Best small towing car...

[Phil Davies]

You're still better off with the Skoda which, as a re-badged Passat, enjoys the benefits of VW engineering and reliability but in a much better value package - cheaper parts, servicing etc. etc. Those affected by brand image continue of course to avoid Skodas like the plague, thereby ensuring they remain an even greater bargain for the less self-conscious members of society. As a self-assured and intelligent chap, Rich, I'm sure your only problem will be convincing Tracy of that fact

[Dino]

Originally Posted by Phil Davies

You're still better off with the Skoda which, as a re-badged Passat, enjoys the benefits of VW engineering and reliability but in a much better value package - cheaper parts, servicing etc. etc. Those affected by brand image continue of course to avoid Skodas like the plague, thereby ensuring they remain an even greater bargain for the less self-conscious members of society. As a self-assured and intelligent chap, Rich, I'm sure your only problem will be convincing Tracy of that fact

The same comment when wanting a Tornado only to settle for a Humber!Now there's contentious

[codprawn]

Originally Posted by Dino

Need to get yourself off to auction,"02 52" Passat 130 tdi se spec est. 65000 miles and one company owner with full history made £5000 and nothing comes near 'em for reliability and 'cred.50 mpg too!

DO NOT BUY A ROVER(unless you want to watch your resale disappear off the planet)

You could say the same about Audi - £65,000 to £5,000 in 5 years is quite a bit!!!

The whole point of buying a Rover now is that they are so cheap!!!

[Alan]

Originally Posted by Phil Davies

You're still better off with the Skoda which, as a re-badged Passat, enjoys the benefits of VW engineering and reliability but in a much better value package - cheaper parts, servicing etc. etc. Those affected by brand image continue of course to avoid Skodas like the plague, thereby ensuring they remain an even greater bargain for the less self-conscious members of society. As a self-assured and intelligent chap, Rich, I'm sure your only problem will be convincing Tracy of that fact

Swapped the Rangey in for a Skoda then Phil?

[DJL]

New Fords are pretty good cars - reliable and cheap to run. Depending on exactly how much you want to tow you could pick up a pretty good Ford Focus or Mondeo for about that money

Originally Posted by codprawn

A few mates of mine have got Fords of a similar age - rusted to hell and all sorts of electrical troubles.

My dads old Mondeo had a tiny bit of rust when we got rid of it a year ago, had done 120k ish, but it was old - bought it when I was in primary school.

My 5 year old Focus was rust free and going strong when I sold it before Christmas. Towed my 4.7m Tornado perfectly and was fine on most slips, including a very sandy one in North Wales - I did get it stuck in the Thames mud on a flood tide once though

My new focus is capable of towing a 5.85 Ribcraft and gets 45mpg when driving normally - and its fun to drive.

[Phil Davies]

Originally Posted by Alan

Swapped the Rangey in for a Skoda then Phil?

If I have any more warranty claims I may well do

[Rich L]

Originally Posted by Alan

Swapped the Rangey in for a Skoda then Phil?

He didn't say HE is self assured and intelligent.

ps How easy is it to swap the badges??

[Alan]

Originally Posted by Phil Davies

If I have any more warranty claims I may well do

A statistic that sticks in my mind from my sojourn at Gaydon was that for the previous model RR there was a 48% chance that an owner would call out the breakdown service within the first 3 years!

You want one of those nice BMW X5 pimpmobile drug dealer wagons, wiv da'wicked tints and seriously blinged up alloy spinners. I mean you do live in Essex after all........

[codprawn]

Originally Posted by DJL

New Fords are pretty good cars - reliable and cheap to run. Depending on exactly how much you want to tow you could pick up a pretty good Ford Focus or Mondeo for about that money



My dads old Mondeo had a tiny bit of rust when we got rid of it a year ago, had done 120k ish, but it was old - bought it when I was in primary school.

My 5 year old Focus was rust free and going strong when I sold it before Christmas. Towed my 4.7m Tornado perfectly and was fine on most slips, including a very sandy one in North Wales - I did get it stuck in the Thames mud on a flood tide once though

My new focus is capable of towing a 5.85 Ribcraft and gets 45mpg when driving normally - and its fun to drive.

I DID say Mondeos and Focuses were better than the older Ford designs like the Escort and Fiesta!!!

[Hugh Jardon]

Originally Posted by codprawn

I DID say Mondeos and Focuses were better than the older Ford designs like the Escort and Fiesta!!!

is it me or do fords always smell different to other cars, new ones that is

they tend to have a different plastic type smell, noticed it a lot of times

[Scary Des]

Originally Posted by Hugh Jardon

is it me or do fords always smell different to other cars, new ones that is

they tend to have a different plastic type smell, noticed it a lot of times

There is a whole department just dealing with the smell of the plastic but be careful going around sniffing things can get you into trouble Des

[mdt]

Originally Posted by Hugh Jardon

is it me or do fords always smell different to other cars, new ones that is

they tend to have a different plastic type smell, noticed it a lot of times

You know what…….. never once has one considered the smell of the car’s plastic has any influence on how it may perform as a tow vehicle

[Rich L]

How about a radically small car (like Polo / Yaris or something).

