New tow car???

[Munkul]

Had an amarock for a company truck the thing did 400 miles to a tank of diesel and I found mine gutless compared to my ranger that replaced it

My brother's Amarok, identical spec to mine except it still has a DPF... it's gutless too. I keep at him to spend some money and get it taken out, but he can't be bothered.

The 3.2l 5 pot in the ranger is nice, even with only the 6 speed auto, it feels manly enough... But then it aught to, it's a 3.2L I like the wildtrack spec, too. Only complaint from me is the sound system, it's overly equalized and doesn't sound right.

My cousin's new 3.0 V6 258hp amarok goes like s... off a shovel, in bog standard form... but it's very heavy on fuel.

 

[stuvy]

My brother's Amarok, identical spec to mine except it still has a DPF... it's gutless too. I keep at him to spend some money and get it taken out, but he can't be bothered.

The 3.2l 5 pot in the ranger is nice, even with only the 6 speed auto, it feels manly enough... But then it aught to, it's a 3.2L

I can’t legally tow on the roads but had to move trailers in the yard on the airfield we worked from the thing would wheel spin with a trailer on and embarrass many a car from the traffic light GP

 

[8ob]

I like the Amarock as a car but it’s way to flimsy for a commercial, lean over the side at the back and you will have panel damage. Ok for an owner driver, no way would I run one on the fleet.

Bob

 

[armalites]

The mk1 sorento has won towing awards. With a caravan behind mine you couldn't tell it was on.

To be fair most towing awards come from the Caravan Club/Caravan press where there are loads of anoraks who always use a nose weight gauge,weigh everything they put in them and drive everywhere at 40mph and stop every 30mins for a break. Very few if any of those awards come from towing commercial trailers.

 

[armalites]

I've met quite a few people in my life who have some ugly dog of a car usually a small 4x4 who have to tell you it's won awards. I know someone who has a Vauxhall Antara, "Lots of caravan people rate them for towing". I don't care

 

[Joe 90]

To be fair most towing awards come from the Caravan Club/Caravan press where there are loads of anoraks who always use a nose weight gauge,weigh everything they put in them and drive everywhere at 40mph and stop every 30mins for a break. Very few if any of those awards come from towing commercial trailers.

Where is the awards for towing commercial trailers

 

[fizzy]

My old Discovery 1 300tdi has towed some seriously big loads.
28mpg towing 3.5 tons isn't bad.
I have towed 5 tons up some steep gravel tracks offroad.
Land Rovers really are the business for towing.

 

[Munkul]

Where is the awards for towing commercial trailers

right on here or other forums/chats with people who drive them every day with trailers

 

[Joe 90]

I've met quite a few people in my life who have some ugly dog of a car usually a small 4x4 who have to tell you it's won awards. I know someone who has a Vauxhall Antara, "Lots of caravan people rate them for towing". I don't care

I dont think they are worried whether you care or not. If that vehicle is good at towing its capable weight then that's why they bought it.

 

[Joe 90]

right on here or other forums/chats with people who drive them every day with trailers

None then, only fire side experts

 

[Joe 90]

To be fair most towing awards come from the Caravan Club/Caravan press where there are loads of anoraks who always use a nose weight gauge,weigh everything they put in them and drive everywhere at 40mph and stop every 30mins for a break. Very few if any of those awards come from towing commercial trailers.

If a vehicle is good at towing a caravan with power, handling and stability during braking etc then these traits will apply to other trailers as well, I don't see your point.
I think you should tow with one first then comment on its ability

 

[Munkul]

None then, only fire side experts

That's not really fair now, is it. There's plenty people on here that tow commercial 3.5t trailers. Maybe not every day... but often enough to have a solid opinion on things.

A fully laden (or overladen, often!) 3.5t trailer is a fair weapon of a thing, and it takes a decent unit up front to pull it easily and effortlessly. It's not really the same thing as a 4 berth caravan!

 

[Joe 90]

That's not really fair now, is it. There's plenty people on here that tow commercial 3.5t trailers. Maybe not every day... but often enough to have a solid opinion on things.

A fully laden (or overladen, often!) 3.5t trailer is a fair weapon of a thing, and it takes a decent unit up front to pull it easily and effortlessly. It's not really the same thing as a 4 berth caravan!

