Towing with petrol ???

[izzy]

I currently tow with a Seat Ateca 2.0l diesel and have had diesels for as long as I can remember but I will not tow without warranty and the Seat is coming up to 3 years now so has to go.
I could just replace it but the price of them has rocketed so I am thinking of getting a Ford Kuga 1.5l petrol Titanium, it may have only 3 cylinders but has the same HP as the Ateca and similar torque and is a little heavier.
I have never towed with petrol and was just wondering what to expect, van is a smallish 2 berth (1350 kg all in )
I have considered most models and those that I like I can't afford and others that I can afford I wouldn't give drive space and with the current anti diesel climate it may be time for a change.
Kuga looks the best bet but will petrol be a big shock to the system, Hmmmm

 

[otherclive]

What did the majority tow with before Government gave big inducements to move to diesel and reduce CO2 emissions …..petrol.

But to answer your question two of my most recent tow cars were Subaru Foresters and they were petrol. They towed a 1350 kg caravan just fine although the non turbo needed higher revs at times. The more modern engines such as the Ford or Volkswagen group 1.5TSI are turbo so have a good torque at lower revs and so are good candidates for towing. A friend of mine has a fiesta with 3 cylinder 1 litre engine and it’s amazing how well it pulls on steep hills near us even with 4 passengers.

The one thing you will undoubtedly meet is increased fuel consumption compared to an equivalent diesel. But if your towing mileage isn’t massive then that’s not an issue.

Volkswagen are currently offering deals on Approved used. 2 year 100k warranty, roadside recovery, two MoT and two services. Tiguan may be an option to consider.

 

[izzy]

The Tiguan was one of my options but I find them a bit bland (same footprint as the Ateca though ) and the OH hates anything VW so that was that.

 

[GaryB]

My current tow car and it's replacement is petrol. People get obsessed with diesels for towing and while there's no doubt that a diesel engine is often (but not always) a great towing engine, it isn't a necessity. Sure, if you were towing long distances every week then a diesel would be a sensible option but for the occasional towing of a caravan it isn't mandatory. I switched from a diesel V90 to a petrol and while the diesel did more MPG, the difference in price between the two fuels means that the financial difference isn't great.

Petrol cars are a lot more economical than they used to be.

 

[Jcloughie]

I used to tow a big old 4 berth van with two teenagers and all the stuff that goes with it, with a 1.6 litre Fiat 131 Mirafiori. Just 113 hp, no turbo. It managed really well.

But things change. I moved to diesel and most have been very good. But at 2 to 2.5 litre turbo. The last being a Volvo V70 which was first class.

I have now changed to a 2 litre non turbo petrol with a slightly larger hp than the Volvo. I made the move as I no longer tow and only do around 4000 miles per year.

The new car goes fine but, despite supposedly being more powerful than the Volvo, but will change down to 4th at 75 up slight hills, in France. And feels less powerful. It has a 2 tonne towing limit, but does not feel it might cope.

The Volvo would rarely need to change down even towing a 1500 kg van.

I would be nervous going to a small 3 cylinder engine for towing. But I might be totally wrong.

I would seek advice from those that already tow with similar cars.

John

 

[otherclive]

I used to tow a big old 4 berth van with two teenagers and all the stuff that goes with it, with a 1.6 litre Fiat 131 Mirafiori. Just 113 hp, no turbo. It managed really well.

But things change. I moved to diesel and most have been very good. But at 2 to 2.5 litre turbo. The last being a Volvo V70 which was first class.

I have now changed to a 2 litre non turbo petrol with a slightly larger hp than the Volvo. I made the move as I no longer tow and only do around 4000 miles per year.

The new car goes fine but, despite supposedly being more powerful than the Volvo, but will change down to 4th at 75 up slight hills, in France. And feels less powerful. It has a 2 tonne towing limit, but does not feel it might cope.

The Volvo would rarely need to change down even towing a 1500 kg van.

I would be nervous going to a small 3 cylinder engine for towing. But I might be totally wrong.

I would seek advice from those that already tow with similar cars.

John

What is the difference between a 1.5 litre turbo three cylinder engine (Ford) and a 1.5 litre four cylinder turbo engine (VAG, CRV).
Apart from the obvious answer that is. 😂

 

[GaryB]

The Volvo would rarely need to change down even towing a 1500 kg van.

I would be nervous going to a small 3 cylinder engine for towing. But I might be totally wrong.

I would seek advice from those that already tow with similar cars.

