Recommend me a tow car...

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Recommend me a tow car...

Post by Stevie_P »

Hi All

Thinking of using my RX8 as solely a trackday car.
What have you guys used or recommend as a tow car / van?
Would ideally like something that gets decent(ish) MPG.

Any thoughts?
Steve
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mrspiller (Thu Sep 05, 2019 2:44 pm)
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Re: Recommend me a tow car...

Post by mrspiller »

Stevie_P wrote:Hi All

Thinking of using my RX8 as solely a trackday car.
What have you guys used or recommend as a tow car / van?
Would ideally like something that gets decent(ish) MPG.

Any thoughts?
Steve
My LWB. Vivaro is a much better towing vehicle than my discovery is
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Re: Recommend me a tow car...

Post by PeteH »

My Bongo means I keep it in the family. :D (And it's nice being able to make a cup of tea when you get there...)

My old 335xD was a mental tow car. It didn't even realise it was towing most of the time, and that meant it was also very economical. But I was never fully sure the RX-8 was still going to be on the trailer at the end of the journey :shock:
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Re: Recommend me a tow car...

Post by GreySilver Beast »

One of our EX Events Team Members uses a Kia Cee'd Diesel to tow her various cars including the RX-8 :thumleft:

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Re: Recommend me a tow car...

Post by warpc0il »

You need to calculate the gross weight of the track car, trailer and any spares, e.g. wheels that you might also carry.

This will dictate the minimum size of the tow vehicle.

Some modern SUVs and vans have a lower maximum tow rating than you'd expect, for a variety of reasons.

We were at Brands a few years ago and VOSA had a checkpoint just down the road, pulling over all trailers. More than half were clamped for being overweight.

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Re: Recommend me a tow car...

Post by Dom-PZ »

My discovery is a great tow car... because it's does 14mpg towing and makes the RX-8 seem frugal
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Re: Recommend me a tow car...

Post by rameshr »

I have been thinking the same but it’s tough to figure out. On a normal license I think the weight of the car+trailer+track car has to be under 3.5kg?

With the bongo+trailer+Rx8 whats your weight?


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Re: Recommend me a tow car...

Post by qwakers »

3.5ton not kg, but yes, and its the plated max weight not the actual weight of the combo, so if your car weights 1200 the trailer weighs 1200, but the car is plated at max 2.5t gross and the trailer 3.5t gross, you cant tow it on a std catB licence.

but taking licence considerations away and assuming the op has B+E, the mk1 kia sorento, or the current one (the ones in between have pathetic towing capacity) both make excellent tow cars.
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Re: Recommend me a tow car...

Post by rameshr »

Sorry I am still confused

Mk1 sorento weighs 2T
Max tow is 2.8T(2003 titan)

Trailer 0.8t
Rx8 1.5t

Total weight is 2T+1.5T+0.8T= 4.3T which is over the max tow of the Kia?

Thanks


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Re: Recommend me a tow car...

Post by Phil Bate »

Qwakers is referring to the Maximum Authorised Mass - the highest combined mass that the whole rig is allowed to be, according to the stickers. If it's over 3500 and you are as young as me (or younger) then you are not allowed to drive it without taking a silly test :(
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Re: Recommend me a tow car...

Post by rameshr »

I have no issue taking the test...yes I need to :)

But after taking the test I can tow a combined weight of 4.3 tones?


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Re: Recommend me a tow car...

Post by PeteH »

rameshr wrote:
Thu Sep 05, 2019 4:25 pm
With the bongo+trailer+Rx8 whats your weight?
About 12 stone last time I checked. :P

Yes, I'm old, so I can drive all sorts of things I probably shouldn't be able to. Looking at the little pictures on my licence, I think I can tow a camping trailer behind a minibus, or something....

The Bongo has a GVW of 2260kg, and a tow limit of 1600kg. My RX-8 weighs about 1100kg, and my trailer is, erm, definitely less than 500kg officer. Probably.
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Also check you entitle to tow legally.

Post by SprintRX8 »

What you can tow

The rules on what you can tow are different depending on when you passed your driving test.

View your driving licence information to see if you’re allowed to tow.

Licences issued from 1 January 1997
If you passed your car driving test on or after 1 January 1997 you can:

drive a car or van up to 3,500kg maximum authorised mass (MAM) towing a trailer of up to 750kg MAM
tow a trailer over 750kg MAM as long as the combined MAM of the trailer and towing vehicle is no more than 3,500kg
MAM is the limit on how much the vehicle can weigh when it’s loaded.
You have to pass the car and trailer driving test if you want to tow anything heavier.

Licences issued before 1 January 1997

If you passed your car test before 1 January 1997 you’re usually allowed to drive a vehicle and trailer combination up to 8,250kg MAM. View your driving licence information to check.

