Towcar

[Chris J Dixon]

As my Mondeo approaches its 9th birthday I am wondering about
replacing it with something a couple of years old before it
becomes a distress purchase.

I want an automatic, need to be able to tow the caravan and want
comfortable motorway travel. I only do about 5,000 miles a year.
I am a creature of habit - two Volvo 240s lasted me for 20 years
between them, and two Mondeos another 15 so far.

Do I go for the latest Mondeo, look for a SUV (I have enough
difficulty squeezing into car parks as it is) or look for other
hatchbacks? The Skoda Superb seems to be well reviewed.

Chris
--
Chris J Dixon Nottingham UK
ch...@cdixon.me.uk

Plant amazing Acers.

[Andrew]

On 04/09/2018 08:28, Chris J Dixon wrote:
> As my Mondeo approaches its 9th birthday I am wondering about
> replacing it with something a couple of years old before it
> becomes a distress purchase.
>
> I want an automatic, need to be able to tow the caravan and want
> comfortable motorway travel. I only do about 5,000 miles a year.
> I am a creature of habit - two Volvo 240s lasted me for 20 years
> between them, and two Mondeos another 15 so far.
>
> Do I go for the latest Mondeo, look for a SUV (I have enough
> difficulty squeezing into car parks as it is) or look for other
> hatchbacks? The Skoda Superb seems to be well reviewed.
>
> Chris
>

All depends on the weight of the caravan, surely ?.

Volvo V50 or V60 ?.

[Brian Reay]

On 04/09/2018 09:28, Chris J Dixon wrote:
> As my Mondeo approaches its 9th birthday I am wondering about
> replacing it with something a couple of years old before it
> becomes a distress purchase.
>
> I want an automatic, need to be able to tow the caravan and want
> comfortable motorway travel. I only do about 5,000 miles a year.
> I am a creature of habit - two Volvo 240s lasted me for 20 years
> between them, and two Mondeos another 15 so far.
>
> Do I go for the latest Mondeo, look for a SUV (I have enough
> difficulty squeezing into car parks as it is) or look for other
> hatchbacks? The Skoda Superb seems to be well reviewed.
>
> Chris
>

I've driven SUV's for over a decade and they are no more difficult to
park than any other car of a similar size. They look bigger than they
are. Our Outlander isn't much wider than our Smart Car but it looks far
wider.

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[charles]

In article <7scsod10d1lcmo5fp...@4ax.com>,

Chris J Dixon <ch...@cdixon.me.uk> wrote:
> As my Mondeo approaches its 9th birthday I am wondering about
> replacing it with something a couple of years old before it
> becomes a distress purchase.

> I want an automatic, need to be able to tow the caravan and want
> comfortable motorway travel. I only do about 5,000 miles a year.
> I am a creature of habit - two Volvo 240s lasted me for 20 years
> between them, and two Mondeos another 15 so far.

> Do I go for the latest Mondeo, look for a SUV (I have enough
> difficulty squeezing into car parks as it is) or look for other
> hatchbacks? The Skoda Superb seems to be well reviewed.

I have a friend who bought one t oreplace an elderly Volvo and is very
happy with it. But, if you wanta flat loading space, it's no good as
there's a significant difference in height between the main area and the
folded down back seat. That why I rejected it since I carry a harp
sometimes and need a flat lloading space.

--
from KT24 in Surrey, England
"I'd rather die of exhaustion than die of boredom" Thomas Carlyle

[Bob Eager]

I'm very happy with the flat loading space in my S-Max (mark 2), if he
doesn't mind another Ford!

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[Bill]

In message <pmlf7g$hh4$1...@dont-email.me>, Brian Reay <no...@m.com> writes

>I've driven SUV's for over a decade and they are no more difficult to
>park than any other car of a similar size. They look bigger than they
>are. Our Outlander isn't much wider than our Smart Car but it looks far
>wider.

I have to say that I find my 14yo Range Rover L322 awkward in car parks,
and with the windows down this summer, the bleeping from front and rear
parking sensors really embarrassed SWMBO. I'm not sure why, apart from
maybe my age, as I've had a succession of LR's, plus a Disco and a Jeep
GC, all for the 3 ton towing capacity.
Low range gearbox was crucial for me. Maybe this doesn't matter with a
caravan.
The Jeep was a huge disappointment, as low range locked the
transmission, which could wind up on mixed tarmac and rough grass.



