Tow Vehicle Help

[lottie]

Morning. Can anyone recommend a suitable tow vehicle for my Lunar Rendezvous 26ft caravan? I have towed it with a Maverick and Shogun in the past. Unfortunately my partner and I are splitting up and I still want to be able to tow. What other vehicles would be ok? Am feeling rather crap so please go easy on the caravan digs etc. Thanks

[Busamav]

a volvo v70 or S60 , preferably the D5 engine format would cope easily .

If your looking for the cheapest option , a Citroen XM , or C5 would do the job no problem

Edited by Busamav on Sunday 9th November 09:42

[lottie]

Busamav said:

a volvo v70 or S60 , preferably the D5 engine format would cope easily .

If your looking for the cheapest option , a Citroen XM , or C5 would do the job no problem

Edited by Busamav on Sunday 9th November 09:42

Thanks-the cheaper option sounds godd

[BB-Q]

Good luck towing a 26ft caravan with a front wheel drive vehicle.

If you want a really cheap RWD option you can get a late, mint Volvo 960 (6 pot, 2.5 and 3 litre) for peanuts. You can get the 2.5 in a manual too, if you prefer.

Edited by BB-Q on Sunday 9th November 10:16

[paoloh]

Use the Fezza

[lottie]

paoloh said:

Use the Fezza

Helpful.

[paoloh]

lottie said:

paoloh said:

Use the Fezza

Helpful.

You've got to admit, that would be one of the very few ways of making caravanning look cool!?

[Fatboy]

BB-Q said:

Good luck towing a 26ft caravan with a front wheel drive vehicle.

If you want a really cheap RWD option you can get a late, mint Volvo 960 (6 pot, 2.5 and 3 litre) for peanuts. You can get the 2.5 in a manual too, if you prefer.

Edited by BB-Q on Sunday 9th November 10:16

What about a 5 series BMW - slightly less thirsty than the Volvo?

Having said that, Volvo did do diesel versions, and the 940/960 were often very well equipped. My brother had a 740 for a while, and it was a brilliant car.

[Psimpson7]

what sort of budget?

I would say a Discovery for a van that size, especially if you want to be able to move it on a wet field.

Rgds
Pete.

[cptsideways]

Go for a late 960 or V90 (same thing just last of the model) Big, long, rwd lazy 3.0 l lumps are nice, very well equipped too & loevly seats.

The V70 are available in AWD format one of those would do the job & early ones are cheap enough, though go for the diesel if you can the 2.4/2.5 petrols are frankly gutless in the torque dept.

[Big Rod]

How about a Frontera? That's what I use. You can buy three of the earlier one's for 10p and while they're not the most sophisticated of rides, they're quite robust and the LWB versions have a 5 tonne max train weight!! In fact I'll sell you my '03 plate V6 auto for £4k if you want!!

TBH, anything big and 4x4 would be suitable and there're bargains abound at the moment.

BTW, your caravan sounds lovely. I suffer from 'van envy. Mine's only little y'see!

[Chrisgr31]

How about one of the Korean 4x4s, something like the Hyundai Sante Fe, or the Kia version of it?

A bargain second hand, and when new have ridicously long warranties so the manufacturers mut have faith in them.

Mind you ability off-road is doubtful!

[metro lover]

Why bother? You've obviously given up on life

[lottie]

metro lover said:

Why bother? You've obviously given up on life

No! Am just doing what women do - be practical and try to sort a s**t situation as best as possible.

[MrV]

Any idea how much or how little you want to spend ?

I know cheap is good but how reliable does it need to be

[welshbikerduck]

lottie said:

metro lover said:

Why bother? You've obviously given up on life

No! Am just doing what women do - be practical and try to sort a s**t situation as best as possible.

Good on you, i been where you are now and it is not nice, unless someone has been through it they have no idea how painful it all is. Keep your chin up.

As for a tow vehicle, my dad has a large caravan and he uses a Kia Sedona auto. It has a 2.8 Mercedes diesel unit and he swears by it and has told me it is held in high regard in the caravan community.

I know it is a Kia and may not have the Kudos of a Disco etc but they do look pretty good (for an MPV) and are well equipped too. His is on a 51 plate and he has had no issues with it at all.

[john_r]

What you need is a facelift MKII Discovery thats been well looked after... Especially one with the 3.5t tow bar, Active Cornering Suspension and rear lift air shocks.

Here's one I found earlier that would be perfect: http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/772692.htm

[lottie]

john_r said:

What you need is a facelift MKII Discovery thats been well looked after... Especially one with the 3.5t tow bar, Active Cornering Suspension and rear lift air shocks.

Here's one I found earlier that would be perfect: http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/772692.htm

Very nice - unfortunately a bit too pricey!! May have found an L reg Ford Maverick that looks very tidy-I know they are not a popular 4x4 but excellent at towing. We'll see. Thanks though.

[Mars]

Whilst not a cheap car to run, my MY05 3-litre Legacy is rated to pull 1800Kg. Later ones can pull 2000Kg. Although it has a fair bit more power than (example) a TDV6 Disco-3, it doesn't have the torque of a large turbo diesel but people forget what the gearbox is (a torque multiplier). It's a powerful, easy-to-live-with car.

They're ALL 4WD and have bullet-proof engineering, and there's a few nice ones on PH.

http://pistonheads.com/sales/540851.htm - change from £7K

http://pistonheads.com/sales/553633.htm - change from £6K

Saloons like these tend to cost less to buy than the estates. Avoid anything the 2-litre nat asp engines - they're a bit gutless.

There are older models too, and some powerful turbo ones, but those are imports and attract more expensive insurance premiums.

[BigLepton]

lottie said:

paoloh said:

Use the Fezza

Helpful.

Don't tell me you got the caravan and he got the 328?