Best/worst towcar you've ever owned?

[rudski01]

Been towing a caravan for 18 months now so still what you would call a novice , but been towing other sorts of trailers a lot longer.
1st towcar disco 3 HSE that I had re mapped great practical car and hardly knew the van was there, it was a bit lean happy on corners but not that bad.
2nd towcar RRS HSE 3.0TDV6 model, fantastic car firm suspension but absolute luxury, towed for 3 weeks around france and sometimes 10 hr plus stints never exhausted just chilled, it also has that little bit more umph than the disco. Solo it can be thrown into corners and you never feel like your driving a car as big as what you are.

Cheers
Mark

 

[NigelHutson]

Mark,
Ditto the Discovery 4. It's a totally different beast to the 3 (I've got the 3) but have towed with the 4.

 

[OmOnWeelz]

We've had Renault 18
2 x Montego's
2 x Sierra's
Volvo 940, 960, 850
Honda
Volvo XC90
ML
2 X Discovery 3
Discovery 4 RIP
Our Renault and Montego's were ok'ish. Fords coped ok and gave good service. Volvo and Honda were great a well used XC and ML were also great.
Chris always wanted a Disco and we bought a year old low mileage Disco 3 and then found it was on it's second gearbox and had an arm long list of problems. Most regular problem was suspension realated and lack of interest by the dealer and Land Rover a third gear box problem and we traded it for a brand new 3, two days after collecting the car it had a suspension failure.
After 15 months we ordered a super new Disco 4, we couldn't wait for 3rd time lucky super new 3 litre touring. Our 3 suffered an eletrical problem on the way to collect the 4 that was having to have a software reset issue sorted. We regret not walking away then, Disco 4 is superior to the 3, but we had more suspension problems, water and leakage problems with th gear box and the sound system was replaced twice. MPG figures for Landrover must be magiced up in a twisted spell from Paul Daniels

you may like the published 'figures' but your pocket likes them 'not a lot' in actual fact
Beng left stranded by Landrover Assistance and then for another dealers Disco to breakdown towing me was about the last straw. We sold the 4 last month and will find a Swede or German replacement or may be an Amazon for the new year, their dealers know how to look after customers.
Ros

 

[tug100]

Best is current towcar - 2010 Freelander 2 Manual Diesel XS. Plenty of oomph and more stable than anything I have towed with before. Very comfy and returns mid 20's economy towing 1500kg.

2nd best - Disco 300 tdi - our reliable old towcar. Has taken us all over europe. Had a bit more power than standard and some nice extras like stainless exhaust and aircon. Nice car, now retired to lighter duties, and may be time to find her a new owner.

Somewhere in the middle - Pug 406 Estate 90BHP - nice enough. Thought it was stable until I got the Disco which took away the worry about passing lorries, vans, coaches etc. In retrospec it lacked oomph, but didn't know what I was missing until I upgraded each time.

Worst - Suzuki Vitara 1.6 petrol. Was gutless towing a 900kg van, not really cut out for towing. The best thing about this car was not conforming to the stereotypical caravanner image by turning up to site with roof off enjoying the sun.

 

[Martin24]

Worst tow cars ever for me were an Espace 2.2dci, clutch not up to the job and very bouncy ride! that lasted 6 months and the other bad one was a petrol 2.2 auto Omega estate!

Best my beloved pajero 2.8 auto and the current rexton tiptronic

 

[Essexeddie]

Worst car for me was an Auto Discovery 300 series, completly gutless.
Best at the moment is Toyota Landcruiser Auto, could pull a train.

 

[craigstaiano]

i was impressed by my previous Golfbut the Mazda 6 really surprised me. Its really good

 

[Rory]

Thanks for all your responses, sorry I've been a bit quiet - we have all been up at the NEC show, no doubt many of you were there too.

One interesting towcar-themed thing at the show was Ssanyong's new Korando - what do people think about this upcoming car?

