Towing with a VW Tiguan automatic

walkandall
walkandall Forum Participant Posts: 6
edited January 2019 in Towcars & Towing #1

Does  anyone have any experience of towing a 1700kg MTPLM caravan with a VW Tiguan 2.0 4M (4WD) automatic?

I have used the NCC Towcheck website and with a  MPTW braked trailer figure of 2,100kg it is a suitable  match for an experienced caravanner.

I used a Skoda Superb auto with my previous, lighter, caravan with no issues.

Any feedback  would be  much appreciated. 

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Comments

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

    more info the better. year of vw and van. make and model of caravan. I'll take it that it's diesel. BHP as well make a difference. have you tried towcar.info. much better than the clubs matching figures.

  • walkandall
    walkandall Forum Participant Posts: 6
    edited January 2019 #3

    Thank for  quick response.

    I will  probably manage to get a 17 plate car and the van is a 2018 Adria 612 Seine with a MTPLM upgrade to 1700kg.

    I will  look at towcar.info but it would be nice to get feedback from someone who has  real time experience  of using the Tiguan as a tow car. 

  • Tigi
    Tigi Forum Participant Posts: 1,038
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    edited January 2019 #4

    Its the kerbweight of the car that you need to base its suitability to tow on not the manufacturers trailer figure, that relates to the mechanical aspects of a car. I think the Tiguan is around 1700 Kg which means towing at 100% of the cars kerbweight with your caravan, not impossible but it increases the risk of the "tail wagging the dog" 

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,139 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 2019 #5

    That’s a heavy caravan and I’d not want to tow it with anything much less than a Disco. Sorry but in my opinion it’s too heavy for a Tig. 

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

    sorry, doesn't even list that caravan on towcar.info.  wink I would agree with Tin on the weight side.

  • Boff
    Boff Forum Participant Posts: 1,742
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    edited January 2019 #7

    100% match.  Why not?  It is within the towing capabilities of the car.  Because the Adria has a long A frame then it will be inherently more stable.   If you are worried and it doesn’t already have it   Get ATC retrofitted to the caravan.  

  • walkandall
    walkandall Forum Participant Posts: 6
    edited January 2019 #8

    Thanks to everyone for their responses.  Much appreciated and food for thought.  

  • walkandall
    walkandall Forum Participant Posts: 6
    edited January 2019 #10

    Thanks Briang. That's a really  useful  link with really good info.

    Much appreciated. 

  • Morningstar1
    Morningstar1 Forum Participant Posts: 5
    edited January 2019 #11

    Any advice on automatic v manual towcar please?

    I am looking at a 4wd automatic [Hyundai Tuscon] and whilst the car is noted as a good match for my van I'm not sure about the auto transmission

  • Boff
    Boff Forum Participant Posts: 1,742
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    edited January 2019 #12

    Automatic v manual.  You will find a mix of opinions.  It tends to split between those that don’t like autos and those that have actually driven one.  

  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
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    edited January 2019 #13

    Not necessarily so. Sometimes different towing weights and different hitch weights may affect decisions for example. I have driven both and happy with either.

  • Boff
    Boff Forum Participant Posts: 1,742
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    edited January 2019 #14

    You have forgotten, about people who love the smell of burning clutch.  

  • Tigi
    Tigi Forum Participant Posts: 1,038
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    edited January 2019 #15

    Would`nt go back to manual after our now third auto so much easier especially on long continental trips. I will just say one thing about auto`s having driven two centre console auto changers and a Mercedes column change, not so keen on the column change there is just something odd about the column direction i.e.vertical and its relation to R or D which doesn't seem to occur with the horizontal direction of the centre change. Just me I guess!

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

    I don't have that smell nor have I in over 35 years of manual tow vehicles. Did you Boff? 

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
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    edited January 2019 #17

    Column change is the way to go ..... clears the centre for other things, though I agree that Mercedes have the D & R back to front IMO. Column changes, for both manual & auto, were a lot more common years ago when cars had a front bench seat.

