help i got the bug

[lam1317]

:confused: i have a 1999 honda odyssey with 105000 miles i believe the towing capacity is 3500 lbs with people and supplies i figure about 1000 lbs which leaves me with about 2500 lbs to tow i have been looking at coleman campers from 1995-2000 and would like to know which model i could tow safely with my van i like the niagra but it weighs 3500 lbs something with a/c and king beds i dont think i
could have the bathroom setup with hot water because of the weight.i also plan
on traveling in nc and tn where there are mountains. also need infomation on hitch.i plan on looking at a 1996 coleman sun valley in orlando,fl this weekend
they are asking 4k but the nada says between 2200-2600 but i still do not know the weight of it  could anyone comment on this that has a simular situation or knows more than i do. thanks to everyone in advance.

lou
stephanie   21
louis         19
katieanne  15
meaghan   13

[aerohead34]

:confused: i have a 1999 honda odyssey with 105000 miles i believe the towing capacity is 3500 lbs with people and supplies i figure about 1000 lbs which leaves me with about 2500 lbs to tow i have been looking at coleman campers from 1995-2000 and would like to know which model i could tow safely with my van i like the niagra but it weighs 3500 lbs something with a/c and king beds i dont think i
could have the bathroom setup with hot water because of the weight.i also plan
on traveling in nc and tn where there are mountains. also need infomation on hitch.i plan on looking at a 1996 coleman sun valley in orlando,fl this weekend
they are asking 4k but the nada says between 2200-2600 but i still do not know the weight of it  could anyone comment on this that has a simular situation or knows more than i do. thanks to everyone in advance.

lou
stepanie   21
louis        19
katieanne 15
meaghan  13

 We have a 2003 Starcraft 1701L which weighs around 1500 lbs plus the weight of the A/C on top.  It sleep four comfortably but can sleep up to six if you have two little ones.  It doesnt have alot of the bells and whistles of the bigger pu's but we really love this little pu. We pulled our PU the last two years with a 2004 Pontiac Montana which has a similar 3500 lb towing capacity. Last summer I had visitation with my two older girls Meagan (15) and Hannah (13) and took them camping to Gatlinburg. The van struggled with the extra weight. But with just the four of us it worked ok. One lesson I learned is that our mini van really needs to pull a pu equipped with electric brakes. We had enough close calls and with the van struggling that we decided to pickup a used full sized vehicle to tow with. The montana has a small V6 (3.3-3.4L). To make the pu brakes work, you need a brake control installed and wired in.
 I dont know how many of your family will be camping with you at any time. If its only four, a smaller pu would work. As far as the coleman sun valley pu 4k seems high compared to the NADA numbers you quoted. However, doing a google search, I found some that wanted more and some that wanted less. I believe the weight is around 2200 lbs plus extra stuff added. I would make sure the pu has electric brakes and allot of extras for the added $$$$. I would also seriously consider changing your tranny fluid and adding a brake control on your van.

[tknick]

NADA lists the weight of all the trailers.  It shows the sun valley at 1840 lbs.  That only leaves 660lbs to spare.  Not much wiggle room when it comes to incidental cargo and extra horsepower when climbing those mountains.

No matter what you end up with, you will need to add an external transmission cooler.  That will significantly extend the life of your transmission.  An external oil cooler is not a bad idea either.  When towing, both of those fluid take on a lot of extra heat.  

One thing you didn't mention is brakes.  You should not buy a PUP without trailer brakes.  Your van was designed to stop the van, not a van and a trailer.  This is even more important when towing in the mountains.  That being said, you should use the engine as the primary means for vehicle control on downhill grades, not the brakes.  Downshift.  If you use the brakes they will quickly overheat resulting in a disaster.

There are a lot of lightweight PUPs on the market.  Just have to find one within your budget.

Good luck
travis