2000 Honda Odyssey to Tow or not to Tow

[boathunting]

I want a deck boat. My Honda Odyssey is only rated to tow 3395 after I install an Automatice Transmission Fluid cooling system. How much boat do you think I could realistically pull with this Honda ?<br /><br />I was looking at the Tahoe 215 - too heavy, dropped down to the Tahoe 195 - at 3220 it's close to the book.<br /><br />Any suggestions ?

 

[tommays]

Re: 2000 Honda Odyssey to Tow or not to Tow

The tow rateing involves everything in your car as well as the total trailer weight <br /><br />If the empty boat weights that much then the boat and trailer will be up or above 4000#<br /><br /><br />There are a lot of current threads on this to get different views on<br /><br />tommays

 

[Silvertip]

Re: 2000 Honda Odyssey to Tow or not to Tow

The tow rating does not include everything in your car as well as the total trailer weight. There are three figures to consider. GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) which is the total weight of the vehicle including contents, people, fuel PLUS the tongue weight of the trailer when towing. The GCWR is the Gross Combined Weight Rating which is the combination of the trailer weight and the vehicle. The tow rating is a separate figure and has no bearing on GVWR except for tongue weight. In very general terms however, GCWR minus GVWR = Tow Rating. As for the Honda van, it's engine, like the Ridgeline develops its horsepower and torque at relatively high RPM. That means the transmission gets VERY busy with lots of up/down shifting. Gas mileage really suffers as a result. Don't get me wrong -- it will get the job done just be aware of the consequences. I speak from real world comparisons.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: 2000 Honda Odyssey to Tow or not to Tow

trailer brakes will be a must.

 

[Realgun]

Re: 2000 Honda Odyssey to Tow or not to Tow

My wife has a Dodge Caravan with the big 3.8L and rated for 3800Lbs. The problem is that the peeople in the van and the trailer and gear all are included with that 3800Lbs! She can barely pull the boat if you go by that rating sytem so we decided to never put a hicth on it and use the truck. Chevy Colorado (5)Five cylinder Crew Cab.

 

[496 Cubic Inches]

Re: 2000 Honda Odyssey to Tow or not to Tow

I don't know that I'd tow anything with an Odyssey. We are in the market for a mini-van and I've done alot of looking at Hondas. I'm not very impressed with the durability of the trannys. It seems like tranny failures are pretty common.<br /><br />Its too bad,as the Odyssey is a very nice van.

 

[KM2]

Re: 2000 Honda Odyssey to Tow or not to Tow

The 3220# is that the boat, boat & trailer ??<br /><br />I don't think you are going to be within the rating anyway you look at it. Add gas gear etc and you will have several hundred pounds more in the boat. <br /><br />MY 2 Cents: Minivans have some serious rear end sag when towing something heavy and are lousy on ramps.

 

[fishingdan]

Re: 2000 Honda Odyssey to Tow or not to Tow

I have towed with minivans (3 different manufacturers) and I can tell you that I am done doing that. Most of it was towing a light 16' boat (~1300lbs total weight). It is ok if you are only doing it a couple of times per year, but my experience is that they cannot handle towing every weekend. The drive train is just not designed to handle it. You will blow through brakes and trannys at a greater speed than you would expect.

 

[dorelse]

Re: 2000 Honda Odyssey to Tow or not to Tow

We tow our Glastron with our Kia Sedona. I have had good results thus far. It has a 3,500 lbs tow rating, and we tow our boat from Des Moines, IA to Bemidji, MN 2x a year, and the rest is local.<br /><br />I have yet to have an issue with it pulling the boat up the ramp. The ramps have been gravel, dry, and wet and slimy. I've been worried on a couple of them, but no problems yet. It used to be our 'backup' tow vehicle, but when my F150 was totalled in an accident, we've been using it as our primary one. It actually tows really really well.<br /><br />I will say that I expect the brake pads to wear more quickly, and I also don't know about the tranny....we'll see. Its nice to have that 10 year, 100,000 mile warranty though, just in case!<br /><br />Hey Realgun, since your Colorado only has a 200lbs more tow rating, why so gun shy about the 3800lbs on the Caravan? (Besides a reputation for chewing up trannys) I have been personally gun shy about the Colorado/Canyon strictly b/c of the 5 Cyl....I am thinking about a Ridgeline so I'll have the 5,000lbs rating and a V6, with the illusion of having better gas mileage than a full size truck.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: 2000 Honda Odyssey to Tow or not to Tow

Dorelse -- I can give you a real world comparison of the Ridgeline vs an '02 S10 Chevy crew cab towing the same weight. Ridgeline = 14 MPG and a very busy tranny. S10 = 17 MPG tow in overdrive with no tranny OD/3 downshifting. This was 400 mile trip with both vehicles on the same day. The Ridgeline is a nice vehicle but its engine develops its torque way up in the RPM band so it really likes gas.

