Can a Honda pilot tow a 240 for long distances ?

[Betik]

Thank you for the heads up. Will check.

 

[swatski]

Thank you for your blunt opinion. Much appreaciate it.
If I find a 240 worth towing on rental will do so, otherwise I will have to stick on AR190 .

In terms of truck, I did buy a 4x4 crew max 5.7 Tundra on random Friday evening in July ( traded in my 2014 oddysey). On saturday I took my wife, her mother in law, and the kids to lake Texoma for trip. Given the sour face that my wife and her mother in law ( yes that is my mom) had about the Tundra, I traded in on Monday for a Pilot. I was the proud owner of truck for 4 days and 192 miles. After that, back to jacked up 4 wheel drive minivan ( no offense to oddysey, I love them). So truck is sad story, but next time around I am getting a 350 diesel

Good to be in place where people whom I have never met treat me like a little brother. I am very to learn from y'all instead of being the fool who learns from expeerience.

Man, I hear you!
I can not stand or justify owning a truck or a SUV without the 3rd row seating. And I have a strong preference for diesels.

My solution to this problem has been an Audi Q7 TDI: 7-passenger capacity, 6,600 lbs tow rating (w/tow package), >400 ft lb torque, w/ Porsche acceleration and braking. It doesn't look it but it is heavy and it is an absolute BEAST. The most obvious cons - price of purchase and service, albeit I found one used on private sale w/very low miles - so I know it is possible to find one. I have not had it for very long, but I honestly can not think of a better (currently available in the US market) tow vehicle/daily commuter dual purpose vehicle, 30+ mpg, 700 mile range, and no problem parking it in an underground garage at work. I would have gone with a Touareg TDI which is rated for 7,700 lbs towing capacity, but it does not have the 3rd row seating (the shorter length gives it the higher tow rating, apparently). It is a similar story w/ GC EcoDiesel actually (no 3rd row option).

Just saying.

--

 

[Betik]

Right , I wish!!!! Actually I might be able to find good deal that VW is buying back of them. Noo i cannot justified it. Toooo Much money. I already pushed my wife into agreeing on buying a boat 2-3 years ahead of schedule. I cannot buy a 4th vehicle in 2016 ( prius, tundra, Pilot and then Audi). I think he IRS will probably audit me. LOL

 

[Cwigg951]

Thought I'd lend my $0.02 to this thread. I towed my 2012 SX240 from Atlanta to Charleston (300 miles) with my 2012 4x4 V6 Tacoma. I have the manual transmission which allowed better gear selection and less "hunting", but I will say I will never tow that far again with the truck. The truck is rated for 6400 lbs and has the tow package, but it was unpleasant. The profile of the boat is so much larger than the truck, and combined with the weight, maintaining 70 MPH especially up hills was totally impossible. I averaged between 55 MPH and 70 MPH the entire trip, and got about 8 MPG. I could tell I was really stressing the truck. It was a one time deal for me done out of necessity, as we usually tow with our 2004 4Runner V8 AWD. It pulls the boat far better. Low end torque is key, and a heavy vehicle makes a big difference.

Hope this helps you out.

Chris

 

[jameskeller76]

easy answer, no.

 

[Betik]

 

[PEARCE]

I hate to say what others have already @Betik , but they are all right. A loaded 240 on the trailer, even without gas, is gonna outweigh your Pilot. That's not a good thing, especially long distance at highway speeds. Short trips on side streets and being very cautious might be ok but nothing more.
We had a '01 F150 with the 5.4 v8 and tow package when we first got our Yamaha. It did fine most of the time. It's only downside was it sucked down the gas to make the needed power and reved a lot which I wasn't conformable with. My limit on towing time behind the wheel was around four hours. I was just too stressed and exhausted after that. We had a lightweight camper at the time too and I was the same way pulling it too. We decided that we wanted to journey farther from home and I told my wife that the only way that was gonna happen was with a diesel truck. That's what we got and I'll never tow a trailer any bigger then a jetski with a gas truck again.

My $.02!

 

[BlackandTan]

I had a 2008 Honda Ridgeline, which I believe is the same platform as the Pilot/Odyssey, when I bought my 242 Limited S. I was hopeful that I could tow the boat with the Ridgeline, but after doing the math there was no way. A month later I bought a RAM 1500 Hemi, it was the only truck that I thought came close to the Ridgeline in ride and comfort, that could tow my boat. The Ridgeline was a great little truck for everyday driving and weekend trips to Home Depot, but unsafe for towing the boat. The RAM has been awesome towing the boat!

 

[mrmeaniemeateaterman]

@Betik Looking at post here sounds like everyone is drilling you about the Pilot...so I want to kick you some too while you are down. Like @BlackandTan I too HAD a Rdgeline and now how have a Ram. I think that speaks volumes. And for what it's worth I think the Ridgeline may actually be rated to tow 500lbs more that the Pilot. Below is my response a year ago, from an old post about another member @SSPK2015 asking about towing with a Pilot.

I have an AR210 that until recently I towed with a 2008 Honda Ridgeline. The Ridgeline is rated at 5000lb towing vs the Pilot's 4500. The Ridgeline got the job done, but it was not a pleasant experience. For my shortest trips to the ramp (2 miles) obviously no problems. Any longer trips and I got frustrated. The Ridgeline's constant transmission hunting drove me nuts. It would pull hard in 3rd gear at 3500 rpm but would not shift up. If you let up on the gas any at all then it would shift to 4th, then quickly to 5th. It had no power in 5th gear, so you would start to decelerate, so you give it more gas, causing it to shift back to 3rd gear and start the process all over again. On our longer 2.5 hour trips, this would make me absolutely insane. If the ridgeline had a tow/maul where you it would not go into 5th gear it wouldn't be an bad tow vehicle (within it's rating). I will also add the boat/ridgeline combo did not feel safe at freeway speeds, curvy roads, or hard breaking situations. But I will say I never had any problems with the steepest/slippery ramps though.

