I have read all the posts and unless I missed one ...no one uses a car to tow their Mac. What the heck is Roger doing in his promotional video? Is this (as noted somewhere on this tread) just some kind of false advertising? I am in the final stages of buying a 26M and I own a car, I can get something else but I like my big old Buick. I would like to hear from anyone who does use a car ....YOU CAN SEND ME A PRIVATE MESSAGE! cause I can see it is considered poitically and (safetyly) incorrect.
Way back in the day (2003) when I was looking around for a Mac, I happened to ask a dealer how did they ever get that intermediate Ford in the brochure to tow a Mac. The dealer said he asked Roger the same thing. His words to me exactly were, "I asked Roger how did he get a Ford to tow an X, and he said "" I didn't tell the Ford what it was going to tow""
That is a true story as far as me telling it to you. Now, was that a true story told to me Who knows
If your Buick is rated for 4000 lbs minimum, equip it with the right hitch and go for it. You can make it better yet with some add-ons. Tranny cooler, booster or air shocks, sway bars, uprated tires and like that.
A full size RWD car is a far better tow vehicle than many of the FWD minivans some of the current board members are using.
I must thank Chip and the owner of that fine lloking NiceAft for their prompt yet lucid comments. I must also thank the wonderful folk who whilse they remain anonymous in the towing underworld continue to tow their Macs with cars, for their insightful and graphic statements(the pics will be buried with me) I think it's the Grogg talking here, anyways keep em comming and I promise I will translate my mechanics point of view when my decision is made.
I have towed launched and retreived with the Admirals Volvo V70 T5, manual shift. Towing and launching was fine for the 8 mile trip to the launch on country roads.
Retrieving was ok, but then one day the clutch started slipping on retrieval and I never did it again. I got the full horrible burning leather smell all around the dock when that happened.
I still am running on that clutch disc about 40k miles later.
In short, with an automatic I think this would be ok for a short dock trip. Towing with the Eurovan (torquey V6 and automatic) is much nicer.
There was a guy who did it with a Honda Civic, but that was within the mast-up storage yard for launch and retrieval, not on the roads. I have a launch nearby (within 10 minutes) that I could use and never exceed 30mph while towing and virtually flat all the way with exception of the ramp. It depends on distance, speed, and traffic volume. I used to tow with a small Chevy Blazer rated for class 3, 5000# and even though it was up for the task anything above 50mph was a white knuckle ride, the tail wagged the dog. Any time a bus or big rig passed us on the highway I could feel the effects of the wind pressure created. I now use a Trailblazer with the extended wheelbase and it is a much more relaxing tow especially at higher speeds. Tows like the boat isn't there!
When we purchased our in the spring of '05 from John Gerber of SuperSport Marine, he made delivery by towing it 1400 miles from Nebraska to my driveway in Delaware behind his Buick Roadmaster.
What it all comes down to is what does the manufacturer say is the towing capacity of the car? If that number is not 4.000 lbs (1814.369 kg) or better, then you have to make inquirers into a towing package that may be available for the car. If there isn't one, then you have to decide if it is worth the risk in using the car to tow the boat?
It's kind of like if you smoked and decided that you would drive over to a store to purchase more cigarettes, but the only available space is a "no parking" zone. Do you risk it, and run in to make your purchase? Will the over all cost be just for the cigarettes, or for them plus a $25 parking ticket? The difference being that we are not talking about a $25 extra expense!
When we purchased our in the spring of '05 from John Gerber of SuperSport Marine, he made delivery by towing it 1400 miles from Nebraska to my driveway in Delaware behind his Buick Roadmaster
In the Summer of 07 John of Super Sport Marine delivered our 06 with the same Buick Roadmaster to Loveland, Ohio(1000 miles).
The vehicle in the videos was a Mercury Grand Marquis if I'm not mistaken. Depending on the year it would either be powered by a 4.6l modular V8 - same as the mustang GT, exploder, crown vic, f-150, etc. Or a 5.0L V8 depending on the year. I know they stopped using the 5.0L in 1996 for the mustang. This motor has plenty of torque and with an upgraded hitch I'm sure could handle the MacGregor...not sure how reassuring it'd feel when you're behind the wheel though. I'm sure the tail would be wagging the dog
I have towed my X without engine a few times with a Volvo V70 of the old generation. The car is rated for 1600kg and he boat is 1680kg with engine so I think it must have inside the legal limits. It has worked just fine but I have replaced the stock axel and suspension with a AL-KO Torsion bar axle with brakes witch I think is much more stable than the stock axle. The stock axle is not legal in Europe. I never have had any problems with trailer sway. At the launching and retrieval I have always used my 4WD LandRover. I don’t think a front wheel drive car I suitably on “my” ramp
we have some very complex laws over here concerning trailering .i did seeone guy who used a small 4x4 to tow his boat,personally i use a Mitsubishi Pajero,its rated to 3.2 tons,you dont even notice the mac on the back,fuel consumption dropps to 20mpg but i fill it with Vegetable oil and run it on that
What the heck is Roger doing in his promotional video? 
Is this (as noted somewhere on this tread) just some kind of false advertising? I am in the final stages of buying a 26M and I own a car, 
I can get something else but I like my big old Buick. I would like to hear from anyone who does use a car 
....YOU CAN SEND ME A PRIVATE MESSAGE! cause I can see it is considered poitically and (safetyly) incorrect.
when I was looking around for a Mac, I happened to ask a dealer how did they ever get that intermediate Ford in the brochure to tow a Mac. The dealer said he asked Roger the same thing. His words to me exactly were, "I asked Roger how did he get a Ford to tow an X, and he said "" I didn't tell the Ford what it was going to tow"" 
I must also thank the wonderful folk who whilse they remain anonymous in the towing underworld 
continue to tow their Macs with cars, for their insightful and graphic statements(the pics will be buried with me) 
with the same Buick Roadmaster to Loveland, Ohio(1000 miles). 