 

[dorelse]

Re: 2000 Honda Odyssey to Tow or not to Tow

Thanks UP...GM's decision to go with the 5 Cyl just doesn't interest me...all their competition has gone with V6's that can tow more, etc. <br /><br />I used to tow this boat with a 2000 Chevy Astro. I actually really really liked it as a tow vehicle, but after 100,000 miles, the engine just began to give out. Got a 2001 Dodge 1500, lost 3 tranny's in the course of 18 months, twice in Northern MN on vacation towing a measily 2000 lbs. Loved the truck, but it was completely worthless where it counted. Got a 2002 F-150 and it towed like a dream, but alas, when a semi runs a red light, even my 'Built Ford Tough' couldn't survive.<br /><br />I'll either look at the new Ford Sport Trac, Ridgeline, Toyota, or possibly the Nissan. I need 4 doors for the kids, etc.

 

[tomatolord]

Re: 2000 Honda Odyssey to Tow or not to Tow

Dont forget that the weight includes trailer, fuel (6lbs per gallon) anchor, radio etc.<br /><br />You will quickly get over your tow rating.<br /><br />Also I have seen the honda's at the ramps, if it is a shallow ramp the honda's dont have the ground clearance to get the boat deep enough into the water, if you know the ramp you want to use then you should not have a problem<br /><br />SIL had a 21foot boat right around 5,000 she told me "my ford sport explorer can tow it with no problem" (two door 4 cylinder)- she towed it to the lake, 15 miles and back ONCE and blew out the tranny. She took it to the dealer and said I dont know what happened but it wont shift???

 

[NorthOfDallas]

Re: 2000 Honda Odyssey to Tow or not to Tow

Go to http://www.odyclub.com/forums/ and do some searching. you may want to rethink towing with your Odyssey.<br /><br />I have an Accord and a CR-V and stand behind my purchases, but Honda's gotta get better in the trans department.

 

[Realgun]

Re: 2000 Honda Odyssey to Tow or not to Tow

Hey Realgun, since your Colorado only has a 200lbs more tow rating, why so gun shy about the 3800lbs on the Caravan? (Besides a reputation for chewing up trannys) I have been personally gun shy about the Colorado/Canyon strictly b/c of the 5 Cyl....I am thinking about a Ridgeline so I'll have the 5,000lbs rating and a V6, with the illusion of having better gas mileage than a full size truck.

Cause the Colorado has a 3.73 and locking differential. Also it has the hitch already installed. We had a Dodge before and the tranny was replaced twice! I hate Dodge but the wife insisted and since she paid for it she can bloody well fix it too. She only got it for those stupid stow and go seats! Those are so darn uncomfortable I refuse to sit in the back.<br /><br />Besides unloaded she gets 19mpg I get 22 mpg. I also get an honest 17 mpg towing the boat! Thats 3rd gear selected and 65 MPH.<br /><br />The Ranger 3.0 Super cab got 19 mpg and 11 towing.<br />The F-150 got 15 mpg and 13 towing. 5.4L and it still felt like a dog.<br /><br />I actually love the Colorado. It has the power to pull the boat and it does not get stuck on ramps due to having the limited slip whereas the other trucks did not. The room is darn good for a smaller truck and My kids are almost full sized and have no problems sitting in the back. Even though it has 5 cylinders it has an honest 220Hp and 225Lbs/ft of torque. I pull my boat up the ramp with no sweat as opposed to the Ranger. With the F-150 I couldn't see the trailer if the boats been launched but power was not a problem unless you had 1 wheel on sand and the other on the ramp.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: 2000 Honda Odyssey to Tow or not to Tow

Before buying a Ridgeline I suggest you hook up to whatever it is you wish to tow. If you like a screaming engine go for it. I have first hand experience with a real-world 290 mile round trip, mixed freeway - secondary roads. 16 ft walleye boat in tow, 14 MPG, won't tow in OD, 4400 RPM out of OD at 65 MPH. Very busy tranny and a very disappointed owner. Nice vehicle empty though. My S10 got 17 MPG towing the same type of boat -- in OD on that trip. Loafing at 2200 RPM.