To tow or not to tow - that is the question

If you're doing this as a one time deal to move all your belongings it's dangerous. And while I've towed all kinds of stuff with my Prius each load is different and the heavier the load the less control you have over the car. So I always recommend slowly building up to heavier loads until you realize what's too heavy and unsafe and never haul that much again.

In your case, that's not an option... If I were you I'd start shipping stuff home before you leave and buy a roof rack and hitch haul so you can haul as much as is safe without a trailer and then find a place to store the other stuff till you come up with a plan later in the year to bring it home. I bet that will be way cheaper than $2K and not much more than $500.

 

i would skip it all and pay a mover. although, a 2004 isn't worth much if you blow it up. it would be inconvenient though, stuck somewhere in the middle of canada

 

You said "we". Do you have more than one legal driver in this household?

If so, how much would it cost to rent a truck just big enough to carry your stuff (less whatever can be packed inside the Prius), without any towing accessories? It seems this ought to be cheaper than equipping to tow the Prius. One driver drive the truck, the other drive the Prius.

As for crossing Kelly's Mountain, a look at a map suggests that there are alternate routes without this climb and descent. Do they have equivalent problems?

 

That's the $2K price she already mentioned... Driving a uhaul or other brand of rental truck one way is very expensive and driving one way to another country is even more expensive. And Bisco's suggestion of hiring a moving company to handle it will be even more expensive than that. Besides, it's just stuff... Doing without for a while to figure out least expensive way to get it home is likely lowest price without towing.

 

The car has a ~1000lb payload however you distribute it- that's what the brakes are built to safely stop.

You're describing a load considerably above that limit.

I tow with my Prius, but I'm strict about the load math: I'll rent a 400lb trailer and put a 400lb lawn tractor on it to take it in for repair, my own body weight fills the remaining allowance, so the rest of the car must remain empty for that trip.

If you fill every bit of the car, strap on bikes and boxes and more you'll be overweight before even hooking up the trailer.

I hate to break it to you but I think you might have some unrealistic ideas about the actual costs of relocation. Letting go and replacing your stuff at the destination isn't cheap but it's still (almost always) the cheapest.

 

I took that price to include a dolly and lighting and any other necessary towing equipment, and possibly a larger truck to hold and handle the entire load. I.e. was there any meaningful savings to deleting all the towing equipment and possibly downsizing the truck?

I was a licensed driver at that age. But it wasn't honored across most state borders, let alone an international border. And it was an area without anything resembling the urban density that your journey will pass through. At least then. With greater density now, the age requirement has been boosted.

 

Sounds like a sound plan. We got to meet one PriusChat member on a trip to HI. Also got into contact with one member who actually lives nearby. Hopefully you can take a break and meet some along your journey.

Safe journey!

moto g(7) power ?

 

If it has the original hybrid battery forget about that. I used to rent a 8 foot open motorcycle trailer all the time. Its heavy but the smallest you can rent.
It hammers the battery and the regen brakes are non existent. And I’m a flat lander. Any mountains forget it you won’t make it over.

your in trouble to begin with on a very low mile 2004 that does not bode well for the hybrid battery prius g2 battery does best if driven a lot high miles every day.

should be an exciting drive. Make sure you have AAA.
Change the oil use Mobil 1 5-30 and check it every morning before starting the car. Keep it at the fullline always,
Hope you have fresh inverter fluid too. Take the top plastic cover off the top of the rad there’s a rad cap there check the coolant level. Leave the screws off that cover it’s trapped tight when the hood is closed the overflow tank is useless to gauge level of coolant. Any mountains make sure hybrid battery is full before starting up turn on the heat full hot.

good luck let us know. It’s tough little car but will quickly reveal how well you have taken care of the car tune wise,

 

Times have changed... When we were kids we couldn't wait to start driving and getting our license was a huge opportunity to head out on the open road. Not so much these days. The world is much more crowded and too many kids have grown up being stuck in traffic and watching their parents get stressed out about it so they see no joy and freedom in being able to drive in the way we once did.

 

There is no Toyota Warranty remaining on any Gen 2 Prius, so you are not invalidating anything by towing at this point. (If you had a warranty then Toyota's opinion would matter some)

As others have said, babying it will be kinder than a death march.
Trail of Tears - Wikipedia
Bataan Death March - Wikipedia

Last time I moved, I wrapped a computer in my clothing and left everything else.

 

Kids have smartphones now, pushing aside cars as a means to keep in social contact with their friends and peers. And much less expensive too.

 

Yep... And it's way more fun to sit around and party with your friends while playing near real life like video games. That's way different than the 80's when our idea of a fun evening was finding someone who was 21 to buy us beer and then when we were done drinking we'd race our crappy cars down the mountain. It's a wonder we survived doing that so often.