Finally! The search is over and I bought a new car to flat tow

I finally took the plunge and bought a new car to flat tow! A red-hot Chevy Blazer Rally Sport. In reality, the color is hotter than the vehicle, but…

As many of you have read, I have been dragging my feet over the last few years looking, yearning for, and evaluating different vehicles that could be flat towed behind a motorhome. Each year the number of viable cars and trucks has been shrinking.

My husband doesn’t even want to hear me talking about flat tow cars anymore! When his family was coming for a week’s vacation with their plans for trips to California, Sedona, and the Grand Canyon, it became more urgent to either rent or buy one. Our poor little KIA was not big enough, nor strong enough, to make the trek up the I-17 grade to the Grand Canyon fully loaded. So I hunkered down and combed the area within 200 miles for availability to find that perfect one.

List of flat-tow must-haves for me:

1. Flat towable, preferably without pulling a list of fuses and a complex list of items to do before flat towing. Our Dodge Ram has such a list. I printed it out and have to follow step-by-step to not mess it up as my husband hooks up. You may wonder why we need another tow vehicle. I am the designated driver when we stop. I do NOT like driving his truck. He doesn’t like me driving it either. The Blazer has an AWD option that makes it flat towable.
2. Automatic transmission. I am so tired of a straight-stick manual trans. It was truly apparent on the coast of California when a nice-looking new truck parked very close in front of me on a hill. A steep downward sloping hill. I could have easily gone forward to get out, as that was my intention when I parked overlooking the ocean but not so easily now. Shifting in reverse and trying to go backward up the hill without rolling forward into the truck was my last straw. Thankfully, my husband had no qualms about gunning the poor little KIA, spinning the tires, and forcefully backing up without hitting the truck.
3. Convertible. One of our past tow cars was an old VW Cabriolet. It was a convertible, a wonderful free-to-the-wind convertible, a made-me-feel-young-again convertible. I loved it. Unfortunately, as it started to fall apart piece by piece, it was time to look for a new one. I was only convinced when the driver’s seat continued to fall back flat when driving and the front hub was screaming. It was a little nerve-wracking to hang on the steering wheel to stay upright. Alas, I could not find a newer automatic with a convertible top.
   
4. Okay—no convertible, so I will only settle for a panoramic sunroof then. In reality, the sunroof is nothing like having a convertible but better than nothing. I still gaze longingly at Mustang convertibles as they speed by, knowing I just didn’t want to have the hassle of a tow dolly.
5. Room. There must be enough room for our fully grown sons to sit in the back without resorting to childhood pushing. Would be nice to fit a grandchild between them, too.
6. Comfort seating and ride. I would like some extra padding on the seats! I want it to ride more like a car than a truck. We have a truck already.
   1. I have had a Jeep and I loved the feel of rough and tumble. I test-drove every Jeep model available and almost, almost bought the Cherokee. It was comfortable but I was still thinking of myself as a bit of a maverick and at that time it didn’t fit my hoped-for image. By the time I reconsidered, I couldn’t find a maroon or red one to match the RV.
   2. I waited a whole year for the Bronco. The real Bronco, not the Sport. The Sport is really cute, but it is not flat towable. I saw the Bronco coming down the road in a campground and chased after it. Running is not my strong suit, so it was good that it was driving slowly. I loved it, test drove another souped-up one all decked out but the price point was over the top. It rode similar to a Jeep and I would need a ladder to get in and out. Still looked cool, though.
   3. The Blazer had an amazing don’t-jar-my-back ride.
7. All the electronic gadgets. I have watched way too many TV ads about self-parking, pedestrian avoidance, lane departure, and Air Play. I wanted it all! And cruise control! If you didn’t think cars came without cruise control in 2016, think again. My base KIA had no cruise control, electronic key fob, or security system. The Blazer has it all except the auto parking. I am still reading the thick owner manual daily, chapter by chapter.
8. Style. When I gave up my old rough-and-tumble Jeep image, I wanted at least a little style. The Blazer RS is designed with a bit of the Camaro in mind. A very little bit. But if I look hard enough, with enough imagination, I can see similar hood and rear lines. Still, that wasn’t enough, so as part of the deal, I had them paint the roof black.
9. Gas mileage. Oh well. I was holding out for the Blazer EV, but it is not flat towable. I gave up gas mileage in favor of speed, as in gas-guzzling six-cylinder. It costs about the same at the gas pump as my KIA though. I just go twice as often.

Pros:

• Meets almost all the above criteria.
• Feels luxurious to drive and ride in.
• I love Apple CarPlay. It is also available for Android.
• Easy to navigate the home screen and the buttons on the steering wheel.
• Good crash test ratings.
• I love all the electronic gadgets even when I don’t know where they are or what they do!
• I really am not into that much zing—my cars have been a Jeep Wrangler, Honda Element, and a KIA Soul, after all. But I admit I like the black leather and red accent trim interior.

Cons

• Not its fault, but it’s not a convertible.
• Poor gas mileage—averaging 25-31 mpg.
• Kick open lift gate is hit and miss. After swinging my foot back and forth like a clumsy dancer, I give up and use the fob or the lift lever. It is easier at night when a cute little Chevy emblem is projected on the ground.
• Poor view through back windows, front and side pillars.
• Chevy is banking on vehicle subscriptions. OnStar, Wi-Fi, Sirius, and Navigation all require monthly subscriptions. I did not even try most of them out in the measly one-month test period. Our phones have unlimited cell service and Apple CarPlay projects navigation onto the main screen. Sirius is nice, but we both have Pandora. The AM and FM radio are free!
• Connecting phone battles. My husband’s phone was connected first. Big mistake. He was driving behind me and at every stop light, my phone would disconnect and connect to his. It’s irritating with music, but extra difficult when it cuts out on-screen navigation!
• The exterior mirrors do not automatically fold in. I had to get out and push them in to squeeze into our tiny garage. After a few too-close calls, my husband parks the pickup outside.

Setting up for flat tow

I’m going into the shop next week for the tow set up and will report on that process then.

Note: Before purchasing a vehicle to flat tow, always, always double-check the manual that it can be flat towed behind an RV. Emergency towing instructions do not count. Do not take the word of salespeople or even the service department. Contact the company headquarters if in doubt.

If interested in more information on the Chevy Blazer, click here.