You're no alone Dustydog. I am permitted only a short dream, and then it's back to reality!
Nigel.
Nigel.
We indirectly through a client do work at times for BMW HO Marketing Dept so I know them well enough and know that staff within the HO have tow bar equipped cars.
Sport suspension on X5 and X3 is a "delete option" if you don't want the sport suspension as you tow you delete it. I believe that on the X3 factory order tow pack (cost is about
Sport suspension on X5 and X3 is a "delete option" if you don't want the sport suspension as you tow you delete it. I believe that on the X3 factory order tow pack (cost is about
Shady Sadie,
In response to your last sentence...maybe they don't want to be involved in a Mickey Mouse Towcar test,
best regards, Martin
In response to your last sentence...maybe they don't want to be involved in a Mickey Mouse Towcar test,
best regards, Martin
- Mar 10, 2006
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What struck me was the number of cars tested with very low nose weight limits.
In my opinion a car must have a minimum of 75kg nw, to tow a modern caravan.
I think the title should be adjusted to read "caravan tow car of the year", and perhaps a caravan with a minimum weight of 1300kg should be used.
While the golf has always done well in all the road tests i have read (new model). To crown it the "king" of the year is a joke. Obviously a heavier, more powerful car, with a substantial nose weight limit, has got to be a better tow car, very broadly speaking, not to mention the extra luggage and passenger space that comes with the larger car.
And no i don't have such a car, the xtrail being a medium car, with adequate space and power for my needs, etc.
In my opinion a car must have a minimum of 75kg nw, to tow a modern caravan.
I think the title should be adjusted to read "caravan tow car of the year", and perhaps a caravan with a minimum weight of 1300kg should be used.
While the golf has always done well in all the road tests i have read (new model). To crown it the "king" of the year is a joke. Obviously a heavier, more powerful car, with a substantial nose weight limit, has got to be a better tow car, very broadly speaking, not to mention the extra luggage and passenger space that comes with the larger car.
And no i don't have such a car, the xtrail being a medium car, with adequate space and power for my needs, etc.
Just to confirm what Parksy has said, I am not Nigel Donnelly, and other than posting on this forum and being a subscriber, I am not connected with Practical Caravan Magazine (or Haymarket Publishing). Therefore any views or opinions are mine, and not those of Practical Caravan.
I get the impression with most of the tow car tests that the eco side of motoring is gaining all the time.
Whereas on the caravan side people still seem to want fairly well fitted out vans and that's where the problems come in.
If you want a fully eco friendly car of any type that'll tow well, carry well, load well and take the loads required you're not going to get much choice unless you pay for it.
Tom
Whereas on the caravan side people still seem to want fairly well fitted out vans and that's where the problems come in.
If you want a fully eco friendly car of any type that'll tow well, carry well, load well and take the loads required you're not going to get much choice unless you pay for it.
Tom
It's not only the "green" issue, but taking many things into account. For instance, from experience there has been nothing to touch the ability of the new Range Rover TDV8, but a
Nigel
It seems from what I read that the front dinette, fixed bed, rear washroom toilet (Bailey California et al)is one of the most popular buys at the moment.
These vans seem to come in the 1400kg upwards bracket, the towcar of the year isn't therefore a realistic buy, but there are quite a few very capable cars that are.
Why have a towcar of the year that isn't really capable of a towing a wide range of vans, you really don't have to go to the extremes of Range Rover either.
I can walk oot of the door this morning and come back with a car far more capable than the Golf for around the same price,
o/k they possibly might not give me driving experience of a Golf but they'll more than make up for it in other areas.
By the way I've driven Golfs and they're very nice cars, but as a tow car, well let's say they're limited.
Tom
It seems from what I read that the front dinette, fixed bed, rear washroom toilet (Bailey California et al)is one of the most popular buys at the moment.
These vans seem to come in the 1400kg upwards bracket, the towcar of the year isn't therefore a realistic buy, but there are quite a few very capable cars that are.
