Not sure if you got the car yet, but this spring we traveled from Burlington VT to Annapolis, MD in a VW Passat wagon (~1996 V6 5 spd manual) towing a Melges 24! The boat and trailer are about 2000#! We had a cartop carry full of gear and 800# of bodies in the car. We made it up mountains with this car, in second gear! Great car, I have a 2000 Passat wagon.

Good luck.