Towing a new caravan - what with?

Honest John Back Room » Motoring discussion
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Wed 30 May 2007 22:44
Towing a new caravan - what with? - Falkirk Bairn
I am looking at a caravan (I can hear the boos and hisses already). My knowledge of them dates from the 1970's - i.e. 2 litre car tows a5 berth caravan.

2007 - Apparently not or at least not with my 2 ltr car.

The problem is that a caravan to meet the family needs is around 1500Kg +/-

A budget for a tow car with say 3-5,000 miles / year (not an every day car) I wanted to be <£10K.

I had thought of a Honda Legend (3.5V6 - 2001/2003 vintage from say £7K), A Lexus GS300 (Staright 6 Yr 2000 Around £9-11K). Honda Accord Coupe3 Ltr V6 (£3-5K for 2001 and low mileage)

What other come into the category of "worth considering" category - not really wanting a CRV/RAV4 as this they struggle a bit on hills with a caravan on the back and the bigger 4x4 are just to ungainly/van like IMHO.
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Wed 30 May 2007 23:29
Towing a new caravan - what with? - Ruperts Trooper
It's recommended (in the Towing Code) that the gross weight of caravan shouldn't exceed 85% of the towcar's kerbweight so to tow 1500kg you need a towcar with kerbweight >1765kg which is well into SUV/4x4 territory. To meet the recommended minimum of 40 bhp/tonne laden you'll need 150 bhp.

At 5,000 miles a year there's little advantage in a diesel SUV so search out a petrol SUV as they're currently unloved.
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Wed 30 May 2007 23:34
Towing a new caravan - what with? - Nsar
>>Towing a new caravan - what with?<<

Saturn V Rocket?
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Wed 30 May 2007 23:49
Towing a new caravan - what with? - bell boy
I know nowt about caravans but to see one push a car down a motorway lane last year on a hill and turn the car on its roof was a sobering thought,therefore if i ever pulled one it would be more than man for the job and some.
Same reason i wont use a car transporter trailer
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Thu 31 May 2007 10:34
Towing a new caravan - what with? - Gromit {P}
For a 1.5 tonne caravan, have a look at a Subaru Forester or Legacy. Current model ones have 165bhp in the non-turbo 2 litre versions; the previous (to 2005 MY) engine was approx 150bhp.
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Thu 31 May 2007 12:06
Towing a new caravan - what with? - OldHand
At the risk of being labelled a hater why would a naturally aspirated Subaru with almost no torque to speak of be a good tow car other than it's AWD system?

I could see the logic in a turbo model and I have to admit I've only driven the spec B legacy which is a 3ltr but that lacked pulling power, I can only imagine what a 2.0 must be like.

Personally doing a low mileage I'd go for as big an engined 4x4 as I could, either that or consider the turbo version of the Forester or an Impreza wagon for that matter.
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Thu 31 May 2007 13:05
Towing a new caravan - what with? - local yokel
tinyurl.com/37afvw - the NA 2.0 Forester can haul 1500kg, and the 2.5 T is good for 2,000 kg.
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Thu 31 May 2007 13:17
Towing a new caravan - what with? - OldHand
I know it can legally tow it, likewise I've seen a program on the TV where a bunch of steroid cases compete to pull a coach up a road. They don't do it very easily though- likewise the 2.0 Forester judging by it's lack of torque.
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Thu 31 May 2007 13:28
Towing a new caravan - what with? - local yokel
However, a 1500kg shed won't weight 1500 in holiday configuration. Add on spare wheel, gas cylinders, awning, bedding, kitchen stuff etc. and you've got another 150+ kg very easily, so only the 2.5T can do the job
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Thu 31 May 2007 12:29
Towing a new caravan - what with? - BazzaBear {P}
This jag seems to be doing a very good job of pulling the caravan, it's even got another car and caravan on tow as well.
And I bet it comes in under budget...

www.buxtonracepix.com/07-05-07/311.jpg
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Thu 31 May 2007 12:41
Towing a new caravan - what with? - Pica
Have you tried www.whattowcar.com and then match your outfit with your proposed car
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Thu 31 May 2007 15:01
Towing a new caravan - what with? - Ruperts Trooper
Manufacturers towing limits aren't very helpful for caravanners, but mustn't be exceeded.

The towing limit applies to all types of trailer most of which have their mass concentrated near their centre of gravity. Caravans are "empty" boxes with their mass distributed around the periphery. This gives caravans much higher yaw inertia than other trailers so the towing (weight) ratio is important.

Restrict the caravan's laden weight to 85% of towcar kerbweight and you should be able to avoid snaking and becoming another example for the anti-caravan brigade to whinge about.
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Thu 31 May 2007 17:14
Towing a new caravan - what with? - mrmender
Wecome to the club FB! I own a caravan & a Rover now that's enough to get me barred off here!
I have towed a caravan for the last 15 years with a variety of cars a personal recomondation would be a good turbo diesel. My rover 75 i have to say is the best tow car we've had. I don't personaly recomend 4x4's I found range rover classics a bit "twitchy" And friends Shogun similar. A ford Granada we had was a solid tow car But still lacks the all round grunt of a turbo Diesel
If a 75 does not take your fancy how about a Vauxhall Omega TD Rear wheel drive so you can get plenty of traction and i should think you could get a good un in your price range
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Thu 31 May 2007 18:21
Towing a new caravan - what with? - Vansboy
A couple of sites worth checking

www.towsafe.co.uk

ww.towsure.co.uk

Have fun!!

