Towing with a Honda?

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Cheetah 210es

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Re: Towing with a Honda?

Half fill your boat with water then back it down the ramp, when its run to the back of your boat THAT changes your centre of gravity because the mass has moved. Tilting a solid load or even turning it upside down does NOT alter centre of gravity.
 

Cheetah 210es

Petty Officer 1st Class
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Re: Towing with a Honda?

The Honda is an anemic little vehicle as far as towing is concerned. Use it for that purpose knowing that the Owner's manual says not to is opening yourself up to a lawsuit should you have an accident.

Trade it in for an American car with a 1000 lb. towing capacity and you'll be better off.

As stated in my 1st post CHECK your insurer will cover you towing 1st.

How exactly are you better off buying an american car with 1/2 the towing capacity?
 

ricohman

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Re: Towing with a Honda?

Half fill your boat with water then back it down the ramp, when its run to the back of your boat THAT changes your centre of gravity because the mass has moved. Tilting a solid load or even turning it upside down does NOT alter centre of gravity.

Maybe I should have said weight transfer. Point a vehicle uphill or accelerate on level ground and you will transfer weight to the rear.
Accelerating uphill obviously reduces front end traction even further. And I think boat ramps point uphill. Add front wheel drive (which is actually one wheel drive unless you have an LSD in the transaxle) and its even worse.
As a mechanic for over 20 years I wouldn't recommend anyone towing with a Honda Civic.
 

bgc

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Re: Towing with a Honda?

actually the center of gravity does shift..... Gravitational pull is in relation to the mass and the center of the Earth, shift the mass on an incline and the center shifts....(I'm an engineer)

Having a both LARGE american made F-350 4 door 8' bed dually, built in Kentucky truck, and a small American made (BUILT IN OHIO) Honda Accord......If they made the Accord with 780 foot pounds of torque and bigger brakes, I wouldn't have the truck....
IMG_0577.jpg
 

ricohman

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Re: Towing with a Honda?

actually the center of gravity does shift..... Gravitational pull is in relation to the mass and the center of the Earth, shift the mass on an incline and the center shifts....(I'm an engineer)

Having a both LARGE american made F-350 4 door 8' bed dually, built in Kentucky truck, and a small American made (BUILT IN OHIO) Honda Accord......If they made the Accord with 780 foot pounds of torque and bigger brakes, I wouldn't have the truck....
View attachment 136181

Thank you sir!
 

dockwrecker

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1,392
Re: Towing with a Honda?

Dead Honda with a hitch on it. Send us a photo. Most Hondas will drop a tranny just getting out of a snowbank.
 

BlueLightSpecial

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Dec 2, 2011
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Re: Towing with a Honda?

I can give you a few real world examples of weight shift on fwd vehicles. I used to drag race my '71 Chevelle. Kids in souped up Hondas where really getting popular at the track. I have seen, these cars launch, with very little give in the rear suspension. I asked one of those squirrelly kids what there set up was, and he said he used brand whatever, drag racing coil over shocks. Stiffer, to keep the weight ON the front wheels. Unlike the drag shocks on my chevelle, that unload, to allow the weight to help plant my rear wheels. Another example I have, is the Blizzard of '93. I drove an '85 VW Golf. At that time, I lived between two, long, steep hills that started at my driveway. After attempts to climb the hills, making runs for it, etc., I realized that I was having more success climbing the hill in reverse. My only explanation, was the weight transfer to the front wheels, while accelerating in reverse. Just my .02
 

Cheetah 210es

Petty Officer 1st Class
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Messages
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Re: Towing with a Honda?

