New daily / Tow car ?!

[pistolpete12]

So.. I have been running for last 2 years a 2007 shogun for towing the race car (mazda RX8) and a daily.
I had enough of paying 3 lots insurance etc as we also have the wifes car.. (actually 4 if you include the classic mini)
I sold my daily (ep3 CTR) and started to daily the shogun.

Its epic, i love the shogun. But i don't like the fuel bill!!
I can cope with low MPG when towing.. but its still only 22 even when not towing and i do 40mile round trip a day, plus then if i ever want to go anywhere i always think how much fuel its going to cost..

So i do not want to get another cheap car and keep the shogun, as it was a 5k car just sitting there and used a couple times a month and wasted.. Also the race car is now a much smaller mk3 mr2 so i don't need as big of a tow car.

One reasons we kept using the shogun was to make sure i can cope not having a silly fun car as my daily. and it's not bothered me at all, and rather enjoyed the shogun.

So i am after a nice car to daily, nice inside etc, but be able once a month to tow 1500kg SAFELY!! so weight is a big issue. but i want to keep a decent MPG. The 3.2 old school diesel shogun is a thirsty lump) I do want to keep reliability too
Yes i know i want the world!

I will have up to about 4.5K to spend to keep some money back in case it needs anything, ideally i'd like to see over 35mpg
So far on the list

2008 SuperB estate 170 (but the weight is an issue here)
first model Tiguan 170
first model X3 2.0/3.0D
Rav 4 T180
CRV 2.2
3.0 A6 allroad
RX400h
Left field choice Ford S-Max

Any recommendations, advise or experience?

Looked at these but think the weight is not enough, Passat estate, Mondeo estate, A4 estate

The car i really wand is a D5 xc70.. but unfortunately any Volvo makes the wife ill.. which we have tried several volvo so useless for us, its something about the smell!.. no i have no idea either

any ideas welcome

[A500leroy]

Galaxy/ 5008?

[pistolpete12]

thanks.. other than my smax suggestion, ideally i would live to avoid a people carrier style car in reality.. just not my bag

[oop north]

I have had a couple of A6 estates (2007 2.7 tDi and 1994 2.5 td) used variously to tow caterham, caravan and cattle trailer (once with a heavy load of logs) and they did very well, so the Allroad of your list would be my choice or a Superb

[stevemcs]

None of the above are going to tow as well as the shogun so you really need to prioritise what’s really important to you.

All of the cars listed have the chance to hurt you more than the fuel bill for the shogun, the a6 possibly being the worst.

If you must change have a look at the Saab 95 estate, the towing weight is quite high for an estate car.

[Martin30]

The vast majority of the large estates all have 1,800kg tow capacities, and the Quattro versions of the VAG stuff (A6, Passat,Superb) increase that to 2,000kg.

Worth browsing really old caravan magazine tow car awards - I.e https://www.thetowcarawards.com/ . Looking at what excelled in 2006 (say) gives you a great picture of cheap tow cars to buy today.

Martin.

[pistolpete12]

I must admit the superb is one of my fav's especially the 4x4 one! I also like the Allroad

Its never going to be anywhere near the shogun in fuel!!
nor the audi's etc. yeah they won't be as good, i drove light footed to work today and got 25mpg in the shogun. its a big torque monster the shape of a brick and 4 cylinders.. A a6 3.0 will do better than that!

i know none will tow as good as the shogun, that is why i am trying to be carefull with what i choose.

The shogun is brilliant when i tow. but the other 330 days of the year its very expensive! so trying to find a happy medium between the two

Good shout on the caravan pages i have been doing just that.
basically say what we already have, a6 all road and the superb were best in the era
The rav 4 is clunky and not great the x3 is good but harsh ride,

[stevemcs]

A6 has air suspension that goes wrong... I would guess normal bombing about would get you 30mpg, does that extra 10mpg warrant the extra purchase price and potential issues ?

[mercedeslimos]

The Mondeo 2.0 TDCI I bought today has a 1800kg braked towing weight. Safely under the legal 3.5 tonnes combined GVW - 1500kg car + 1800kg trailer/load = 3300kg with wiggle room for fuel/passengers.

Yes it's not going to set the world on fire and it will not pull as easily but it is also significantly cheaper to run. I borrowed a Pajero Japanese import to tow a car trailer a few years ago to move my collection when I moved house. 70 miles cost me 70 quid. Not fun. Granted it was stuck in 4x4 and it was a slushy torque-converter auto LWB but still eye-watering.

I towed my 205GTi 300 miles home on a reasonably light Brian James transporter with a 2001 B5.5 Passat estate with the 100BHP 1.9 TDI lump. Never really struggled at all and never once did it feel unsafe. Matching your load to your car is fine.

