Tow car on a budget needed - any recommendations?

Nagme

We are handing back our 64 plate Skoda which is coming to the end of it's PCP, fantastic car but we don't want to spend that amount of money this time, nor pay the £9k balloon payment.

Max budget: £2,500 ish
Annual mileage about 20k
To also tow a caravan, which I have in my head requires a minimum kerb weight of 1500kg.

We started looking at BMW 5 series estates, Mercedes C Class estate, and DH is now looking into a petrol Honda FRV. Trying to find a private sale, although that drastically reduces choices.

Trying to avoid high tax and high fuel consumption cars which can also tow.

Any advice appreciated, we've only towed with the Superb Estate which is a 2.0l diesel.

BeenThroughItAll

Volvo V70 D5. All the car you'll ever need.

forgotmyname

Mondeo Diesel. Excellent towcar also.

On a run i can get close to 60mpg, had 39mpg towing a caravan from the midlands to cumbria.

Nagme

BeenThroughItAll wrote: »

Volvo V70 D5. All the car you'll ever need.

Thank you - assuming you own one, what sort of mpg do you get and with what engine? Do you tow?

marlot

forgotmyname wrote: »

Mondeo Diesel. Excellent towcar also.

On a run i can get close to 60mpg, had 39mpg towing a caravan from the midlands to cumbria.

If you can find a good one, the Mondeo estate is a decent choice. It has different suspension to the saloons and hatchbacks, so doesn't have the void bushes which otherwise go regularly. Some even have self levelling suspension.

Mine (54 reg 130 bhp TDci diesel) coped well towing 1500Kg, but I never got mpg even remotely like that. About 43mpg solo/30mpg towing [long term average for each].

BeenThroughItAll

Nagme wrote: »

Thank you - assuming you own one, what sort of mpg do you get and with what engine? Do you tow?

I don't own one now, but I have had two. Both D5's, and both would return 45-60MPG depending on usage. I towed with both, a caravan of 1450KG MTPLM and a car trailer. Automatic box makes for an easy tow, very well behaved, and could crack 30MPG when towing on a reasonable run.


Very, very comfortable on long journeys, well equipped, extremely reliable if looked after. Both mine had 130K plus on when they went, and one of them now has over 250K on as I know the new owner.

marlot

PS. there is a decent caravan/towcar forum at https://www.caravantalk.co.uk/community/forum/11-towcar-talk/

System

marlot wrote: »

Mine (54 reg 130 bhp TDci diesel) coped well towing 1500Kg, but I never got mpg even remotely like that. About 43mpg solo/30mpg towing [long term average for each].

I got 55-60MPG out of my 04 reg 130BHP TDCi even at 165,000 miles. 30-33MPG would be about right for towing.

Wife used to get around 45MPG when she drove it but that is because she drove it like a petrol car so up the revs in every gear and cruising in too low a gear. Change revs around 2500 RPM tops and when doing a constant speed try to be in a gear that does around 2000RPM and you'll get more MPG out of a Mondeo diesel.

Nagme

Thanks for the info. DH rang Skoda Finance yesterday. Discovered car is going to auction quite local, he's considering going along, possibly to try and buy the Skoda back if he can get it cheap enough, otherwise he likes the idea of a Mondeo or Honda FRV. I'm just wondering if he will miss the torque of a diesel if he goes for a petrol Honda FRV.

poppasmurf_bewdley

marlot wrote: »

If you can find a good one, the Mondeo estate is a decent choice. It has different suspension to the saloons and hatchbacks, so doesn't have the void bushes which otherwise go regularly. Some even have self levelling suspension.

Mine (54 reg 130 bhp TDci diesel) coped well towing 1500Kg, but I never got mpg even remotely like that. About 43mpg solo/30mpg towing [long term average for each].

I'd also second the Mondeo estate.

I'm on my second now (Mk4, Mk3 previous, both 2-litre diesel) and they've both been excellent tow cars.

The Mk4 returns 48mpg on a run and about 35-37 towing a 16 foot caravan.

They are also very comfortable for driver and passengers.

neilmcl

My Dad managed to pick up a decent 1.9 diesel Mk2 Ford Galaxy for a a little over a £1K this summer, it's been an excellent tow car for their caravan. Having said that a Mondeo would also be a good choice.