Need a tow car and have a low budget

[Jennet]

Find myself needing a reliable tow car and am on a low budget. My reliability is important to me and cost to run and keep on the road are also. My initial thoughts from what I have been researching are:

Skoda Superb
Ford Mondeo
Honda CRV

Former two would prefer an estate, especially as need to tow up to 1500kg, and also having a 3 year old grandson and an over 6' husband and Rottweiler also have to come in to the equation.

Having recently read up a little on ADBlue, would prefer not to have to use this.

Happy to hear any thoughts on above, or other cars that people have experience of owning.

Thanks. J

 

[borderbilly]

You missed out Kia and Volkswagen. Don't worry about ad- blue, I fill mine up once a year.

 

[otherclive]

Plus Hyundai

 

[GUMPY]

Certainly with VAG group engines the Euro6 ones with adblue are way better engines than the Euro5 ones without.

 

[otherclive]

In a low budget you may find you are looking at higher mileage or older diesels. My 2014 2 litre Superb diesel was a nice drive. Cannot comment on the comparison with Euro 6 equivalent but if required I would have no qualms driving the Superb again.

I think to decide what car you want you need to go and look at some and gauge their suitability to accept the grandson, dog and caravan related kit, plus hubby.

 

[Arethusa]

I have a Honda CRV diesel 2.2 and tow an Elddis Rambler, it’s now 14 years old, never failed an MOT, serviced regularly and much loved. Dog happy in back, back seat loaded with awning, wind break n chairs.
Having towed horse boxes with Suzukis/Mitsubishis/Landies - it has proved a reliable tough partner, no bells n whistles but solid and tows at 35mpg.
I do all the driving, hubby has had a stroke - he is a terrible back seat driver and says it’s got a horrendous wheel lock but it suits me.

 

[klaus_von]

We've had a few Superbs and a couple of 2.0 diesel estates.

Now towing a 1700kg caravan with a 2.0 Bi-Turbo Ranger and never looked back, the interior feels like a nice car with lots of space for passengers, and no worries about space in the back (we've got a canopy).
Also never worried about getting stuck in a soft field in the future, 4WD high and low range.

Downsides are the Ranger is classed as a commercial vehicle, so reduced speed limits on some roads, and you'll need van insurance.
Always worth double checking your caravan insurance ref towing with commercial vehicles, although the leaf springs on the back of the Ranger pose no problems for us.

Just a thought, most don't think about the commercial option.

 

[Buckman]

Estates can have a long over hang i.e. the Mondeo and can make an uncomfortable tow. Plus issues with the Powershift gearbox on older models. Not sure if it has been resolved on the newer ones. Talking from experience. Honda CRV is your best bet.

 

[Beachball]

Estates can have a long over hang i.e. the Mondeo and can make an uncomfortable tow. Plus issues with the Powershift gearbox on older models. Not sure if it has been resolved on the newer ones. Talking from experience. Honda CRV is your best bet.

I have owned a Ford for the past 16 months the automatic has so far been great but i know someone towing with a Honda CRV and they said it was a brilliant .

 

[Buckman]

I have owned a Ford for the past 16 months the automatic has so far been great but i know someone towing with a Honda CRV and they said it was a brilliant .

Is it a Mondeo and have you been towing with your current car? Does it have the Powershift gearbox?

 

[otherclive]

Estates can have a long over hang i.e. the Mondeo and can make an uncomfortable tow. Plus issues with the Powershift gearbox on older models. Not sure if it has been resolved on the newer ones. Talking from experience. Honda loves dCRV is your best bet.th

I’ve had a range of estates going back to. Morris Marina. I will not bore you with the list. But I’ve never found them to be uncomfortable or any concern when towing. In fact having a lower ride height cf my SUvs they are more comfortable on many roads. Plus they take longer loads in the car, and with a roof box you can still enter NT, EH, RSPB and many car parks with a height limit barrier.

 

[RogerL]

I’ve had a range of estates going back to. Morris Marina. I will not bore you with the list. But I’ve never found them to be uncomfortable or any concern when towing. In fact having a lower ride height cf my SUvs they are more comfortable on many roads. Plus they take longer loads in the car, and with a roof box you can still enter NT, EH, RSPB and many car parks with a height limit barrier.

Some estates have longer wheelbase than their hatchback counterpart - that makes them eminently suitable for towing - all other things being equal.