VB
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Thu 31 May 2007 18:39
Towing a new caravan - what with? - Mchenry
The problem is that a caravan to meet the family needs is around 1500Kg +/-

You must a pretty big family - my caravan is a 4 berth and it weighs half that! Or maybe you just fancy a caravan the size of a bus with a built-in jacuzzi and wine cellar.
I tow with an X-Trail turbo diesel and it's a superb towcar - see what the Caravan Club said about it.
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Thu 31 May 2007 18:53
Towing a new caravan - what with? - nick
A mate of mine uses a Legacy 2 litre estate for an admittedly smaller caravan and rates it well.
For the size you are talking about I'd want a 3 litre. The low range and 4wd will be particularly useful on wet grass and boggy fields. An Outback would fit the bill well. Check out www.subaru.co.uk and use the used car locator. Bear in mind you'll get a good chunk off the advertised price so son't let that put you off.
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Thu 31 May 2007 23:16
Towing a new caravan - what with? - injection doc
I tow a caravan 1500kg & 7.2 mtrs long with a diesel Jag , no probs at all & pulls like a train up hill! best tugger I have ever used & no probs with stability & covered over 10,000 miles towing around europe! copes admirably on the long inclines in France keeping up a good 70-80 up hill although lots of speed restrictions down hill. I get 26-30 towing 36 when carefull towing & 44-50 solo. You will pass all the 4x4 slogging up the hills @ 50! but it wont get you out a boggy field. I did fit air suspension to rear springs so it self levels. Older diesel X types within your budget. Road tax on jag a lot cheaper than 4x4!s £135 a year
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Fri 1 Jun 2007 01:05
Towing a new caravan - what with? - PhilW
FB,
Do you need 5 berths?
If you do then you need a pretty big van - or would a better solution be a 3/4 berth and a tent for some/all kids - ours used to prefer to use a tent when they were a certain age as opposed to being in the van with us!
If you do need a 5 berth are you going to buy a brand new one? They tend to come with all sorts of (unnecessary?) gizmos. Do you need blown air central heating? Do you need an oven? (Oh yes, to do pizzas in, no you are on holiday - get takeaway pizzas, are you going to do a full roast dinner? doubtful). New caravans are much heavier than older ones. Our first 4 berth we towed with a Renault 5, yes, Renault 5 - and it went all the way to Greece and back - twice!
Our last caravan was a 5 berth - an Avondale Mendip - even had a separate compartment for kids with a double bed and bunk above and we towed that with a BX (a pretty light car) non turbo diesel (yes, to Greece again, and again and again.)
There are quite a few 5 berths which come in well under 1500 kg - have a look here under "caravan data" - not easy to find at first but go to "home page" then "caravan data" in left column.
As examples
Avondale Dart 5 berths come in at 1200 to 1250 kg depending on year, Rialtos 1300 ish kg, Argentes 1340 (and those are maximum towing weights, not kerbweights)
Elddis Avantes (5 berth) - 1200 to 1380 max towing weight.
If you then look under "kerbweights", it gives the 85% towing weight of cars (if you are experienced in towing a van you can go upp to 100%, but I would advise sticking to the 85% limit - both for your sake and the sake of other users - overloaded cars that are slow going up hills, accelerate slowly etc annoy other roadusers (especially PU!!)
Within the 85% limit A 2002 Mondeo hatch diesel will tow up to 1270 kg
a 2005 Galaxy diesel 1465kg

Don't know what your 2 litre car is but have a look on the list - it's probably there.
Caravan club also do a car/caravan matching service
www.caravanclub.co.uk/Practical+advice/Thinking+of...m

By the way "hydraulic" Cits are fantastic for towing!

--
Phil
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Fri 1 Jun 2007 01:07
Towing a new caravan - what with? - PhilW
"have a look here under "caravan data" -"

Oops, forgot the link!!
www.clicreports.co.uk/

--
Phil
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Fri 1 Jun 2007 09:25
Towing a new caravan - what with? - injection doc
I also meant to add that I did tow a van with an Omega V6, excellent tow car but relaibility poor & everything that went wrong was loads of money but very dissapointed in pulling, was an auto but really struggled on inclines in Europe & down to 50 mph on many with auto box hunting everygear so often had to lock down, fuel consumption used to drop to 13mpg as well. Diesel one excellent but thirsty for a diesel when towing & prone to overheating on big hills!
For shear pulling with a grin factor X type diesel wins. for a 53 or 54 around 10k now.
kerb weight around 1675kg & 2.0 360nm at 1900rpm or 2.2 400nm @ 1900rpm
Regards
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