Implications of diesl-v-petrol tow cars

Hi, I towed with a mix of cars over the years but 4 years ago bought my own first diesel. The main reason was that I do almost 2000 miles a month so cost was the main factor.

I love my car, a 2L diesel, but it will never give me the same pleasure as hearing my last car, a 2.7L twin turbo V6, accelerate but then neither will I get that sinking feeling of calculating the towing consumption at just 16 MPG!

I would go with what appeals and try to ignore the things, that may not happen, that you can do nothing about.

Val I don't think that a normal petrol car will ever be able to tow a twin axle van, unless you go for a gas guzzelling 6 ltr and that would defete the object of cutting ommisions. My Jeep Grand Cherokee 3ltr crd is a late 2005 model but it fits my needs and the road fund licence has only increased by £5 this year. I do look after it and it's fully serviced, I also put in a fuel additive in every six months only cost £12 but it's worth it as my emmisions are lower than what the government says it should be. I only have 88500 miles on the clock so still a young engine.

There is an interesting review on the latest offering of a petrol hybrid on the Practical Caravan web site .There isn't an economical alternative to diesel just yet to tow our vans.

I agree, this is one area where the caravan industry has to catch on to quickly. if a normal car can't tow it then it's too heavy!

Just consider the political fallout if there was too severe a penalty or restriction on diesel cars. With approximately 50% of all cars currently on the road being diesel it would affect a lot of people, the electorate. Newer engines are certainly a lot cleaner than in earlier years so my guess is that those that will / (should?) be affected the most will probably those with old bangers, so long as it isn't a general increase on diesel tax which would be unfair to those that have paid for cleaner engines/cars.

We are  according to some ,in the situation where C/vans in the uk are "flimsy"compared to other countries makes, and most of them are size for size heavier ,without the "goodies" we expect,  until we stop insisting on all the latest "bells & whistles" being in our leisure vehicles,then they will have difficult task making them lighter to tow,with other than "chelsea tractors"

I don't have a problem with the banning of Diesel  vehicles from City centres.  It's not healthy walking on a pavement next to lines of buses lorries, vans and cars all stuck in stationary traffic. Particularly for those mothers pushing prams and pushchairs where the child is at the same height as many of the exhaust pipes. 

Start with London and monitor it's effectiveness for a few years, then roll out the ban to other Major cities in England, Wales, Scotland and Ulster.---------- It will have to happen someday why not start it now. 

Cheers...................K 

Ban all motorised vehicles from city centres apart from delivery vehicles, improve public transport, pedestrianise large areas and build park and ride outside towns, make them free to park and use. Stimulate growth in the town centres and maybe we will see less pound shops, and empty graffiti ridden buildings. 

Apart from the build quality caravans today are way above what we had in the seventies,l for one love my Lunar Clubman SB all the comforts of home, cooking facilities on a par with home, to go back to to two rings on the cooker no microwave, l can remember moving round the van with the Ariel trying to get a good picture, going back to those days no thanks. What we would have to do if we didn't have the clubman , no more than two holiday a year in an overpriced hotel home or abroad. Quite happy for the caravan industry to keep moving forward. Ask for the diesel issue just spent 40k on a new Santa Fe, two fingers to the bureaucrats in Europe not long ago they were the one's pushing Diesel cars. Once they have ruined one Industry they will start on another good riddance to Europe

Cyberyacht, that's as maybe but l am a big fellow and like good space each to their own, l don't think l could caravan with anything smaller, in fact it took a lot of deliberations on buying the clubman really wanted the Delta, only thing that stopped me was having to pay for another mover as the one l have is not up to the job, my drive is a little tight to reverse a big van on, so l plumped for the biggest on a single axle.You only have to look around on the cc sites to see most prefer the larger vans. At the moment the caravan industry is doing fine so they must be getting something right but could do even better with better build quality, also the more that stay in the UK got to be better than giving Europe all our earned brass.Happy with what l have got so won't be doing any moaning

About the size of the one I drive.  

Actually a 2 litre diesel VW Passat that drags our Lunar 524 very satisfactorily. 

The Santa Fe is the last tow car l will buy l tend to keep them from new for up to ten years, hopefully this one will do a little longer don't expect to be caravaning after l am 78 so its got13 years to do, 65 this August, so l will have to except what the government throws at me at least we won't have to worry about Brussels anymore

The average diesel engined car should be good for at least 150,000 miles so mine should see me out. 

My feeling is that there is a considerable amount of meeja misunderstanding about diesel and its future. You only have to look at what is happening in Europe - particularly France and Germany - and it will be a little more obvious.

Whilst the green brigade want all vehicles crushed that will never happen so they have picked on diesels. However the main issue is older vehicles without DPFs and that are poorly maintained. If you have a vehicle that is Euro4 or later you are unlikely to be bothered by any limits and Euro5 or Euro6 will always be left alone. Paris has much worse pollution problems than even London but they are only banning diesels before (mainly) 2001 and selling vignettes graded 1-6 to all other vehicles. If the pollution gets bad they may ban vehicles of grade 5 or higher - that is before Euro3. Mind you I suspect that the number of diesels in France may have a lot to do with it!

The catch is that whilst France charge €3.70 and Germany €6 for a vignette to enter certain towns and cities, you can bet your sweet bippy that if the idea is ever taken up in the UK we will be charged much much more than that!

That makes me ask a question. In many cities in Europe they have P+R as we do, but they charge for parking at a very reasonable rate and provide a free bus into the city.

I was in York the other day. P+R is £2.80 PER HEAD - they even charge £1 with an oldies pass - with two children under 16 travelling free. If you park in the city centre on a council car park it costs £2.10 per hour up to five hours. So two couples travelling together will pay more for P+R than it costs to park in the city for five hours. That can't be sense can it?