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So I have a 2010 Corolla, 44k miles on it, that I plan on driving in a cross-country move from Houston to Los Angeles. It's a pretty straight shot down I-10, thankfully, so at least the trip won't be difficult!
The more and more I've been looking at pricing the more and more I've been considering getting a hitch and a small trailer (4x8 from uHaul) for my car. I won't have a lot of heavy things to move, but I will have household goods such as dishes, pots, pans, some books (though I'm working on converting all of those to Kindle formatting so I don't have to haul the weight) and a couple of pieces of furniture-- the real reason I can't just load it all in my car (that and I'll also be moving pets in the car with me). A dining room table, a 40" x 38" three drawer dresser and a small secretary desk I inherited from the family. It's so little that I'd hate to rent a uhaul and pay the outrageous gas prices between here and there if I can get away with a smaller uHaul.
But I wanted to ask around first and see if you think my car can take it. I keep it well maintained, and would of course plan on getting all the fluids changed out and get a tune-up done before I hit the road. If I keep it under the weight capacity (uhaul tells me that with the 4'8 trailer I can haul an additional 1,150lbs of cargo on top of the trailer weight. And the cost difference is pretty significant -- $1,200+ when you include gas versus about $500.
So I have a 2010 Corolla, 44k miles on it, that I plan on driving in a cross-country move from Houston to Los Angeles. It's a pretty straight shot down I-10, thankfully, so at least the trip won't be difficult!
Have fun. Take time for some side trips.
Quote:
I've been considering getting a hitch and a small trailer ... Thoughts?
Call the dealership and ask if that model can handle a trailer of whatever approximate weight. That's the best way to know for sure. Otherwise, the car shouldn't give you any trouble, they're great cars.
I moved from North Texas to LA in a 1962 Chevy with way over 300,000 miles on it and everything I owned piled into every available inch of space. I made it just fine.
So can you. The only thing you're lacking is confidence to overcome any obstacle which might come up. I didn't need someone to hold my hand and assure me it would be alright. Neither do you.
Suck it up, grow up and hit the road. Either that, or stay home and keep quite about it.
Don't really know what this has to do with "sucking it up" or "growing up," and keeping quiet about it would be a rather silly thing to do on a forum. The question isn't so much whether or not to make the move, but whether or not to make the move in a Corolla towing a trailer. If I had a truck this post wouldn't exist.
And it sounds like the solution is to call my dealer and get a realistic look at whether or not my car can handle it, in addition to adjusting my driving if I get the all-clear. Drive more slowly to reduce necessary stopping time, and maybe even practice in my own neighborhood with the trailer to get an idea of how my stopping speeds will change.
And the table could be disassembled, but the dresser and secretary desk can't. Which I might've been able to squeeze into the cab of my car if I wasn't also transporting pets that are taking up some of the seats in the way of crate space, unfortunately.
And the table could be disassembled, but the dresser and secretary desk can't.
Which I might've been able to squeeze into the cab of my car if I wasn't also transporting pets...
Sell or give away the furniture and anything else that won't fit in a box.
UPS boxes of stuff to CA and ENJOY the road trip with the pet.
Take some side trips.
Don't really know what this has to do with "sucking it up" or "growing up," and keeping quiet about it would be a rather silly thing to do on a forum. The question isn't so much whether or not to make the move, but whether or not to make the move in a Corolla towing a trailer. If I had a truck this post wouldn't exist.
And it sounds like the solution is to call my dealer and get a realistic look at whether or not my car can handle it, in addition to adjusting my driving if I get the all-clear. Drive more slowly to reduce necessary stopping time, and maybe even practice in my own neighborhood with the trailer to get an idea of how my stopping speeds will change.
And the table could be disassembled, but the dresser and secretary desk can't. Which I might've been able to squeeze into the cab of my car if I wasn't also transporting pets that are taking up some of the seats in the way of crate space, unfortunately.
Look. Nobody can tell you if that car will make the trip because nobody can predict the future, not even your dealer (and you'll likely pay for his opinion). There are a thousand things which can go wrong with a car or a trailer and no amount of hand-holding by anyone will change that.
All you're looking for is assurance and that says you lack confidence in your own abilities. Confidence comes by testing your limits, not perpetually looking for a hand to cling to. That's why I said what I said. You don't NEED assurance and you don't NEED someone to tell you that it can be done.
It can. It might be a breeze, or it might be a challenge, but you can do it. The only one who doesn't know that is....you.
When we were looking to move, actually just did, drove from AZ to NC. I went on U-Haul's website. I put the information about my vehicle in and they recommended what I could tow. I then went to them and they put the hitch on the vehicle.
So I have a 2010 Corolla, 44k miles on it, that I plan on driving in a cross-country move from Houston to Los Angeles. It's a pretty straight shot down I-10, thankfully, so at least the trip won't be difficult!
The more and more I've been looking at pricing the more and more I've been considering getting a hitch and a small trailer (4x8 from uHaul) for my car. I won't have a lot of heavy things to move, but I will have household goods such as dishes, pots, pans, some books (though I'm working on converting all of those to Kindle formatting so I don't have to haul the weight) and a couple of pieces of furniture-- the real reason I can't just load it all in my car (that and I'll also be moving pets in the car with me). A dining room table, a 40" x 38" three drawer dresser and a small secretary desk I inherited from the family. It's so little that I'd hate to rent a uhaul and pay the outrageous gas prices between here and there if I can get away with a smaller uHaul.
But I wanted to ask around first and see if you think my car can take it. I keep it well maintained, and would of course plan on getting all the fluids changed out and get a tune-up done before I hit the road. If I keep it under the weight capacity (uhaul tells me that with the 4'8 trailer I can haul an additional 1,150lbs of cargo on top of the trailer weight. And the cost difference is pretty significant -- $1,200+ when you include gas versus about $500.
Thoughts?
My friend did exactly that. From Maine to Colorado. Had a small Uhaul trailer hooked up to a hitch on his Corolla. Maybe ask some experienced mechanics if they think it will have any major negative impact on the drivetrain.
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