Any one that will do the job - Towing wondercar | Motoring discussion | Back Room Forum

What is life like with your car? Let us know and win £500 in John Lewis vouchers | No thanks

Sun 5 Apr 2015 12:23

Any one that will do the job - Towing wondercar - aus10

I'm looking for advice. We've just retired and want to tour the continent with a two birth caravan. We need a car that's powerful enough to do the job , but small enough to be used as a run about when we return home. Preferably a cabriolet. Am I being too picky or is the answer to my dreams waiting on a forecourt,any constructive advice much appreciated

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Sun 5 Apr 2015 12:55

Any one that will do the job - Towing wondercar - Bromptonaut

You've not mentioned the key factor - weight. What make/model of caravan are you looking at and what's is laden weight - Maximum Technically Permitted Laden Mass (MTPLM in caravan speak)?

Unless you go for a very small micro van you're looking at MTPLM of around 1 - 1.3 tonnes for a two berth. Our Elddis Xplore 304's (technically a small 4 berth) is 1067kg.

What sort of cabrio are you looking for and what's its max tow weight? It may be, that becuase of the srtuctural compromises in a cabrio, tow weights will be lower than the corresponding saloon/hatch/estate model.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Sun 5 Apr 2015 13:34

Any one that will do the job - Towing wondercar - Bromptonaut

The Caravan Club website has lots of information on matching cars to vans too.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Sun 5 Apr 2015 14:17

Any one that will do the job - Towing wondercar - jamie745

Surely for towing you want something with lots of torque and power. Jaguar XK should do it.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Wed 8 Apr 2015 17:05

Any one that will do the job - Towing wondercar - concrete

I'm looking for advice. We've just retired and want to tour the continent with a two birth caravan. We need a car that's powerful enough to do the job , but small enough to be used as a run about when we return home. Preferably a cabriolet. Am I being too picky or is the answer to my dreams waiting on a forecourt,any constructive advice much appreciated

I don't tow a van, well not yet anyway. Lots of my friends do and they have either MPV type vehicles or Mondeo/Passat size cars. Come to think of it I have not seen a Focus/Golf towing a caravan. Maybe a good reason for that as Bromptonaut pointed out. Can't see anything wrong with a larger saloon, all cars are very manouverable these days and much more comfortable on a long journey too.

Cheers Concrete

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Wed 8 Apr 2015 17:21

Any one that will do the job - Towing wondercar - slkfanboy

By law cars have max towing weight based on car weight, so generally bigger is better. Front wheel drive are less effective up hills and a proper 4x4 best over all ( i.e. not a honda)

Jag are good as big engines and rear wheel drive, but maybe a 4x4 is best. Take your pick landrover for example.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Wed 8 Apr 2015 17:34

Any one that will do the job - Towing wondercar - bathtub tom

>> Front wheel drive are less effective up hills

Can you explain your reasoning?

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Thu 9 Apr 2015 13:51

Any one that will do the job - Towing wondercar - slkfanboy

The main issue would be accelerating from a standstill when weight shifts off the front wheels, and I wouldn't recommend tackling any uphill gravel roads.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Wed 8 Apr 2015 22:26

Any one that will do the job - Towing wondercar - Bromptonaut

Come to think of it I have not seen a Focus/Golf towing a caravan. Maybe a good reason for that as Bromptonaut pointed out.

There's no reason why Astra/Golf/Focus cars cannot tow but there's a modern trend for 'vans to get heavier while cars get lighter and manuacturers get more cautious about towing weights.

We tow the Xplore 304 with a 1.6HDi/115 Berlingo. The van is well under 85% of the car's unladen weight and together they're under the 3.5tonnes or which youngsters need a supllementary test. They work well together for acceleration etc and miss the 90k/ph limit for 3.5tonne+ combos in France.

There's a trap for the unwary though with Gross Train Weight - laden car plus laden 'van. If the van's over 1000k laden then each extra kilo has to come off the car's load.

No problem if it's just Mrs B and I but add two more adults and your scope for bringing cheap French wine/beer home is heavily constrained.

