"keeper" = a car that's intended to be kept for "ever" - in my case, a big SUV with luxury interior and all the options.
We're already winding down caravanning very slowly with one or two trips a year in Premier Inns or local pubs.
We're already winding down caravanning very slowly with one or two trips a year in Premier Inns or local pubs.
Auto every time. Used to drive manual, never thought I'd drive anything else, until I bought a 2.5 Cav auto liked the car but not the gear box, still bought it. Took me a while to get use to only two peddles. Never go back now. think they the bees knees now.
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Auto without doubt. Modern VW auto torque converters lock up like a manual clutch once on the move. No fuel wasting slippage
But sadly fewer and fewer VW Group models get a torque converter automatic - increasingly it's a DSG/DCT - but no different to other brands.
I think my Mk 1 Mondeo estate 136 bhp petrol had a four speed torque converter box with lock up on fourth gear. Nice car well ahead of its counterparts at the time.
That’s why rightly or wrongly I decided against the Audi A6Avant All Road. Same engine but DSG.
I think the new Insignia B as a torque converter auto. Aisin Warner the successor to the one on my Insignia A. Smooth as silk.
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I used to be a bit of a manual snob when it came to driving, bought a Jag xkr (auto only) and never looked back.
Can't comment on towing ability but I would rather stick forks in my eyes than go back to a manual.
Can't comment on towing ability but I would rather stick forks in my eyes than go back to a manual.
First drove an auto when I lived in Canada. Arrived back here and went straight out and bought a Volvo 245 GKLE auto. Had a mix since then. Great for towing.
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I have just watched You Tube how to change Haldex oil and filter. Fiddly job and very easy to mess up. Could speculate yours was not done properly causing failure.
There's a lot of incompetence around - my VW dealer suggested my Touareg needed the Haldex fluid changing - and then argued with me when I pointed out it's not a Haldex-based system!
It isn't that fiddly-did it on my Golf type r; the worst bit is getting the plug back in with the plug underneath-such a stupid stupid design-so get the thread wrong and you are stuffed-or need to catch the oil and start again-or drain and use new oil. special spanner for the filter is the easy bit. If I can do it you'd hope any competent mechanic should be able to do it but mistakes can be made-it's how you deal with those errors!
So far i have driven eight Automatics and i have got on with them and prefer them due to the complications of my medical conditions.
Well for that you could blame a main dealer and an independent VAG specialist. If it’s that difficult then clearly VAG design is questionable. Any suggestions for why the ABS failed and being integrated doesn’t have individual reparable elements. Fuel pump, and failing DMF it had to go.
I personally wouldn't buy a PHEV for caravaning. We run them at work and you can just about get 30 miles on a charge if you drive it very steady and it's a warm day. Stick a caravan on the back and do some mileage you be lucky to get 10 miles on a charge. Plus it's got a small petrol tank because of the batteries taking up a lot of space and you spend a lot of time in petrol stations filling it up.
There are posts by Marsh Harrier who has a Outlander PHEV and really likes it. She recently posted about the economics of the PHEV compared to the previous diesel.... Freelander I think. I guess it all comes down to what the mix of your driving will be. If caravanning is a relatively limited proportion of your overall mileage then a PHEV could be a good option but whilst towing you are driving a petrol car given its limited electric range. The Outlander fuel tank is 60 litres reduced to 45 litres for the PHEV. Carry a couple of 5 litre fuel containers?
Is that what you really meant?
Its obviously a matter of personal preference and circumstances, but its really worth looking at your annual running costs, and I would guess that if your towing only represents 15 to 20% of your total mileage. provided the vehicle you choose is able to tow your caravan, then choose it to be comfortable and economic for your solo driving, and be prepared to stand the extra costs or inconvenience for the few hours of towing you do each year.
As PRof says if you only caravan 2 or 3 times a year and the PHEV will pull it-regardless of MPG and let's face it they are still reported to be doing early 20 mpg so not that bad, then do lots of journeys at home of less than 30 miles-then of course it could be worth it-as Prof says depends on use and personal preference too! WE've just bought a fully electric Mini for short journey use-NAvara for towing-and a roadster in the garage for summer fun-so one petrol one diesel one electric-best of all worlds-we'll see!
As above-it really isn't that difficult-filter spanner is specially shaped to reach over the 'box' -replace filter, then drain from the box using an allen key and insert a sealant gun full of the exact right amount of fluid-fill and quickly place sump plug in before it pours out-if you get it wrong it is VERY obvious as you're covered in Haldex oil! Inexcusable that any mechanic should mess it up-you simply start again with another tube of oil which isn't too dear. BUT it is a terrible design-far simple to have the fill on top or on the side at a height above the level. Lazy or money saving -Haldex is/was a Swedish company-the Germans would not design something so illogical/impractical a s a rule imo though there are bound to be plenty of instances to prove me wrong. Italian-maybe!!!!(joke)
I doubt that the garages got the oil change wrong. The Skoda dealer had been in business at least since I bought a Skoda Estelle from them in the early 1990s, and the service manger and shop manger were apprentices then. are still there now. I had Haldex on a Gen 3 XC70 and my son has a 2008 Freelander and neither gave problems. I guess that given the 10s of thousands in service there will be those that fail. The failed ABS wasn't Swedish though and I have brake fluid changed every two years
When it comes to the PHEV I suppose I'm biased as I drive them every day and I have to say I'm not overly impressed with it. I'm still not sold on hybrids for solo work and then even less so on caravaning, but each to their own.
As prof says it a personal preference at the moment i have a diesel car but that might change i like the Phev it also be on my list
Them or it?
Do you have experience of several different models of PHEV's or just one? It wold be wrong to condemn all PHEV's based on teh experience of just one.
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