New tow car selection

Whittakerr
Whittakerr Club Member Posts: 3,472 ✭✭✭✭
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edited March 2019 in Towcars & Towing #1

Okay all you petrol/Diesel heads out there, its time for me to change my car and I want to ensure my final choice has enough oomph and power.

I tow a caravan that has a MTPLW of 1600kg.

I have not decided on a car yet but top of the current list has a 2L petrol engine (petrol is my preferred choice over diesel) and gives 300hp and 400nm of torque with full 4 wheel drive.

Any thoughts on suitability?

Thanks in advance

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Comments

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited March 2019 #2

    A hummerwink

  • Metheven
    Metheven Club Member Posts: 3,987 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 2019 #3

    Don't see a problem with 300hp and 400nM of torque in a petrol, a lot of 2L diesels in 180hp guise come in at around 400nM of torque and handle 1600kg quite well.

    Just leaves the weight and noseweight suitability, but sounds like a nice engine.

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited March 2019 #4

    We had a petrol 2ltr auto last year that on paper should have been a good tow vehicle how wrong that wassurprised

    the  diesel we now have  still 2ltr is worlds apart as a tow vehicle with far superior MPG and far more grunt for towing and both the same model and year

  • Metheven
    Metheven Club Member Posts: 3,987 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 2019 #5

    Yes 'JVB', I remember it well laughing, but the OPs engine is over twice the HP capacity yours was and more than twice the torque.

    If it was your original car I would have kicked it into touch, I believe it only managed 193nM tongue-out

  • lornalou1
    lornalou1 Forum Participant Posts: 2,169
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    edited March 2019 #6

    The trouble is not having the same torque as a diesel but when does the torque come in, as with diesels is very low in the rev range where petrol's it's quite high. Deep pockets will be required. I would like to know what make/model your looking at as 300bhp is very high for a 2l petrol.

  • Metheven
    Metheven Club Member Posts: 3,987 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 2019 #7

    Might be a twin turbo charger though! one tuned for low down and the other for higher up the range thus giving a good spread of power/torque, whatever it will as you say be heavy on the pocket.

  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
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    edited March 2019 #8

    I would like to know what make/model your looking at as 300bhp is very high for a 2l petrol.

    I think Jaguar produce one, at least I believe that is what a chap I know bough a year or two ago

  • Whittakerr
    Whittakerr Club Member Posts: 3,472 ✭✭✭✭
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    edited March 2019 #9

    Correct ET its a JLR model.

    Heres a few more details

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited March 2019 #10

    And i thought our petrol needed deep pocketssurprised

    Have learnt to maybe a petrol for solo but not for towingwink

  • Whittakerr
    Whittakerr Club Member Posts: 3,472 ✭✭✭✭
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    edited March 2019 #11

    Deep pockets yes, what else is the children's inheritance for! surprised

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
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    edited March 2019 #12

    I'd suggest 300 horses from a 2 litre is stretching things. My 3.0 6 pot diseasal only produces 260ish. It's not that many years ago that Ford were chuffed with themselves for getting 200 for their Sierra Cozzy crom a 2 litre Pinto engine ..... and yes, I know things have progressed a little in 20 yrs

  • Whittakerr
    Whittakerr Club Member Posts: 3,472 ✭✭✭✭
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    edited March 2019 #13

    For comparison the same vehicle is available with:

    2L diesel  240hp 340nm

    3L diesel 306hp 700nm

     

  • lornalou1
    lornalou1 Forum Participant Posts: 2,169
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    edited March 2019 #14

     go for the 2l diesel and probably cleaner than the petrol and save a packet on fuel bills.

  • cyberyacht
    cyberyacht Forum Participant Posts: 10,218
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    edited March 2019 #15

    Looking at those consumption figures, I would reckon that towing 1600Kg would turn out about 16/17mpg. Do you own an oil well? Given the alleged amount of grunt from the engine, the top speed/ 0-60 figures look modest.

  • Cornersteady
    Cornersteady Club Member Posts: 14,426 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 2019 #16

    Our 200 HP engines gives about 28mpg towing ( equivalent solo long runs get about low to mid 40s), we don't oil but think it's worth paying for.

    Did you own oil when you had all those flights to your over there property?

