Are cars with automatic gearboxes better for towing?
Discussion
We got our fist caravan last spring and have used the car my wife already had, a Freelander 2, for the towing duties.
She has been talking about getting a new car and there is for sale locally another Freelander 2 which would be ideal. It has a higher specification, it's newer, has lower mileage and already has a Witter removable tow bar. It is however an automatic, her current car is a manual.
I was under the impression that an auto was better for towing and although my car is an auto I've never towed with one. What do you reckon, would it be a good tow car?
The fuel economy will be worse and the road tax is higher, but she is happy with that.
She has been talking about getting a new car and there is for sale locally another Freelander 2 which would be ideal. It has a higher specification, it's newer, has lower mileage and already has a Witter removable tow bar. It is however an automatic, her current car is a manual.
I was under the impression that an auto was better for towing and although my car is an auto I've never towed with one. What do you reckon, would it be a good tow car?
The fuel economy will be worse and the road tax is higher, but she is happy with that.
My personal preference for driving pleasure is a manual gear box. My every day vehicle has an auto box whilst my weekend car is manual.
After our last weekend away with the caravan in October the slave cylinder failed on my wife's car the day after we returned. This meant a new slave cylinder and clutch.
I don't know if towing the caravan could have caused this as there is a particular tee junction that is on hill, on a corner that is murder on the clutch of any vehicle ,that we have to contend with when we go to our favourite site in the Lake District.
After our last weekend away with the caravan in October the slave cylinder failed on my wife's car the day after we returned. This meant a new slave cylinder and clutch.
I don't know if towing the caravan could have caused this as there is a particular tee junction that is on hill, on a corner that is murder on the clutch of any vehicle ,that we have to contend with when we go to our favourite site in the Lake District.
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).
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).
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