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Author: Subject: new tow car recommendations!
daniel mason

posted on 9/5/14 at 08:06 PM Reply With Quote
new tow car recommendations!

am after a new tow car as im finding it increasingly more difficult to sleep in my Volvo s60 saloon,on weekends away sprinting.
needs to be;
diesel,
manual,
reliable,
spacious,
comfy enough to use as car and work horse. 50/50 split between towing and daily driver
relatively good mpg, (ill be doing circa 10k a year)
fully serviced and relatively low mileage (ill be keeping it 2-3 yrs)
and under £4k
anything considered from trucks,mpv,estate etc. I will be sleeping in the back of it so I need room,and it needs to tow circa 1200kgs regularly.
things ive considered are;
seat Alhambra 1.9pd
Passat estate. 1.9pd
Honda accord estate or crv 2.2 diesel
mazda 6 estate diesel
Toyota avensis estate deisel






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Miks15

posted on 9/5/14 at 08:15 PM Reply With Quote
Would recommend the accord tourer. Ive got the type s (2.4 petrol) and my parents have the 2.2 CDTi. Lovely car inside, loads of space inside. I would happily go for another accord at some point. (my parents only passed the type s on to me to buy the diesel for the better MPG) they love the diesel and I imagine they'll keep that one for many years to come. They had the type s for 9 years before going for the diesel.
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Slimy38

posted on 9/5/14 at 08:17 PM Reply With Quote
I've been looking for a Mazda 3 for my other half, and one thing that I've picked up on my travels is that Mazda can't do diesels. At all.

How about another Volvo, but an estate this time?

If I was going to buy an estate, it would be the Kia Cee'd SW. But I don't think you'll get one under your budget yet.

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nick205

posted on 9/5/14 at 08:20 PM Reply With Quote
Alhambra, Sharan or Galaxy (all the same car) would be ideal. Seats out it's basically a van with a completely flat floor, so great for a mattress or air bed etc.

Loads around so plenty of choice and they're not expensive. Parts are cheap and plentiful and servicing is a doddle.

Our 135k 2001 is 115bhp and easily returns 45mpg, 50+ if taking it easy on a run.






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daniel mason

posted on 9/5/14 at 08:31 PM Reply With Quote
thanks all.keep em coming. at the moment the accord and Alhambra are top of list!






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CRAIGR
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posted on 9/5/14 at 08:37 PM Reply With Quote
Volvo v70 d5 163bhp. Mine returned about 44mpg to stoneleigh and back. Great tow cars , am on my 2nd one now.
2.2CTDI Accords ,crvs and civics with the n22 engine like snapping camchains at a shade over the 100k mark.

[Edited on 9/5/14 by CRAIGR]

[Edited on 9/5/14 by CRAIGR]

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daniel mason

posted on 9/5/14 at 08:41 PM Reply With Quote
at my budget the v70 will be very old and high mileage. I wanted the v70d5 when I bought mine but only had <£3k so had to go for the s60 d5.
I love the v70






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CRAIGR
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posted on 9/5/14 at 08:51 PM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by daniel mason
at my budget the v70 will be very old and high mileage. I wanted the v70d5 when I bought mine but only had <£3k so had to go for the s60 d5.
I love the v70


Mine is a 163bhp 2005. 3 owner ,full history car with 126k bought for £3300
The later 185bhp version with dpf is apparently not so good on fuel hence on the advice of the local volvo techs going for the 163 version.

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daniel mason

posted on 9/5/14 at 09:04 PM Reply With Quote
mines the 163 and only done 78k,and im wanting to swap that!






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Custardpants

posted on 9/5/14 at 09:10 PM Reply With Quote
I recommend the passat TDI. Ours tows well even at 190,000 miles. The torque delivery is lower down the rev range than a lot of other diesels, and it's been quiet and reliable. The only downside is the lack of cruise control. Otherwise I'd get a van especially if you're staying overnight in it.
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b3ngy

posted on 9/5/14 at 10:10 PM Reply With Quote
BMW E46 touring 330d. Plenty of torque and can return up to 50mpg.
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matt_gsxr

posted on 9/5/14 at 11:31 PM Reply With Quote
What about A6 TDI estate?

1.9 engine so the previous model.

