Tow Car.....

[mattyaddis]

Hi all

I'm just starting out, and need to get something suitable for getting everything to a meeting and still use it as an everyday car. I will be towing a trailer with a Formula Vauxhall Junior on.

I've been looking at the Vectra and Mondeo estates, anyone had any experience with either of these? Around £8k to spend.

Any thoughts or advice would be apreciated.

Matty

[Tim Falce]

I can't comment on the Vectra but the Mondeo TDCi is an excellent tow car. Also think about something like a diesel Citroen C5, these are extremely comfortable and economical.

[Stuart H]

I've got a Sokda octavia tdi. No problems with towing the saxo at all.

[GORDON STREETER]

Whatever you get I would plug for a ´'modernish' diesel that should return good mpg. Unfortunatly just about every car made apart from Mercs or Beemers are front wheel drive, really good for towing on wet grass especially at Cadwell Park

[mattyaddis]

Originally Posted by GORDON STREETER

....Unfortunatly just about every car made apart from Mercs or Beemers are front wheel drive, really good for towing on wet grass especially at Cadwell Park

Ha ha yeah true!

What about room inside for all the kit in? Seats up and down?

Matt

[Tim Falce]

Originally Posted by mattyaddis

Ha ha yeah true!

What about room inside for all the kit in? Seats up and down?

Matt

Mondeo or Citroen

[Paul D]

Gordon makes a good point there - I've never really been a big fan of FWD cars as tow-cars. I guess you'd be OK if it's a very light car/trailer combo, but even then, by the time you've loaded up the boot of the car with all your kit, it's still going to leave the front (drive) wheels unloaded, so you could struggle for traction in some situations.

I'm sure others will disagree, and I'm probably a bit biased as I usually tow a much heavier trailer, for which I wouldn't dream of using something FWD - but for the budget you've got, and to use as a daily driver too, I'd go for something like an Audi A6 TDi Quattro Avant (estate) or an Audi Allroad TDi - both have massive carrying capacity, 4WD, reasonable economy, fantastic towing ability and German quality. What's not to like? You could even try the A4 equivalent if you don't need that much space and want something a bit more compact.

[bdwoody]

i have used my audi a4 1.9tdi to tow for ages all over the place and it does good mpg and pulls 1800kgs of trailer and car no problem at all.

[NJH]

I bought a late 90's Range Rover 2.5 diesel to use as a tow car but I have grown quite fond of it and use it all the time now. I was seeing around 25 to 26 mpg towing last year. Recently on normal driving I am seeing low 30's on long runs and high 20's everything else. Best I have seen is a bit under 35. Needless to say its brilliant off road. A big diesel car would definitely be more economical when not towing though, something like the Ford S-Max has tempted me, got high 40's out of one as a rental and it has some crazy high tow rating of something like 2.2 tonne.

[VIVA GT]

Originally Posted by GORDON STREETER

Whatever you get I would plug for a ´'modernish' diesel that should return good mpg. Unfortunatly just about every car made apart from Mercs or Beemers are front wheel drive, really good for towing on wet grass especially at Cadwell Park

It's not just wet grass at Cadwell Gordon. I towed my Mini Se7en for a while with a 1300cc Mini Traveller. Driving out of the pits at Brands was OK as long as I didn't have to stop at the top near to The Kentagon. If I did I'd get no traction and just sit there with the front wheels spinning!
On a more serious note, I also found that towing a Mini with another Mini didn't make that stable a combination. I'd say that the tow car needs to be significantly bigger, and heavier than what it's towing. (It was much better towing with my faithful Viva GT!)

[terence]

Audi A4 170 BHP tdi takes a lot of beating.

[MGDavid]

Originally Posted by terence bower

Audi A4 170 BHP tdi takes a lot of beating.

same engine comes in VW Passat and Skoda Octavia; the more modern curvy designs do not have the square / cube rear space of older stuff; my 06 Octavia is probably best all-rounder I've had.

[Chris Y]

Originally Posted by terence bower

Audi A4 170 BHP tdi takes a lot of beating.

When can I start?

[105 Mad]

I bought a very cheap Freelander (£4,000) for towing, race car + trailer = 1300kg, it tows fantasticlly well. Make sure it's the BMW TD4 engined version & look forward to 35mpg whilst towing + 55mpg on it's own. Yes really!!!

[JohnD]

Tim Falce above recommended a Citroen C5 Tourer (poncy name for estate).
I agree; 2.2Hdi has towing weight of 1800kgs, the load space with the seats down has been described as a 'hanger on wheels'. The "Hydractive" suspension autolevels, makes hitching very easy and is a must, but only available on one model now.

John

[GORDON STREETER]

Originally Posted by VIVA GT

On a more serious note, I also found that towing a Mini with another Mini didn't make that stable a combination. I'd say that the tow car needs to be significantly bigger, and heavier than what it's towing)

I've only just caught up with this (the beach bars are to blame) years ago my old man used to tow a caravan with a Mini and by the time my mother had loaded the kitchen sink it must have been well dangerous.
Now of course there are weight restrictions on what you can tow, but I'm pretty sure lots of people are still oblivious and break the law all the time regarding what is legal.
'Smallish' purpose built camper vans by their nature are so heavy that carrying anything other than a small trailer and car are on the borderline

[McMuttley]

Last year I used a 3.2 PETROL auto Touareg to pull a heavy covered trailer with car wheels tyres etc. Uphill 8mpg, down 70+. How come we always seemed to be going uphill?

FOR SALE, 3.2 Petrol Touareg - with flappy paddle gearbox (WHY VW WHY)

[GORDON STREETER]

If you use a small tow vehicle you are more likely to get a pull by the law rather than a big estate/van or 4x4.
I was pulled in by the police in my SWB Transit years ago and put on a weighbridge complete with trailer /race car and found to be overweight on the rear axle of the van by a small (less than 1 cwt) amount.
I was summons for this 'heinous' crime and had to appear in court miles away as this had happened coming back from Knockhill.
However I did my homework and found that the weighbridge didn't have an up to date calibration certificate and got off, and was awarded costs
Has anyone else on 10/10ths been pulled/fined for overweight towing ?

[VIVA GT]

Originally Posted by GORDON STREETER

If you use a small tow vehicle you are more likely to get a pull by the law rather than a big estate/van or 4x4.
I was pulled in by the police in my SWB Transit years ago and put on a weighbridge complete with trailer /race car and found to be overweight on the rear axle of the van by a small (less than 1 cwt) amount.
I was summons for this 'heinous' crime and had to appear in court miles away as this had happened coming back from Knockhill.
However I did my homework and found that the weighbridge didn't have an up to date calibration certificate and got off, and was awarded costs
Has anyone else on 10/10ths been pulled/fined for overweight towing ?

A very cocky Northamptonshire Police Officer pulled us in the late 80's. We were using the traditional converted coach carrying a Touring Car, Honda Acty pit vehicle and all the relevant spares, on our way to a Silverstone test day. He decidied to haul us off to a loacal weighbridge to see how overweight we were.
The look on his face when he discovered that everything was in order weight wise was quite amusing. (The transporter had been professionally modified to carry two Capri's a few years previously, so the spring ratings etc. had been changed accordingly).
Unfortunately, there was also the problem that we were running the transporter on trade plates... (But this was a mere technicality!)

[GORDON STREETER]

When I walked out of the court the spotty 15 year old copper was talking to the not so happy police prosecutor outside, As I passed them I remarked ' back on the old pushbike for a while then son'
I then drove off observing every speed limit for about 30 miles, however I forgot to add that I got done in a roadworks speed camera on the M11 at about 4am on the way up for the case, but the awarded costs covered that