Can anyone advise me on the best car to tow with. We have a Bailey Ranger 470/4, max. weight 1177kgs, towing with a Mondeo 1.8 petrol. I want to upgrade to a diesel and have been looking at the 130 bhp Mondeo & the Volkswagon Passat. Has anyone got any other suggestions please ? I would rather stick with a car than a 4x4 ( nothing personal ! ) and our price limit is around £5,000. Any advise greatfully received.
Passats hold their price better than Mondeos but in your price range its just a matter of luck, the lower the mileage the better, any turbodiesel of that sort of power will tow the caravan equally well & any could start getting expensive probs once they get up to the 80k miles mark so perhaps resist the temptation to go for high mileage because its cheap.
------------- Sell my camper? I'd rather eat school semolina!
Volvo V70 D5, you can get a very good one for your price range , about 2004/2005. 150000 mileage is relatively little for volvos, just about run in by then.
Volvo S60 D5 ? Previously had a Passat TDI 130 Sport and find the S60 smoother , more powerfull and more stable when towing . Should get a nice one on your budget , cheaper than V70's too .
Thanks for all the advise, off to Ross Park at Newton Abbott over Easter. so will have plenty of time to think over what to get. Only problem is we need to sell our 2001 Conway Crusader first. If anyone is interested its in the UK Campsite For Sale section!!!
I tow with a VW Touran 1.9 TDI 105 bhp. Our caravan has a 1,430 kg MTPLM, and it pulls the van comfortably, and is economical solo or towing.
I have just changed to a new Touran; choosing a 5-seater with full sized spare wheel against the previous one with 7-seats and a tin of gunge. The only reason for changing was the spare wheel arrangement; the car otherwise perfect.
As a guide, it was just 4 years old with 34,000 miles on the clock, and the trade-in price was £5,000. So you should find something suitable around that figure. Mine didn't go to the trade though; a nephew who lives in France snapped it up.
Sounds like an expensive spare wheel to me Bertie!
Ali
Initially, that was my feeling, Ali. But the presence of the wheel in the luggage space did really make it a nightmare. The OH took the practical view, "Come the camping season, you will be grousing about lack of space, awkward shapes not fitting in, etc. And, if you take out service and maintenance as before, you'll have another 4 years of carefree motoring with no unexpected bills."
Not really. OH knows that, although in my 70's, if I had a car which required maintenance attention, I wouldn't hesitate to have it up on the axle stands and carry out major repairs. She also knows that, with my car in warranty and a maintenance contract in place, she can be certain I won't do that, even when her back's turned.
It may be that she really cares for my welfare, or that I am too important a commodity; being the chauffeur and van tugger. And, before you say anything, I'm not going to chance my ego by asking which it is!!! Ignorance is bliss.
Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
Topic: Best Tow Car Advise