But ultimately I had enough. Just a few weeks ago I bought a Ram 1500. Couldn't be happier. No more gear hunting. No more getting tossed around/jostled every time we hit a bump. Now having the Ram I realize how much the Ridgeline was struggling. The bigger truck feels way more secure in stopping/pulling/ curvy road/ everything. The best was to summarize it is this: before with the Ridgeline you weren't sure if you were pulling the boat or getting pushed by the boat. Now with the Ram 1500, there is no doubt who is in charge. The Ram is rated at 10,000 lbs max towing. Being at 50% of your towing capacity vs 100% capacity is worth the price paid.

 

[AZDANSX230HO]

@Betik Looking at post here sounds like everyone is drilling you about the Pilot...so I want to kick you some too while you are down. Like @BlackandTan I too HAD a Rdgeline and now how have a Ram. I think that speaks volumes. And for what it's worth I think the Ridgeline may actually be rated to tow 500lbs more that the Pilot. Below is my response a year ago, from an old post about another member @SSPK2015 asking about towing with a Pilot.

I have an AR210 that until recently I towed with a 2008 Honda Ridgeline. The Ridgeline is rated at 5000lb towing vs the Pilot's 4500. The Ridgeline got the job done, but it was not a pleasant experience. For my shortest trips to the ramp (2 miles) obviously no problems. Any longer trips and I got frustrated. The Ridgeline's constant transmission hunting drove me nuts. It would pull hard in 3rd gear at 3500 rpm but would not shift up. If you let up on the gas any at all then it would shift to 4th, then quickly to 5th. It had no power in 5th gear, so you would start to decelerate, so you give it more gas, causing it to shift back to 3rd gear and start the process all over again. On our longer 2.5 hour trips, this would make me absolutely insane. If the ridgeline had a tow/maul where you it would not go into 5th gear it wouldn't be an bad tow vehicle (within it's rating). I will also add the boat/ridgeline combo did not feel safe at freeway speeds, curvy roads, or hard breaking situations. But I will say I never had any problems with the steepest/slippery ramps though.

But ultimately I had enough. Just a few weeks ago I bought a Ram 1500. Couldn't be happier. No more gear hunting. No more getting tossed around/jostled every time we hit a bump. Now having the Ram I realize how much the Ridgeline was struggling. The bigger truck feels way more secure in stopping/pulling/ curvy road/ everything. The best was to summarize it is this: before with the Ridgeline you weren't sure if you were pulling the boat or getting pushed by the boat. Now with the Ram 1500, there is no doubt who is in charge. The Ram is rated at 10,000 lbs max towing. Being at 50% of your towing capacity vs 100% capacity is worth the price paid.

I agree, now if you want the ultimate towing experience buy a 3/4 ton diesel and you do not know the boat is behind you, they are worth every penny, I will never tow with anything less than what I have now, it's a night and day difference between 1/2 ton gassers that I have owned.

 

[mrmeaniemeateaterman]

@AZDANSX230HO let's not get sidetracked with gas/diesel debate all over again. We need to stay focused on the bashing of the Honda "trucks".

 

[AZDANSX230HO]

@AZDANSX230HO let's not get sidetracked with gas/diesel debate all over again. We need to stay focused on the bashing of the Honda "trucks".

I tried to stay out of bashing Honda "trucks" LOL, don't make me go there @mrmeaniemeateaterman

 

[Betik]

I thought the objective here was to pour salt on my wounds, no????

I love it thought. I got here with the hope to get a good used 190 and I might end up with 240 and 350 dually.

 

[Speedling]

I thought the objective here was to pour salt on my wounds, no????

I love it thought. I got here with the hope to get a good used 190 and I might end up with 240 and 350 dually.

Well, we sure do know how to spend other people's money!

 

[blacksapphirez]

I love my tow rig. Most comfortable, quiet, 30mpg(unloaded), 16~19mpg towing the boat at 70~80mph... Half Ton diesel is the sweet spot for both!

3/4 ton is a over kill for 90% of people that have them.

 

[Betik]

Overkill indeed, but it will be cool though, right ? In Europe they tow 240s on diesel Mazdas, but here diesel towing is different ballgame.

 

[AZDANSX230HO]

I love my tow rig. Most comfortable, quiet, 30mpg(unloaded), 16~19mpg towing the boat at 70~80mph... Half Ton diesel is the sweet spot for both!

3/4 ton is a over kill for 90% of people that have them.

I guess I am in the 10% club, I tow heavier things than my boat with my 3/4 ton diesel.

 

[AZDANSX230HO]

Overkill indeed, but it will be cool though, right ? In Europe they tow 240s on diesel Mazdas, but here diesel towing is different ballgame.

Buy once cry once, best money you will ever spend on a nicely equipped 3/4 ton diesel that will last you a very long time and you can tow just about anything you want with 100% confidence.

 

[Matt Phillips]

Another option is to fly there, then rent a U-haul truck and tow with that for the one time long distance. The U-haul may not look sexy in front of your boat, but could be a reasonably priced safe option.

As many others have said, eventually you will likely need to increase your tow vehicle as that 240 will be too much for it. At the end of the day, it's not a matter of will your car tow the boat, but a matter of will it tow is safely for your family and other innocent people on the road...

 

[Betik]

Although you might think this is against my sentiment, I am concerned about other drivers safety.

Sexy towing is a lost cause. I could be towing on a Range Rover, but the moment that tinted window rolls down, sexy is over.
There is a positive side to my appreace though. I get scare away all the sharks. Stick with me if you want to be shark free.