My '17 Citadel 3.6L doesn't have a trailer hitch. Can the dealer install and OEM hitch etc? Guess on the costs? I'd be pulling a "smallish" 25-foot trailer.

 

Wife’s 2020 RT didn’t come with a hitch either. Purchased the hitch and hitch cover (RT specific i think). Dealer installed - $780 for the hitch installed and $80 to have the hitch cover painted. Hey high price i know but needed to have Thule bike rack back in use.

In your case pulling a trailer will require wiring - i forget the price on that - another $300 or so perhaps? I opted to not have the wiring done as i don’t pull a trailer.

If you do get it with wiring - posit back the full price as i suspect i will pull a trailer or boat some day :-)

 

Without the trailer brake controller 3.6L isn't rated to pull very much. Even with the brake controller it's not rated for much. You might want to think about swapping it for an 8 speed R/T, which is rated to pull 7700lbs with a trailer brake controller. I bought parts for mine from moparpartsdirect, but don't have a brake controller yet. I'm actually planning to install them this week.

 

Let's hear more about that smallish trailer. I have a 25' camper and while my 2015 Durango RT (with factory tow package) could get it to speed and slow it down (after adding a trailer brake controller). But any wind or concrete freeways with an up/down pattern really made it unpleasant. We added a Ram 1500 to our garage and it is much more capable, even though its pretty much the same engine and transmission.

Make sure you are well within your ratings, and watch the tongue weight, not just the overall trailer weight. It's very easy to end up with too much weight (passengers, cargo, tongue weight of trailer) with a big trailer.

 

Thanks for all the tips/advice guys! I really appreciate everyone's comments.
My question revolves around a "debate" I'm having with my wife. I say small trailer or go big and get a Class C RV. I say either, she says neither! The battle continues. :-)

 

Sounds like you have another issue to resolve before worrying about a trailer. But on the trailer issue, between the two a class C would be the better choice. V6s and trailers are not a happy mix, particularly if you decide to go somewhere hilly.

I also have a third option for you - something I plan to do is build an RV out of a school bus. Custom built to my wishes, strong enough to pull a second car on a trailer.

 

So, you're going the home-made Class A route? Sounds like a pretty ambitious project, and well beyond my skill and energy levels. If we do anything it will involve simply signing a check and driving away.
My goal was to buy a used Class C ($50,000-$60,000) and travel for a couple of years and then sell it, knowing full well that we'd get hammered on the resale. And I also conceded that boats (which she has owned), airplanes (which I have owned) and RVs are essentially a manner to burn up large amounts of cash with no appreciable return except for temporary ego satisfaction and lots of fun. And you know about the "Two happiest days in a boat owners life . . . ." So, the struggle continues. :-)

 

Yeah, can't afford what I want, don't like anything in my budget. If I had lottery money it would be one of those RVs with the slide-out tray for a car underneath. I don't know if you can wait another year or so, but rumor control has it that when covid is better dealt with people will be wanting to get rid of their RVs, which will drive the price down even further. Good luck to you, however it plays out for you.

 

I think your vehicle isn't really meant to tow anything. Locally, we have a place that sells trailers and equipment and they added the hitch and wiring to my '16 Mazda CX-5. I usually use the receiver to hold a bike carrier but I have pulled a trailer a couple of times. It didn't really like it. Plus, my fuel mileage went from 30-32 to 19. The lack of torque can be a killer.

I'd be going with a motorhome myself. I had a Class B for a while and it was just really handy. I remember camping and the people next door were breaking camp the same time. I finished breakfast, went to the bathroom, watched the morning news and so on while they were hooking up and breaking camp. I then unhooked the shoreline and water hose, unhooked the stinky slinky and drove off while they were still breaking things down. The B was a bit small for me though. If I get another unit, I'd go with a Class A, although I've seen C's that were almost as big. I see some that are older and under $10,000. Get one that's stored inside when not used and it can be like new. Just don't get one with a leaky roof.

 

Great advice from everyone!
Right now the wife is winning. She frequently reminds me that if we get a trailer I'd have to learn how to back it up -- which has a long and colorful history in our relationship. Also storage would be a problem as we don't have the room at the house. "MORE expenses," she points out. Plus, furnishing the kitchen stuff from our local Goodwill wouldn't please her very much either. My dream is fading into the mists of infallible reason. Every week i dump some more cash into our supplemental retirement plan (AKA, the lottery) absolutely positive that this week is THE week. I've been wrong for 520 consecutive weeks. Hope springs eternal.