You'll find a heavy Caravan is a very unstable load at speed.
I dont mean people who comments on a vehicle that they own and have tested and tow daily. I mean comments on something you have never owned or drive because some clown told you at the pub giving false information.
Every sorento i sold was to farmers for livestock trailers so they were definitely towing more than they should.
I also towed cattle trailers with livestock moving in them etc and towed like a dream.

 

[CompoSimmonite]

I have had the pleasure of driving my mates Towrag, I found the dash is a tad big and makes things a bit tight around the knees. Still one hell of a car though.

View attachment 264442 View attachment 264443

Might as well got the "full hog" an get the Porsche Cayenne version

 

[armalites]

If a vehicle is good at towing a caravan with power, handling and stability during braking etc then these traits will apply to other trailers as well, I don't see your point.
I think you should tow with one first then comment on its ability

I have no issues with the ability of Kias they make some good vehicles.The new ones look nice too, the old ones look horrible(in my opinion) As long as any owner is happy with their choice then I'm fine with it but in my experience when someone feels the need to justify something to you then they clearly aren't totally at ease with it. You've had experience and you like it and that's useful info.

My point was about the awards, I was not saying the Kia Sorento isn't any good.

Those awards are based around a set of parameters, in 2015 a Seat Leon was tow car of the year, in the same test was a Discovery 4. D4 was a class winner but that result clearly shows there are a lot of factors that were unrelated to outrigh towing ability. There isn't a single person on the planet who is going argue a Seat Leon is a better tow car than a D4 except maybe a Seat Leon owner who is in the Caravan Club "They've won awards for towing"

 

[armalites]

I know a few people who've towed with BMW X5 and liked them.

 

[armalites]

Might as well got the "full hog" an get the Porsche Cayenne version

You can buy old V8 Turbos pretty cheap these days. We have a couple of people locally who have new ones, all covered in mud and drive them flat out everywhere. I was on the way to work one day and one of them overtook 6 cars like they weren't there. I'd like to have a go in one.

 

[Joe 90]

That's not really fair now, is it. There's plenty people on here that tow commercial 3.5t trailers. Maybe not every day... but often enough to have a solid opinion on things.

I also think a lot of people on here purposely disagree or make a stupid remark with every comment you make on purpose to start an argument, maybe I'm too easy wound up.
I have had some good information and help from this forum and plenty of help in private but I think its best if I leave this forum

I have no issues with the ability of Kias they make some good vehicles.The new ones look nice too, the old ones look horrible(in my opinion) As long as any owner is happy with their choice then I'm fine with it but in my experience when someone feels the need to justify something to you then they clearly aren't totally at ease with it. You've had experience and you like it and that's useful info.

My point was about the awards, I was not saying the Kia Sorento isn't any good.

Those awards are based around a set of parameters, in 2015 a Seat Leon was tow car of the year, in the same test was a Discovery 4. D4 was a class winner but that result clearly shows there are a lot of factors that were unrelated to outrigh towing ability. There isn't a single person on the planet who is going argue a Seat Leon is a better tow car than a D4 except maybe a Seat Leon owner who is in the Caravan Club "They've won awards for towing"

I dont think you understand the towing awards. Nowhere does it say a seat leon can out tow a discovery.
Depending on what you are towing then you look at that class.
On the over 1800kg class the discovery won.
Which would be the class you would look at if you were towing commercial trailers.
Do you disagree that the discovery for that year is not the best towing car over 1800kg

 

[armalites]

I dont think you understand the towing awards. Nowhere does it say a seat leon can out tow a discovery.
Depending on what you are towing then you look at that class.
On the over 1800kg class the discovery won.
Which would be the class you would look at if you were towing commercial trailers.
Do you disagree that the discovery for that year is not the best towing car over 1800kg

I fully understand how they work and that is exactly my point. This thread is about someone needing a tow car not about what may be the best compromise for new price,value,comfort and ability in any category of caravan towing. Reading back through the thread as far as I can see nobody has suggested the OP buys a Seat Leon. It wasn't a class winner it was Tow Car Of The Year which implies it was the best that year but it's all subjective.

 

[8ob]

Might as well got the "full hog" an get the Porsche Cayenne version

That ratty old Delica/toolbox/kennel/tow barge does all I need of a road smoker

Bob