I want to replace my towed vehicle (toad) that goes behind my motor home and add another BMW to the stable, but can't find reliable information: an M/T 318ti is an easy choice, but can it be towed four wheels down? Any info or experience would be appreciated. Cliff Greenberg #90126
I have no clue - personally, I'd use a tow dolly at least to get the two front wheels up, and I'm going to guess that's what's recommended. I'd think a Mini or some front-wheel-drive vehicle would be more ideal for a two-wheel dolly, then you're only spinning wheels as you roll instead of cv-joints, axles, differential gears, and a driveshaft.
Thanks. I'm using a dolly now with a FWD, but lots of people tow all four down, and many Subarus, Jeeps, & other vehicles will work fine. There's the issue of wear and tear, but I haven't blown up a diff since my tii went up during a Club autocross so I can tolerate a little extra wear and tear in return for having a Bimmer. Most of my trips are relatively short right now, so it shouldn't be too bad. There will actually be less stress on the drive train than driving because the amount of torque is virtually zero.
For a simple manual transmission car left in neutral, there is no mechanical reason this would cause harm. You are just turning the drivetrain as it was designed. Other than adding some wear, it seems to me this shouldn't cause any harm
