Worst Tow Car

[ProfAlGoogle]

Looking at the positive respose to "What do you tow and what with ?" Thought I would start another thread going with Your NIGHTMARE Tow car.

I'll start with mine: Mitsubihi Pajero 2.5 turbo diesel, towing T/A Elldis Huricane, not enough power to pull the skin of a rice puding. Took it down in to France and almost died of Embarrassment on most of the hills (and flats) spent most of my time trying to hide my head under the dashboard.needless to say it did not stop in the stable for very long!

Allan.

 

[MikeP]

I loved the car, but it was definitely my worst tow car - a Peugeot 305 1.7 diesel. No turbo. In fact, not much. It was very reliable though.

The most embarrasing time was when I left the M25 to join the M40, which has a steady climb for several miles towards High Wycombe. With Mrs P and 3 kids in the car and a 450kg trailer tent on the back I couldn't get out of 3rd gear and top speend was about 40mph. Happy days.

 

[Angus1]

Ford Orion 1.6GL. My first company car. Had a old Eccles which it towed with ease, but with a short wheelbase and long overhang would whip into a lethal snake at any time, any speed, any surface with NO warning.

Motorway, downhill, being overtaken by a coach? No problem.

Sheltered road, 40mph, no traffic, no crosswinds? Either steady as a rock or using both carriageways and the grass verge.

My wife used a tyre lever to get my hands off the steering wheel.

Believe me, it was not fun.

Swapped the van for super Mardon (bit shorter but same weight) within weeks, and no problems ever since with oodles of van/car configurations.

 

[Garfield]

We used to get Orions as hire cars for work, the 1.6i Ghias were ok but occasionally we got an L or GL which were the scariest thing ever in a cross wind, a workman farting at the side of the road would cause it to change lanes. All my own cars have been very good tow cars for their size, 1972 Opel Manta, Fiesta XR2, Audi coupe quattro 20v, Golf GTI, BMW 530i, Peugeot 405 estate, VW Sharan, Fiat Ducato van, we haven't towed with our new S-Max yet, The least stable was probably the 405 estate though I only towed a boat with the XR2.

 

[MikeAce]

My worst was my first tow car, a 1.8 16v vectra estate converted to lpg.

Driving over the brecon beacons one late rainy winter night she decided to blow a gear box, i fought the gear stick for miles thankfully the old girl got to the site, no sooner had i reversed onto the pitch she shrieked, dropped her oil on the floor and passed out from the pain. 600 notes later and a rather helpful rac chap and we were back on the move. 2 weeks later that was.

that was the last time it towed, went out and bought my wife a tdci mondeo, still got the vectra but wont tow again with it.

 

[Oldfogey]

Waaay back I knew a guy who towed a (minute) caravan with a Reliant Regal. The van was almost certainly heavier than the car, which was not exactly a high powered beast, but it seemed to work OK as long as you were in no hurry.

 

[David_4967156]

I dont think I have ever had a bad tow car in my past. I think the most unsuited car I have owned would be Ford Escort 1.3 I had.

The rest I have owned have all been very good.

 

[colin(bridgend)]

My worst tow car was a 2.0 litre Omega - no fault of Vauxhall but some idiot in a garage knackered the engine and it constantly overheated - tried to claim off the garage but failed. Car was great solo but no good with the van in tow. Prior to my Daihatsu Fortrak the best towcar I owned - DON'T LAUGH - was a 1.6 litre Austin Maestro. Did approx 100,000 miles and only one hiccup - gear linkage broke. Towed caravan from Bournemouth to Bridgend in under 3 hours - brilliant towcar.

 

[David_4967156]

I had a 1.6 Montego Countryman. That was a good car but the old tin worm killied that off. Also had an Omega, Strangly mine was a 2.0 Auto and overheated which was found to be a failing water pump.

 

[ProfAlGoogle]

Very interesting reading, keep them coming it brightens up these dull winters day's.

Allan & Gill.

 

[Jo-AnneFairway5402010]

307 sw 2.0hdi, great at pulling but max towball weight 65 so we sent the new car back, shame.

