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Subject Topic: Diesel or petrol BMW Gran Tourer Post Reply Post New Topic
via mobile 03/8/2020 at 2:44pm
 Location: Grays Essex
 Outfit: Pennine Pathfinder
View Tayswain's Profile View Profile   Reply to Tayswain Reply   Quote Tayswain Quote  
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Looking to get a new tow car. Really like the BMW Gran Tourer, but need advice on which model. After searching posts, automatic seems favourite, but would it be best to get petrol, bearing in mind diesels are being phased out and extra costs involved with diesel. Really worried about petrol being powerful enough to tow.

Any advice greatly appreciated. Thank you.

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Tayswain


03/8/2020 at 5:11pm
 Location: North Essex
 Outfit: Caravelair Alba 400
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Diesels will be around for many years yet. Current models are clean enough & used large diesel cars are still easier to sell than used large petrol cars.

As for power a modern turbo petrol will tow as well as a turbo diesel but petrol will be thirstier. When considering a car for towing petrol or diesel you need to look at the torque figures as well bhp.

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Every day should be a holiday!


03/8/2020 at 5:45pm
 Location: East Herts
 Outfit: 1992 Elddis Wisp 450CT + X Trail
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I personally would still opt for the diesel. My only issue would be the DPF if you do a lot of short journeys. Automatic definitely, but the superior torque and fuel consumption would still make me go diesel.


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Best Regards,
Colin


05/8/2020 at 1:20pm
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Maybe Petrol is the way to go with LPG conversion, about £2k for the conversion so could take a while to break even, just a thought.


06/8/2020 at 12:59pm
 Location: Manchester
 Outfit: Swift Challenger 524
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Hi we have the BMW X1 2.0 Xdrive Sport diesel, and it is a dream to tow with and returns half decent fuel economy both single 40urban - 55 motorway mpg and towing 30 - 35 mpg, same floor pan type as the Grand tourer. We have the 8spd gear box also with flappy paddles.

Diesel is going to be around for ages yet, as nobody really has found a away to recycle the Lithium batteries. used on all these Electric cars.

Battery cars diud not work 100 years ago, and they still dont, poor mileage. And remember you still have to charge them up, from power stations still using Coal, Oil, Nuclear etc.

Diesel all the way for me for towing.


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06/8/2020 at 1:33pm
 Location: East Herts
 Outfit: 1992 Elddis Wisp 450CT + X Trail
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Quote: Originally posted by TrigGLX on 06/8/2020
Hi we have the BMW X1 2.0 Xdrive Sport diesel, and it is a dream to tow with and returns half decent fuel economy both single 40urban - 55 motorway mpg and towing 30 - 35 mpg, same floor pan type as the Grand tourer. We have the 8spd gear box also with flappy paddles.

Diesel is going to be around for ages yet, as nobody really has found a away to recycle the Lithium batteries. used on all these Electric cars.

Battery cars diud not work 100 years ago, and they still dont, poor mileage. And remember you still have to charge them up, from power stations still using Coal, Oil, Nuclear etc.

Diesel all the way for me for towing.




Yes I quite agree that diesel will be around for ages yet. Not just because of the battery problem, although that does come into it, but mainly because of everything that runs on diesel. Everything from construction equipment to railway locomotives and a lot of other passenger trains. What alternative power source is there for ships? Sails? Even in cars I think the diesel engine will see me out. I'd give it another 30 years at least.



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Best Regards,
Colin


06/8/2020 at 2:02pm
 Location: Midlands
 Outfit: 2019 VW Arteon + 2002 Avondale Dart
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Diesel is generally better suited to towing heavy weights but a turbo petrol engine should still cope. However, unless you're planning to do something extreme like a caravanning tour around Europe lasting several months, I suspect that towing will be a very small proportion of your total mileage, so you're probably better off looking first and foremost as to what best suits your daily needs.

Petrol (or hybrid if that's an option) is best if you do mostly short urban journeys. However if you regularly include longer journeys in the mix (say half an hour of motorway or A road at least twice a week) then diesel is still the answer.

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"Don't wait for the perfect moment. Take the moment and make it perfect."


via mobile 07/8/2020 at 11:22pm
 Location: Stoke on Trent
 Outfit: Bailey Pegasus Modena 2016
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I’ve just got rid of a BMW Active tourer 220D XDrive, the 190BHP Diesel engine is absolutely brilliant, although it does lean on the turbo a lot whilst towing, I only got rid of it because I wanted a heavier car for towing.
Usual caveat applies regarding DPF, if you do a lot of short journeys, take it for a blast every now and then, I always used millers ecomax and avoid supermarket fuels


via mobile 07/8/2020 at 11:32pm
 Location: Staffs
 Outfit: Swift Challenger 490 SEL & VW Tiguan
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Joined: 23/8/2004

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We bought a 150hp Petrol Tiguan for towing on the basis that for most if its life it would be doing short, start-stop journeys as the Wifes car (she’s a Community Nurse).
It tows really well, modern turbo patrols are excellent. It’s also nice & quiet compared to a diesel. MPG while towing is no different to the TDi Galaxy i had previously.
I’d certainly buy petrol again.



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