Qashqai+2 N-Tec 2.0 dCi

[Parki77]

Hi,

Can anyone help I have just bought a 2009 Qashqai+2 2.0 dCi and was trying to find out how well it tows. I had a C-Max 2.0 TDI and that towed ok. I have tried to find a tow car report but can't find one. Can anyone help.

Does anyone know the towcar weight.

Many Thanks
Sharon

 

[otherclive]

For a 2009 car your V5 should show the vehicle mass and it's owners manual technical section will tell you it's noseweight limit and towing weight for braked and unbraked trailers (inc caravans as trailer). How well it tows I am sure you will get replies from owners.

 

[JohnGriffiths]

Practical Caravan tested the Qashqai 2.0 dCi Visia 4x4 in 2007 for the tow car awards and gave a verdict of 3/5 and said it was capable in many ways but hampered by a low towing limit. The kerbweight was stated as 1653kg and a max tow weight of 1400 which was slightly less than 85%. But as the previous post says this data is available on the V5 and the VIN plate. Did you buy the car with a view to using it for towing? No offence meant but why check up AFTER purchasing?

 

[otherclive]

Although the qashqai has a similar power train to the X trail I read recently that it's lower towing weight was because it has a more restricted front grille and cooling set up than the X trail.

 

[Parki77]

Thanks.
John I'm checking as I was told by the place I got it from the kerb weight was 1635, but then another person said it was less and I couldn't find any review on how well it tows. Also when I tried to ask on the forum it wouldn't except my posts.

As long as its as good if not alittle better than the Ford C-Max I'm happy,

 

[otherclive]

You could do an accurate kerbweight check by taking it to a local weighbridge with all your personal stuff out of the car and only those items that came with it from Nissan. The EU directive shows the kerbweight to be the vehicle as supplied by the factory (no dealer or self fitted items) including spare wheel and jack if supplied by Nissan. It also allows 68kg for the driver, 7 kg for tools/luggage/safety kit etc and a 90% full tank. So if you took the car to a local weighbridge in its factory supplied state with 90% tank and its weight came to 1500kg you would then add 75kg for driver and tools/kit/luggage and subtract the towbar weight to arrive at the kerbweight. Some websites say you have to deduct the weight of the car's load ( passengers, luggage etc) from the authorised maximum towing load but I believe that this in not correct, although some Renaults seem to have been specified in this way. If in doubt check your Owner Manual and contact the manufacturer's Technical Dept.

 

[xtrailman]

Some of the cashcows+2 weigh over 1700kg, according to a previous post some time back.
If you get a new V5c like i did the mass in service figure is on that.
My 2009 xtrail shows 1726kg on the V5, which coincides with my old brochure showing 1720kg.

 

[weejock]

Thanks.
John I'm checking as I was told by the place I got it from the kerb weight was 1635, but then another person said it was less and I couldn't find any review on how well it tows. Also when I tried to ask on the forum it wouldn't except my posts.

As long as its as good if not alittle better than the Ford C-Max I'm happy,

Parki not sure if you missed a bit when reading but from what has been said earlier the car has a much lower towing limit than the kerb weight. So rather than looking at the kerb weight look for the maximum tow as this is legally binding.

 

[Parki77]

Can anyone tell me how well the 2.0 dCi tows?

Thanks

 

[otherclive]

Based on the x trail power train torque and power should be good. As a solo car it drives well and if kept to the cars rated tow weight it should be stable and handle the van okay. There is a website which rates outfits against a number of criteria and gives marks. Cannot remember its name but I am sure someone will give the link.

 

[otherclive]

Google "tow car matching" and you get several options. I have found Whatcar to be reasonable with the cars I have had.

 

[otherclive]

Google "tow car matching" and you get several options. I have found 'what tow car' to be reasonable with the cars I have had.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Google "tow car matching" and you get several options. I have found Whatcar to be reasonable with the cars I have had.

It is well known that most if not all of these third party tow matching services have databases that are incomplete, or contian some erroneous data. Conseqyently you cannot trust thier results implicitly.

 

[otherclive]

Whilst I agree with Prof John's comments, like all things these website can aid decison making along with other sources of information. The What tow car site does not contain specific Qashqai +2 data but given the cars engine/powertrain is the same as the ordinary Qashqai and the website allows you to input a different kerbweight then the results will be brought closer to what is being looked for. However what the website cannot do is look at the way in which the van is loaded and other variables which influence stability annd towing performance. These sites would normally be used before buying the car, or caravan not afterwards. The only real way to see if this car will tow the van safely is to take it out unloaded for a triall and then gradually increase the load up to either the vans MTPLM, or the car's max tow weight, whichever is the lower and do some test runs in a variety of road condtions.While trying to limit load to the lowest possible, and noting the 85% rule too. Alternatively trade it back and get an X-trail!

