I am interested in a suitable saloon car to tow my 1460kg caravan & would like a Skoda Superb but can,t get this website u recommended - any other sites or suggestions
I tow with a 2.5 V6 TDi Superb (Manual) - what do you need to know?
Generally we like it - we have towed a 2005 Abbey GTS 418 with a max weight of 1445Kg and now a 2006 Swift Challenger 470 with a max weight of 1405Kg - it is a great towcar though we did fit spring assisters as it is rather softly sprung.
We bought ours at 1 year old and saved a lot over the new price.
Downsides - all the other ones you see on the roads will be taxis and its not very exciting! As a couple in our mid 30's it doesn't set the pulse racing but all in all its a cracking car. Certainly in a long line of towcars we have owned it is the best.
Hope this helps.
------------- 2020 Volvo XC60 B5 R Design Geartronic / 2018 Swift Elegance 580
Thanks for your feedback. We bought our caravan from Barrons (originally looking at campervans) without doing our homework first.Never thought about the towing vehicle & have now been told that unless there,s this 85% difference between car & van if we were involved in an accident or stopped by the police the insurance company would not pay out.When looking at cars we always get the o.k. from the salesman, in particular a Ford Mondeo 2.2, which when we looked at the brochure it said "this vehicle should not be used for towing".My wife does not want a 4x4 because of the emmision data & we both like the Superb but was just thinking of the 1.9 That only gives 91% with a caravan laden weight of 1460 Could you recommend any sites for 2nd hand Skodas for a 2.5 ?
Hi Brightspark; Im new also and was also a bit confused.
But
You need to know the kerbweight of your car, and the weight of your van. This is the weight of ALL the stuff you put in it, from water in the loo to your quilt, from your gas bottle to your toilet rolls.
Your total van weight must be no more than 85% that of your car kerb weight.
Also you must ensure you have the correct 'noseweight' at your towing hitch.
I hope I have got this correct, and am sure any experienced vanners will put me right if I am wrong (which I am frequently)
Safe weight ratios For stable and safe towing we would always recommend that you choose the smallest and lightest possible caravan suitable for your intended use. The less the laden weight of the caravan is in relation to the weight of the towing vehicle, the safer and more stable the outfit will be. The Caravan Club, for example, advises that you should aim for a towed load that is no more than 85% of the car's kerb weight for stability and safety. The CC advice is NEVER to tow above 100% of the car's kerbside weight. N.B. The car manufacturer's specified maximum permissible towload is always the absolute towing limit regardless of any 85% or 100% weight ratio guideline. This is especially important in those cases where the manufacturer's figure is particularly low - in a few cases even below 85%.
Load distribution Proper load distribution, in general, must be ensured too, with all heavy items in the caravan low down and directly over the axle wherever possible. Correct tyre pressures for car and caravan are absolutely vital.
Noseweight It is a legal requirement that the noseweight should be 4% of the weight of the trailer or at least 25kg, whichever is the higher.. For safety you should aim for, but not exceed, the lower of the 2 figures specified for caravan and car respectively.
------------- the only silly question is the one you do not ask.
Quote: Originally posted by brightspark on 09/12/2005
Hi IanM
Thanks for your feedback. We bought our caravan from Barrons (originally looking at campervans) without doing our homework first.Never thought about the towing vehicle & have now been told that unless there,s this 85% difference between car & van if we were involved in an accident or stopped by the police the insurance company would not pay out.When looking at cars we always get the o.k. from the salesman, in particular a Ford Mondeo 2.2, which when we looked at the brochure it said "this vehicle should not be used for towing".My wife does not want a 4x4 because of the emmision data & we both like the Superb but was just thinking of the 1.9 That only gives 91% with a caravan laden weight of 1460 Could you recommend any sites for 2nd hand Skodas for a 2.5 ?
Regards
Terry
Hi Terry
I have no experience of the 1.9TDi unit in the Superb, though have the 130bhp version of the same in my Fabia vRS - needless to say that engine in a teeny tiny car fairly flies!
Beware the 1.9TDi Superb comes in 100 and 130bhp versions - go for the 130 or better still the 2.5 V6 TDi like ours - it has a kerbweight of 1706Kg so would make an 85% match with your 'van.
As for websites selling cars I dunno, we bought both our Fabia and Superb from our friendly local dealer, though I think there is maybe a used car section in Skoda UKs website.
------------- 2020 Volvo XC60 B5 R Design Geartronic / 2018 Swift Elegance 580
Used to tow (though only two/three times - only got van this summer) with 406 estate.... but yesterday got sideswiped and think it'll be written off. Looking at another one, or possibly C5 estate or grand espace. Anyone towed with either of these?
New here btw, though been lurking for a while, and thought you seem a friendly bunch and free with good advice...
Hi Yorkshirelass , welcome to UKCS , your right we're a friendly bunch and free with good advice . Can't help with your tow car question , but i'm sure someone will be along soon with the info you want .
Thanks Wizard - sure someone will point me in right direction - 4x4s seem to be popular, but if I don't get a newish car, my mum'll worry about me, and I can't afford a new 4x4, not even a little baby one.
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Topic: Tow Cars