All-change in the Practical Caravan car park today, our Skoda Superb was returned, but replaced by Subaru's latest Outback 2.0D SE. You'll see it featured in the mag over coming months, anyone have any experience of owning/towing with one?

Cheers,

Rory

 

[Lutz]

One interesting towcar-themed thing at the show was Ssanyong's new Korando - what do people think about this upcoming car?

PC's sister magazine Autocar doesn't seem to think it's the bee's knees.

 

[MichaelE]

Worst car was a Renault Savanna non turbo diesel,towed with a Volvo 240 estate,Peugeot 405,406,Citroen Xantia,then bought a twin axle so moved into the 4x4 market,Mercedes ML270,then a special edition Ml 270, then a LR Discovery 3 (this was only 3 months old when on a trip to Perpignan France the air suspension collapsed and they couldnt get the part so got recovered to Blighty on the back of a recovery truck) Ruined my holiday and will never have a LR again.
Changed to a ML320 cdi and now a ML350 cdi tow brilliantly with oodles of power cannot fault.(The other half wanted an X6 !!!!!)

 

[ShadySadie]

.(The other half wanted an X6 !!!!!)

My hubby retired earlier this year but he still has his works car discount scheme available to him. (20% +) The X6 40D is such a 'Big Bad Wolf' in sheeps clothing. A big 4x4 that thinks it's a a sports car and compared to most big cars it pretty much handles like one and the economy compared to others in the price range is outstanding.
For just the two of us and with a big dicount and 30+ MPG we're very tempted. Even the Whatcar stat's rate it as being far cheaper to run per mile than LR offerings or Mercs.

 

[MichaelE]

Agreed the X6 is a lovely car,it is a marmite car (love it or hate it) it was the boot that let it down, if we didnt caravan then yes it would suit,but couldnt stack higher than the boot sill and sadly it failed the fishing rod test.

 

[SimonF]

Hello
19 years of on and off towing (whilst alternating with motorhomes)
Escort XR3i
Saab 99
Cortina mk5 estate
2 x Citroen BX (both GTI Petrol)
Vectra 3.2 V6
Ssanyong Kyron SX Auto

Worst by a long way the Escort loads of wheelspin and no pulling power
I loved my BXs though they wouldnt tow our 550 Challenger we have now coz its too heavy
The Vectra is a good towcar although a bit thirsty
The Kyron is great. I know they are slated but ours we have had for 3 years towed about 10k miles and solo another 50k and its never let us down and tows 1450kg plus bikes on the back of the car, its just not fast.Will cruise at 60 -65 but not more whereas the Vectra could on the long motorways in France, However economy is much better in the Kyron. And the Tip Auto is superb.
My heart says the BX but my head the Kyron for best

 

[SimonF]

Hello
19 years of on and off towing (whilst alternating with motorhomes)
Escort XR3i
Saab 99
Cortina mk5 estate
2 x Citroen BX (both GTI Petrol)
Vectra 3.2 V6
Ssanyong Kyron SX Auto

Worst by a long way the Escort loads of wheelspin and no pulling power
I loved my BXs though they wouldnt tow our 550 Challenger we have now coz its too heavy
The Vectra is a good towcar although a bit thirsty
The Kyron is great. I know they are slated but ours we have had for 3 years towed about 10k miles and solo another 50k and its never let us down and tows 1450kg plus bikes on the back of the car, its just not fast.Will cruise at 60 -65 but not more whereas the Vectra could on the long motorways in France, However economy is much better in the Kyron. And the Tip Auto is superb.
My heart says the BX but my head the Kyron for best

 

[Hazzar]

I have owned a ford maverick 27td mk1 and the terrano mk1 and found them both exellent tow cars never found a hill where they struggled .The petrol versons were known to be terrable though but the diesels are very good and i am currently looking to buy the newer shaped one .

 

[drsorento]

Worst tow car I had was a Vauxhall Frontera biggest heap of unreliable crap ever produced.