John

My previous diesel V90 and the current petrol V90 use the same gearbox but the petrol one certainly shifts through the gears more than the diesel as you'd expect, power output of both engines is about the same (not sure on torque values though).

A slight amusing aside, my next door neighbour is an experienced mechanic (now retired) who used to own a successful independent BMW garage. His wife had a new Suzuki Swift back in 2018 and complained to him that it didn't feel right, he took it out and came back looking concerned (I was outside washing the caravan), I asked him what was wrong and he told me it was misfiring. On opening the bonnet he discovered that the "misfire" was simply the odd/lumpy sound of it being a 3 cylinder!

 

[Jcloughie]

What is the difference between a 1.5 litre turbo three cylinder engine (Ford) and a 1.5 litre four cylinder turbo engine (VAG, CRV).
Apart from the obvious answer that is. 😂

The newish development of small petrol engines MAY, I don’t know, be suitable as tow cars. The MG I just had was a 1 ltr 3 cylinder. Did not feel as though it could pull much weight at all. But it was extremely nippy.

Traditionally, I feel that the low revving high torque engines are best. But I am only stating my own preferences. Which might be very wrong. And also why I suggested that the OP speaks advice from others who tow with such cars, regardless of the number of cylinders.

John

 

[otherclive]

My previous diesel V90 and the current petrol V90 use the same gearbox but the petrol one certainly shifts through the gears more than the diesel as you'd expect, power output of both engines is about the same (not sure on torque values though).

A slight amusing aside, my next door neighbour is an experienced mechanic (now retired) who used to own a successful independent BMW garage. His wife had a new Suzuki Swift back in 2018 and complained to him that it didn't feel right, he took it out and came back looking concerned (I was outside washing the caravan), I asked him what was wrong and he told me it was misfiring. On opening the bonnet he discovered that the "misfire" was simply the odd/lumpy sound of it being a 3 cylinder!

I experienced that on a Corsa we hired in Cyprus. Lifted the bonnet and surprised to see only three sets of ignition leads. At that time I only thought motor cycles had three cylinders?

 

[Dustydog]

If the Warranty is your primary concern why not look to Kia and Hyundai. Unbeatable lengthy warranties.

Nothing wrong with petrol for a tug. Until 2005 all my towing cars were petrol. Today I have no complaints with diesel. Effortless and never left me short .

 

[ProfJohnL]

Another big difference between the petrols of the 1970's and the current crop of 3 cylinders is that most of the new engines also use turbo boosting, which manages to almost mimic the torique from a diesel, consequently the new small petrol engines are actually not too bad.

 

[izzy]

Nothing wrong with Kia or Hyundai.
Just not for me somehow.

 

[borderbilly]

Y

Nothing wrong with Kia or Hyundai.
Just not for me somehow.

You are too fussy, buy 2 cart horse's.

 

[Dustydog]

Nothing wrong with Kia or Hyundai.
Just not for me somehow.

Ok . So how about a Skoda Karoq or VW Tiguan . All from your VAG stable?
If price is a concern as stated why not look to a nearly new ex demo ?
On the smaller Ford 3 cylinder engines I read somewhere that the reliability was not good. Something to do with a breakdown of the fibres in the oil bathed cam belt . The fibres blocked an oil way causing failure. I may be wrong but worth checking out.

 

[Mr Plodd]

Be vastly cheaper to buy an additional warranty than to change your tow car. Modern cars are pretty reliable bits of machinery these days.
Many people tow with 15-20 year old cars without issue.
My current tug is coming up to 6 years old with 54K on the clock and is faultless.
Personally I wouldn't get hung up in the slightest about being "out of (new) warranty" Any possible repair costs will be much less than any cost to change.
Better the devil you know?

 

[otherclive]

Ok . So how about a Skoda Karoq or VW Tiguan . All from your VAG stable?
If price is a concern as stated why not look to a nearly new ex demo ?
On the smaller Ford 3 cylinder engines I read somewhere that the reliability was not good. Something to do with a breakdown of the fibres in the oil bathed cam belt . The fibres blocked an oil way causing failure. I may be wrong but worth checking out

The OP finds Tiguan bland, and his wife “hates” VAG cars😂

Ok . So how about a Skoda Karoq or VW Tiguan . All from your VAG stable?
If price is a concern as stated why not look to a nearly new ex demo ?
On the smaller Ford 3 cylinder engines I read somewhere that the reliability was not good. Something to do with a breakdown of the fibres in the oil bathed cam belt . The fibres blocked an oil way causing failure. I may be wrong but worth checking out.

it was the 1 litre three pots that had issues, but that seems to have been resolved, don’t think the 1.5 s were affected. Most problems on smaller eco boost engines were overheating and as you say belt degradation. There’s also a nice 2.5 litre petrol hybrid Kuga.