Here's my thinking.

I may leave the boat a mile or 2 from the water but I'll have to drive 300 miles to get to it.

My daughter is 17 next year so I'm thinking about sharing with her. So seriously small is good but with enough grunt to pull the boat the 2 miles, get it in and out of the water (without getting it's wheels wet) - I'm talking around 750kg, AND be a reasonably painless 300 mile journey.

So Small, very economic but reasonably powerful and fun to drive. Does this car exist? Somebody mentioned focus already. Something smaller?

To hell with looking a prat on the slipway!

ps anyone recommend a good car forum to go ask?

[ADS]

Originally Posted by Rich L

How about a radically small car (like Polo / Yaris or something).

Here's my thinking.

I may leave the boat a mile or 2 from the water but I'll have to drive 300 miles to get to it.

My daughter is 17 next year so I'm thinking about sharing with her. So seriously small is good but with enough grunt to pull the boat the 2 miles, get it in and out of the water (without getting it's wheels wet) - I'm talking around 750kg, AND be a reasonably painless 300 mile journey.

So Small, very economic but reasonably powerful and fun to drive. Does this car exist? Somebody mentioned focus already. Something smaller?


To hell with looking a prat on the slipway!

ps anyone recommend a good car forum to go ask?

If your looking for small I would consider a small diesel, Skoda Fabia diesel possibly 1.9TDI, and because you have a 17yr old daughter not a son the insurance would be bearable.
Fabia would struggle on very steep slip ways just because of the light weight of it.
They do a 1.4 TDI and a 1.9TDi, 75BHP and 100BHP respectively. Its a Polo underneith by the way.


Alex

[mdt]

Originally Posted by Rich L

To hell with looking a prat on the slipway!

Really would not worry about this part of your quest as me thinks we are all more than able to do this with out any aid of less than suitable car to drag a RIB up a slip-way.

Personally I am looking into seeing if I can get a tow bar onto the back of my Morris Minor Traveler so I can combine the use of two toys at once.

[Rich L]

Originally Posted by mdt

Really would not worry about this part of your quest as me thinks we are all more than able to do this with out any aid of less than suitable car to drag a RIB up a slip-way.

Personally I am looking into seeing if I can get a tow bar onto the back of my Morris Minor Traveler so I can combine the use of two toys at once.

Thats a good idea! Maybe this is my opportunity to get my old Triumph GT6 back on the road Oh no, I forgot, 17 year old daughter....


I really wish the skoda thing was an option but to a 17 year old girl, image is the most important thing in her life.... (mind you I would be getting her back for those years of hell..... hmmm...)

[ADS]

Originally Posted by Rich L

Thats a good idea! Maybe this is my opportunity to get my old Triumph GT6 back on the road Oh no, I forgot, 17 year old daughter....


I really wish the skoda thing was an option but to a 17 year old girl, image is the most important thing in her life.... (mind you I would be getting her back for those years of hell..... hmmm...)

The joys of car sharing! Your going to get financially hit either way!
I couldn't tell you what side the fuel filler is on my mums car, and then theres the trick of coasting into the drive when its about to run out of juice, mum goes to Sainsburys the next day
MOT time needs 4 new tyres
Daughters aren't so bad, and probably only use the handbrake for parking!

Alex

[Rich L]

Originally Posted by Phil Davies

You're still better off with the Skoda which, as a re-badged Passat, enjoys the benefits of VW engineering and reliability but in a much better value package - cheaper parts, servicing etc. etc. Those affected by brand image continue of course to avoid Skodas like the plague, thereby ensuring they remain an even greater bargain for the less self-conscious members of society. As a self-assured and intelligent chap, Rich, I'm sure your only problem will be convincing Tracy of that fact

Skoda? Tracey says your dead when she sees you next.

[Phil Davies]

Originally Posted by Rich L

ps anyone recommend a good car forum to go ask?

One of the best is www.pistonheads.com which is where I sourced that 4x4 Skoda for you, which you and your wife so cruelly derided, although that would have been your best option before you started faffing on about bijou cars with 0.8 ltr engines Pistonheads does major on TVR, Lotus and Porsche, although you'll find all makes discussed. I understand the Trabant 2-stroke owners' club have a particularly fascinating website, although you will of course need a baggy cardigan to gain access to their monthly meetings.

[Dave B]

Had to tow my rib the length of the country with my Audi 80 Turbo Diesel, Never again, The boat waged the tail of the car for the full length of the M5 and most of the M6 and also proved to be totally gutless for the hills on the M5. but at least the brakes worked then.

Once on the slipway it managed to destroy two sets of front tyres and in the end the gearbox (it was a company car) So along came the Pajero (another company car) and I have never looked back don’t know the rib is on the back of the Paj and it will get 28-29 miles to the gallon, towing the Audi was only giving that.

To be totally legal you need to keep an eye on weights of the car and trailer (Loaded) but then what does totally legal mean.