agree.  I wanna hear Richard Dreyfuss voice-over THAT item!

> I don't think the Pilot comes with a transmission cooler standard.

Just to clarify things...

ALL (virtually) automatic transmissions include a cooler.

It is the capacity, or lack thereof, of the EXISTING cooler that causes many
trailerists to add an auxillary cooler.

> our 1,800 dry Coleman Yukon.

That's the "replacement" for the Taos, as I recall.  It is slightly larger
than the 8-ft-box Taos.  Your van, properly equipped, should tow this thing
nicely.

> I'm guessing that with water, gear, fuel and
> passengers, we'd be something like 2,300 lbs (is that good guess for a
> family of 4 (2 toddlers) + a beagle?).

Forget all that!  While enroute to a campout, simply stop at a Flying J travel
plaza and WEIGH the whole thing.  The drop the camper in the parking lot, and
weigh the whole thing again - including everyone that was in the car when
originally weighed.  This will provide some very interesting and potentially
valuable information.

Get the Honda upfitted, if necessary, and have fun!

           :)
JR

(Gee, I think that's the FIRST [Yeah, that'll work] answer I've ever given to
this particular question!  Wow!)

Our Explorer is rated for 5,000 lbs,
> but it seems to work  pretty hard.  It has a tough truck chassis and good
> cooling though.  It's been reliable, it just creaks a lot now.
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
> year, but I'd like to think that will increase as the kids get older!
> Thanks in advance for your input.
Richard Minami - 16 Mar 2005 06:14 GMT
Actually haven't bought it yet, although it may happen soon!  The full tow
package includes heavy duty transmission and power steering fluid coolers
and the hitch.  I thought it also included the wiring, but I'd have to
check.  About $1170 installed.  I guess that's pretty safe insurance to keep
the transmission from frying prematurely!  Oh, and we'll be about 32 pounds
lighter.  Kelsey our little beagle had to be put to sleep last Saturday.
Kidney failure...  She's running around leashless in the big camp ground in
the sky.
Richard

> > The Pilot is rated at 3,500 lbs towing
>
[quoted text clipped - 48 lines]
> > year, but I'd like to think that will increase as the kids get older!
> > Thanks in advance for your input.
Jim Redelfs - 16 Mar 2005 14:22 GMT
> Oh, and we'll be about 32 pounds lighter.  Kelsey our little beagle
> beagle had to be put to sleep last Saturday.  Kidney failure...
> She's running around leashless in the big camp ground inthe sky.

I'm so sorry about your loss.   :(

Kelsey will be waiting for you at "the Rainbow Bridge".

        :)
JR
 
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