Vauxhall Zafira Tourer not rated to tow??.

[Steve1962]

Re the Outlander option. I had the Peugeot 4008. Like the Citroen C-Cross. Same body (nearly) but a different engine. Possibly the Pug engine is more refined.

Mine was a good tow car. Not a ‘proper’ 4x4 but enough to get you out of problems The 7 seats are a joke. The back ones may work for small children. I put mine in the loft.

Also, consider a Volvo V70 mine was a great tow car.

John

PS. Here is an example with lower mileage than you were looking at and much much cheaper. (just as an idea, or reference).

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You put your small children in the loft?.....a bit harsh methinks.....lol

 

[Jcloughie]

You put your small children in the loft?.....a bit harsh methinks.....lol

😡 🤭 Very well-spotted.

My small children are in their 50’s now. But otherwise, it might be a good idea,

(I put the seats in the loft. Saved carrying 26 kg around).

John

 

[Hutch]

The purpose of a winter tyre is not just to get you through snow and ice, but to reduce braking distance at temperatures approaching zero or below, even on dry roads.

I went to the Knokian K115, tyre as the review were very good in wet, dry and came out best for Wet Grass, which I had never seen before in a tyre test. Ideal for Wet Cl/ C's, sites.

 

[Steve1962]

😡 🤭 Very well-spotted.

My small children are in their 50’s now. But otherwise, it might be a good idea,

(I put the seats in the loft. Saved carrying 26 kg around).

John

26kg....... quite the weight saving.
My kids are 28, 30 and 32.

Light hearted story about the kids:
When they were still boys, I called them all into the lounge....
right boys, stand there and put your arms behind your backs.........at this point I could see them thinking " what kind of trick is this"

Then I got out a £10 note and asked them each in turn to take from me and hand it back, first with the right hand and then with the left.

Once this had been successfully accomplished, I thanked them and then said to them....

" glad to see that both your hands work, so from now on any clothes found on your bedroom floor will go in the bin as we assume they aren't for the wash cos you have to walk right past the laundry basket on the landing to get into your rooms"

That lasted six weeks, which is longer than I thought it would.

 

[RogerL]

We all seems to have our favourite brands and types of tyres. Over 50 years of driving I must have tried many different makes and types and apart from the actual life I've gotten out of them I haven't been able to notice any difference in performance vis road holding.

I've driven in many different weather conditions from snow, ice, flooded roads, poor road surfaces and still can't say that one make was any better than the other.

I share your observation - I never intentionally drive any car at the limit of it's adhesion, this gives a safety margin which I hope never to find out whether it was enough.

Virtually all cars sold new in the UK are delivered on summer tyres, with one or two having an option of summer or all-season tyres.

 

[Lutz]

I went to the Knokian K115, tyre as the review were very good in wet, dry and came out best for Wet Grass, which I had never seen before in a tyre test. Ideal for Wet Cl/ C's, sites.

That may very well be the case, but how good were they when trying to come to a full stop under freezing conditions?

I share your observation - I never intentionally drive any car at the limit of it's adhesion, this gives a safety margin which I hope never to find out whether it was enough.

Virtually all cars sold new in the UK are delivered on summer tyres, with one or two having an option of summer or all-season tyres.

When you are forced to make an emergency stop you may very well be testing the tyres to the limit of their adhesion.

 

[Hutch]

That may very well be the case, but how good were they when trying to come to a full stop under freezing conditions?



When you are forced to make an emergency stop you may very well be testing the tyres to the limit of their adhesion.

In the UK, I have found that in Freezing condition, and much to my wife's annoyance, as we go out I try the full emergency stop from about 20mph. In a straight part of our Cul de Sac. And also on a curved section. Just so I understand my braking distance. It also lets me know my ABS is working.
Luckily my slow speed braking abilities learned over 55 years of driving in snow conditions allow me to be able to brake without the ABS kicking in , at most times.
I have also over the years been able to "Play" with variable cars on snow covered airfields, to gain experience of driving fast in those conditions. That way I have not have to given myself adrenneline hits on public roads.
To get back to your original question.
I found the Hankook K 117a, very good tyre in the cold and snow.

 

[Lutz]

In the UK, I have found that in Freezing condition, and much to my wife's annoyance, as we go out I try the full emergency stop from about 20mph. In a straight part of our Cul de Sac. And also on a curved section. Just so I understand my braking distance. It also lets me know my ABS is working.
Luckily my slow speed braking abilities learned over 55 years of driving in snow conditions allow me to be able to brake without the ABS kicking in , at most times.
I have also over the years been able to "Play" with variable cars on snow covered airfields, to gain experience of driving fast in those conditions. That way I have not have to given myself adrenneline hits on public roads.

