towing

[epilot]

gents,

the GTi is due for replacement in a couple of months and i'm thinking of replacing it with a compact SUV to give me the option of towing and to carry the hound.

i'm assuming the 911 and trailer is going to weigh in about 1500kg's, things like the VW Tiguan, Audi Q5 have GVM similar to the tow, is this enough GVM? the Q5 in 2.0l turbo diesel is 125kw/ 350nm is this enough?

i'm 2h20m from Eastern Creek, 4h 20m from Wakefield Park.

budget wont stretch to Toureg/ Q7 and i dont really want anything that big.

thanks,

[Jeff Eelkema]

Craig

Info I've got says the Tiguan has a recommended tow capacity of 2000kg (with trailer brakes) but only has a ball load of 100kg. The Q5 also has a 2000kg tow capacity but 200kg ball load. These are manufacturer's recommended specs and most states and insurers use these specs to define the legal limit. Very brave to exceed these specs!

Most trailers are set up with around 10% of weight on the ball but with a 911 on you might find you can stay under 100kg ball load for the Tiguan.

As an aside, anyone considering buying a modern, common rail diesel should be very, very careful about what fuel they use. These engines are clean and efficient but are extremely fussy about fuel quality. The high pressure pumps run between 25 000 and 30 000psi with super fine tolerances. Must have the right grade of fuel with appropriate lubricity.

An emerging problem is people accidently filling/part filling with petrol. This will do lots of very expensive damage. I spoke to a guy with a new X5 diesel who filled with premium out of habit, cost his insurance company $18k to fix! Most insurers are now specifically excluding this type of accidental damage.

If you must buy a diesel (and I wouldn't because I don't trust the limited regulation of the industry) here are some tips. DON'T touch discount/cheap fuel! Ask around the industry and find out which refinery in your area produces the best quality fuel as it does vary. In QLD I believe this to be BP and this is probably the case in WA as well - best refineries in the country.

Stick with one brand of fuel and keep receipts for all fuel purchased. If you get crook fuel or water contaminated fuel, it WILL be expensive. Avoid old fuel outlets, tanks can be 40+ years old and full of crap. Big, modern, company run outlets should be the safest. Keep driving if there is a tanker dropping fuel, it stirs up the crap in the bottom of the tank.

Sorry for side track.

[alexwebster]

Craig,

depending on how you have your trailer setup, and if you have the ability to move the car to therefore change the nose weight on the ball, you should be fine with either car. The cars will tow well enough, and once you are up and running on the freeway, you will love the economy of both!

The engines are amazing for what they are, and both cars are well made and will do the job that you need.

I would buy a diesel car today, and like Jeff, I would only use BP or Mobil fuels of any kind. Don't get the discount stuff, and just BECAREFUL not to fill with the wrong fuel. If you do, don't start the car, get it towed, get the fuel drained and on you go. If you start the car and run it, you are screwed!

[MrUpwey]

Friend of mine has just ordered the new Prado SWB (2 door) with 3 lt turbo diesel. Around $60,000 on the road
Towing capacity is 3000kg (whereas LWB 4 door is 2500kg)
We have Prados at work and all drivers rave about them - Worth a test drive.

Note - delivery time is around 3 months

[alexwebster]

yeah but they are Japanese!!

[e72phil]

I drove a Q5 diesel recently in Germany, think it was a 3.0 TDI engine ? I was extremely impressed with it although didnt explore its towing ability.

Having been driving my new E250 CDI Benz coupe over the past 3 months, I am hooked on diesels and their torque (and economy). I only use Mobil diesel with no probs so far.

[Paul W]

Alex / Jeff Interested in your comments about the quality of diesel. What brands should be avoided? Angelina fills her car up at a Mobil near us and hasn't had any problems.
FWIW the RRover sport has just rolled out of warrantee, which was when I was going to replace it. Because to the trouble free run we've had we've decided to keep it for another couple of years - would have no issues recomending one.

[CamBiscuit]

yeah but they are Japanese!!

