towcars

[KATHERINE_5094825]

Hi, anybody out there tow a van with a mtplm of 1450 or over with a passat estate diesel 1.9 tdi 130bhp and how do you find the performance etc?.

 

[Gary_5039903]

I tow a 1465kg caravan with a 130bhp ford Mondeo and it is fine. I'm actually changing it in August for a 2.0TDi 140bhp Passat so that should be even batter!

 

[KATHERINE_5094825]

I tow a 1465kg caravan with a 130bhp ford Mondeo and it is fine. I'm actually changing it in August for a 2.0TDi 140bhp Passat so that should be even batter!

Hi gary, thanks for reply, whats the kerb weight of your Mondeo?.

 

[Gary_5039903]

My Mondeo is the 2.0 TDCi (130bhp) estate in LX trim and the kerbweight is 1540kgs. The higher spec'd cars (Ghia etc) are around 1620kgs.

 

[RichardS1]

I tow 1450/1475kg with an Accord estate (138bhp). Covered over 4000 mile towing with this outfit over last eighteen months and continue to be impressed by the performance and stability. After fitting towbar took the car to a weighbridge and it came up at 1685kg.

 

[AnthonyVJ]

Hi Katherine we have only towed two hundred miles but have a 1740kg galaxy with the same 1.9tdi 130ps engine. We pull a van mptlm 1450 roughly so the total is about the same. No problems but did stall on a hill start once, just needs alittle more revving in that situation, once you get going hills are not a problem.Have used the sixth gear on long stretches but as you probably know 60mph is a fairly low speed for the sixth gear anyway - its more responsive in fifth unless you are on the flat.

Helen

 

[Mike_5041144]

Hi Katherine

I towed with a 2004 Passat estate 'Sport' 6 speed 1.9td. Caravan was Abbey Aventura 316 MTPLM 1350kg. No problems pulling tho 6th gear struggled. However I did not feel comfortable when being overtaken by lorries/speeding vans/buses etc. It rather felt as tho the van was controlling the car i.e. some S movement. So we changed to 4x4 [auto TD]. Car now controls van.

But I'm just a fussy old man - 30 years ago it would not have bothered me as much as it did. However in case of an emergency my wife would not have been comfortable towing with the Passat whereas the 4x4 is fine.

Good luck

Mike

 

[KATHERINE_5094825]

Hi Mike, thanks for the reply, our passat when we weighed it on a weight bridge came in at only 1489!!, reg doc states weight of 1499 - brochure when we purchased the car brand new to be a good match for a van we had ordered stated a kerbweight of 1618, VW tech dept not very helpful when contacted so we changed type of van, but like most women i was not happy and now we are changing to the van we want and will most likly have to change the car even tho its a great drive and very ecomicial, regards Katherine

 

[Tim_5119805]

Hi Mike, thanks for the reply, our passat when we weighed it on a weight bridge came in at only 1489!!, reg doc states weight of 1499 - brochure when we purchased the car brand new to be a good match for a van we had ordered stated a kerbweight of 1618, VW tech dept not very helpful when contacted so we changed type of van, but like most women i was not happy and now we are changing to the van we want and will most likly have to change the car even tho its a great drive and very ecomicial, regards Katherine

I'm researching buying our first caravan after 20 years towing a trailer tent. Our car is a 1994 Passat estate 2.0litre, which I thought would make a great towcar, even if a diesel would have more torque.

Handbook says "unladen weight" is 1400kg. Even if the kerbweight is a bit higher the 85% MTPLM limit on a caravan is only about 1250kg. I'm horrified to find that all but the lower spec lightweight caravans are at least 1400kg. No wonder everyone is having to buy heavy 4x4s!