Just a few thoughts on the tongue weight comments. I have run across the truck scales with my 99 Subaru Outback and my M-15 on the Trailrite trailer that it came with. Boat and trailer came in at 1400 pounds, with very little in the boat; the sail bag, a paddle, boat hook, cushions, life jackets, porta-pottie, sheets and docking lines. The OB, trailer spare tire, and the ground tackle kit were al in the back of the car. With the trailer unhooked from the car, I can lift the hitch enough to readily move the trailer wherever I want to. I would guess the tongue weight to be only 60 - 80 pounds. I will have to weigh it when I get home to check. The Outback is rated to pull 2000 pounds and the hitch is rated at 250/2500 (tongue weight/trailer weight), and on the road it doesn't even know the boat is back there. The car was purchased with pulling the boat as a goal. I consulted with my mechanic re the auto VS manual transmission question. His recommendation was to go with the Auto Transmission because it is kinder to the engine, and with an accessory transmission cooler and regular maintenance it should last for many years. My preference was for the standard transmission which in my Toyota Tercel 4WD wagon has lasted for 475,000+ miles, with out a new clutch, trans, or engine, however, I trust my mechanic's opinion. The Outback is a 4 cylinder, I wish it was a 6, but it still gets about 22 - 24 mpg and seems to run easy with Pelican in tow. I wish I had a transmission temp gauge but Subaru did see fit to have an idiot light that will come on if the trans heats up. Guess we will know how well it works and how right the mechanic is when I get a few hundred thousand miles on the combination. The Outback is a bit low, and when retrieving the boat, it usually comes just an inch shy of getting tight to the rubber vee on the winch post. It sits solid on the bunks and doesn't appear to have moved when I get home. I'm thinking maybe I need to move the winch post aft to meet the boat where it usually sits. The trailer does not have a tongue extension and that is coming soon and will probably help with getting the boat farther up on the trailer. This is my limited experience, ( except for my 475K miles on my Toyota ), and hopefully it might help someone else along the decision path. Harvey & Deena H M-15 #348 Pelican Walla Walla, WA