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Thread: Why Cant i tow with a mirage

  1. #11
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    ok the manual states that cargo weight in car should never succeed 865lbs. So I weigh 200 pounds the trailer is 220 pounds. technically by my math that's420pounds and thats 445 pounds the car or transmission could handle. So I don't see why I cant tow my motorcycle somewhere on a trailer if I go by myself. And stay in the 865 pound rating for the car.



  2. #12
    Sounds reasonable to me.

    Insurance disclaimer still applies. (Some companies specifically want to know whether you'll be doing any towing.)

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2014 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 63.2 mpg (US) ... 26.9 km/L ... 3.7 L/100 km ... 75.9 mpg (Imp)


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    Senior Member VespaGoGo's Avatar
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    I believe it's mostly a safety issue as having a full load inside the car is different than having that same amount if weight tugging the car around from well beyond its footprint. There is considerably less traction on the front wheels of a vehicle when there is movement pushed and pulled on it from the rear.

    ....not to mention our teenie tiny tires. There's not very much paw on the pavement to begin with.

  4. #14
    TripleDiamondPerformance Nick@TDP's Avatar
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    Sure you can tow with your mirage, but I sure wouldn't. Too little torque, small tires, and weak brakes. Plus a very small transaxle with tiny axles just waiting to explode.

  5. #15
    Realize he's talking about keeping things within the car's GVWR.

    If it's not got enough torque and the brakes are too weak for that, better never carry 4 passengers in any Mirage!

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2014 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 63.2 mpg (US) ... 26.9 km/L ... 3.7 L/100 km ... 75.9 mpg (Imp)


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  7. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by MetroMPG View Post
    Realize he's talking about keeping things within the car's GVWR.

    If it's not got enough torque and the brakes are too weak for that, better never carry 4 passengers in any Mirage!
    That's exactly how I am looking at it if I can handle 865 pounds inside the car why not safely tow that weight outside.

  8. #17
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    According to the European owners manual and also the very important " EEC Certificate of Conformity" , the 1.0L is not allowed to tow anything at all.

    That EEC certificate describes the exact model and technical details of the car, and any modification or even minor alteration is strictly forbidden and voids insurance and thus the legality of your registration.
    I am not even allowed to mount a tow hitch for the purpose of putting a bicycle-holder on it.

    The 1.2L model is allowed to tow, but the permissible weights are ridiculously low. I'm not sure how low, but I think it was 50kg (100lbs) for the entire trailer including contents.

    I really do wonder why this is so, there was no comparable restriction on the Swift/Metro, the Suzuki Alto, Daihatsu Cuore or Daihatsu Charade, etc.
    Why then restrict a comparably larger, heavier and more higher-powered car like the Mirage?
    Last edited by foama; 09-10-2014 at 07:26 AM.

  9. #18
    Senior Member Donut's Avatar
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    as far as I can tell from my trip with 4 people and 750 pounds total payload, the brakes did work, but they are showing a significant delay in their response. You have to absolutely account for it while driving by keeping the distance to the vehicle in front larger.

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2014 Mirage DE 1.2 manual: 47.8 mpg (US) ... 20.3 km/L ... 4.9 L/100 km ... 57.3 mpg (Imp)


  10. #19
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    Keep this in mind too.


    The Mirage is a unibody car. This means that the body is more or less the structure of the car. Different parts of sheet metal are fabricated, and then spot welded together. When you tow anything with a car such as ours, you put a lot of stress on very small spot welds.

    It may or may not be about the power or stopping power of a vehicle that limits it's towing capacity. More than likely on our small cars it is about the structural rigidity of the car.


    With that being said, I have towed a trailer with a unibody car in the past. I even got into a highway race while towing (and I won) but I would not recommend that anyone try to duplicate my stupidity.
    Certified holder of useless car knowledge.

  11. #20
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    Yeah I threw a probably 350-400 pound engine in the back of my mirage last weekend and I got to say my car will never tow a trailer. I couldn't believe the understeer and the strain it put on the cars rear suspension just having that weight in the trunk. I don't believe it is safe at all to tow anything but maybe a bicycle on a curt trailer mount.



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