Are cars with automatic gearboxes better for towing?

[Rosscow]

PH5121 said:

I got the caravan back from storage at the weekend, the first time I've towed with the wife's new automatic Freelander and it pulled it a treat. My wife moved the 'van on the drive and has said that she'll have a go towing as it is easier with the auto box.

I also discovered that her new car has a switch for disabling the parking sensors which is great as the beeping when reversing always made it hard to hear the directions that my wife would shout at me when parking (and the beeping was bloody irritating too).

If the tow bar was either factory fitted, or fitted using the OEM wiring loom, then the rear park control should turn itself off when you have a trailer/caravan connected.

If when the trailer/caravan has the black electrical connector plugged in and the parking beepers still operate, then I'd wager your tow bar wiring is incorrect.

[GlenMH]

surveyor said:

That reminds me.. That little 2 -3 inch 'rock' that some cars do when you put them in Park, is a pain in the arse when trying to hook up to the car..

Then use the parking brake. I can put the car in park, use the parking brake and then release the brake pedal and get no movement whatsoever.

[mikal83]

GlenMH said:

surveyor said:

That reminds me.. That little 2 -3 inch 'rock' that some cars do when you put them in Park, is a pain in the arse when trying to hook up to the car..

Then use the parking brake. I can put the car in park, use the parking brake and then release the brake pedal and get no movement whatsoever.

That's why I looooooooooooooooooooove my motor mover!

[Register1]

Towed our loaded 2100kg 4 wheel caravan for thousands of miles, all over Scandinavia, and mainland Europe.
Automatic diesel Auto all the way.

Land Cruiser, with the caravan had an all up train weight of 4,5 ton.

Stick it in cruise, at 53 mph let the auto-box do it's stuff, (gps speed) and just sit in them big armchairs and watch the countryside roll by.

r1