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Topic: Can you tow using an automatic

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TheHeadGardener

05/12/2024 at 10:25am
Location: North West
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Quote: Originally posted by Squillian on 03/12/2024
Modern manuals can get very expensive too. Most modern cars these days have dual-mass flywheels which need replacing along with the clutch quite often, and the cost of those is horrendous. I have heard that with some models they can actually cost more than an auto-box!

I will just clarify that this was my second (identical) Forester. The first did 3x the miles and when sold the auto box was still behaving beautifully.

The 2nd Forester (which towed) was, I believe, affected by the additional weight/load/strain { * insert appropriate technical term}.

So I was trying (badly) to say that in my very limited experience, I blamed towing for wearing out an auto transmission.

agri

07/12/2024 at 10:38am
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After driving manual's all my life and towing with them some years ago I changed to an automatic for the specific reason for they make a better tow car. I would never go back my present car tow's perfect (voted towcar of the year several years on the trot) Skoda Superb DSG despite what someone has said on here I have had not a single issue with car and towed all over including france.

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Agri

Jessdee

14/1/2025 at 11:14am
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We switched to an automatic and it's doing great. We used www.towbarexpress.co.uk for our towbar as they came to the house to fit it for us

664DaveS

via mobile 14/1/2025 at 11:39am
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Our Tucson hybrid tows very well. All hybrids are automatic. A lot of new cars are only available as autos now.
We changed our Mini in 2022 and chose an automatic. When we collected it the salesman told us that they were stopping manual models

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DS-There's more to life than football!!!

bofs

via mobile 14/1/2025 at 1:06pm
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Quote: Originally posted by oxter on 03/12/2024

Quote: Originally posted by bofs on 22/11/2024
We changed to a Sorento automatic 7 years ago after 40 odd years of driving manual cars due to OH's knee problems. Our first one towed really well but we needed to use the manual override on occasion as the revs went crazy high now and again when towing. Our current 24 plate is even better, you can barely notice the gear changes and we haven't yet needed to correct over-revving. It is a pleasure and so much easier to drive solo and towing and we would not now choose to go back to a manual car.
100% go for it!

Hi Bofs,

What model exactly are you running ?
Is it a hybrid or combustion engine?

Sorry Oxter, missed this in all the excitement!
It's a Sorento Vision 2.2 diesel.

bobmel

14/1/2025 at 6:52pm
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I have been towing with an auto for 7 years now, wish I moved over long before. I have a VW Tiguan 2ltr engine DSG gearbox.

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Robert (BoB)

Colin21

14/1/2025 at 8:16pm
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I have been towing with automatics since the 1970s. My first tow-car was a Mk2 Cortina. Apart from the days when I was running a small business which involved towing all kinds of trailers using a Ford Transit truck, I have towed with nothing but automatics. No way would I go back to a manual.

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Best Regards,
Colin

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