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Subject Topic: need help choosing car Post Reply Post New Topic
Personclairvic
31/5/2009 at 9:40pm
 Location: somerset
 Outfit: sterling europa 500 View clairvic's Profile View Profile   Reply to clairvic Reply   Quote clairvic Quote  
Joined: 16/8/2008

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hello everyone

we've just bought our first caravan its a sterling europa 500. We have just returned from our first weekend away in it. The caravan  is lovely BUT our car didnt seem to cope very well. We have a bmw 320 d which can tow up to 1600kg.the caravan only weighs 1200kg max but we dont feel safe.  Any suggestions on a car or 4x4. We love the mitsubishi warrior but it drinks a lot. any suggestions would be good

clair vic


Personjaiash
31/5/2009 at 9:45pm
 Location: nr Derby
 Outfit: Phoenix 440+ View jaiash's Profile View Profile   Reply to jaiash Reply   Quote jaiash Quote  
Joined: 09/7/2008

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All I can say is I had a 320d touring and towed like a dream!  I suppose it depends on what you were expecting.  The current 320d is way more powerful than the one I had in 2000-2003.  Was the van loaded correctly and did youhave sufficient noseweight?


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Personclairvic
31/5/2009 at 9:49pm
 Location: somerset
 Outfit: sterling europa 500 View clairvic's Profile View Profile   Reply to clairvic Reply   Quote clairvic Quote  
Joined: 16/8/2008

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yes think it was loaded correctly. but was told on site we should only carry one gas botttle 2 is to much heavy for nose. are bmw is 2003.


Personbluesriff
31/5/2009 at 9:54pm
 Location: Suffolk
 Outfit: Hartford xl and Bailey Olympus 624 View bluesriff's Profile View Profile   Reply to bluesriff Reply   Quote bluesriff Quote  
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We didn't feel safe with our car towing either and have now changed to a land rover discovery, its fantastic, really stable, loads of grunt, plus you've got the bonus of if it does get a bit boggy when on site you have no probs towing out! (and if its really bad you can make a few quid towing others out! lol)

We get about 25mpg towing a Bailey ranger 620/6 twin axle which is about 1500kgs. Hope this helps.



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Personjaiash
31/5/2009 at 10:04pm
 Location: nr Derby
 Outfit: Phoenix 440+ View jaiash's Profile View Profile   Reply to jaiash Reply   Quote jaiash Quote  
Joined: 09/7/2008

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I really can't understand that - on the face of it you have a good match and a powerful car.  Nose weight about 75kg? most heavy stuff over the axle - I always travelled with one full gas and an empty Campinggaz 907 in the front plus a blocks and a few bits.  What mileage have, you done are the shocks ok?


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PersonAngus1215
01/6/2009 at 7:54pm
 Location: 
 Outfit:  View Angus1215's Profile View Profile   Reply to Angus1215 Reply   Quote Angus1215 Quote  
Joined: 26/8/2008

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Don`t forget to up your tyre pressures, I towed the 8 miles to get my van serviced without changing the tyre pressures (the day after the car had been serviced by a VW main dealer) and it was a nightmare! The dealer had reduced the pressures by 20% below their recommended level and it was like driving a jelly.

Raising the pressures to the recommended level for a full load completely transformed the whole outfit, the car was in proper control of the van, and it felt like it should do - safe.


PersonDave101
01/6/2009 at 8:18pm
 Location: None Entered
 Outfit: None Entered View Dave101's Profile View Profile   Reply to Dave101 Reply   Quote Dave101 Quote  
Joined: 18/2/2008

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Hi,

If it's any help, the most popular car for towing that we come across is the Kia Sportage 4x4. Many many caravan owners use the Kia and if you buy a new one they come with a very long warranty.