What weight is your trailer and what weight is the MR2? If it was mine I'd probably be reversing the MK2 onto the trailer to put a little bit more over the nose of the trailer, not the tail.

My Parents Rover 75 Tourer CDTi (remapped to 160bhp) has towed far more than it should have, and with the self-leveling rear shocks you would barely know it's towing its own weight on top or more besides.

Horses for courses!

[snowandrocks]

mercedeslimos said:

The Mondeo 2.0 TDCI I bought today has a 1800kg braked towing weight. Safely under the legal 3.5 tonnes combined GVW - 1500kg car + 1800kg trailer/load = 3300kg with wiggle room for fuel/passengers.

Yes it's not going to set the world on fire and it will not pull as easily but it is also significantly cheaper to run. I borrowed a Pajero Japanese import to tow a car trailer a few years ago to move my collection when I moved house. 70 miles cost me 70 quid. Not fun. Granted it was stuck in 4x4 and it was a slushy torque-converter auto LWB but still eye-watering.

I towed my 205GTi 300 miles home on a reasonably light Brian James transporter with a 2001 B5.5 Passat estate with the 100BHP 1.9 TDI lump. Never really struggled at all and never once did it feel unsafe. Matching your load to your car is fine.

For licencing it goes by the maximum authorised mass so your mondeo is probably closer to 2100kg leaving you limited a trailer with a MAM of less than 1400kg to stay under the 3500kg limit.

Also, even if the pajero was a v6 petrol it seems unlikely that it averaged ~5mpg which is what a £/mile works out as. Even my old Land Rover 110 V8 managed 12 while towing 3.5 tonne! My current 4.2TD land cruiser manages about 20mpg when running at 6.5T full train weight.

[ZX10R NIN]

Kia Sorento

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Titan

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

CX-7

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Santa Fe

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

[journeymanpro]

superb 4x4 170, couldnt be happier with mine. 2000kg tow limit aswell

[pistolpete12]

mercedeslimos said:

The Mondeo 2.0 TDCI I bought today has a 1800kg braked towing weight. Safely under the legal 3.5 tonnes combined GVW - 1500kg car + 1800kg trailer/load = 3300kg with wiggle room for fuel/passengers.

Yes it's not going to set the world on fire and it will not pull as easily but it is also significantly cheaper to run. I borrowed a Pajero Japanese import to tow a car trailer a few years ago to move my collection when I moved house. 70 miles cost me 70 quid. Not fun. Granted it was stuck in 4x4 and it was a slushy torque-converter auto LWB but still eye-watering.

I towed my 205GTi 300 miles home on a reasonably light Brian James transporter with a 2001 B5.5 Passat estate with the 100BHP 1.9 TDI lump. Never really struggled at all and never once did it feel unsafe. Matching your load to your car is fine.

What weight is your trailer and what weight is the MR2? If it was mine I'd probably be reversing the MK2 onto the trailer to put a little bit more over the nose of the trailer, not the tail.

My Parents Rover 75 Tourer CDTi (remapped to 160bhp) has towed far more than it should have, and with the self-leveling rear shocks you would barely know it's towing its own weight on top or more besides.

Horses for courses!

Thanks lots of info here
The trailer is 500 the car 1000 but will be loosing more over winter .. cos free power
I have towed mr2's for a good few years and always reverse them on.
Passat is a good shout. but I must admit the Superb is winning for me!

[pistolpete12]

stevemcs said:

A6 has air suspension that goes wrong... I would guess normal bombing about would get you 30mpg, does that extra 10mpg warrant the extra purchase price and potential issues ?

I was wondering about the air suspension, i haven't seen much issue about them going wrong
Overall holidays up and down motorways etc i would get more MPG from the a6 making it worth while, but like said the superb seems a better bet

[pistolpete12]

journeymanpro said:

superb 4x4 170, couldnt be happier with mine. 2000kg tow limit aswell

Always good to here. i have heard plenty of good things about these! thanks!!

what do you tow with yours?

[pistolpete12]

ZX10R NIN said:

Kia Sorento

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Titan

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

CX-7

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Santa Fe

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Thanks for this search these are all good shouts they are on my to be considered pile!

[stevemcs]

If going down the VAG brand then the only Superb i would consider is the 1.9

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

They still suffer from crap clutches so if it hasn't been done budget £1100 for a clutch and flywheel. Cambelts are every 4 or 5 years depending on build date.

[pistolpete12]

stevemcs said:

If going down the VAG brand then the only Superb i would consider is the 1.9

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

They still suffer from crap clutches so if it hasn't been done budget £1100 for a clutch and flywheel. Cambelts are every 4 or 5 years depending on build date.

I'm not sure 105hp will be happy tugging my mr2 around

[stevemcs]

they remap well .....

[pistolpete12]

I am having a very close look at teh freelander 2. seems there are not that many horror stories and a good steed for towing..