I wasn't talking about driving on snow or ice but on perfectly dry roads when it's freezing outside.
When someone suddenly pulls out from a side road in front of you, you don't have much choice but to hit the brake pedal hard, whatever speed you happen to be doing at the time.

 

[Hutch]

I wasn't talking about driving on snow or ice but on perfectly dry roads when it's freezing outside.
When someone suddenly pulls out from a side road in front of you, you don't have much choice but to hit the brake pedal hard, whatever speed you happen to be doing at the time.

Sorry, your posting # 131 made me think you were asking about that, driving in Icing conditions.

 

[Hutch]

Wow, we are way off the Zafaria towing limits.
But it is late at night.

 

[otherclive]

I wasn't talking about driving on snow or ice but on perfectly dry roads when it's freezing outside.
When someone suddenly pulls out from a side road in front of you, you don't have much choice but to hit the brake pedal hard, whatever speed you happen to be doing at the time.

I have read that summer tyres performance starts to reduce as temperature falls below 7 deg C. Such that at 0 deg C tests show a measurable difference between a summer and winter tyre.

 

[Sam Vimes]

Wow, we are way off the Zafaria towing limits.
But it is late at night.

Yes, getting a little off the original topic..... and I'm guility as well. Perhaps we can return to the OPs concerns.

 

[wyldeandfree]

Yes, getting a little off the original topic..... and I'm guility as well. Perhaps we can return to the OPs concerns.

I dont mind at all, its nice to learn from the general chat.

Update on the Rav4...it passed its MOT with no advisories, so maybe we were wrong about the tyres but we are having an independent inspection done to check. We might change them anyway after reading all of the above though you all seem to disagree on what would be best tyres! 😜🤣 Garage have agreed to fix the windscreen and are doing that tomorrow.

If something falls through on this a friend in Cornwall has offered to sell is his Skoda Octavia with a 1500kg towing limit, so that is our plan B.

 

[Jcloughie]

Personally, I am happy with good quality all year tyres. I am sure they will not be the best in all circumstances. But a reasonable compromise. And quieter on major roads than the town and country type.

 

[otherclive]

Personally, I am happy with good quality all year tyres. I am sure they will not be the best in all circumstances. But a reasonable compromise. And quieter on major roads than the town and country type.

Can you still get Town and Country tyres for modern car wheel sizes? But unless you are the owner of a Morris Minor I cannot see any reason to buy T&C, I’d go for BFG All Terrain.

 

[Jcloughie]

Can you still get Town and Country tyres for modern car wheel sizes? But unless you are the owner of a Morris Minor I cannot see any reason to buy T&C, I’d go for BFG All Terrain.

I mean this type of tyre.





I have seen 4x4’s with this sort of thing on. Probably great on the farm.

John

 

[Hutch]

I mean this type of tyre.

View attachment 5279



I have seen 4x4’s with this sort of thing on. Probably great on the farm.

John

A good , go anywhere tyre.

 

[otherclive]

I mean this type of tyre.

View attachment 5279



I have seen 4x4’s with this sort of thing on. Probably great on the farm.

John

The Town and Country tyres I used on my older cars looked nothing like the Insa Turbo. Insa are predominantly off road specified as either All Terrain or Mud Terrain. For ordinary day to day road use with a family car they are totally unsuitable, potentially dangerous. The T&C tyres I had on my Marina were Firestone.

 

[Jcloughie]

The Insa’s blurb does say it is an off-road tyre. But with: “Improved on-road handling and noise”.

John

 

[Buckman]

Can you still get Town and Country tyres for modern car wheel sizes? But unless you are the owner of a Morris Minor I cannot see any reason to buy T&C, I’d go for BFG All Terrain.

The BFGs are excellent in wet weather and off road, but noisy on normal tarmac roads. I had them on my Toyota 4x4.

 

[Ukdave2002]

We had a pickup that had BFG's All Terrain, yes they are really good if you spend a lot of time off road, but on a wet tarmac road they are scary, especially if you hit a white line. On long journeys the noise gets irritating.

 

[Lutz]

The OP was referring to a Vauxhall Zafira. I hardly think that anyone would fit that sort of tyre to a Zafira.

 

[wyldeandfree]

We bought the Rav4 after the dealer did quite a bit of work on it and as of last night, we managed to tow the caravan with it. It has been such a big stress but your support and advice has made a huge difference. Thank you so much!