Fred Fauth

Well, for those of you following along in the other thread, we ended up trading our 2012 SL without tow package for this 2015 SL with all the bells and whistles. So far, it's been great. The new car feel makes it hard to even drive it - it's so nice! Our family is already loving it and we are moving on to the next phase of our planning - looking for a travel trailer.

The 2012 did come in an SL model and I indeed did buy a legit one - it was in great shape. As noted by someone else in the thread, the "tow package" was simply an option in 2012 that they started putting on all V8 models I think in 2014 (or maybe 2013). While I know not 100% reliable, the Carfax for the 2012 was completely clean. Anyhow - I'm just as happy to have the 2015 and the 5yr/100k warranty to go with it...

Sorry guys for the delay in getting back to everyone. I decided to trade the 2012 I bought and just get a brand new 2015 SL with tow package. We had debated getting a new one, and when I saw the 2012 with the SL package, I was excited because the price was good. Because of the tax structure here in MD, and a slight loss on the trade, I'm losing about $3k for my "mistake". Fortunately it's not bank-breaking for me, as we've been saving for years and are in the good position of not having a mortgage on our house. So I'm counting it an expensive learning experience. Unfortunately, my job has been intense and we have 5 children (two with special needs) - so sometimes money can make up the difference where time is unavailable. My belief is that there's a 75% probability that the 2012 SL w/ C4 hitch could have been retrofitted to work for towing, and even if not, I could have manually handled the shifting. But we're hoping to RV for a long time, and I just couldn't bring myself to not have the vehicle essentially "certified" to tow as much as we need - maybe one day the downhill grade control will come in handy. I've found a few trailers that will work for us and "dry" are around 5,500-6,000 lbs. and provide the sleeping capacity we need. That will put us, fully loaded with people in the van, at least 10% below the max threshold. Before I buy, I'm definitely going to be posting ideas here and joining RV.net. I especially appreciate the advice regarding WD hitches. I have been doing my reading. I don't want to make the same mistake about the trailer as I did with the NV (i.e., buying something that won't really work for us). So I'm going to be extra careful at this point to get the setup we need and ask a lot of questions. Thanks for the advice and help!

Yeah I'm still mulling over what the way forward is... We know one thing and that is that we want to get the truck even if we don't RV forever. We are hoping to get one "big" trip and a number of "small" trips in each year. My job is such that I earn "comp time" for busy seasons that can be parlayed into vacation time... and next year I will earn 4 weeks a year due to time on the job here... My hope is to get 5 years out of the RV thing - until the kids are getting into later teen years. At least that's my thinking right now.

UPDATE: Both dealerships have told me that the tow mode capability cannot be added to the 2012 NV ...

We have found several models in the 6500# dry range that will work for us... UPDATE ON THE "TOW MODE" BEING ADDED AFTERMARKET: I have calls into several dealerships to see if the Tow Mode feature can be added on -- if it can, and that's the only real difference with the tow package other than the mirrors and hitch, it would appear we will be good to go. I'm hopeful that the tow mode switch is simply wired into the computer and that they can either flash the programming on the computer or something similar to make this work.

Resurrecting this old thread. Is it possible to have the tow package added to the vehicle aftermarket by the dealer? I have a 2012 SL w/o tow package and would like to upgrade to the tow package.

So I've spent a lot of time tonight reading the owner's manual. It's hard for me to figure out why the "non-tow-package" trailers are limited to 6,200 lbs, and I'm wondering if that all gets back to whether the trailer has "tow mode" or not. On page 9-22: "Your vehicle may be equipped with Class IV trailer hitch equipment that has a 10,000 lb. maximum weight rating, but your vehicle is only capable of towing the maximum trailer weights shown in the "Towing Load/Specification" chart earlier in this section." This suggests that even with a Class IV hitch, at least Nissan thinks that without the Tow Package, you can't go up to 8,700 lbs. Then in another place, it says this: "If your vehicle is not equipped with the optional trailer tow package, check the towing capacity of your bumper hitch or receiver-type frame mounted hitch. Choose a proper hitch for your vehicle and trailer. A genuine NISSAN trailer hitch is available from your NISSAN dealer. Make sure the trailer hitch is securely attached to the vehicle to help avoid personal injury or property damage due to sway caused by crosswinds, rough road surfaces or passing trucks." Which implies you can perhaps "adjust" your truck's towing capacity based on which hitch equipment you buy. But I'm coming down to the idea that if you don't have the "tow package" and therefore don't have the "tow mode" switch, NISSAN at least doesn't think you can tow up to the 8,700 lbs. They want you to be limited to only 6,200 lbs. I cannot find anything definitive on what the "tow package" actually includes over and above the Class IV hitch and requisite wiring - like a word-for-word description of what changes it makes. I think it probably is just the "tow mode" button and associated "transmission management" that the "tow mode" performs. So frustrating. I guess this is my initiation into trying to get ready for RV'in. I'm 35 years old and want to get into RV'ing, but it seems that my very first endeavor I have made a mistake. So frustrating.

Yeah the 2012 had the SL trim level. It looks like we may be OK but need to be extra careful when RV'ing because we won't have the benefit of the "tow mode" feature when going up and down grades -- that means we may have to do some manual shifting when driving over the mountains.

I am finding that at least one thing the tow mode button does is simply shift the transmission shift points. I am now thinking maybe there is the same transmission in both and that the difference with the tow package is primarily the class 4 hitch... Other than my guess about the transmission do you have other information that the transmission is actually different? I am trying to get a definitive list on what needs to be changed to make this work. The 2012 SL does allow for manual gear selection. I would be willing to use this with towing if needed. I'm mostly trying to decide whether I should sell this one and buy one with tow mode, or whether I can get the wiring and hitch and whatnot done to this and otherwise be ready...

Planning to tow a large trailer 6500 lbs dry probably closer to 7750 fully loaded. I guess I am specifically trying to figure out what the "tow package" adds to the vehicle and whether this can be safely replicated after market to make my nv passenger able to tow to the vehicle's maximum capacity of 8700 lbs.

Jerry, do I need to worry about not having the tow package? I have a connector back there.

Unfortunately, I bought it private party. The guy (who I believe to be very honest) marketed it with the tow package. I saw the big hitch on the back mounted to the frame and assumed that it had the tow package. Now I am realizing it has the accessory hitch which is only rated for 6,200 lbs instead of 8,700 lbs. This won't work for us and I am kicking myself. I got a "fair" deal on this car (paid the KBB "very good" private party price - the car is in great condition and only has 18,500 miles). I haven't titled it in my name yet, because the loan company has yet to send me the title. I think for others, this van would really meet their needs. But where we want to haul a heavy trailer, I actually think we need the tow package. I'm also seeing that the transmission is slightly different with the tow package - so I'm thinking that that may factor into the hauling ability. So frustrated with myself - although I don't know why I should be - made the best decision with the information I knew at the time - really researched it - and just didn't think to assume that this big hitch could be the "accessory" hitch instead of the "tow package". For $460 I can see why they just added it to the SL in future years... ..... UGH.

And if it is the accessory hitch, can it be upgraded...