You’re also allowed to drive a minibus with a trailer over 750kg MAM.

I’m okay got Class1 Hgv.
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Re: Recommend me a tow car...

Post by Secla »

i had a b6 audi a4 quattro. they have a really good towing weight for a normal sized car. anything 4wd or rwd and diesel should be ok
id avoid petrol and fwd

i also had a navara which could tow anything without you even noticing but only did 30mpg
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Re: Recommend me a tow car...

Post by New Duke »

Kind of. Our V6 3L Diesel XF is RWD and has lots of oompf, but can't tow much weight even though in theory it should be able to. There's more to these things sadly. My mates small engine 4 pot Astra can tow more.

This thread has riled up my frustration with another reminder of what older drivers are rewarded with, despite the low standard of historic driving tests. Not to mention the lack of a compulsory theory test back then.
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Re: Recommend me a tow car...

Post by benedwards64 »

Depends on budget really. I picked up a cheap WJ Grand Cherokee which tows the RX8 nicely. Mate of mine has a 2008 Shogun which I would prefer if I had the budget.

OP I notice you're in Surrey - I'd highly recommend this chap when you come to do your trailer test: https://www.mp-dt.co.uk/faq/

No affiliation :)
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Re: Recommend me a tow car...

Post by MARKTHOMASBRAND »

Mandy's MX5 tows our Compass Omega 534 with ease :o



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The removable towbar is a nice touch too :^o :lol:
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Re: Recommend me a tow car...

Post by bigpete8 »

benedwards64 wrote:
Fri Sep 06, 2019 8:18 am
OP I notice you're in Surrey - I'd highly recommend this chap when you come to do your trailer test: https://www.mp-dt.co.uk/faq/
Was wondering what you were on about, but then read up and those that passed test before 97 have no requirement to do this.
(Not that I've much experience of towing trailers or intent on doing so)
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Re: Recommend me a tow car...

Post by NeMFO »

I’d go with a Skoda Octavia VRS Diesel - VW build quality and equipment, cheap to buy and run, and still great to drive when the trailer comes off.
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Re: Recommend me a tow car...

Post by Ranjan »

New Duke wrote:
Fri Sep 06, 2019 12:23 am


This thread has riled up my frustration with another reminder of what older drivers are rewarded with, despite the low standard of historic driving tests. Not to mention the lack of a compulsory theory test back then.
Haydn,

Ahh the misconceptions of youth, let this oldie educate you on the reality of the situation.
We oldies learned to drive on cars, real cars; you know three pedals, a gear stick, and a steering wheel; and if you had paid extra seatbelts and wing mirrors.
NO driver aids whatsoever but brains and skill and a steep learning curve which we all conquered to differing levels of competence, but we all developed some.
I now have a car which came with, and I kid you not….

Forward Collision Warning
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DSC
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Let alone the Tesla which drives itself to my office from home.

There is a huge debate that is considering whether this is creating a generation of skill deficient drivers and when I do any instructing of younger drivers I really have to start at the basics because their skills levels are diabolical. The biggest problem I have found is throttle application; younger drivers are so used to DSC that this really is a lost art.

So, I know who I would rather be a passenger with when the going gets difficult.

Ranjan.
p.s., get a Range Rover, best tow car of all time.
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GreySilver Beast (Fri Sep 06, 2019 4:19 pm)
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Re: Recommend me a tow car...

Post by GraemeC »

LOL, let alone double declutching when driving cars without a synchromesh gearbox

And I agree, a Range Rover is the best tow car ever!
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Re: Recommend me a tow car...

Post by warpc0il »

NeMFO wrote:
Fri Sep 06, 2019 3:16 pm
I’d go with a Skoda Octavia VRS Diesel - VW build quality and equipment, cheap to buy and run, and still great to drive when the trailer comes off.
With a kerb weight of only 1400kgs, a VRS isn't heavy enough to legally tow a RX-8 on a trailer.
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NeMFO (Wed Sep 11, 2019 3:37 pm)
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Re: Recommend me a tow car...

Post by Honkytonk »

Woo woo, here comes thread derailment!

The argument could be made that all the extra electronic hand holding on new cars is required because the fogies who drive them brand new can't concentrate as well or see properly compared to when they passed their test all those years ago . ;)

I'm joking of course, because I don't think old vs young really helps when really it should be ;
people who enjoy and care about driving vs people who don't enjoy or care about driving but have to vs people who really shouldn't be behind a wheel (which can include those from either of the above categories)
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Re: Recommend me a tow car...

Post by warpc0il »

There are way too many people in the last category, that should never be allowed to drive.

Many were incapable from day one and just fluked their test, while some have become incapable, through age/health related reasons and aren't prepared to admit it.
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Re: Recommend me a tow car...

Post by exiled--viking »

this Was a good Tow Car :lol: :lol:


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