 

[Buckman]

I’ve had a range of estates going back to. Morris Marina. I will not bore you with the list. But I’ve never found them to be uncomfortable or any concern when towing. In fact having a lower ride height cf my SUvs they are more comfortable on many roads. Plus they take longer loads in the car, and with a roof box you can still enter NT, EH, RSPB and many car parks with a height limit barrier.

Did you ever tow with a Mondeo? We towed a Lunar Clubman and it was a bit of an uncomfortable tow even though the caravan was loaded correctly. Not so bad on a motorway unless you hit tramlines!

 

[Challenger]

Estates can have a long over hang i.e. the Mondeo and can make an uncomfortable tow. Plus issues with the Powershift gearbox on older models. Not sure if it has been resolved on the newer ones. Talking from experience. Honda CRV is your best bet.

Over the years I have towed several caravans with estates from Renault, Citroen and Ford.
Currently tow with a Mercedes estate,
I have have never had a problem .

 

[Buckman]

Using SOGA we rejected our Mondeo mainly for Powershift issues and got almost a full refund plus cost of fitting the tow bar.

 

[Challenger]

Using SOGA we rejected our Mondeo mainly for Powershift issues and got almost a full refund plus cost of fitting the tow bar.

Our Mondeo was far from the most reliable car we ever had. Turbo faiure at 55k , fo;;owed by the HP fuel pump 3 k later.
The starter motor at 62 k was the final straw . None of these problems were estate related however.
I will never have another 'Dagenham dustbin' !

 

[otherclive]

Did you ever tow with a Mondeo? We towed a Lunar Clubman and it was a bit of an uncomfortable tow even though the caravan was loaded correctly. Not so bad on a motorway unless you hit tramlines!

Yes I had a a1993 Generation 1 Mondeo estate automatic 2.0 litre petrol, followed by a year 2000 Mk2, not generation 2, 1.8 diesel manual estate. Both accomplished cars solo or towing.

 

[Buckman]

Yes I had a a1993 Generation 1 Mondeo estate automatic 2.0 litre petrol, followed by a year 2000 Mk2, not generation 2, 1.8 diesel manual estate. Both accomplished cars solo or towing.

Okay I should have said with the models around 2010 and with the Powershift. Uncomfortable on A roads which tend to be a bit bumpy. I certainly would not recommend a Mondeo estate of that era and for a few later years. Hatchback was probably okay as BIL never had issues with towing.

 

[otherclive]

Okay I should have said with the models around 2010 and with the Powershift. Uncomfortable on A roads which tend to be a bit bumpy. I certainly would not recommend a Mondeo estate of that era and for a few later years. Hatchback was probably okay as BIL never had issues with towing.

My wife had a Generation 2 Mondeo Ghia manas hatchback diesel with the better diesel engine than my Mk 2 TDI. Lovely car but we never towed with it. But I’d have no doubt it would have done a good job, and the hatch area was large too. But the OP is looking for something more modern.

 

[Dustydog]

The Powershift system was poor. I believe it is fine now. The following also applied to the Mondeo. Choice is yours. Not for me especially as a tug unless I knew all the bugs were fixed. I’d go for the Skoda

• The 2011–2016 Ford Fiesta and the 2012–2016 Focus have a dual-clutch automatic transmission that is the subject of a class-action lawsuit and many individual lawsuits.
• Nearly two million people who have owned or leased one of the cars with the PowerShift transmission stand to get at least some repayment for their trouble.
• The settlement is currently being appealed in federal court.

 

[otherclive]

My daughter had a 2016 Focus Powershift and two full rebuilds with Ford even giving an extended warranty on the gearbox after rebuild. But by 2022 it was showing signs of failure. So she sold it a now has an NHS lease car, a Toyota Corolla hybrid. But they are stopping the lease next February so she’s back in the pre owned car market..

 

[Dustydog]

Not another new HMG cut?
How can she do her job without an NHS car ?

 

[otherclive]

Not another new HMG cut?
How can she do her job without an NHS car ?

Own car plus fuel mileage rate as before. But although not cheap the three year lease of her NHS car has removed any anxiety wrt maintenance and repairs etc. So it’s been a godsend.

 

[borderbilly]

More drift, the OP wants a car.

 

[Dustydog]

Own car plus fuel mileage rate as before. But although not cheap the three year lease of her NHS car has removed any anxiety wrt maintenance and repairs etc. So it’s been a godsend.

Maybe buy her old car off the lease company at trade rates?