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited January 2019 #18

    Yep nothing to get in the way when "parked up"and even more room with the seat as far back as possiblewink

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
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    edited January 2019 #19

    you can split it even further ..... manual, DSG type autos & 'proper' autos 😉

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
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    edited January 2019 #20

    Some drivers need a shed full of rev's to set off when even solo .... 

  • Boff
    Boff Forum Participant Posts: 1,742
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    edited January 2019 #21

    Unlike.most who post on here I don’t profess to be perfect.   You say that you have driven both but have you towed distances with both.  

    To the poster who asked the question.  Having towed with both  I would unhesitatingly recommend an automatic for towing.  Others may have a different opinion. 

  • nicke
    nicke Forum Participant Posts: 31
    First Comment
    edited January 2019 #22

    I tow with automatic Tig. 2ltr diesel no prob. Van is Eccles elite at 1500 kg. So bit lighter. But don't know its there. Used to tow with swb shogun but find Tig much more comfy. Regularly get 29/30 mpg  

  • LeTouriste
    LeTouriste Forum Participant Posts: 348
    edited January 2019 #23

    That sounds heavy for a Tiguan.  My Caravelle's maximum towing capacity isn't much more than that.

  • walkandall
    walkandall Forum Participant Posts: 6
    edited January 2019 #24

    Thanks for that Nicke.  I also came across a very good  review by Practical Caravan magazine which I've linked below.

     

    https://www.practicalcaravan.com/reviews/tow-car/47634-volkswagen-tiguan

     

  • richardandros
    richardandros Club Member Posts: 2,681 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 2019 #25

    Going back to the original question, I seem to remember when I went through the Club insurance process, recently, that it was a condition of the insurance that the weight ratio couldn't exceed 95%.  Don't know if it applies to other insurers - but I would check.

  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
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    edited January 2019 #26

    I wonder how they define the weight of the tow vehicle then?

  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
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    edited January 2019 #27

    Having checked my CC caravan insurance I cannot find any reference to weight or ratio or MPTLM and the only percentages are to do with insurance values or no claims discount.

    Was that for car or caravan insurance R&R?

  • LeTouriste
    LeTouriste Forum Participant Posts: 348
    edited January 2019 #28

    I have never come across specified conditions for towing on any of the insurance policies I have had.  I believe most insurers operate on the principle that the policyholder is aware of his/her vehicle's capabilities as detailed in the handbook, and is expected to abide by them.

    As for my CAMC caravan insurance, I cannot find any reference to type of, or towing capacity for, a towing vehicle.

  • richardandros
    richardandros Club Member Posts: 2,681 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 2019 #29

    I don't think I was dreaming!!  I remember the conversation with a lady called Nicky Summerfield at CC Insurance - who was most helpful. She pointed out that it was a condition of insurance for the caravan that the weight ratio didn't exceed 95% and I told her that I had put the van and car through the CC matching service and it came out at 89% - to which she replied "That's fine then" and that was the end of the matter.  I also have a dim recollection that some of the other insurers I spoke to mentioned that the 100% ratio shouldn't be exceeded.

    The crunch is that all of these conversations are "recorded for training and monitoring purposes", so if push came to shove, they have the evidence regardless of what it says in the small print of the policy.

    I must admit that having looked in detail at my policy, there is no mention of the weight ratio, but I know I didn't make it up!

  • xtrailman
    xtrailman Forum Participant Posts: 559
    edited January 2019 #30

    I'm with Lifesure, much cheaper than the CC.

    But it does mention towing over 100% will not be covered in the policy.

  • xtrailman
    xtrailman Forum Participant Posts: 559
    edited January 2019 #31

    I've towed a 1700kg for two years with a Mazda Cx-5 175 AWD auto with out any issues, And also have a rear bike rack which i carry 40kg on including the rack weight of around 10kg.


    I take delivery of a 2019 Tiguan tomorrow, a 190ps diesel 4motion Auto SEL.


    It has a minimum kerbweight of 1735kg, it comes with a foldaway  towbar as an extra, which will weight over 21kg, along with other extras i expect the kerbweight to be around 1800kg plus.


    Tow limit is 2200kg to 2500kg, with a 100kg nosewight limit.


    I don't foresee any issues with it, PC site has done two or three videos of the tig towing.