Memorial Day Weekend is just around the corner, and if you were thinking about celebrating the unofficial start of summer with a family road trip, Borgman is here to help. Many families tow boats or campers up north for the weekend, and if you wanted to join their ranks there are a couple of things you'll need to consider first:
1. How Heavy Is Your Trailer AND Your Load?
2. What Vehicle Will You Be Towing With?
Of course, there is more to towing than these two points. If you've never towed a trailer or RV before (or need a refresher,) check out our latest Borgman How To for driving and safety tips.
In this article, we'll talk about what to look for in a New or Pre-Owned Towing Vehicle or upgrades you can make to your existing vehicle.
How Heavy Is Your Trailer?
How heavy your trailer or RV is will determine which vehicle you should be on the lookout for, so it's worth figuring out what they weigh. Your trailer should have a curb weight marked on it somewhere or noted in the manual, and the same goes for your RV or camper. If you have a boat, it goes without saying that you'll add that to the weight of the trailer. The same goes for all of the gear in your camper: tools, grills, the weight of the full water tank if you have one, and all the other things that all add up.This is also a good time to make sure that the electronics and mechanical parts of the trailer still work. It's worth doing a "dry run" and checking that brake lights, turn signals, and marker lights are all working when hooked up to your vehicle. Also, it's worth going through hooking up the trailer to the vehicle so you know exactly what to do before you set out and identify any parts that need to be replaced. You can also check the trailer brakes now (if you have them) too.
What To Look For In A Tow Vehicle
Now that you know how much you need to tow, what kind of hitch you need, and if your wiring harness fits the trailer, now it's time to bring that information to Borgman.If you have an existing vehicle that can handle the load, adding extras (depending on the vehicle) like telescoping side mirrors, trailer cameras, upgraded hitches, and more can take some of the stress out of towing. Upgrading your axles and rear differential can possibly squeeze a few more pounds into your towing capacity, but it's best to have that discussion with us next to your vehicle, as this is a case-by-case situation.
If you're browsing for a new towing vehicle for the summer season, you're coming armed with the knowledge of exactly what you need the vehicle to be capable of. In this situation, you have three options at Borgman right now.
First, you can browse our New Ford Inventory, which may or may not have what you need because of the current nationwide vehicle shortage.
Second, you can take a look at our Pre-Owned lot for late-model Ford Trucks and SUVs. There are plenty of good, solid towing vehicles in our selection and some serious deals to be had, so it's definitely worth your time to check. All of our Pre-Owned Vehicles come with our Free B-Protected Warranty, so you can shop worry-free.
Lastly, if you're willing to wait, you can specify the exact vehicle you need and Borgman will order it for you straight from the factory. You'll be amazed at how many options and configurations there are to choose from, and the Borgman team is here to help you every step of the way. Since this option takes some extra time, we'll give you an extra $500 for your trade-in! (If you go this route, you need to get in touch with us by May 31st, 2021.) If you're looking for inspiration, take a look at this Towing Accessories Guide.
