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Topic: Advice needed please

meta1mickey

24/11/2013 at 11:45am
Location: Warrington
Outfit: Abbey 214 GT 2 birth

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Hi can anyone suggest a tow car that would suit my purpose please. I tow a caravan with a weight of 1045 kgs (design weight) I can't get to tow very often maybe once or twice a year. We have always had a caravan and enjoy it very much. I need advice on a tow car, I have a budget of not more than £5000, I don't think it warrants a 4x4 type car because its not used as a tow car that often, but when it is I would like a suitable vehicle atm I have a Picasso 2.0ltr but its only 90bhp and its time for a change. Can anyone recommend a tow car suitable for my needs, bearing in mind the wife doesn't like BIG cars but I do. I suppose I'll have to please the wife or meet somewhere in the middle as she drives it more than I do. lol Thanks

Grampian91

24/11/2013 at 2:00pm
Location: Midlands
Outfit: Mondeo Avondale Gram

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1045kg design weight??

What is the MAX Gross Laden Weight? Thats the important figure.

Some Picasso's have a towing weight of less than 1000kg.

meta1mickey

24/11/2013 at 2:18pm
Location: Warrington
Outfit: Abbey 214 GT 2 birth

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870 kg

MTPLM 1045 kg (Design weight)

I have been towing with the picasso for years (with this van) It's a change of tow car im lookin at.

romany girl

24/11/2013 at 7:14pm
Location: Derbyshire
Outfit: ElddisAvante462 Honda CRV SE2.2 i-Dtec

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My Honda Civic would tow that nicely, your caravan weights are very similar to our old Lunar Zenith, which was a very nice stable tow. The Civic will be up for sale/px sometime in January, 09 V-tec Esi manual, 41k, fsh, bared and ready to tow, looking for around 7k for a private sale, as we need a 4x4 for family reasons to help us get out to my elderly Dad during bad weather in times of crisis.

Julia

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johnjory

24/11/2013 at 7:34pm
Location: Lowestoft Suffolk
Outfit: Skoda Superb DSG + Elddis Affinity 550

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Quote: Originally posted by meta1mickey on 24/11/2013
870 kg

MTPLM 1045 kg (Design weight)

I have been towing with the picasso for years (with this van) It's a change of tow car im lookin at.

Virtually any 1600cc car would tow that.

Octavia4x4

24/11/2013 at 7:43pm
Location: Harrogate Yorkshire.
Outfit: Skoda Octavia 4x4 & Compass Omega 482

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Ideal small car, good around town and for parking, says the wife!! she likes mine and not a big 4x4, just a small one! extra traction always handy. Will pull your van with no problem.
Just a suggestion on the link, slightly higher than you budget, but worth it.

http://www.motors.co.uk/car-33086316/sp

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Skoda Octavia Estate 2.0TDi 4x4 (2012) towing a Compass Omega 482 (2014)

Gary H

25/11/2013 at 3:51pm
Location: None Entered
Outfit: 2004 Lunar Lexon CS. 1.9 Passat tug

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Mondeo MK3 2.0 TDCI
Passat 1.9 SE with the 1.9 PD engine up until 2004.
Octavia, again, with the same engine as the above. Infact the Octavia would probably be a better sized car for you given the modest van weight. First two Ive listed are great tow cars but possibly a little overkill.
Octavia is 1400KG maximum braked towing weight.
Driven solo expect 55 mpg or more!
Civic as mentioned above is also a great car and extremely reliable.
Coming from the Citreon, superb build quality from the above mentioned cars will be a breath of fresh air!

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Skoda Bob

25/11/2013 at 7:00pm
Location: None Entered
Outfit: Swift charisma Skoda Scout 4x4

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Even the normal Octavia 1.9 tdi would do in hatch or estaite, and only group 6 insurance and £120 rfl, if you want an extra bit power go for the 2ltr model, but its cheaper to get the 1.9 chipped to 140 bhp

meta1mickey

27/11/2013 at 6:38pm
Location: Warrington
Outfit: Abbey 214 GT 2 birth

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lol Thank you all for taking the time to reply. I will check all of the above out and see where it leads me, shhhhhh hope to a mondeo or passat.

Thanks again.

Pigfarmer

28/11/2013 at 12:34pm
Location: Farnborough
Outfit: Bailey Ranger 500 5 & X-Trail 2.2DCi

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I have literally just changed cars from a Picasso 2.0HDi (90) to a Nissan X-trail, which some of them fall in your price range and so far an excellent car. I cant wait to tow with it!

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meta1mickey

28/11/2013 at 3:49pm
Location: Warrington
Outfit: Abbey 214 GT 2 birth

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Wow let me know how it goes, i have been looking at those as well but heard some horror stories about the turbo blowing.

Gary H

28/11/2013 at 4:00pm
Location: None Entered
Outfit: 2004 Lunar Lexon CS. 1.9 Passat tug

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Quote: Originally posted by meta1mickey on 28/11/2013
Wow let me know how it goes, i have been looking at those as well but heard some horror stories about the turbo blowing.

Well, ive also heard stories about fuel injection pumps failing on X Trails but having researched and researched and researched some more, ive come to the conclusion that turbo's, fuel pumps, injectors, oil pumps etc can fail on more or less anything these days, there is no one perfect motor! For every one horror story, I must have heard dozens or so folk who have had no problems with any of the cars listed above for many thousands of miles! I think if I took on board these "known problems" on so many cars these days, I wouldn't buy anything!

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