Not that the Japs make bad cars!

I have a Holden Captiva TD that I've grown reasonably fond of. Leather and all the fruit and picked up at the right price about a year ago. Just had its 15k service and no issues at all.

I wonder if they pulled some sort of a restricter out at the service as its certainly more zippy since its been done.

I think its good for about 1700kgs and 158 on the tow ball FWIW

[hmd]

Cam,

Holden Captiva is Korean

[reedminor]

Hey don't knock the Korean cars thank you. They are much better than everybody thinks. It's just taking everyone time to consider them.

New Sorento - which the journalists are quite impressed with - will tow 2000 kgs (auto), and has a towball weight of 150. And the diesel engine is one of the best ones I've driven. Its powerful and frugal.

[hmd]

not knocking just stating the Captiva is Korean just in case Cam thought they are Japanese

[CamBiscuit]

Nah I think they are screwed together at the Daewoo plant aren't they?

Italian design VM diesel engine I think as well! Global manufacturing at work!

Oh and always filled with BP too

[reedminor]

No offence taken ... but GM are quite sneaky about how they represent the Cruze and Captiva, and the Viva.

And yes Cam - when Daewoo wnt broke GM bought the assets / factories.

Mind you they're not the only ones - car being manufactured in the US and Thailand, China, Soth Africa ... all marketed under well known brands identified with particular countries.

[Jeff Eelkema]

Paul

re: diesel brands. It appears that each state varies with only 1 or 2 refineries in each state. Up north, most diesel is imported from SE Asia. Due to transport costs, most of the fuel in each state comes from the same refineries but the quality varies. Rumour has it that the company that owns the refinery will keep the best batches for their own outlets and the rest gets split to other brands depending and price and business relationships etc. Stands to reason that those wholesalers paying the least are more likely to get the batches that just meet the standards. All fuel is supposed to meet the relevant standards but it seems the ACCC generally only respond to complaints and very few random checks are done.

I was interested in Alex's comments about Mobil as their refinery in Melbourne has a reputation as being one of the oldest and poorly maintained in the country. Mobil have been trying to exit the Aus market for years with their latest attempts at selling assets to Caltex knocked back by the ACCC (lack of competition etc). If you aren't committed to a market it's hard to see you being too concerned about long term reputation.

BP led the field with producing low sulphur diesel which allowed the new, clean common rail diesels in to the Aus market. By comparison, Caltex stalled and pleaded with the Govt for an extension for meeting new fuel standards as it appeared reluctant to invest. Fuel standards keep changing in line with tougher emission standards. High sulpher levels in diesel is now emerging as a significant cause of lung cancer etc so huge efforts are being made to reduce particle emissions with things like particle filters in exhausts which can cause dramas if the engine just idles around town.

Just about everything relating to the myths of old, low tech, dirty diesels doesn't apply to modern common rail engines. Don't expect modern diesel engines to run on anything, cost nothing to maintain and last forever.

Another issue is Biodiesel. We have a standard for oil based diesel and a different standard for Biodiesel but no standard for blends. When bio fuels first arrived around 10 years ago ethanol was causing some problems with some outlets selling 20-30% blends and the Fed Govt eventually put a 10% limit on ethanol and made pump labeling mandatory. For some strange reason there is no mandatory labeling for Biodiesel or blends but most companies do list it on their website. Freedom claim up to 20% blend of Biodiesel.

Most manufacturers of modern diesel engines advise against using Biodiesel! BP do use some Biofuel feedstock but it goes through the refining process and meets the standards for oil based diesel so in my view doesn't seem to be an issue. Most Biodiesel is blended after refining so who knows what you end up with.

BTW I have no interest in any oil companies/fuel suppliers but based on personal accounts from people who have had problems, it seems clear to me that cheap fuel is much more likely to cause problems.

I also tend to agree with Jeremy Clarkson that diesel is the devils fuel.

cheers

[Paul W]

Great information Jeff. Always been wary about the quality of fuels and even more so about the way it the average servo stores it.