automatic cars

[davidhart_5040138]

I have been a caravaner for all my life I am 61 years young now.

I have towed caravans beginning with a Sprite 400 then a Cygnet, a Musketeer, an Eccles Amethyst,a Swift Minuette and currently a Lunar Meteorite. I an about to purchase a fixed bed layout about 5.5 metres or something like that to retire in to.

I have towed with all sorts of cars, a Morris 1000, a Simca 1501, a Saab 99, an Alfa Romeo Alfetta, A Saab 99 EMS and Turbo, a Renault Clio Diesel and finally with a Citreon Xantia 1.8

with which I tow our current Lunar Meteorite 1986 vintage

We have toured to Holland, Andorra, Gibralter, Tunis, Northern Italy all over France Germany ,Switzerland and Austria not really very adventurous but far enough for us.

My question concerns Automatic cars. All the cars I refer to above are manual transmission. Although I still have my Xantia and have no intention of parting with it, I have bought an Automatic gearbox car a Jaguar S type 3.0 Litre.

What is this like as a tow car, should I stay with my xantia in which I have great confidence.

David Hart

 

[Mike_5041089]

David - I expect you will open up another debate here! I've been vanning for nearly 20 years and haved used both manual & latterly auto boxes. Add cruise control to an auto and bliss! Dead easy hitching up - the car just creeps up to the towbar, it's always in the right gear, modern autos are nearly always 5 speed and have adequate gearbox cooling in most cases. You may have to downshift manually when descending long steep hills to save the brakes, and you'll sacrifice 10-15% in overall fuel economy, but I for one would NEVER return to a manual, especially as I drive about 50,000 miles per year. See if you can have a test drive towing, and opt for a diesel if poss to keep fuel costs to a minimum.

 

[Lutz]

Like you, I towed with a manual for years, then changed to an automatic. Now I wouldn't change back. The advantages of the automatic are even greater when towing. Apart the obvious ones such as stop/start traffic, especially on inclines, the caravan is much easier to manoeuvre once you're on site. You can practically inch it to wherever you want with ease.

 

[Strad]

I have also towed with manual & automatic vehicles. I am currently using a V70 Diesel automatic (2.5) and find it a delight - no more manuals! One point to remember though, check whether your vehicles gear box needs an additional cooler before using it.

 

[VIP2006]

I first had great reservations about towing using a automatic and asked various questions like yourself.

I asked about reliability and was told that in the USA if you want a geared car you have to place a special order as most cars are automatic.

I now tow with a Mercedes C220CDi Auto and have experienced no problems. in fact using auto with cruise control and speed limiter i can really enjoy my trip and do not end up with a stiff left leg.