Does Scion/Toyota recommend this?

[mcbrew]

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b91/jmcbrew/Scamp/8c97a7b8.png

My new baby... Haven't even gotten it home yet. I picked it up on the way to work this morning, and now it sits out in then parking lot while I have to WORK until 7pm...

[CXTKRS1]

wow

[mcbrew]

I call it the couch, bed, stove, sink, beer fridge, lounge mod.

[xd_kidd]

And the countdown continues. Looks dangerous if going up the hil haha

[Whack-A-Mole]

What countdown? Mcbrew I like your tail lights. Where did you get them?

[TexXBox]

As a friend of mine would say "Oh my damn!"

If you're single you can tow it to the bars, put on your beer goggles 'til you're seeing in stereo and then make it home to bed without having to drive at all. Not to mention the fact that it is a portable fornicatorium.

If you're married it is a convenient place to sleep on one of those doghouse nights that is more comfortable than the couch plus out of range of the bitching.

But seriously, that is cool.

[xd_kidd]

What countdown?
till he got off from work and see if he made it home without a broken tranny lol

[mcbrew]

Not only did I make it home, I got over 30 MPG towing it! Can't be that hard on the tranny if it isn't even working the engine that hard. The only thing that worries me is the tongue weight, buy it is still less than my hitch is rated for. Going to make some changes to balance it out better.

[JDMJim]

har har!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lf0wCbt4Bc

[ThisorThatxD]

that was exactly the vid i was thinking of... :happy175:

[mcbrew]

What countdown? Mcbrew I like your tail lights. Where did you get them?

TYC from Scion. They don't offer themany more because of problems with water getting in and damaging them... haven't had a problem with mine yet. I did keep the originals, so I have a backup plan!

---------- Post added at 11:15 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:13 PM ----------

har har!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lf0wCbt4Bc

Everybody posts that video. The comparison is weak. You are comparing a 59 horsepower car towing a one ton trailer to a 128 horsepower car towing a half-ton trailer.

[JDMJim]

tongue in cheek Brew.

[mcbrew]

tongue in cheek Brew.
Yeah, I know... It's just that I'm in the middle of a huge debate on another forum (a camper forum) about tow ratings. People there claim that if a manufacturer (VW is the one in question) assigns a tow rating to the car from the factory, but a subsidiary company (VW of North America) decides to print a different number in their owners manual, then somehow it is not safe to tow the higher weight rating that the manufacturer actually comes up with.

Kind of like some trucks... A friend of mine is a plumber. He owned three truicks, each with around a 12,500 weight rating. Since they were over 10,000 pounds (the rating, not the weight), they always had to stop at weight stations on the highway. When he bought his fourth truck, it was exactly the same model, but he requested that that they put a lower weight rating on the sticker. They put 9,999 pounds. Now he doesn't have to stop at the weight station. The truck is EXACTLY the same... just a different number on the door jamb. It is not magically incapable of moving safely down the highway at 11,000 pounds... it is just a number.

VW rates the new Golf for approx. 3,300 pounds towing capacity. VW of N. America changed the number to 1,000 pounds. No difference in the car or its capabilities. It's like if someone told you that your xD can only carry one passenger in the US, but in Europe they get to carry four.

[TexXBox]

VW rates the new Golf for approx. 3,300 pounds towing capacity. VW of N. America changed the number to 1,000 pounds. No difference in the car or its capabilities. It's like if someone told you that your xD can only carry one passenger in the US, but in Europe they get to carry four.


You gotta love that the good old USA, home of the brave and land of the free is pretty much run by product liability attorneys. :)

[JDMJim]

yea, sounds like the "Outfit" was involved. back room discussions..." If you just put a different number on the door, we won't have to stop and waste our money" so runs the economy again?

[Cylon_xD]

As a friend of mine would say "Oh my damn!"

If you're single you can tow it to the bars, put on your beer goggles 'til you're seeing in stereo and then make it home to bed without having to drive at all. Not to mention the fact that it is a portable fornicatorium.

If you're married it is a convenient place to sleep on one of those doghouse nights that is more comfortable than the couch plus out of range of the bitching.



Spoken just like a 40+ year old married man, TexXBox... I see you've had experience too... lol!

Not only did I make it home, I got over 30 MPG towing it! Can't be that hard on the tranny if it isn't even working the engine that hard. The only thing that worries me is the tongue weight, buy it is still less than my hitch is rated for. Going to make some changes to balance it out better.

Just put a full keg in the fridge, McBrew... that should take some weight off the tongue...! ;)

[mcbrew]

Just put a full keg in the fridge, McBrew... that should take some weight off the tongue...! ;)

No good... the fridge is ahead of the axle. Oh, and it is only a 1.9 cubic foot fridge. The keg will need to go in a tub of ice near the back of the Scamp.

Cylon, you may actually be able to beat my fuel economy... you with an empty xD and me pulling a camper! :laughing1:

[TexXBox]

Spoken just like a 40+ year old married man, TexXBox... I see you've had experience too... lol!

