Citroen Xsara Picasso, 1.6 deisel, so far the best car for MPG towing I have ever had and that includes some pretty good cars too!
just worked out the fuel figures etc for the last 17months, when we got it. Overall the total is 57.1mpg over the time we have had the car, this includes, stop and start local journeys, long jaunts and moderate jaunts with the 900kg caravan on the back, total weight allowance is 1300kg so we are well within that.
Towing, averages at around 40mpg filled the tank before heading home and again within a couple of miles of the house, so it was easier to judge what it was first time out with the van.
Alsparker will verify this as he was sat in the passenger seat crying as I flicked through the cars read out to show him the average and minute by minute MPG, to say he was upset would be a gross understatement, even now several months later he still has nightmares about the excellent consumption of my MPV, jsut a shame they don't do the same model anymore or I would have ordered another one for 2010 when we are due a change again!
The only downside to towing with the 'picc' is that it upsets any passengers who see the read out. It does struggle a bit on steeper inclines but as I tend to drop a gear before getting to the stage of losing speed it does cope very well.
Now if we can just get GB to put the price of fuel back to the 88p per litre it was on the 21 feb 2007 I would be a happy chap! Average price in the same area is now £1.29! thats a difference of 41p in roughly 18months! When we got the deisel it was at first cheaper than petrol, how things have changed, sometimes makes you wonder if going back to a petrol car next will be the better idea, we will have to wait and see!
As Originally posted by daviddaw on 05/7/2008
Instead of recommending a particular type of car, I would like to say what I think are the ideal attributes of a great tow car (in no special order)
1 Short rear overhang
2 Self-levelling rear suspension
3 Powerful turbo diesel engine
4 All, or rear wheel drive
5 Long wheelbase
6 Good steering lock for when reversing
Are there any other desirable qualities which I have missed?
Totally agree with most of this although I have found that if you load both cara and caravan correctly a front wheel drive is very stable as well. The Citroen C5 seems very popular as does the Skoda Octavia estate. My dad and my uncle both tow with C5's and they get around the same mileage as I said above. Friends have the octavia to pull there twin wheeler and are delighted with it, they also do a high mileage to work and back every week and the car has done over 100'000 in the last few years and just sailed through its MOT, with no heavy bills in all the time they have had it I reckon that is great!
As said get the details of your caravans weight and match the towcar to that and then go about seeing which one you prefer. As most caravans and cars are different then there will be a difference in each unit, three people may have the same spec of car and tow different vans and not one of them will be able to say they are all the same.
Glad your friends did not suffer too much from their fright and I hope that they will never have a repeat of this again.
Happy Hunting!
PS, I ain't a troll and will send the full excell sheet with full data on it to anyone who requests it to verify my fuel consumption.
Our Carol has a Toyota rav4, on her return to Edinburgh after my mums funeral she got an amazing 350mplitre.................
.................... OK so it was on the back of an AA truck but she did technically bring it the whole distance! Maybe thats how you get 40+ from a shogun!
I think that rear wheel drive is preferable for a towcar not for reasons of stability, because I've had a few wonderfully stable front wheel drive towcars, but for traction reasons. I have also been stuck on level, wet grass with front wheel drive, and it's not funny.
------------- Obsessed with German engineering - proud owner of a Hymer, a Mercedes, and a Radius recumbent bicycle.
Quote: Originally posted by daviddaw on 14/7/2008
I think that rear wheel drive is preferable for a towcar not for reasons of stability, because I've had a few wonderfully stable front wheel drive towcars, but for traction reasons. I have also been stuck on level, wet grass with front wheel drive, and it's not funny.
Last rear wheel drive car I had was a MK5 Cortina 2ltr, great towcar. I have found with some orf the front wheel drive cars that if the boot is empty you get a bit better traction, not an easy task to have an empty boot when going away though!
I too have had the odd occasion when I got stuck, thankfully the site owners had a tractor and the hauled me and the van off the pitch and onto the road, most sites have a stand by method for this ass they do not like having to replace ruts etc in the grass.
Maybe one day they will all go back to rear wheel drive, certainly a lot easier on winter roads!
Quote: Originally posted by david charleson on 13/7/2008
my reccomendation?
shogun 2.8 deisel. lwb.
good reliable car, reasonable fuel use 35/40 mpg towing. comfortable to sit in for long trips,plenty room, seven seats if the kids aint too big for the back ones and still plenty room for luggage.
plenty second hand ones at very good prices available.
my one is a mark 3 2.8gls, brittish spec, not import. tows like a train and has 127000 miles on the clock, just passed another mot today no problems. yes they can be expensive for spares but if you buy from places that sell spares for imports you can usually get the same part at very good prices, i got a fuel filter yesterday for my one for £4.50 inc vat, mitsubishi want £20 plus vat........fair enough my filter did not come in a mitsi box but it was exactly the same as the one i took off and that did come from a dealer as i had to get it last year when we were away....
i have had my one since 2001, had to do nothing to it, brakes,tyres and 1 exhaust and its still on original clutch... it has spent most of its life with something on its back, caravan, trailers with diggers on them etc.
bloody good car.
General
Production
1 Jan 1995 to 23 Jul 1999
Length
4725 mm
Width
1775 mm
Height
1900 mm
Weight
2055 kg
Fuel Delivery
Indirect injection
Transmission
Manual
Gears
4 Speed
Performance
Engine Size
2835 cc
Cylinders
4
0-60 mph
16.7 s
Power Output
123 bhp
Valves
8
Torque
292 Nm 215 lb-ft
Top Speed
94 mph
Costs
MPG
21
Insurance Group
13
Euro Emissions Standard
II
CO2 Emissions
342 g/km
Road Tax Band
-
Don't know if this is the right model or not? but I would say this is more like it!
Sorry mate, but although we believe that you believe its just that we believe some calculations may be slightly out.
My dads favourite towcar was his 2ltr MK5 Cortina too. In fact it was his favourite car full stop. Caravans were much lighter back then so I don't know how it would cope with todays crop of heavy weights.
I have a real liking for my Volvo V70 for its versatility both towing and solo. It doesn't really excell at anything but does a competent job of everything. I believe under normal towing conditions it is superior to most 4x4s for a comfortable, stable, economical tow. I would rather be in the seat of a 4x4 when it comes to pulling the van out of a quagmire though. Until that day comes its the V70 for me.
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Topic: What is the best tow car?
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Maybe thats how you get 40+ from a shogun! 
