this post was submitted on 28 Jul 2024
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In Europe we just haul trailers (even horse trailers) with normal cars, of course with a stronger engine for special uses like horses but even a VW Golf is allowed to pull up to 1800 kg (= can pull a bit more than that).
I bet most US-americans with a truck aren't even using their truck bed often - likely rarely enough for a normal car + trailer to be way more practical - and also much more efficient, but ig efficiency barely matters with your fuel prices. To stick with the VW Golf example: a modern VW Golf needs 4/4.5/5 l per 100 km (city/combined/highway), a ford F-150 needs 10.7/12.4/14.7 l per 100 km.
Yeah 100% most people with trucks are for vanity. It makes them feel cool. It's also a status symbol, because right now the price of trucks like that start at $70k. We have an O2 model Ford f350, and if we wanted to replace it with an "equivalent" model of this year we'd be out $95k.
We use our truck almost 100% for hauling horses. I occasionally have to drive it just to the doctor or something because my wife usually has the car at work. (I work from home).
Honestly, the price and overall size of these trucks is insane, and it bugs us to no end. The only reason the price is this high is because the manufacturers know these idiots need to show their "status".
Interesting, I knew you guys used those can things with the horse right behind you, or the smaller trailers which are lighter. I didn't know you got upgraded motors. Do you also get bigger tires and brakes with that upgrade?
Something very few people think to consider here isn't whether or not you can pull the thing, but whether or not they can stop it.
Each car has a maximum towing capacity (which is limited by a few factors, including brakes). If you often tow things upwards you'll want a bigger motor to still accelerate in a reasonable time (I subconsciously assumed that everyone is towing things upwards because I live in a mountainous region, but I guess people from flat areas won't tow things upwards). Downwards should be fine either way if you're not exceeding your car's maximum towing capacity, the criteria are strict enough for that.
And we don't upgrade our motors but rather simply buy a stronger car. That typically also comes with better brakes, yes.
That said a quick Google search returns 500-600 kg for average horse weight and 600 kg for usual horse trailer weight. This means a VW Golf or similar will be able to tow a horse with no problems.
300 lb tongue weight on that golf. One horse in a one horse trailer is really fucking pushing it, 4 is out of the question