Edited by Bromptonaut on 08/04/2015 at 22:28

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Thu 9 Apr 2015 11:06

Any one that will do the job - Towing wondercar - Brit_in_Germany

When are you planning on buying? The Evoque Cabriolet should be coming out next year.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Thu 9 Apr 2015 11:17

Any one that will do the job - Towing wondercar - Ordovices

There's a trap for the unwary though with Gross Train Weight - laden car plus laden 'van. If the van's over 1000k laden then each extra kilo has to come off the car's load.

I don't understand where this is from, can you explain, please?

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Thu 9 Apr 2015 17:19

Any one that will do the job - Towing wondercar - concrete

Thanks Bromptonaut, well explained. If the caravan is light enough it can be towed by almost anything provided the weight ratio is correct. Concrete

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Fri 10 Apr 2015 21:38

Any one that will do the job - Towing wondercar - Manatee

There's a trap for the unwary though with Gross Train Weight - laden car plus laden 'van. If the van's over 1000k laden then each extra kilo has to come off the car's load.

I don't understand where this is from, can you explain, please?

It's a quirk of (mainly) French cars. There is a towing limit for the car, a maximum laden weight, and a maximum rain weight (what the whole outfit weighs).

In general, the MLW for the car plus the twoing limit = maximum train weight.

For some cars, including presumably Brompt's the towing limit can only be used fully if the car is loaded below its maximum.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Sat 11 Apr 2015 11:26

Any one that will do the job - Towing wondercar - Ordovices

It was the reference to the 1000k (kg?) that i don't understand. Where is that figure from?

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Sat 11 Apr 2015 13:33

Any one that will do the job - Towing wondercar - Manatee

It was the reference to the 1000k (kg?) that i don't understand. Where is that figure from?

I knew a simple explanation wouldn't work!

I presume it's just the relevant number for Brompt's car; i.e. the difference between the car's MLW and the maximum train weight.

Citroen's website rather unhelpfully doesn't give the max train weight:

Mass in service 1624

Max laden weight 2065

Max towing weight braked 1300

Using the above, you might think that you could load the car up to 2065, then tow your 1300kg caravan. That would put your train weight at 3365.

However, there is a plate on the car which shows the maximum train weight. Another source (the Caravan Club) gives the maximum train weight as 3065.

So you can tow 1300 if you want, but only if the loaded car weighs no more than 1765 - which is basically the kerbweight, plus a driver and passenger.

For most cars, the MLW+maximum towing weight = maximum train weight. It's mainly Renault/Peugeot/Citroen who don't comply with that from what I have seen.

There are nuances around the hitch vertical load (which is part of the car's weight) but I'm now too weary to get into that!

Edited by Manatee on 11/04/2015 at 13:36

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Sat 11 Apr 2015 14:53

Any one that will do the job - Towing wondercar - Ordovices

A simple answer would work, but i didn't make any presumptions. I thought bromp might have explained without anyone having to presume anything.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Sat 11 Apr 2015 15:10

Any one that will do the job - Towing wondercar - Manatee

A simple answer would work, but i didn't make any presumptions. I thought bromp might have explained without anyone having to presume anything.

Sorry if that came over the wrong way - perhaps I should have said 'lazy answer'. I didn't have the weights at my fingertips but I am aware of the trap that Brompt refers to.

Maybe he's off caravanning.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Sat 11 Apr 2015 15:12

Any one that will do the job - Towing wondercar - Ben 10

Treat yourself to one of these. Plenty of towing power

youtu.be/Co-NRcJ_NmI

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Sun 12 Apr 2015 11:33

Any one that will do the job - Towing wondercar - Ordovices

OP expressed a preference for a cabriolet.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Sun 12 Apr 2015 14:34

Any one that will do the job - Towing wondercar - Manatee

OP expressed a preference for a cabriolet.

I wouldn't be keen unless the OP is a very light traveller; limited space more or less forces one to load all the gubbins into the trailer, not the best thing for stability.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Sun 12 Apr 2015 17:28

Any one that will do the job - Towing wondercar - Avant

"We've just retired and want to tour the continent with a two birth (sic) caravan.....Preferably a cabriolet."

If Mrs OP is expecting twins, they'll need a mighty big caravan for all that obstetric equipment....... :)

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Ask Honest John

Sell Your Car

Real MPG

Fuel Calculator