--
Bill

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[Jim K]

charles <cha...@candehope.me.uk> Wrote in message:

Is that still as bad a stepped load area if a spare wheel is
specced as an option?
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Jim K


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[David]

On Tue, 04 Sep 2018 08:28:33 +0100, Chris J Dixon wrote:

> As my Mondeo approaches its 9th birthday I am wondering about replacing
> it with something a couple of years old before it becomes a distress
> purchase.
>
> I want an automatic, need to be able to tow the caravan and want
> comfortable motorway travel. I only do about 5,000 miles a year.
> I am a creature of habit - two Volvo 240s lasted me for 20 years between
> them, and two Mondeos another 15 so far.
>
> Do I go for the latest Mondeo, look for a SUV (I have enough difficulty
> squeezing into car parks as it is) or look for other hatchbacks? The
> Skoda Superb seems to be well reviewed.
>
> Chris

As Andrew has already noted, we would need to know the weight of your
caravan and perhaps a bit about where you plan to take your caravan.

The MTPLM of our caravan is two tonnes which limits the choice of tow car
if you want to be legal, and also if you want a ratio of 100% or below
(allegedly 85% is good) between tow car kerb weight and MTPLM.

We decided to go for a 4x4 because we caravan most of the year and often
on CLs so the ability to drag the caravan off a soggy grass field is a
bonus. Also, 4x4s tend to be heavier with a higher maximum towing weight.

We have a 2009 VW Touareg which fits the bill and is also nice and easy to
drive. Plus all season tyres to cope with mud and snow without having to
change between summer and winter versions.

Traded in a Volvo 850 because it didn't have the kerb weight, so I assume
that your caravan MTPLM is somewhere below 1600 kg?

Cheers



Dave R


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[charles]

In article <KemdnTifYKpa-xPG...@brightview.co.uk>,

It depends on what you are trying to carry. My Mazda has a spare wheel,
albeit a "get you home" type.

[Jim K]

Ok then a full size wheel?

On many modern cars with a wheel well the difference in wheel size
from none to space saver to full size has ramifications for boot
floor height. Speccing a spare on my car means a whole new raised
boot floor part is also required (and strictly speaking the boot
is reduced in caoacity).

You were recalling rejecting a car because the boot floor height
was too different from the folded back seat height...

[charles]

In article <cuudnWyxBpQ2GxPG...@brightview.co.uk>,

I was indeed, since I needed 4ft flat.

[JoeJoe]

On 04/09/2018 09:19, Brian Reay wrote:
> On 04/09/2018 09:28, Chris J Dixon wrote:
>> As my Mondeo approaches its 9th birthday I am wondering about
>> replacing it with something a couple of years old before it
>> becomes a distress purchase.
>>
>> I want an automatic, need to be able to tow the caravan and want
>> comfortable motorway travel. I only do about 5,000 miles a year.
>> I am a creature of habit - two Volvo 240s lasted me for 20 years
>> between them, and two Mondeos another 15 so far.
>>
>> Do I go for the latest Mondeo, look for a SUV (I have enough
>> difficulty squeezing into car parks as it is) or look for other
>> hatchbacks? The Skoda Superb seems to be well reviewed.
>>
>> Chris
>>
>
>
> I've driven SUV's for over a decade and they are no more difficult to
> park than any other car of a similar size. They look bigger than they
> are. Our Outlander isn't much wider than our Smart Car but it looks far
> wider.

I had both an S-Max and a Galaxy. Both are wider than a standard car,
and they would not fit properly into a "standard" British parking space.
I was obviously careful, but the neighbouring cars build regularly ding
them when opening their doors.

[Tim+]

JoeJoe <n...@mail.com> Wrote in message:

Every car is wider than a "standard" car these days. Unfortunately
car park bay markings haven't moved with the times.
:-(

Tim
--

[Jim K]

Which could be available in that rejected car if the appropriate
spare wheel option with potentially a raised boot floor to
accommodate it were chosen ... or even added later if not buying
new.

[Steve Walker]

"lloading space" - is that a typo or, with mention of a harp, have you
been reading Terry Pratchett?

SteveW

[charles]

In article <pmmp2b$tu9$1...@dont-email.me>,

typo - my harp is Scottish not Welsh.

