Do you Tow a van?

[WEDEL.1]

Does anyone tow a camper trailer or small caravan?

Please give details/pics.

Maris

[Virgil Tracy]

Yes but not with a Golf.

Are you really looking to tow with a Golf?

[Maverick]

Are you really looking to tow with a Golf?

That's probably the reason that VW have an option of tow bar!

[evorobin]

Maris you'll need to chip it to get the correct amount of torque squire.

[WEDEL.1]

Yes but not with a Golf.

Are you really looking to tow with a Golf?

That's why we bought a TDI instead of the Polo 1.6L.

The TDI should easily tow a camper trailer with a weight of 400-450kg. Been looking already, but I have to wait until the TDI is run-in.

Maris

[WEDEL.1]

Maris you'll need to chip it to get the correct amount of torque squire.

You're a funny man Robin. Julia's laughing at/with you

Maris

[Guest212]

That's why we bought a TDI instead of the Polo 1.6L.

The TDI should easily tow a camper trailer with a weight of 400-450kg. Been looking already, but I have to wait until the TDI is run-in.

Maris

After the first thousand or so KM you should be able to tow. Infact it'll probably be good for it - thanks to VW using synthetic oil the only thing i see you stopping towing in the first thousand or so KM are the bearings in the motor and gearbox - got to give them a bit. Diesels work great when you load them up during breaking in (just don't be on the go pedal all the time, getting EGT's too hot will not do wonders for it). And these little diesels, rev them. Make sure you use them in their full rev range while breaking them in. So light acceleration to 4500rpm is quite ok. Make sure you compression brake a bit as well.


These aren't truck diesels. Don't drive them like one!

[WEDEL.1]

After the first thousand or so KM you should be able to tow. Infact it'll probably be good for it - thanks to VW using synthetic oil the only thing i see you stopping towing in the first thousand or so KM are the bearings in the motor and gearbox - got to give them a bit. Diesels work great when you load them up during breaking in (just don't be on the go pedal all the time, getting EGT's too hot will not do wonders for it). And these little diesels, rev them. Make sure you use them in their full rev range while breaking them in. So light acceleration to 4500rpm is quite ok. Make sure you compression brake a bit as well.


These aren't truck diesels. Don't drive them like one!

Thanks for the advice.

Maris

[Virgil Tracy]

I have towed a 500 kg and now a 1300kg camping trailer with my Prado, even at 500 kg I could feel it. The thought of towing with a small hatchback just frigtens me.

What is the maximum ball wieght on the VW towbar?

Because even a 500kg camping trailer should have a 50 kg ball wieght if it is to tow safely.

[Maverick]

I have towed a 500 kg and now a 1300kg camping trailer with my Prado, even at 500 kg I could feel it. The thought of towing with a small hatchback just frigtens me.

That sounds like typical 4WD owner mentality.

The Golf can tow 1200kg braked and 620kg unbraked.

[WEDEL.1]

I wouldn't call the Golf a "small" hatchback, perhaps the Polo fills that category.

I have never forgotten that my Brother-in-law towed a small caravan in his VW Beetle, although it was a 1500, many many years ago.

As for the "Ball weight", I have no idea what that refers to, or how the figure is calculated. Only first heard about it 2 years ago when Brian & Jane were looking at caravans. I know Brain was dissapointed with the figure that was allocated to his 128 T5 Transporter, and that the Dealer(s) were lobbying the relevant authorities to have it lifted, as they thought the number was too low. In the end, he sold the T5 and has only towed with various 4-wheel drives, completely ridiculous in my opinion.

I wonder how we ever survived towing big caravans with Holdens & Falcons in the old days.

I'm confident that the Golf will be a more than competent vehicle towing a camping trailer with a total weight of between 550-600kgs. I will soon find out when I hook our trailer up to get 500kgs of gravel & sand during my holidays next month (our old Golf Mk III GL handle this easily).

Maris

[gerhard]

I have towed a 500 kg and now a 1300kg camping trailer with my Prado, even at 500 kg I could feel it. The thought of towing with a small hatchback just frigtens me.

What is the maximum ball wieght on the VW towbar?

Because even a 500kg camping trailer should have a 50 kg ball wieght if it is to tow safely.

The Golf is a 1400kg vehicle so why can't it tow?

We used to tow insane weights with Kingswoods that only weighed 1300kg with 97Kw and 245Nm of torque. My EK at 1120Kg never had a problem towing a car trailer and racing FJ to the track - that would have been about 1500kg all up.

The Golf 1.9TDI will positively laugh at a 500kg trailer.

[Maverick]

The Golf is a 1400kg vehicle so why can't it tow?

Because people seem to be under the impression that you need a massive 4WD with bullbar to tow a box trailer filled with mulch!

[BarneyBoy]

Because people seem to be under the impression that you need a massive 4WD with bullbar to tow a box trailer filled with mulch!

...in the right hand lane - while on the 'phone

[Mischa]

im pretty sure towing ratings arent based on how much power the vehicle has.

besides a 500kg camper trailer is barely more than having the car with 5 ppl +baggage