After picking up (and de-bugifying) our long-term 2009 Dodge Ram 1500 I've hooked a U-Haul car trailer to its Class IV hitch and loaded up one 1970 Plymouth GTX.
Departure time from the Mile High City is T-minus 10 minutes. Waiting for me are over 1,000 miles, two 10,000-plus-foot mountain passes and several long stretches of triple-digit temperatures through Arizona, Nevada and California's Death Valley.
In the few miles between the local U-Haul franchise and my Dad's house this pair of Mopars generated quite a few second glances, call-outs and thumbs up. So far the "That thing gotta Hemi?" count is at zero. I'll be sure to report which yocal grabs that low-hanging fruit first.
Pre-GTX towing the Ram offered plenty of power, stable handling, a comfortable ride and high-teens MPG. We'll soon know what 6,000-lbs of muscle-car-bearing trailer does to each of those traits. For those who care, the one-way cost of an open, two-axle U-Haul car transporter between Denver and Los Angeles was $754, including $72 for $10,000 insurance and $66 in taxes.
See you on the other side (of the Continental Divide).
Karl Brauer, Edmunds.com Editor in Chief at 2,083 miles
pat1usmc says:
07:37 AM, 07/16/09
Sounds like fun. Nice looking GTX!
Isn't the Ram brand new? I thought you were supposed to wait a certain about of miles before you do any towing.
firstwagon says:
07:44 AM, 07/16/09
I normally cross mountain passes everytime I head out with my travel trailer so I'm really curious how the Dodge does. That's a big load for a 1/2 tonne and it should be a good test.
good_2_go says:
08:37 AM, 07/16/09
"It Takes a Mopar to Tow a Mopar."
That doesn't sound biased at all, does it.
lvranger says:
09:22 AM, 07/16/09
Looks like a lot of tongue weight. It will be interesting to see how the new coils compare to leafs. Looks a bit saggy in the photo.
jstandefer says:
10:34 AM, 07/16/09
That GTX makes the Ram look like a Dakota. That's a big car!
firstwagon says:
12:32 PM, 07/16/09
"That doesn't sound biased at all, does it."
It's not bias, it's tradition. In the same way a Shelby Mustang owner would never tow their car with a Chevy and a classic Vette owner would never use a F150 to tow his car, a Mopar owner would (should) always use a Mopar.
All part of the fun.
throwback says:
12:59 PM, 07/16/09
Hey Brauer, when are you going to drive the GTX? I am waiting for a drive report, I have always liked that body style.
bodyblue says:
01:58 PM, 07/16/09
This is a great real world test of a truck. Much better than trashing a vehicle built for work but driven in LA traffic.
roadburner says:
02:51 PM, 07/16/09
I always liked the 1970 Road Runner/GTX. Very clean and simple styling. Does yours have an Air Grabber?
mopar424 says:
04:26 PM, 07/16/09
lvranger is right, looks like alot of tongue weight, which is probably why the Ram looks a little saggy. If you could only position the car a little farther back to even it out a bit.
spen1818 says:
05:03 PM, 07/16/09
You could tow it with the trunk end forward. I am sure the GTX is not 50/50 weighted. That would even out the tongue weight.
editor_karl says:
05:08 PM, 07/16/09
GTX is indeed Air Grabber equipped. And trust me, I drive it. Bought the car with 81,000 miles, now the odo says 35,000. Was my wife's primary car for years, baby seat and all. And my primary car through high school and early college (owned it 23 years).
threem says:
06:27 PM, 07/16/09
Wow, almost 800 bucks to rent just a trailer. Guess I am not getting my 68 Mustang from the East Coast to the Deep South anytime soon....... Especially since I would have to rent a truck too.
stovt001 says:
11:22 AM, 07/17/09
"This is a great real world test of a truck. Much better than trashing a vehicle built for work but driven in LA traffic." I agree with the sentiment, but I'm not sure this particular Ram was "built for work". It is loaded up with practically every luxury feature offered and is priced in the neighborhood of Edmunds' beloved German sport sedans.