[Chris J Dixon]

Andrew wrote:

>On 04/09/2018 08:28, Chris J Dixon wrote:
>> As my Mondeo approaches its 9th birthday I am wondering about
>> replacing it with something a couple of years old before it
>> becomes a distress purchase.
>>
>> I want an automatic, need to be able to tow the caravan and want
>> comfortable motorway travel. I only do about 5,000 miles a year.
>> I am a creature of habit - two Volvo 240s lasted me for 20 years
>> between them, and two Mondeos another 15 so far.
>>
>> Do I go for the latest Mondeo, look for a SUV (I have enough
>> difficulty squeezing into car parks as it is) or look for other
>> hatchbacks? The Skoda Superb seems to be well reviewed.

>All depends on the weight of the caravan, surely ?.

It is 1200 kg, so looking for vehicles over 1400 kg

[Chris J Dixon]

David wrote:

>As Andrew has already noted, we would need to know the weight of your
>caravan and perhaps a bit about where you plan to take your caravan.

Indeed. The van is a sprightly 1200 kg, so anything over 1450 kg,
which happens to be the weight of my current Mondeo, will be
fine.

My caravanning is predominantly folk festivals and CLs. Whilst
there have been occasions when I might have felt more comfortable
with 4 WD available, the reality is that in 40 years I have only
needed assistance on a couple of occasions, one of those being so
bad that everyone was towed off, and the other most of the
temporary site had been under water, and we woke one morning to
see a Landrover bogged with all 4 wheels up to its axles.

[Jim K]

Chris J Dixon <ch...@cdixon.me.uk> Wrote in message:

> David wrote:
>
>>As Andrew has already noted, we would need to know the weight of your
>>caravan and perhaps a bit about where you plan to take your caravan.
>
> Indeed. The van is a sprightly 1200 kg, so anything over 1450 kg,
> which happens to be the weight of my current Mondeo, will be
> fine.

Is that 1200kgs before you load it up with crockery, ornaments,
lucky heather, cases of cheap lager, extra awnings, petrol, gas
canisters, clothes, assorted folky dolky essentials?
;-)

[Chris J Dixon]

Jim K wrote:

>Is that 1200kgs before you load it up with crockery, ornaments,
> lucky heather, cases of cheap lager, extra awnings, petrol, gas
> canisters, clothes, assorted folky dolky essentials?

Sorry, just trying to give the key figure used for the
recommended 85% of kerb weight calculation.

The caravan MTPLM is 1200 kg

[Jim K]

Chris J Dixon <ch...@cdixon.me.uk> Wrote in message:

> Jim K wrote:
>
>>Is that 1200kgs before you load it up with crockery, ornaments,
>> lucky heather, cases of cheap lager, extra awnings, petrol, gas
>> canisters, clothes, assorted folky dolky essentials?
>
> Sorry, just trying to give the key figure used for the
> recommended 85% of kerb weight calculation.
>
> The caravan MTPLM is 1200 kg
>
> Chris

Relax you missed/snipped the wink.. ;-)

[John Miller]

I've got a Skoda Superb Estate after some years of Citroens. Mine's the
2 litre diesel 190 towing a 1500Kg Swift and I'm very pleased with it.
Towed down to Lake Garda in June and it soared up the various
passes.Decent consumption of around 30 mpg when towing (depending on
speed, wind direction, etc,etc). Acres of room both in the car and in
the boot and would recommend the Skoda to anyone. However, you'll still
have problems fitting into most car parking spaces as it is a big beast,
the length as much as anything, but it's around the same size as the
Mondeo, so swings & roundabouts.
John M

[Keith Keith]

Hello Chris,

> As my Mondeo approaches its 9th birthday I am wondering about
> replacing it with something a couple of years old before it becomes a
> distress purchase.
>
> I want an automatic, need to be able to tow the caravan and want
> comfortable motorway travel. I only do about 5,000 miles a year. I am
> a creature of habit - two Volvo 240s lasted me for 20 years between
> them, and two Mondeos another 15 so far.
>
> Do I go for the latest Mondeo, look for a SUV (I have enough
> difficulty squeezing into car parks as it is) or look for other
> hatchbacks? The Skoda Superb seems to be well reviewed.
>
> Chris
>

> Plant amazing Acers.
>

We have an Avensis '06 plate 2.2T3 turbo diesel manual - doesn't notice French/Swiss
alps, about 40,pg towing and an Avensis 65 plat 1,8 business edition estate,
petrol, cvt logical 7 gears. Swiss alps no problem, cruise control useful
- changes down to maintain speed on descents, gear paddles good after getting
used to using them (or could use gear stick).

