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All pictures and content are 2003 copyright of Marshall Swartz, Falmouth, MA.
 

Tow Vehicle:

Honda 2000 Odyssey LX van:

I bought this Honda van new before even considering purchasing the Bambi.   After 37 months and 117,000 miles, including 25,500 miles towing the Bambi, it has been an excellent vehicle, with no breakdowns or major failures.  Gas mileage has been 22 mpg highway highway, 18 mpg in town, and 12 mpg while towing the Bambi.   I have added the Honda brand dealer-installed automatic transmission cooler, and the Honda brand 2-inch hitch receiver.  Tires were upgraded early to Goodyear Weatherhandler LS 225-65R16, which have given excellent service.   The Odyssey is shown below hooked up to the Bambi and ready to travel.   The Bambi's two Maxx-Air vent covers can also be seen in this photo.

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Draw-Tite Hitch Receiver; Halogen Backup Lights; Blue Ox Hitch Head mounted on Odyssey:

This was purchased in 2001 after the Honda brand hitch receiver bent while I drove over an unavoidable road hazard.   Researching available hitch receivers, I found this Draw-Tite was specifically made for the Honda Odyssey 2000 and up, bolts on, and was constructed of substantially greater cross-section of steel in better orientation at the high-stress areas of the structure.  The price at U-Haul for me to purchase the receiver (and for me to do the installation on my own) was $150, which was $170 less than Honda's price for their receiver.  In addition, for an extra $5, I got a no-questions-asked, any-reason lifetime warranty when I purchased it from U-Haul, honored at any U-Haul dealer in the US.

A pair of marine-grade saltwater-proof halogen anchor lights were installed under my Odyssey bumper to provide wide area illumination behind the van, helpful when backing up to hitch.  They are wired through a relay to come on either when the van is in reverse, or when activated by a 5-minute off-delay switch (to avoid leaving them on).  The rubber and stainless construction has kept them from corroding like much more expensive automotive lights for the same purpose.

The photo below shows the Blue Ox hitch head installed on the Draw-Tite hitch receiver. and the trailer applying normal load onto the tongue.

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file: tow_vehicle.html  Updated April 17. 2003
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