Over the years, we've had several tow vehicles, including pickup trucks, the old venerable Saturn, and now a shiny black Ford Explorer.

Here's the scoop: The pickups were OK, but I gave up the motorcycle after getting creamed 5 years ago by a lady in blue hair, so no need for the truck.

Then about 5 years ago, we started with the Saturn, as they are noted for tow-ability. What Saturn doesn't tell you is that with the front wheel drive system that they have, the axle housing is highly stressed, especially with a heavy (pick a name) coach. Ours finally broke at about 70K miles.

So, we looked around, wanting to have some kind of reasonably economical gas users for a tow vehicle, yet one which was comfortable on the road and had some degree of safety.

We settled on the Ford Explorer.

Now, Ford doesn't do a very good job of telling customers up front about what can be towed and what can't be towed; you have to make the salesman find out for sure.

But once you find a towable Explorer, here's how to do it: After you have ground them into the dirt (or so you think) on the deal, make them throw in the special order tow-solenoid for the transmission.

The solenoid (I didn't get the part number for those who like such things) basically puts the transfer case in neutral. What you also get with the solenoid is a set of nifty stickers which tell you how to get the vehicle prepared for towing.

Get this: When you follow the right procedure, you then have a light which lights up (Yes, Mango, an LED), and when the light goes from blinking to staying on, your vehicle is ready to tow. If it isn't on, don't do it.

There have been stories bouncing around about people thinking that they are ready to tow, and do so, with varying results, normally resulting in more or less un-rounded tires, or worse.

With the Ford system, it is pretty much idiot proof, as long as you follow the procedure.

Of course, we got the solenoid and the installation at no extra charge since we had already made the deal, so that makes it even better.

And that's the way it is.