8th civic.jpg0876.jpgboat3.jpgpic 1.jpg
Seems all these guys are happy to tow with a Civic.
Were talking about a single PWC here.
This was lifted from a camper magazine tow car test,
Honda Civic
2.2IEX
List price ?19,480
Target price ?18,134
Kerbweight 1,468kg
85% match 1,248kg
Max towing weight 1,500kg
Towball limit 75kg
FOR A small family car, the
Civic packs a big punch. The
2.2-litre is more than up to
the job of pulling the Civic and a
caravan, sprinting from 30-
60mph in just 14.1 seconds. The
Honda slows as well as it goes,
coming to a halt in 10.6 metres.
However, several judges
noted more movement from the
van once up to 70mph. The
Civic didn’t feel composed when
slowing from high speeds, and
through the
lane-change test, the
van fought the car.
The ride is rather
firm, and rear-seat
passengers will find
headroom tight. The
boot managed a full
load of holiday
luggage, but the
practicality judges weren’t
pleased to see run-flat tyres
instead of a proper spare wheel.
Running costs should be
modest. Official figures show
33.3mpg on average, and a
retained value of 41 per cent
after three years is respectable.
Honda’s reputation for reliability
is well-deserved, and the Civic
finished 15th of 101 cars in this
year’s JD Power Customer
Satisfaction Survey.
 

ricohman

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Jul 30, 2011
Messages
1,631
Re: Towing with a Honda?

View attachment 136239View attachment 136240View attachment 136241View attachment 136242
Seems all these guys are happy to tow with a Civic.
Were talking about a single PWC here.
This was lifted from a camper magazine tow car test,
Honda Civic
2.2IEX
List price ?19,480
Target price ?18,134
Kerbweight 1,468kg
85% match 1,248kg
Max towing weight 1,500kg
Towball limit 75kg
FOR A small family car, the
Civic packs a big punch. The
2.2-litre is more than up to
the job of pulling the Civic and a
caravan, sprinting from 30-
60mph in just 14.1 seconds. The
Honda slows as well as it goes,
coming to a halt in 10.6 metres.
However, several judges
noted more movement from the
van once up to 70mph. The
Civic didn’t feel composed when
slowing from high speeds, and
through the
lane-change test, the
van fought the car.
The ride is rather
firm, and rear-seat
passengers will find
headroom tight. The
boot managed a full
load of holiday
luggage, but the
practicality judges weren’t
pleased to see run-flat tyres
instead of a proper spare wheel.
Running costs should be
modest. Official figures show
33.3mpg on average, and a
retained value of 41 per cent
after three years is respectable.
Honda’s reputation for reliability
is well-deserved, and the Civic
finished 15th of 101 cars in this
year’s JD Power Customer
Satisfaction Survey.

In the UK fuel is nearly $9 a gallon. Trucks for personal use are rare. Thats probably why you can't find any towing tests with a Civic in N.A.
Those guys are happy to tow with a Civic as its all they have. I wouldn't recommend a Civic as a tow vehicle to anyone. The shift in CG going up a wet boat ramp with one wheel drive is crappy and it may ruin your day.
But having the rear unload under emergency braking when the trailer starts to push that little car is another thing entirely. And it could ruin the day of someone else.
 

ezmobee

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 26, 2007
Messages
23,767
Re: Towing with a Honda?

I would not use a vehicle for towing that is pretty specifically not recommended for towing just cuz some guy on the internet told me it would be ok.
 
Joined
Mar 1, 2005
Messages
923
Re: Towing with a Honda?

I would not use a vehicle for towing that is pretty specifically not recommended for towing just cuz some guy on the internet told me it would be ok.

Woah! Woah!!! WOAH!!!!!! Who called Mr. Common Sense into the thread? :grin:
 

jondavies

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Jan 17, 2010
Messages
178
Re: Towing with a Honda?

In the UK fuel is nearly $9 a gallon. Trucks for personal use are rare.

It has no bearing on this debate, but the rarity of trucks is so not true anymore. Self-employed people are allowed to deduct 25 percent of the cost of a pickup truck used even partially for their business every year. Thus, in four years you get a free truck. As you can imagine, crew cab vehicles have become extremely popular.
 

Cheetah 210es

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Dec 4, 2011
Messages
270
Re: Towing with a Honda?

