Hi all, hoping for some info on towing with a 1.4 scenic. We would like to buy a folding camper, or if thats too ambitious to tow, maybe a trailer tent. I was wondering if its at all possible to tow a folding camper with a smaller engine and if so which make? We werent given the handbook for the car when we bought it so we are not too sure of towing weights. I have one on order but being female I am too impatient to wait so please could someone help us out if they have any info to hand?
Many thanks
Jen
Ive got a 1.6 scenic (but dont tow). I went for 1.6 because b-in-l (renault mechanic) said the 1.4 version is a bit sluggish. Not sure how it would cope?
Mike J
------------- It'll work out in the end!!!!
I didn't do it !! Nobody saw me do it !! You can't prove anything !!
Thanks Mike for your reply. We went for the 1.4 because it was a very very good price. Its great on fuel around town which is what its predominately used for, but getting the (We must upgrade from a tent bug)at the moment, so was just wondering what we could actually tow. I suspect we will probably end up with a small trailer to put the tent and all the other gubbings in as we dont really want to go up engine wise but was having grand delusions of sleeping a little higher off the ground!!
The Renault handbook when it arrives will only confuse you even more than you are now as it states the towing limits as extremely low. Renault have ammended these weights now but you will need to log on to Renault uk to find out what you can tow.
We tow a Bailey with a loaded weight of 1200kg. and our Renault tows as if it was solo. (it is the 1.6 - but your 1.4 should manage a small folding caravan with enough ease.
I would echo what Les says about the handbook - I've put various other posts on here describing my experience in finding the proper maximum towing weight - search for "scenic" and you'll find them. Basically, the important figure is the "gross train weight" which is total weight of car + all contents + whatever you are towing. This is fairly low for Renaults, but I wouldn;t think you'd have a problem with a folding camper.
Having said that, my caravan weighs 967Kg unladen, and the top of the range folding campers actually weigh more than this, but not enough more to cause you a problem.
My Scenic is the 1.9 diesel, which performs well and gives me 25mpg when towing, according to the onboard computer. I have no experience of the petrol models, but for towing generally, diesel will give you more power at low revs, which is better for starting off and accelerating from a slow speed.
One other thing (and thanks to Les for emailing me pictures to help on this previously), the Renault standard towbar fit is very low. I had to have mine changed, and had a Witter bar fitted - this was almost 10cm higher than the Renault, which actually was lower than the EU Directive for towbar height.
My parents tow a pennine folding camper with a 1.4 scenic and have no problems their camper is 850kg and is braked, make sure you go for a camper that is braked as otherwise if i am correct this reduces the weight you can tow.
last year my parents were towing this camper with a 1.3 suzuki wagon r and had no problems with that either
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Topic: scenic 1.4 towing
