Can your car be towed?

[Mogwyth]

50kg weight reduction will give a 1% improvement in mpg which will give you a 0.5 more miles per gallon @ 50mpg. 50kg is about the weight of around 12 gallons of diesel and given that is the sort of amount of fuel most tänks hold then the saving is more like 0.25mpg. Life's too short.

This depends on the weight of your vehicle? If you have a city car or a heavy 2500kgs car like your Disco 50kgs wont make any difference with your car?

Only time I see a difference is when I am towing or teaching boy racers a lesson :lol: , just came back from Belgium and even with 5 adults. luggage and the stuff we brought back mpg was unaffected.

 

[Mogwyth]

as an individuals driving style is their style and that won't be affected by how much weight is in the car.

But is probably the biggest factor that one can control to increase mpg.

 

[ProfJohnL]

I fill up when I need fuel. I know where it is usually cheapest so do this when passing. I do not see the weight saving by half filling the tank can do more than balance out the cost of the extra trip to refill even if you are passing the petrol station.

It is difficult to deny only half filling a tank will mean less weight so there is a weight saving, the question is is it significant enough to be worth it, and like you I don't think it is.

 

[Hutch]

I suppose I could save a lot of weight in the car by not carrying, the tow cable, the fire extinguisher, the warning triangle, first aid kit, the dogs box of spare food and towels, umberellas, snow/mud shovel, grip ramps.and other stuff. Just to save 1 or 2 mpg.
Not for me. It would clutter up the garage.

 

[Craigyoung]

Hi , just looking over the posts and realised this has gone a bit of off Topic the original post was for the towing eye after getting a towbar fitted, it's now moved to saving fuel and MPG !
On the last car we had we used to put the breakaway cable from the caravan on around the tow ball but since we have getting our new car and once again forked out for another towbar fitted it has its own small hole for the breakaway cable to be clipped into, would this not be big enough to get a hook in to pull a car out reverse towing if stuck but not for long tow if that makes sense because that is still part of the structure off the tow bar frame , its central beside the plug and not off to one side

 

[otherclive]

Mines a Witter tow bar and it too has the small lug next to the tow ball insertion hole which takes the carabiner breakaway cable clip. But the size of karabiner that would go through the hole is not going to be strong enough or physically large enough to take a tow rope that can take the load.

 

[Raywood]

IMO. You would loose all mpg saved by one quick acceleration or being caught at a level crossing for 5 minutes.

Think I'd turn the engine off at the level crossing.

Yes mine turns itself off now but for longer stops I always turned the engine off.

 

[GD485]

Should a permanent 4x4 or automatic be towed any way.
I dont fancy being towed backwards more than a few yards anyway.
As for the full fuel tank problem. My first car was an aged Hillman imp with the fuel tank in the front and the engine at the rear. Keeping the fuel tank full wasn't an option it was necessary as an aid to cornering in the wet!

 

[otherclive]

Should a permanent 4x4 or automatic be towed any way.
I dont fancy being towed backwards more than a few yards anyway.
As for the full fuel tank problem. My first car was an aged Hillman imp with the fuel tank in the front and the engine at the rear. Keeping the fuel tank full wasn't an option it was necessary as an aid to cornering in the wet!

Not everyone has a 4x4 or automatic and I think that the owner driver should read the cars manual to see what the makers recommendation is. The rear towing point would I suggest just be useful for helping a stuck car to get onto firmer ground.
I too had a rear engine Singer Chamois and kept a bag of sand in the front to aid stability and braking.