Exactly. You can claim the VAT back (20% of purchase price) and if your in the 40% tax bracket $6.25k a year. Also you can claim the VAT back on fuel.
 

JimS123

Fleet Admiral
Joined
Jul 27, 2007
Messages
7,952
Re: Towing with a Honda?

As stated in my 1st post CHECK your insurer will cover you towing 1st.

How exactly are you better off buying an american car with 1/2 the towing capacity?

Its not 1/2, its 1000. The Honda has no towing capacity. All he needs is 1000 lbs, so any American car with a tow rating will handle it.
 

Cheetah 210es

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Dec 4, 2011
Messages
270
Re: Towing with a Honda?

I have no idea why Honda U.S decided not to give it a tow rating. But in the rest of the world (and it sells a lot more than it does in the U.S market) it has a tow rating over 2000lb.
 

ricohman

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
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Messages
1,631
Re: Towing with a Honda?

It has no bearing on this debate, but the rarity of trucks is so not true anymore. Self-employed people are allowed to deduct 25 percent of the cost of a pickup truck used even partially for their business every year. Thus, in four years you get a free truck. As you can imagine, crew cab vehicles have become extremely popular.

So, if you are anything but self employed, you don't have a big vehicle. I have many friends from the UK and all drive small bikes and cars as fuel is over $3 a litre. How can it not have any bearing on this debate?
 

ricohman

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
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Messages
1,631
Re: Towing with a Honda?

I have no idea why Honda U.S decided not to give it a tow rating. But in the rest of the world (and it sells a lot more than it does in the U.S market) it has a tow rating over 2000lb.

Because its not a safe towing platform for use in north america. Not recommend for towing in Canada either.
 

Philster

Captain
Joined
Sep 15, 2009
Messages
3,342
Re: Towing with a Honda?

For farks sake, it's not a worthy tow vehicle by our standards in the USA. By crappier standards, it is a tow vehicle.

It doesn't matter if there is anecdotal evidence about its towing ability on the other side of the pond. The fact of the matter is that in this country you are out of luck if something happens while towing.

Small cars pull all kinds of loads outside the USA and they are approved to pull zero here. If you can afford to replace the vehicle in full, out of pocket, plus pay for all medical bills for anyone involved in any accidents while towing, then I say tow it. In a minor accident with some scraped paint and a dent, medical bills can easily exceed $100,000, especially when it is a few people in another vehicle suing you. That's why your insurance is measured in hundreds of thousands of dollars of coverage... except your insurance ain't covering you.

The issue is not mechanical; it's legal and liability.

People sue for over $100,000 in fender benders. If you have 200-300 thousand bucks to burn, go for it. Just tap someone in the bumper and you might have to settle a lawsuit for 25k.
 

tomdinwv

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jun 22, 2008
Messages
665
Re: Towing with a Honda?

I'm sure the Civic could pull a jet ski trailer and most likely it would not have a problem, with the possible exception of getting up a wet ramp. The thing is SHOULD he pull a trailer with the Civic. Honda has stated in it's owner's manuals not to tow with it. It looks like that is specific to Civics built for the North American market. If the driver was ever in an accident while towing with the car, and someone was hurt, that's where things, in my mind, could turn ugly. Any lawyer who does personal injury is going to check the facts and see if the car was unsafe in anyway. When they see it was not rated to tow, and it was towing, that's what they are going to pound into a jury, or judges head. Would his insurance cover the cost of an accident or law suit. Perhaps. Then again, they might say "sorry, says right here in the book you should not have been towing a trailer, we can't help you". The driver could be held liable for something whether it was his fault or not.

This is just my opinion. I've never been to law school or worked in the insurance industry, so I may be way off base here. I may even seem a little paranoid, but in my mind, it's better safe than sorry. If it were me, I'd get a vehicle that is capable and able to tow anything I was thinking of towing. Ezmobee's comment is right on. I think lots of folks look for someone on the internet to tell them it's okay to do something they know they shouldn't do.
 
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