 

[ProfJohnL]

Hello Clive,
They can be used for some aids, but as I said you cannot trust them implicitly.
Whilst some vehicles may use common power trains, again you must not assume that the will have the same towing capability. Other variations such as engine cooling, or underbody designs differences may affect the way the particular model can tow.
Virtually all of these sites use relatively simple mathematics to produce weight matching results, and provided you can obtain the raw data from data plates or relevant handbooks or other documentation for the vehicle the results can easily be derived without putting your trust in these uncertain services.
I'm sure you know what's coming next, 85% is not a rule.

 

[otherclive]

Prof
In my earlier post I have actually stated that the Qashqai has a different tow load cf to the X trail and that is because it's cooling arrangements are different. But within its stated tow limit of 1400 kg it puts out the same power and torque as the x trail with the same engine which can tow 2000kg+ if you dare! Nowhere in my post immediately above have I said that the comparison websites give definitive answers; only guidance. But that guidance is better obtained before buying a car!

On the subject of the definition of 'rule' most will say a rule can be a regulation, mandated or guidance. So by my reckoning using the words '85% rule' is not incorrect.

 

[Parki77]

I'm new to caravaning and was told to use the kerbweight and do 85% of this. When I asked the dealer would it tow a caravan they said yes and that the kerbweight was 1635 kgs which is what I went off. I didn't know that there was only a 1400kg weight limit. As i'm stuck with the car for a while I will just have to watch what caravan I buy. My caravan at the moment has a MTPLM of 1365kgs and a MIRO of 1153Kgs. With the 85% rule is that 85% of the 1400kgs or the kerbweight. Also how do I find out what the caravans noise weight is?

 

[ProfJohnL]

Hello Sharon,

The towing ratio is always calculated on the MTPLM of the trailer divided by the kerbweight of the car all multiplied by 100 to get to percent. This will always represent the worst case scenario. In practice when the car has any load in it the real ratio will improve, but the calculated value will always remain the same.

The maximum towed weight a car can manage is set by the manufacture. It is established by a series of tests so it is a real value not just a fixed proportion of any other weight. Consequently a cars max. towing limit could be less than 85% of its kerbweight, it all depends on the outcome of their tests.

The 85% figure comes from the caravan industry from long ago they never referred to it as a 'rule' only as guidance. It has no legal substance. However it does suggest that caravans should be kept as small as possible, but it is no guarantee the outfit will be safe or legal, however it is likely to improve the chances than if you go for a higher percentage.

The caravans nose weight is produced by the way you load it. You adjust it by rearranging the load inside the caravan. Here again the car manufacture will specify a maximum nose weight for the vehicle. The trailer manufacture will also specify a maximum nose weight. If there is a difference in the two values you must always observe the lowest value. I suggest you should aim to create a nose weight that settles in between 75 and 100% of the value by adjusting the position of the items in your caravan.

The weight towed by the car is not the whole weight of the trailer. Only the load on the trailers axle is towed, the nose weight is carried by the car. So for example if the total weight of a caravan is 1400Kg, and you arrange for a nose weight of 75Kg, then the towed weight is 1400-75 = 1325Kg.

 

[otherclive]

Sharon
It would be well worth you taking one of the CC orC&CC towing and caravanning courses as they cover so much that is essential for a trouble free time. Lots of hands on guidance as well as experience transfer.

 

[Lutz]

I'm new to caravaning and was told to use the kerbweight and do 85% of this. When I asked the dealer would it tow a caravan they said yes and that the kerbweight was 1635 kgs which is what I went off. I didn't know that there was only a 1400kg weight limit. As i'm stuck with the car for a while I will just have to watch what caravan I buy. My caravan at the moment has a MTPLM of 1365kgs and a MIRO of 1153Kgs. With the 85% rule is that 85% of the 1400kgs or the kerbweight. Also how do I find out what the caravans noise weight is?

If the kerbweight of the car is 1635kg then 85% of that is 1390kg which is almost the same as the maximum towload of 1400kg. Anyway, both figures are higher than the 1365kg MTPLM of the caravan, so either way you are still OK. Nose weight is what you adjust it to. According to the information I have at hand, the car's noseweight limit is 75kg so you should be aiming for that value, but without exceeding it.

 

[Parki77]

Many Thanks for all the replies. I will be double checking the cars details next time.