Why have a towcar of the year that isn't really capable of a towing a wide range of vans, you really don't have to go to the extremes of Range Rover either.
I can walk oot of the door this morning and come back with a car far more capable than the Golf for around the same price,
o/k they possibly might not give me driving experience of a Golf but they'll more than make up for it in other areas.
By the way I've driven Golfs and they're very nice cars, but as a tow car, well let's say they're limited.
Tom
Tom,
I quite agree. One of the problems with anything like the Towcar Awards is how do you differentiate. The Caravan Club sets its Class by cost, Practical Caravan/What Car?/Camping and Caravanning Club goes on weight. This year's event caused a great deal of discussion regarding one of the classes. The Jaguar XF was superb, but was knocked back by its 75kg noseweight limit, and the class was won by the Ford S-Max, for which you cannot specify a spare wheel! For me the Jaguar won fare and square, but I was out voted in favour of the S-Max.
You're never going to please everyone, and whatever wins, someone will say, "I've got a ......., what about that?"
Personally, I think that the new Golf was a worthy class winner in the weight sense, but I certainly would not put it as the overall winner.
I quite agree. One of the problems with anything like the Towcar Awards is how do you differentiate. The Caravan Club sets its Class by cost, Practical Caravan/What Car?/Camping and Caravanning Club goes on weight. This year's event caused a great deal of discussion regarding one of the classes. The Jaguar XF was superb, but was knocked back by its 75kg noseweight limit, and the class was won by the Ford S-Max, for which you cannot specify a spare wheel! For me the Jaguar won fare and square, but I was out voted in favour of the S-Max.
You're never going to please everyone, and whatever wins, someone will say, "I've got a ......., what about that?"
Personally, I think that the new Golf was a worthy class winner in the weight sense, but I certainly would not put it as the overall winner.
Oh, and the other aspect of the Practical Caravan event is the dynamic tests where the vehicles are linked to computers to obtain data on stability etc. You say that you could get a far more capable car for the same money as a Golf. I don't think that you would in that weight class. If you move up a class, then so the goalposts move up again, and so on.
I own a heafty towcar (because I like it), but tow one of the 'vans that you mention, albeit of different manufacture. I think that the Practical Caravan tests are done as thoroughly as possible under the circumstances, and the weighting of the caravans is fair. It would be pointless testing a caravan that all cars tested could tow because the "big boys" would have such an advantage that it would be almost like testing the solo vehicle.
Finally, it might be that the manufacturer of one of the vehicles that you suggest will not or cannot supply. Having an idea of how much homework goes into the organising of the event, and the thought behind the vehicles requested (not neccesarily the ones supplied!), I certainly take my hat off to the organiser.
I own a heafty towcar (because I like it), but tow one of the 'vans that you mention, albeit of different manufacture. I think that the Practical Caravan tests are done as thoroughly as possible under the circumstances, and the weighting of the caravans is fair. It would be pointless testing a caravan that all cars tested could tow because the "big boys" would have such an advantage that it would be almost like testing the solo vehicle.
Finally, it might be that the manufacturer of one of the vehicles that you suggest will not or cannot supply. Having an idea of how much homework goes into the organising of the event, and the thought behind the vehicles requested (not neccesarily the ones supplied!), I certainly take my hat off to the organiser.
- Mar 10, 2006
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nigel(which one?)
Quote "It would be pointless testing a caravan that all cars tested could tow because the "big boys" would have such an advantage that it would be almost like testing the solo vehicle."
Which is why the golf getting the TCOTY is a joke, if you want the tests to be taken seriously, you must at least give the title to the daddy.
While the golf may be the best in the weight group tested, i can accept that only if in that weight group, ALL the cars tow the same weight, otherwise again the test results are point less?
As for grouping cars to be tested by price that again is risible, many owners buy there cars used.
Quote "It would be pointless testing a caravan that all cars tested could tow because the "big boys" would have such an advantage that it would be almost like testing the solo vehicle."
Which is why the golf getting the TCOTY is a joke, if you want the tests to be taken seriously, you must at least give the title to the daddy.