  • Whittakerr
    Whittakerr Club Member Posts: 3,472 ✭✭✭✭
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    edited March 2019 #17

    I understand the reasons some people are recommending the diesel however the 2L diesel has less power and torque, which will give a less favorable towing experience, and the 3L diesel cost an extra £10k at base price which will pay for barrel loads of petrol.

  • MHG
    MHG Forum Participant Posts: 53
    edited March 2019 #18

    Sounds like what you want is a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution !! 2.0 Petrol and depending on the model - the FQ-360 will get you 366 horses. It will eat those grassy pitches for breakfast .. not sure on the towing though :) !!  

  • GVD
    GVD Forum Participant Posts: 175
    edited March 2019 #19

    Nobody ever mentions the ssyong Korando supposed to be towcar of the year? (don't know if spelt correctly!)

  • GVD
    GVD Forum Participant Posts: 175
    edited March 2019 #20

    Sorry see there is a thread on these vehicles.

  • Wildwood
    Wildwood Club Member Posts: 3,581 ✭✭✭✭
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    edited March 2019 #21

    I am afraid there is no sensible answer to this one. The car suggested will tow admirably as will the diesel models but which is the better buy long term nobody knows. The government jumps from one panic mode to another and anything could happen so you just have to take the plunge and hope for the best.

  • Wildwood
    Wildwood Club Member Posts: 3,581 ✭✭✭✭
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    edited March 2019 #22

    The petrol diesel debate has no winners as we simply do not know which way the government is going to jump. I am afraid you just have to opt for whatever you think is best.

  • Whittakerr
    Whittakerr Club Member Posts: 3,472 ✭✭✭✭
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    edited March 2019 #23

    Thanks everyone for your comments. I’ve had a long hard think about the petrol v diesel pros and cons and eventually I have changed my view and will be going for a diesel powered car.

    When looking at the emissions most new diesel engines match, if not beat some petrol units. Although diesel fuel is more expensive than petrol, this is cancelled out by the improved fuel efficiency. So, subject to a couple of test drives new car will be ordered soon.

  • Takethedogalong
    Takethedogalong Forum Participant Posts: 17,044 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 2019 #24

    Just get a Jeep, a big one. Sod the maths, you get a lot more for your money than with a LR product. We currently have two, a petrol and a diesel. Our little caravan sort of hovers above ground when we tow it with 4.0 petrol..........which is dual fuelled to LPG, so we get double the mileage per pound spent......very quickly! 😂😂😂

    Whatever you choose, hope things go well!👍

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
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    edited March 2019 #25

    Can I just say that my 'new' diseasal ML350 has just made its maiden journey towing my 1865kg MTPLW caravan as though it wasn't there. It didn't do very well with the mpg but hey ho .... you don't buy good tow cars for their fuel economy. 😊

  • mylo
    mylo Forum Participant Posts: 104
    edited March 2019 #26

    Hi I think we do a lot more miles not towing so by a smaller car that can tow the van when needed found diesel better when towing

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
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    edited March 2019 #27

    I can manage the poor towing mpg as I have AN Other (Smart) car for commuting in. 

  • lornalou1
    lornalou1 Forum Participant Posts: 2,169
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    edited March 2019 #28

    +1

  • Fysherman
    Fysherman Forum Participant Posts: 1,570
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    edited March 2019 #29

    What about the new Tesla Model X?

    2450 kg kerb weight

    2250kg max towing weight

    Its can be fitted with a factory tow bar. 300 mile range and does 155mph. The older model has a totally linear power delivery that puts you back in your seat like nothing else I have driven

    Too pricey for me  but it makes you think where this is going. Electric cars are not all noddy toy cars.

    Fysh

  • Wildwood
    Wildwood Club Member Posts: 3,581 ✭✭✭✭
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    edited March 2019 #30

    Unfortunately that range is still not going to be good enough for us. One model I think the X with a similar towing capacity was apparently tested in Americal with a lightweight trailer and managed only 100 miles on one charge. It might be managable for a farmer taking livestock a short run but for towing a caravan would be useless.

  • Vulcan
    Vulcan Forum Participant Posts: 670
    edited March 2019 #31

    My advice would be to take into account what the government advise and do the complete opposite!