 

[ProfAlGoogle]

so far no reliant robins with twin axle vans.........lol

 

[VIP2006]

my towcars over the years:

1 - Saab 99 - ***

2 - Austin Maxi - **

3 - Saab 900 - ***

4 - Toyota Carina Auto - **

5 - Volvo 370 - ****

6 - Audi 90 - **

7 - Volvo 740 ****

8 - Mercedes 220CDi Auto - ***

9 - Mercedes ML270 CDi Auto - *****

* - no good

** - reasonable

*** - fairly good

**** - very good

***** - excellent

 

[Mike_5041089]

I was once daft enough to tow our then '93 Lunar 560/5 T/A with a 1988 Rover 820Si which I bought from the auctions at Wesbury in '93. In fairness it was ok most of the time apart from all the electric windows and roof working intermittently, and the aircon never working - until we got stuck by an old truck crawling up a 1:5 hill between Bude & Holsworthy. This killed the clutch! So there was I stuck on this hill, on a blind bend with 3 small children and a heavily loaded car & 'van, when a very kind fellow 'vanner pulled us up to the top of the hill, by which time the clutch had cooled down and was just working. His car was only a 2.0 MG Montego - it was very good of him to risk his clutch and gearbox with nearly 3 tons of car & van in tow! Fortunately some kind teenager smashed into the Rover and wrote it off about 6 months later (no one hurt), so we were able to get a new car thanks to a very fair settlement from the insurance co.

 

[Saladdodger]

Allan.

You asked about the worse towing vehicle.....Well.....Lisa's little motorbike looks a bit underpowered.

 

[Watto]

My towcars over the years:

1 - Vauxhall Zafira 1.9 CDTi (x3)- *****

2 - Vauxhall Vectra 1.9 (Hatch) CDTi - ***

3 - Vauxhall Vectra 3.0 (Hatch) CDTi - *****

4 - Vauxhall Signum 2.2 (petrol) - ****

5 - Vauxhall Signum 2.2 16v (diesel) - *****

6 - Vauxhall Omega 2.2 16v (diesel) - *****

7 - Vauxhall Zafira (MK1) 2.2 16v (petrol) - ***

8 - Vauxhall Vectra (MK1) 2.2 16v (petrol) ****

9 - Vauxhall Vectra (MK1) 2.2 16v (diesel) - ****

10 - Vauxhall Vectra (MK1) 2.0 16v (petrol) - ****

11 - Vauxhall Astra (MK3) 1.4 16v - *

* - no good

** - reasonable

*** - fairly good

**** - very good

***** - excellent

The Astra & MK1 Vectra towed a trailer tent and all the others towed a Pageant Bordeaux. As you may of gathered, I work for GM so I get to have a new (lease) car every 7 months.

The worst car out of the lot was the Astra, due to it being very under powered. The best car is a choice out of the 3 litre diesel Vectra & the new Zafiras.

Mark W

 

[ProfAlGoogle]

Not that many bad tow cars about then, or is it a case of some are better than others!

 

[Viking1]

I have only used one car up to now for tow and that's been a good tow car which is a C-max.

We did have a Ford estate that we had bee for this car which we had form new.

It just seemed to have now power at all we were glade to get ride of it.

Mark

 

[LizCornwall]

Mondeo 2.0LX good old work horse, pulls our Lunar Clubman, ok, struggles a bit up hills.

 

[Steve L]

Definately an Austin 1100 that i owned back in the early eighties. Followed closely by a HC vauxhall Viva and a Morris Marina 1.8 estate.

Then I discovered Renault and can honestly say the only one that was below par was a Renault 11 1.7 txe, which was far too soft on the back end to be useful.

The phase 2 Espace tops the goody list as mine coped verywell with a 12 hour drive from Glasgow to Leominster with a 2 ton Jaguar on an Ifor Williams flat deck goods trailer. The total trailer weight must of been 2 1/2 tons and it towed without sway at a steady 50mph all day.

 

[Beverley_374243781]

We used to get Orions as hire cars for work, the 1.6i Ghias were ok but occasionally we got an L or GL which were the scariest thing ever in a cross wind, a workman farting at the side of the road would cause it to change lanes. All my own cars have been very good tow cars for their size, 1972 Opel Manta, Fiesta XR2, Audi coupe quattro 20v, Golf GTI, BMW 530i, Peugeot 405 estate, VW Sharan, Fiat Ducato van, we haven't towed with our new S-Max yet, The least stable was probably the 405 estate though I only towed a boat with the XR2.

Only just read this message - haven't laughed so much for months! Have a great picture now in my mind. Thanks for the laugh.