Towing A Caravan With A 1.9 (90bhp) Sharan

[Phil Neal]

Anyone out there tow a 4-5 berth caravan with a 90nag Sharan/Galaxy?

 

thinking of buying but am concerned as to the sharan only being a low power engine, thinking hills around snowdonia may be a problem?

 

Is it worth getting it chipped (not the box, proper chipping)

 

cheers alll!

[Ivor_E_Tower]

It's not power you need to tow, but torque. Think you will find that the 90 is quite a bit down when compared to the 110, but still has sufficient "go" to make towing a possibility. A 4-5 berth van will however take time to acccelerate up to speed (but I suppose you are limited to 50 anyway).

[handy andy]

I tow a Bailey Ranger 470/4 with Galaxy 110. Also quite often have 5 bikes or canoes plus the family. Apart from the slower accleration you hardly notice it being there.

[Guest MATT]

I did tow a lunar lexon 4 birth (1,300Kg), now i tow a 2 birth coachman, but it still weighs 1,300Kgs, mine is an automatic 1.9TDI 115, and you hardly notice its on, just takes longer to get up to 60mph (on the motorway) 50 mph on other roads.

 

find out what torque you

[Guest MATT]

just had a brain wave, if you phone the Caravan Club, you can ask them if you're car will pull the caravan your looking at, but you need to be a member - which i am.

 

so if you are not a member, if you give me the following information, i will find out for you,

 

Car: Make

Model

Body Style

Derivative/trim Level

Engine size and type

Year or registration number

 

Caravan: Make

Range

Model

Number of berths

Year of manufacture

 

MATT

[Phil Neal]

I think i will be fine on tow weight, ie within the 85% the recommended (dads a member of the cc, but thanks for the offer :()

 

it's just the practicality of towing 1200 or so KG with a 90bhp/150lbsft Sharan that in it's self weighs about 1800kg!

 

i've towed a 1000kg caravan behind a 1.8 focus, i've pulled huge car transporter trailers with twin axles (and vw beetles on them!) behind focus and a bmw 525i with no problems with accell or keeping up with traffic (more a point of keeping the speed down!)...

 

I guess i need to borrow mum and dads caravan and take it for a spin...

[Guest MATT]

i think you should be ok - but some sort of 'test tow' will tell.

 

MATT

[Phil Neal]

going to look at a abi sunstar 4 on sunday... thanks guys...

[andymet]

Hi

I tow an Abbey Aventura 318 1320kg with a 90bhp Turbo Diesel and it copes no problem. It's now done 155,000 miles and still pulls like a train, it cruises at 65mph all day.

 

Hope this helps

 

Andy Met

[Phil Neal]

we've bought the sunstar today.. thanks for all the help..

 

:(

[justme]

While we're on the subject, anyone know how well a 2000 1.9 auto (110) would pull a 5 birth(not sure of the weight)?

[Ivor_E_Tower]

... a 5 birth(not sure of the weight)?

Mobile maternity unit? Or do you mean "berth" ?

 

Find out the weight first; if it is similar to what has been mentioned above, then you will have no problem; autos generally tow better than manuals.

[Guest MATT]

do the MKI shalaxies, which are automatic, have 'tip-tronic' as well? - like the MKII do.

 

MATT

[Bubbles]

Just to add to the list

I tow a knackered 1989 - 5 berth swift which is usually laden with 4 bikes (and as I have 2 daughters and a wife - bucket loads of clothes for any occasion)

I'm using a 2000 110bhp galaxy which I bought especially for towing.

It's brilliant - just returned home (Manchester-way) from Somerset

It's the first real journey towing (400 miles round trip) and I was totally relaxed. Had to keep checking the speedo to drop back down below 60ish.

Now thinking of fitting cruise control for next years journey to the French rivierra

[justme]

Matt, no the mk1's don't have tip-tronic.

[Phil Neal]

towed like a dream, hills a minor issue but nothing a chipping wouldn't cure.

 

:)