While the golf may be the best in the weight group tested, i can accept that only if in that weight group, ALL the cars tow the same weight, otherwise again the test results are point less?
As for grouping cars to be tested by price that again is risible, many owners buy there cars used.
Nigel thanks for the replies.
At the moment some of the deals you can get on none eco dinosaurs are remarkable. I myself have a hefty MPV which I really like.
I know it's not fashionable but some of the big MPV's and 4x4's are exceptional value, for instance we've a local Kia dealer offering new Sorento's and Sedonas for Golf prices.
I've seen virtually new (delivery mileage) Honda CRV's and Hyundai Sante fe's going for around the same.
That's without touching on second hand or ex demo/fleet cars. Testing for practicality, loading the boot with various items, when we were more eco friendly,I remember think WHAT! there's no chance, we had to load it in the van.
Now it seems you choose a car that is limited and needs you to load the van, which is limited in weight anyway.
In it's class O/K but TCOTY fraid not.
I think the true value of the TCOTY tests is that you can use them as a bench mark when buying more possibly as Ray says second hand.
I also think the big eco charge has pushed a lot of the really capable tow cars into a very affordable band for most caravanners.
You know when I was an apprentice there used to a saying what'll do a lot 'l do a little.
Tom
At the moment some of the deals you can get on none eco dinosaurs are remarkable. I myself have a hefty MPV which I really like.
I know it's not fashionable but some of the big MPV's and 4x4's are exceptional value, for instance we've a local Kia dealer offering new Sorento's and Sedonas for Golf prices.
I've seen virtually new (delivery mileage) Honda CRV's and Hyundai Sante fe's going for around the same.
That's without touching on second hand or ex demo/fleet cars. Testing for practicality, loading the boot with various items, when we were more eco friendly,I remember think WHAT! there's no chance, we had to load it in the van.
Now it seems you choose a car that is limited and needs you to load the van, which is limited in weight anyway.
In it's class O/K but TCOTY fraid not.
I think the true value of the TCOTY tests is that you can use them as a bench mark when buying more possibly as Ray says second hand.
I also think the big eco charge has pushed a lot of the really capable tow cars into a very affordable band for most caravanners.
You know when I was an apprentice there used to a saying what'll do a lot 'l do a little.
Tom
All the cars tow the same ratio - 85% of the kerbside weight unless there are reasons why not, i.e. too low a towing limit, or a caravan will not reach the 85%. Any that can't tow 85% are penalised accordingly.
As I said on a previous post, to me there's been nothing, and I mean nothing that would get close to the ability of the Range Rover TDV8.
Don't blame me, I don't make the rules! I also buy my cars second hand because I couldn't afford a good, large towcar otherwise, but any event like the towcar, car of the year, etc, etc, couldn't be done using second hand vehicles because there would be far too many variables, and once again it would be meaningless. I think that the way Practical Caravan/What Car/ does the event is the best way. Whatever wins, you are going to upset someone. For instance, if the Range Rover was voted Towcar of the Year, the "green" lot would be up in arms, together with buyers of other marques.
I think that the point is that for what it (and all other Class winners) is, the Golf is good. Personally, I wouldn't put it as the overall winner for a good number of reasons, which is why, incidentally it didn't win overall in the Practical caravan event. The whole thing should be taken as a guide, but I don't think anyone is suggesting that all caravanners must go out and buy a Golf, or any of the other winners for that matter.
I couldn't agree more! I bought a large 4X4 earlier this year (well second hand!) because it suits my purpose.
I wouldn't vote the Golf the overall winner either, and as you rightly say, use any of the events as a guide.
I won't name names, but there are vehicles mentioned on this forum which owners believe them to be the best thing since sliced bread. Having driven them, and being fortunate enough to try some good towcars, some of them, I personally wouldn't touch with a barge pole. However, if a person is happy with what they have, great. It would be a sad old world if we all had the same towcars. VW Golf 2.0TDI anyone?
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