:emotions33:

---------- Post added at 11:28 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:19 PM ----------

Cylon, you may actually be able to beat my fuel economy... you with an empty xD and me pulling a camper! :laughing1:

I probably still don't have a chance. Gonna have to look into helium shoes.

Or get one of those "Amazing" magnet sets that clamps around the fuel line and uses the "Power of Polarization" to align the fuel molecules and "Release the Dormant Power and Unused Energy" in my gas giving "Up to 20% More Horsepower and 30% Better Fuel Economy" for "Just Two Easy Payment of $19.95 Plus $30 for Rushed Delivery" and if I act now I can "Add Another To My Order for Just The Price of Shipping and Handling". :)

[mcbrew]

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b91/jmcbrew/Scamp/25344497.png

Towed the Scamp out to the eastern shore of Maryland last weekend -- about a 210 miles round trip. I got 25.7 MPG on that tank (27 MPG in the display). We will be towing it up to PA this weekend... but probably won't get as good fuel economy due to the hills.

[Resolve]

VW rates the new Golf for approx. 3,300 pounds towing capacity. VW of N. America changed the number to 1,000 pounds. No difference in the car or its capabilities. It's like if someone told you that your xD can only carry one passenger in the US, but in Europe they get to carry four.That is so when you tow something 1,001 pounds and something just happens to break they don't have to warrenty since you towed something of greater weight than what was posted. :laughing1: It's all business. :bleh:

Plus they know people always try to push the envelope and limits of most everything in the US and if max is 3,300 pounds towing they know if they put that someone will try to tow something that is 4,000 pounds and complain when it breaks. But if they put 1,000 and someone goes to tow 2,000 pounds it should be ok since true towing is 3,300 pounds and within actual manufacture towing capabilities.

[mcbrew]

Well, in all honesty, people don't tend to drive as smart in this country. Not a personal jab at anyone here... there are good drivers in the US... but not on average. On another forum that I am active on, someone was just posting about their fuel economy when towing a camper at 75 MPH with their VW Golf. In most European countries, there is a lower speed limit for vehicles towing trailers... and they enforce it! I have seen 50 MPH limits or 90km/h speed limits for towing. Here in the US, I have seen plenty of people out on the interstates towing campers at 80+ MPH. I have towed all kinds of trailers, and I have done my share of stupid driving when I was 16-17, but I would never tow something at that speed now that I am as adult.

I think if trailers were limited to lower highway speeds, then car companies might condsider keeping the factory tow rating. However, I also believe it is to sell more profitable trucks and SUVs. They don't have many trucks or SUVs in Europe, due to the price of gas and diesel, so people tow what they need to tow with cars... and small cars at that.

[TexXBox]

Do you watch Top Gear? If so, did you see the Caravan episode?

[simesxD]

How much does the scamp weigh? It doesn't appear to be lower the back of your D much, so must not be to heavy.

[mcbrew]

The Scamp is about 1,200 pounds empty (but with a full propane tank). I estimate that we travel with about 200 pounds of stuff in it. The tongue weight is about 135 pounds at the moment. It had ~175 pounds of tongue weight when I bought it, but I made some changes to reduce it.

The 1,200 pounds number comes from the CAT truck scale where I weighed it. At the time, there was 1,080 pounds on the trailer axle and 135 pounds on the tongue.

---------- Post added at 10:40 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:12 PM ----------

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b91/jmcbrew/Scamp/35227bb6.png

[TexXBox]

I just received my recall/safety notice from Gulf States Toyota. Seems they miscalculated the weight of my vehicles accessories and provided me with a new sticker to add to my vehicle load limit info on the door jamb. My cargo capacity has now been officially reduced by 9.0 kg or 19.0 lbs. It is recommended that I follow this information as scrupulously as possible as an over capacity vehicle may be unsafe and lead to DEATH OR SERIOUS INJURY.

Good thing they let me know. That 19 lbs. could put me over the edge if I'm not careful.

Jeeeeze.......

[mcbrew]

I just received my recall/safety notice from Gulf States Toyota. Seems they miscalculated the weight of my vehicles accessories and provided me with a new sticker to add to my vehicle load limit info on the door jamb. My cargo capacity has now been officially reduced by 9.0 kg or 19.0 lbs. It is recommended that I follow this information as scrupulously as possible as an over capacity vehicle may be unsafe and lead to DEATH OR SERIOUS INJURY.

Good thing they let me know. That 19 lbs. could put me over the edge if I'm not careful.

Jeeeeze.......

Yeah, i guess this is a problem with their dealer-installed options. I got a sticker last year that reduced the GVWR by 1 pound or 0kg. Yes, the conversion factor is one pound to zero kilograms.

[TexXBox]

Well, the notice is for North American vehicles. I guess they don't care if the Canadians are over the limit. ;)

[mcbrew]

Ummmm... Canada is in North America.

[TexXBox]

I was referring to the fact that they noted a lbs. weight reduction like we use in the States and a 0 kg. reduction like they use in Canada. Both North America just that only the pounds count not the kgs, therefore the States but not Canada.

A stretch I know, not the first time I've worked to hard for a laugh. :)