But their cambelts are now rated for 10-12 years and 144000-150000 miles. Not like our last cambelt Nissan 40000 miles, or four years at a cost of around £400 in 2016. Ouch. Cam chain now for us.

 

[izzy]

Be vastly cheaper to buy an additional warranty than to change your tow car. Modern cars are pretty reliable bits of machinery these days.
Many people tow with 15-20 year old cars without issue.
My current tug is coming up to 6 years old with 54K on the clock and is faultless.
Personally I wouldn't get hung up in the slightest about being "out of (new) warranty" Any possible repair costs will be much less than any cost to change.
Better the devil you know?

Agree with nearly all that but bought warranties are rubbish (in my experience) and Seat unlike some won't let me extend.
Anyway we are ready for a change even though the Seat has been faultless . The Kuga hybrid is too expensive and so is the insurance.
So, know what you're saying mr Plodd but time to move on

 

[Mr Grumpy]

Be vastly cheaper to buy an additional warranty than to change your tow car. Modern cars are pretty reliable bits of machinery these days.
Many people tow with 15-20 year old cars without issue.
Better the devil you know?

So on the current stable I have a 2005 Freelander TD4 with 114K on the clock and a recently acquired Hyundai Santa Fe with a grand total of 34K on the clock.
Both are proficient tugs and extremely capable of towing our 1500 kg caravan.

 

[Oscarmax]

We quite happily tow with a petrol vehicle

 

[trevormonty]

Tow 1100kg van with Vitara 1.4T. Rarely needs to go over 3000rpm on open road. Most modern turbos are produce max torque at 1500-2000 which is why they make good tow vehicles. Vitara produces 235nm at 1500, similar torque to 2.5L which would produce it at 4000rpm.
If serviced reqularly no reason turbo should be any less reliable than diesel turbo.

 

[otherclive]

Tow 1100kg van with Vitara 1.4T. Rarely needs to go over 3000rpm on open road. Most modern turbos are produce max torque at 1500-2000 which is why they make good tow vehicles. Vitara produces 235nm at 1500, similar torque to 2.5L which would produce it at 4000rpm.
If serviced reqularly no reason turbo should be any less reliable than diesel turbo.

A turbo is a turbo and whether petrol or diesel car should be equally reliable. The thing that kills them is as you say poor maintenance by not having good quality oil and regular changes with reduced periodicity if the car tows a lot, or arduous circumstances. That’s difficult to define though. The other killer is stopping the engine too quickly after it has been working hard, IE high speed run or towing. But even going into services allows the turbo to reduce temperature as you are driving slowly looking in vain for somewhere to park up. Some cars have oil cooling even after switch off if heat is sensed. Had turbo cars if both types since 1997 and never had a turbo issue apart from a hose failure on a Sorento.

 

[Dustydog]

None of my petrol tugs had turbos . All performed very well. The 2.2 six cylinder Princess was a great slogger as was its predecessor the Austin 1800 land crab. The best was the Triumph 2000 six pot with overdrive.

Honda lead the field with their variable valve timing . I certainly wouldn’t make having a turbo on a petrol engine a must have ?

 

[otherclive]

None of my petrol tugs had turbos . All performed very well. The 2.2 six cylinder Princess was a great slogger as was its predecessor the Austin 1800 land crab. The best was the Triumph 2000 six pot with overdrive.

Honda lead the field with their variable valve timing . I certainly wouldn’t make having a turbo on a petrol engine a must have ?

Same here with a BX 16, mk1 Mondeo and Forester. Although it’s getting increasingly difficult to find a non turbo petrol particularly as constraints for emissions require ever higher efficiency and weight reduction. Who would ever have thought of a X trail with a 1.3 litre engine? Some modern hybrids don’t have turbos like CRV, Kuga, Subarus and RAV4 etc. So it’s a case of you pays your money….

 

[Beachball]

I also had a Fiat 131 Mirafiori 1.6 and a Madza 626 1.8 it towed our 4 berth caravan okay with no problems

 

[izzy]

Thanks all
don't think its going to be the shock to the system that I first thought!