Hello, I am looking to buy a FC to holiday with the family (wife and 4yr old twin girls). We would use it for short UK breaks and 3 week summer holidays in Europe. We went to look at the Pennine Pathfinder and it looks super comfortable they also had the Countryman which whilst not as spacious/comfortable looked like it would be much easier/nicer to tow. I have never towed anything before so this is guess work on my part. I Would be grateful to get any advice on what these things are like to tow. Would there be much of a difference? Is it worth sacrificing some comfort on site for ease of towing? My tow vehicle would be my VW Transporter Camper.
As you observe, the Countryman will be a lot easier to tow.
We towed a Pullman for years ... was very easy ... the Pathfinder isn't that much larger, so I don't think you'd find any problem with towing it. Their low profile makes them all a pretty easy tow ... and ... the Pathfinder will give you so much more internal room and comfort. If finance is no object ... it's a no-brainer to me: Pathfinder.
Blueexpo may offer first hand experience of towing both?
We had a 2005 Countryman for a few years. Brilliant little camper for a family of 4. Two double beds, one for the adults and the 2 kids shared the other. When we started kids were young, so had to put youngest in a travel cot and put it across the bed. Eldest was small enough so she had the the rest of the bed and travel cot didn't get in the way. Had an awning also which doubled the living area and you could store stuff.
A few things to consider is Countryman didn't have built in heater or hot water, so you'll have to buy a heater or 2. Not sure what year you are looking at. Also, the door is at the rear, so might be a bit of a faff when pitching up.
I've towed them both, pathfinder we did about 2500 miles over the summer with it, you know its there but its not difficult to tow and we only have a small car (a C3 Picasso) and space wise it was brilliant for our family of two adults and two children plus a guests for one of the weeks.
I've also a Fiesta which is the same as the same as the countryman.......only towed that one a few times but its a totally different animal, its like a having a small trailer on the back, you can whizz along a lot faster, uses less fuel when towing and obviously easier to store as well.
However, space wise they are totally different, the pathfinder wins hands down for space plus it has a proper toilet which with two young kids makes it ideal for us.
We just sold our Countryman we loved it very easy to tow and handle and easy to set up also fits in a standard garage, and they are very comfy, the Pathfinder is even better in my opinion as you get an oven and lots more space inside as well as the washroom with toilet really handy if you have children, we found we needed the awning with 2 teenagers for short breaks you probably wont with the pathfinder, downside though the Pathfinder may not fit in the garage, whatever you choose you will love it
------------- its our imperfections that makes us perfect
I still consider myself a novice but have been towing a Countryman now for just over a year. Find it quite easiy to tow, but I've never towed anything else! Depending upon what year you buy, I have a water heater and warm air blower. Both are good but the warm air blower does not have a thermostat I find it easy to put up on my own. You may also want the oven to give you more options for food, but I also cook outside on a cadec safari chef.
I prefer towing on the motorway rather than through towns...but that may just be me. As my car is wider than the camper I don't have the worry about thinking I can't get through a gap.
You may want a unit with a toilet, but I haven't found it an issue when camping with my niece. We have always been able to get a pitch close to the toilet block.
As others have said, the pathfinder would give you more space, especially as your girls get older. But the Countryman is still a good choice in my view.
I've towed both regularly, and, currently, have a Pathfinder, which I wouldn't change for any other model.
Of course there is a difference, but I would argue there's a big difference between a 1 litre bottle of Coke and a 2 litre bottle of Coke, but I wouldn't struggle to carry either. In other words, I find the extra weight and size of the Pathfinder to be noticeable, but insignificant in the overall scheme of things, especially bearing in mind all the extra space and facilities it offers.
The other thing I love about the Pathfinder is that (for us, amd it won't apply to everyone) there is plenty of space in the main camper, for shorter breaks, without having to set up the awning.
------------- The one good thing about being wrong is the joy it brings to others..
The other very important thing to bear in mind is when you passed your driving test. If you passed after 1 January 1997, then there is a restriction as to what you can tow. The combined weight of vehicle plus trailer cannot exceed 3,500kg. Transporters can vary significantly, but, just as an example, the VW Transporter 26 1.9TDI 84 SWB has a max gross weight of 2,600kg. The Pathfinder has a max gross weight of 1,000kg, giving a total combined weight of 3,600kg, 100kg over the legal limit, on a post 1997 licence. In contrast, the Countryman has a max gross weight of 750kg, so the combined limit will be legal. Towing with a VW Transporter, severely restricts what you can tow on a post 1997 licence, unless you take a towing test.
------------- The one good thing about being wrong is the joy it brings to others..
Having towed caravans for years, last year I downsized to a Countryman. I tow it with a Vauxhall Astra, much smaller than your VW. Even so, the FC is a delight to tow. An with your VW, either folding camper is not going to cause you much bother, as long as you follow some simple guidelines.
1. Prior to towing, look up the advice on loading a caravan (and nose weights!), because the same applies to a folding camper. Getting the weight distributed right makes any tow easier and safer.
2. Before any long jaunts, book a couple of cheeky weekends to local campsites, one or two night stays. Getting to know how your gear works and having a routine for unpacking, packing and hitching your camper is time well spent, not to mention good fun. Encountering a problem is also much less stressful near to home.
3. Practice giving yourself braking distance and obeying the rules of the road. I've found towing actually makes me a better, more patient driver.
I have towed my fiesta 2 plus 2 to Turkey and back ( just over 2000 miles one way) on two separate occasions now. Once with a VW Golf GTTD1. Never knew the FC was behind. Totally the wrong car to tow with, sport suspension, low profile tyres and the roads where I live in Turkey are challenging! Plus only 3 doors.
This time using a Peugeot Partner Teepee Outdoor, much more practical, not so much power but handling not a problem.
By the way I had never towed before so was nervous but soon relaxed.
Reversing still a problem, operator error, not helped by the fact that I forget my left from my right!
One good piece of advice I was given, forgive me you experienced towers, is that when going over say a speed hump don't forget you have another axle and set of wheels. A couple of times I forgot.
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Topic: Pathfinder V Countryman Towing
