Quote:
Originally Posted by Matyoka
Wow, nobody answered in 3 years and 2 months  I am planning on towing my 911 turbo from Montana to Arizona sometime after the winter. Will be using my 2005 X5 4.4i. All the info here is awesome and very helpful. |
I tow my 911 all over the midwest and to the east coast. 2004 4.4 with factory tow package and hitch. I've probably towed 20,000 miles, on flat highways, through the WV and PA mountains, and even in the snow once. I've done 1,000 miles straight stopping only for fuel (very often at 10.5 mpg) and it's a very comfortable. My towed weight with car, trailer, 8 spare wheels and tires, tools etc is 4500-4800 lbs.
I know others have talked about towing big 20' enclosed trailers and 8000 and 9000 lb trailers. I have no idea how. 4800 lbs has the V8 struggling in the mountains. I borrowed my BIL's 20' enclosed Haulmark trailer to move my 911. It was downright dangerous the way the trailer pulled the X5 around. And I was completely illegal too because I was pulling 7000 lbs which is above the X5 tow rating- completely illegal in every state I've ever driven in, and heaven forbid I'd had an accident I know my insurance company would not cover me. I'd considered an enclosed trailer for myself but after that short 3 hour tow, no way. And in the VA mountains I was down to 40 on interstate inclines, some times pulling 5000 in 3rd to make it up the grades.
But with my open aluminum trailer, it has always been a breeze. You will absolutely need the factory BMW hitch and wiring. Plus you'll need a brake controller unless your trailer has surge brakes (UHaul for example). The 4.4 V8 does a nice job for 4500-5000 lbs, I just keep it in 5th rather than in Drive and run 3000 rpm on most interstates, unless I'm on flat highway then upshift to 6th and I can run all day long at 75-80 with ease. But the key is the factory hitch, all the others on the market look like flimsy erector sets compared with the factory part.