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Personbryan w
01/6/2009 at 8:43pm
 Location: Durham
 Outfit: 2015 swift challenger se 530-2014 L200 warrior View bryan w's Profile View Profile   Reply to bryan w Reply   Quote bryan w Quote  
Joined: 21/9/2008

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i tow my knaus starclass 560 with my 57plate l200 warrior,van weighs 1560kg unladen.lowest mpg when towing 27mpg and it tows like a dream. when im not towing i get 32mpg


PersonHappycamper63
01/6/2009 at 9:31pm
 Location: Hampshire
 Outfit: Swift Challenger 565 - Kia Sorento View Happycamper63's Profile View Profile   Reply to Happycamper63 Reply   Quote Happycamper63 Quote  
Joined: 04/7/2006

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Hi ya.. try a Kia Sorrento - we tow our Abbey GTS 416 with one and it is lovely.  A reasonably priced work horse.

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Karen.....

30th April - 3rd May Gundry's Farm UKCS meet.


Persongazza12345
01/6/2009 at 10:36pm
 Location: sheffield
 Outfit: Volvo XC70 D5 SE Lux - Bailey Senator View gazza12345's Profile View Profile   Reply to gazza12345 Reply   Quote gazza12345 Quote  
Joined: 26/4/2007

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Volvo V70 D5
comfort/economy/power & 1800kg tow weight.
You will never look back.
My XC70 as 179.000 miles & still runs like a dream.


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Persontykey
02/6/2009 at 10:07am
 Location: Sheffield
 Outfit: Mobile Dog Kennel View tykey's Profile View Profile   Reply to tykey Reply   Quote tykey Quote  
Joined: 08/7/2007

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Quote: Originally posted by gazza12345 on 01/6/2009
Volvo V70 D5
comfort/economy/power & 1800kg tow weight.
You will never look back.
My XC70 as 179.000 miles & still runs like a dream.



Ditto


Personles smith
02/6/2009 at 1:04pm
 Location: doncaster
 Outfit: lunar View les smith's Profile View Profile   Reply to les smith Reply   Quote les smith Quote  
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your outfit is good  just dont expect to much, at first it will feel like youve got the handbrake on but do check noseweight, loading and some sort of stabalizer and relax.Enjoy it


PersonTrek 39
02/6/2009 at 3:08pm
 Location: Greater Manchester
 Outfit: Santa fe Style & Bai View Trek 39's Profile View Profile   Reply to Trek 39 Reply   Quote Trek 39 Quote  
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A nice blue or yellow car is nice :)

sorry coudn't resites


PersonDaleR
02/6/2009 at 4:31pm
 Location: Newport South Wales
 Outfit: Bailey Pageant Megane II SportTourer View DaleR's Profile View Profile   Reply to DaleR Reply   Quote DaleR Quote  
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Your BMW is 150bhp, not to mention lots of torque. That should pull it fine, if you feel it is unsafe, i'd look at checking how you have distributed the weight, get a anti snake device etc.

My Megane is only a 1.5 DCi 110, (Yes 1.5!), and it pulls my caravan with ease and very safe/steady.


Personmav21
02/6/2009 at 4:56pm
 Location: Burnley Lancashire
 Outfit: 1997 Bailey Pageant Champagne View mav21's Profile View Profile   Reply to mav21 Reply   Quote mav21 Quote  
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We have a 2004 130 tdci Mondeo and it pulls our pageant like it is not even there it doesn't even break a sweat.

Like others have said check your tyres/loading.

I was in 5th & 6th gear on most of our holidays with the caravan on the back.

 



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2004 Ford Mondeo 2.0 TDCI 130 Ghia estate
1997 Bailey Pageant Champagne


PersonEsther1
02/6/2009 at 5:02pm
 Location: Staffordshire
 Outfit: 2008 Avondale Osprey S View Esther1's Profile View Profile   Reply to Esther1 Reply   Quote Esther1 Quote  
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Could it be that you just aren't used to how towing feels yet? Your car should do the job easily. We only started a year ago and the feeling of having the van on the back took a lot of getting used to.



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