The 2.0 is not really any better (most differences were for the regulators) the 1.9 runs to 250k miles.
You will have to replace the front suspension arms occasionally, but apart from that it will be appropriately boring and torquey.

Similar choice to the passat above I guess (but slightly bigger).

Matt





http://jpsc.org.uk/forum/

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daniel mason

posted on 10/5/14 at 08:21 AM Reply With Quote
hadn't thought of the audi as I thought they would be out of budget! will look into them. cheers






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Simon

posted on 10/5/14 at 08:41 AM Reply With Quote
[img] Espace
Espace
[/img]

Should be all you need

ATB

Simon






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gaz_gaz

posted on 10/5/14 at 08:48 AM Reply With Quote
Accord tourer all the way.
Had 1 before my E61 tourer and it was superb.

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gaz_gaz

posted on 10/5/14 at 08:50 AM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by b3ngy
BMW E46 touring 330d. Plenty of torque and can return up to 50mpg.


at 55mph downhill.
my old 330d didn't get anywhere near 40 never mind 50mpg

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Barlidge

posted on 10/5/14 at 09:57 AM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by nick205
Alhambra, Sharan or Galaxy (all the same car) would be ideal. Seats out it's basically a van with a completely flat floor, so great for a mattress or air bed etc.

Loads around so plenty of choice and they're not expensive. Parts are cheap and plentiful and servicing is a doddle.

Our 135k 2001 is 115bhp and easily returns 45mpg, 50+ if taking it easy on a run.


+1 for the above, I have a galaxy variant and use it for daily use, towing and general shifting stuff around, surprisingly big inside with the seats out.





Build Diary: http://www.roadster-builders.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=111

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b3ngy

posted on 10/5/14 at 12:37 PM Reply With Quote
quote:

at 55mph downhill.
my old 330d didn't get anywhere near 40 never mind 50mpg



managed to get 50mpg a few times on motorway runs. 6th gear and cruise control.

The guy I sold it to even called me up once he got home to say how happy he was with it and that he got 50mpg on the drive home.

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Bluemoon

posted on 10/5/14 at 09:45 PM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by daniel mason
hadn't thought of the audi as I thought they would be out of budget! will look into them. cheers


Always look at skoda same vag car just cheaper..

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alfiebeard

posted on 10/5/14 at 10:24 PM Reply With Quote
Toyota Avensis Estate D4D wife's on her 3rd one, this one has done 135k still returns 52mpg consistently never had anything fitted apart from service items, every one she's had done over 160,000mls before she got rid and non had more than servicing. ive borrowed it and got 125mph out of it with ease.

Nowt better

Alfie





Old bloke on a mission with 320BHP of help

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daniel mason

posted on 11/5/14 at 08:20 AM Reply With Quote
which engine alfie?
there seems to be a 148bhp variant and a 177bhp between 2005-2008! cheers






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craig

posted on 11/5/14 at 08:56 AM Reply With Quote
Another vote for the alhambra, lots of room in the back with all the seats out. Father in laws 1.9 pd tdi has over 170k on it and is still going strong.
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alfiebeard

posted on 11/5/14 at 03:44 PM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by daniel mason
which engine alfie?
there seems to be a 148bhp variant and a 177bhp between 2005-2008! cheers


Hi Daniel,

Carols is a 2006 6 speed 125bhp version, I would advise against the 177bhp version as ive heard they suffer from head gasket failure.
Also steer clear of the post 2005 Mazda 6 diesels they have DPF problems and gearbox problems serious engine failure problems, I know ive suffered 2 of them, the pre 2005 was a brilliant car but Mazda bolloxed them up after that.

[Edited on 11/5/14 by alfiebeard]





Old bloke on a mission with 320BHP of help

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sdh2903

posted on 11/5/14 at 03:52 PM Reply With Quote
E46 320d touring. The 330d you will never get 50mpg. The 320d with a remap will give a solid 175bhp and 45-50 mpg real world. If you get the sport they handle very well too. Might be a bit snug for kipping in though as they aren't the biggest estate.

As said above after the 320d I would be after a 2.2 diesel accord or an estate with a d5 engine in as you will already be aware they are a superb engine. Briefly drove an accord for a couple of weeks and found it very good.

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daniel mason

posted on 11/5/14 at 03:56 PM Reply With Quote
have all yours been the 125bhp version? I think the 148bhp one would be better for towing the radical and all my gear! cheers






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