I've got a 2009 MCS with automatic (bad left knee) that I'd like to tow with my motorhome on a long upcoming trip. Does anyone in the NAM family have experience doing this?

I know that I can't tow with all 4 wheels down, but I'm wondering if using a tow-bar (rear wheels down) is also a bad idea (clearance problems?). Any disadvantages (apart from size, weight and expense) to using an auto trailer (all four wheels up)?

Thanks for whatever experience or counsel you can provide.

BigHarv
West Linn, OR
2009 MCS

 

A trailer will be easiest on the car, and you won't accumulate any miles on the MINI that way but it won't hurt it to tow it on the dolly. Can you borrow/rent a trailer for this trip rather than buying one?

I've had this mental discussion with myself as well. I have an auto Clubby and would haul it behind my coach too, the ideal to me would be to tow it in a box!

 

One of the guys at Hendrick MINI told me Ricky Rudd has some system that causes the fluid to circulate while not having his MINI towed and does not need to be on.

 

I definitely prefer towing a regular trailer as opposed to a dolly. Specifically, I feel that backing up with a trailer is much easier and more predictable. I'm using my experience with a truck, not an RV, so take that with a grain of salt.

The other benefit to a trailer is that you could make some sort of "nose" for it (or buy a trailer with one on) to keep rocks/bugs/debris off the front of the MINI.

The other issue I'd have with a really long trip on a dolly is that you're going to have a few thousand miles of wear on the rear tires that isn't going to be on the front. So you might mess up your rotation schedule or find yourself replacing tires 2 at a time, (or replacing all 4 with wear left on 2 of them!)