I Pod 175

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   I am new to the forum; we are planning to buy a#175; we like the floor plan and do not need anything larger; question for those of you who own a #175: how do you like it? problems? what vehicles used for towing? we plan to travel to the west, so mountain driving is a must; we have to decide what vehicle to buy for towing; we would like a midsize SUV. Suggestions? Thank you. Gaucho

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gaucho Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 06 Dec 2010 Online Status: Offline Posts: 3	Topic: I Pod 175 Posted: 12 Dec 2010 at 7:33pm
	I am new to the forum; we are planning to buy a#175; we like the floor plan and do not need anything larger; question for those of you who own a #175: how do you like it? problems? what vehicles used for towing? we plan to travel to the west, so mountain driving is a must; we have to decide what vehicle to buy for towing; we would like a midsize SUV. Suggestions? Thank you. Gaucho

techntrek Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admin Group - pHp Joined: 29 Jul 2009 Location: MD Online Status: Offline Posts: 9062	Posted: 13 Dec 2010 at 10:50am
	Welcome! We have a 171 so I can't offer any 175-specific advice. I can advise that with your plans to do mountains a lot you should shoot for something with a 5000-pound towing limit. That will get you something a little more beefier to handle the inclines. Our Sienna with a 3500-pound limit is fine for most of our trips, which are mostly in the foothills of the Appalachains. We did do one trip into the Appalachains this year and I was doing high revs in 2nd gear more than I wanted to. We are planning a cross-country trip in a few years and I would like something larger but will probably put the miles on our current tow vehicle. Already paid for! Almost everyone here has reported that no matter what they are driving - 6 or 8 cylinder, minivan or SUV, they get around 12 mpg at highway speeds. I did a quick edit on the post title, no need to select dates.
	Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual

David and Danette Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 24 Nov 2009 Online Status: Offline Posts: 1222	Posted: 13 Dec 2010 at 8:11pm
	Welcome gaucho! We have a 171 and tow with a Jeep Liberty 5000 lb. tow capacity, the HP is 210. We wish it had a little more. For the mountains you may be interested in the Nissan Xtera it has a more powerful engine. I would recomend a SUV with rear wheel drive and a engine with 250 HP or more. Good luck with your decision it is a big one with a lot of vehicles to choose from. David and Danette
	2018 Vista Cruiser 19BFD (2018- 2012 Vibe 6503 (2014-2019) 2009 r-pod 171 (2009-2014) Middle Tn 2014 Ram 1500 Quad cab

gaucho Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 06 Dec 2010 Online Status: Offline Posts: 3	Posted: 13 Dec 2010 at 8:35pm
	Thank you Doug, David and Danette. Your replies and suggestions are very helpful. I will be lookinh for-at least- a 5000 lb tow capacity. That really limits the choice of SUV's, and most of them will be poor on miles/gallon. Will continue my research before the big step is taken! Gaucho

Goose Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 24 Sep 2010 Location: Arizona Online Status: Offline Posts: 672	Posted: 13 Dec 2010 at 11:37pm
	Welcome Gaucho. We also have a small V-6 (3.3 Liter) in our Caravan, it did slow down going up the steeper grades out west. We have been looking at the Jeep Grande Cherokee with a V-8 to pull our 171. We also plan on touring around the Northwest next year and I would like to cruise through the mountains without any issues Good luck... Goose
	Mother Goose's Caboose..2011 RP171..07 Grand Cherokee

TerryM Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admin Group - pHp Joined: 16 Nov 2009 Location: Saint Augustine Online Status: Offline Posts: 1950	Posted: 14 Dec 2010 at 7:04am
	I have the RP-175 and like David and Danette I use a Jeep Liberty. I have lower gears than they do and it does help. But I would suggest something more than the 3.7 that we have. Pulling the Pod in the East will be a lot different than the West coast mountains. A small V8 will still give you good mileage and you will have the power to pull the mountain grades. Terry
	RP-175 W/Lift Kit 2011 Ford F-150 4X4 Saint Augustine, FL: The first permanent European settlement in the USA: 1565

kotasnana Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 21 Mar 2010 Location: wise, va. Online Status: Offline Posts: 34	Posted: 26 Dec 2010 at 9:52am
	I have a 175 and we have been pulling it with a town and country minivan although we are now starting to have problems with the transmission. May or may not be related but we are going to trade for something else.

gaucho Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 06 Dec 2010 Online Status: Offline Posts: 3	Posted: 26 Dec 2010 at 10:10am
	thank you all for your commentaries and suggestions; we have been looking at a 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee with a hemi 5.7 lt V8; it has rear wheel drive, and that should be, we hope, enough; problem is: poor gas milage and price? have a nice New Year's celebration. Gaucho

David and Danette Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 24 Nov 2009 Online Status: Offline Posts: 1222	Posted: 26 Dec 2010 at 2:21pm
	Gaucho I like your choice of the Grand Cherokee, I think that if your not planning on the possibility of a larger vehicle the V6 may have enough power If I remember its 290 Hp. Our Liberty has 210 Hp. It will pull our RPod 171. We wish it had a little more but 290 Hp. I think would be good. The new Pentastar V6 has more torque too. The V6 would bring down the cost. I agree the high cost of the Grand Cherokee, would have cost us $9,000 more over the Liberty considering the $1,000 rebate and 0% financing with 2010 Liberty. But I think at times if we should of waited and saved for the Grand Cherokee. David and Danette
	2018 Vista Cruiser 19BFD (2018- 2012 Vibe 6503 (2014-2019) 2009 r-pod 171 (2009-2014) Middle Tn 2014 Ram 1500 Quad cab

rpodcamper.com Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admin Group - pHp Joined: 26 Nov 2009 Location: Reading, Pa Online Status: Offline Posts: 3990	Posted: 27 Dec 2010 at 9:03pm
	I have pulled our rpod 171 with several cars. Started with a Jeep Liberty did ok around PA but jeep was totalled, had a ranger pickup with a small 4 in it and it strained to move it but once moving was ok, went to a Chevy Trailblazer did great pulling it but kept popping the Fan Clutch on the car so ended up with dodge ram 1500 5.2 Liter Truck and don't feel the rpod behind me. All in all expect about 11-12 mpg while towing. I did get a bit more when I played with kayaks on the top of the Trailblazer. I'm trying some items with the dodge ram to increase the mpg.