[Muddymike]

Stick with the one you know and buy another Mondeo. They are very
reliable these days but if it does go wrong parts are cheaper than for
the Superb.

Mike

[Chris J Dixon]

Muddymike wrote:

>Stick with the one you know and buy another Mondeo. They are very
>reliable these days but if it does go wrong parts are cheaper than for
>the Superb.

I spent a lot of time looking at specs and reviews (1) of
suggestions here (for which many thanks) and elsewhere, and
finally actually kicked a few tyres. I have to say that the
Mondeo is still looking good, though I have yet to have a test
drive of the new dual-clutch "auto" box.

The Skoda interested me, and does look a mice motor, but having
had a heated screen for some time now I wouldn't want to be
without. I might have a problem finding a Skoda for which the
option had been specified. Vast though the boot is, the front
passenger seat doesn't appear to fold, so the occasional long
load would probably not fit. I don't usually have work done by
the main dealer, but when necessary (as it was recently on my
Ford) Skoda dealers are not very conveniently located for me.

(1) Interestingly "Which" advised "do not buy" for the Ssangyong
Korando, whilst it won one category in the Towcar of the year
awards.

[Nick Finnigan]

On 13/09/2018 20:38, Chris J Dixon wrote:

> (1) Interestingly "Which" advised "do not buy" for the Ssangyong
> Korando, whilst it won one category in the Towcar of the year
> awards.

'of the year' usually means it has to be a new model that year.
If the awards also split into 'category' they becomes meaningless.

[Manikin of mirth ...]

> Towcar of the year
> awards.
>

my 1977 chrysler alpine won car of the year in 1976 and it rusted through in
four years ...

[Jim K]

Chris J Dixon <ch...@cdixon.me.uk> Wrote in message:

> Muddymike wrote:
>
>>Stick with the one you know and buy another Mondeo. They are very
>>reliable these days but if it does go wrong parts are cheaper than for
>>the Superb.
>
> I spent a lot of time looking at specs and reviews (1) of
> suggestions here (for which many thanks) and elsewhere, and
> finally actually kicked a few tyres. I have to say that the
> Mondeo is still looking good, though I have yet to have a test
> drive of the new dual-clutch "auto" box.
>
> The Skoda interested me, and does look a mice motor, but having
> had a heated screen for some time now I wouldn't want to be
> without. I might have a problem finding a Skoda for which the
> option had been specified. Vast though the boot is, the front
> passenger seat doesn't appear to fold, so the occasional long
> load would probably not fit.

Can you not just wind the backrest back (or press the switch if
leccy!) to flatten the front seat?
How often would this really be a major inconvenience?
The superb estate is massive!?

73 superb estates on auto trader currently have "windscreen" as a
key word. First half dozen I've checked have heated
windscreens...

[Vir Campestris]

On 04/09/2018 14:20, Jim K wrote:
> On many modern cars with a wheel well the difference in wheel size
> from none to space saver to full size has ramifications for boot
> floor height. Speccing a spare on my car means a whole new raised
> boot floor part is also required (and strictly speaking the boot
> is reduced in caoacity).

So you've got a flat somewhere, and you take off the full size wheel and
put the compact spare on.

The full size wheel doesn't fit in the car. Will you just abandon it by
the road?

Andy

[543dsa]

"Vir Campestris" <vir.cam...@invalid.invalid> wrote in message
news:po0u7o$o8i$2...@dont-email.me...

It doesn’t have to fit neatly into the space for the compact
spare when taking it the tyre place to get repaired.

[Bob Eager]

No, but it might not "fit in the car" if you are carrying a full load.



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[Steve H]

Bob Eager <news...@eager.cx> wrote:

> > It doesn't have to fit neatly into the space for the compact spare when
> > taking it the tyre place to get repaired.
>
> No, but it might not "fit in the car" if you are carrying a full load.

My Boxster has a space saver. If you have a passenger, there's nowhere
to put a full size wheel (especially a rear) if you need to use the
space saver.

I carry a can of foam and some tyre plugs - these can fix most punctures
at the roadside. If the wheel needs to come off, I'm calling the AA
anyway and they can take the spare to a tyre fitter for me.
--
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[Jim K]

itali...@gmail.com (Steve H) Wrote in message:

/Smugmode