2011 Explorer XLT without Tow package-what can I tow?
Hi everyone,
We are currently in the market for a new-to-us car and we've narrowed it down to the Ford Explorer.
In our price range, there are several 2011 Ford Explorer XLT's that we are interested in. However, the one we drove today did not have a tow hitch on it.
Now, towing is *NOT* going to be something that we do all the time. However, we are in the military and are getting ready to move from Texas to Massachusetts this summer. It would be really great to have an extra trailer behind us to pack some items in that our movers will generally not move (firearms, paperwork, etc.) We have three small dogs that will be occupying the backseat, so the cargo area in the back with the third row folded down would basically just be for some dog food and our suitcases for the driving trip.
From what I can tell, the tow package option also adds an oil cooler to the car to assist in towing, so if I got a simple hitch installed, I would not be able to tow the total of 5000 lbs. However, if I do get a hitch/wiring installed, I could tow maybe 2000 lbs?
The uhaul trailer I have been looking at is a 4x8 and weighs about 800 pounds, so that would leave me with about 1000 pounds left to tow. We will be nowhere near that weight limit. I would estimate maybe another 300-400 pounds worth of items in the trailer and maybe 200 pounds in the rear cargo space.
The dealership we were just at said they could install a trailer hitch no problem and it would be fine with hitching a trailer onto it and making the drive. However, they are salesman and I wanted to get other's thoughts on this.
With that being said, we are wondering about the following:
1) How much would it cost to install a trailer hitch/tow package on a 2011 XLT?
2) Would this be adequate to tow a trailer with maybe 1300 pounds TOTAL (including trailer weight) from Texas to Massachusetts?
Right now, we've got two cars in mind at different dealerships. One is 4wd with the tow hitch for $30k, and the other is a 2wd without tow hitch for 26k. I just don't want to spend money on things I don't need.