Diesel/auto estate -suggestions please!

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Thu 1 Jun 2006 23:52
Diesel/auto estate -suggestions please! - Surrey_Scientist
Will be needing to change my corolla at the start of summer to something that will tow a large 4 berth caravan....

Needs to be an estate, and probably on the large side, I checked out kerbweights/towing limits of primera/avensis size cars and they are approaching 100% of the caravan max weight - Caravan Club recommend only towing 85% of weight of car, and def. not more than 100% of car weight.

Car needs to be automatic as my mother often uses my vehicle, and she will only drive auto, and I do a huge amount of town driving as well.

and prob diesel too as I am spending far too much on petrol even in my little corolla at the moment.

I have been checking out vehicles on autotrader and most diesel estates (volvo, VW etc.) seem to be being offered at way above book price, and also seem to have huge mileages on them - they just don't look good value. Will these vehicles just be moneypits once they are past 100,000 miles ?

My (reasonable priced) mechanic is good with mechanical stuff, but not so with electronics, so something he can routinely service and do mechanical repairs (cambelts, alternators, suspension, brakes etc) to, and it could go to a not-too-expensive independent specialist if it needed any fancy diagnostics, but not a vehicle where I was dependent on a main-dealer for servicing and maintenance.



Any suggestions anyone as to what I should be thinking of buying
?


A mate is also looking for a smaller diesel and he says all the cars he's been to see have been terribly tired and overpriced too....

IS the market overvaluing diesel at the moment or are people beinggreedy or buyers being stupid and not looking at the value of what they are buying ?
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Fri 2 Jun 2006 01:13
Diesel/auto estate -suggestions please! - henry k
Price range? Caravan weight?

Potential large bill for having a tow bar & electrics/electronics fitted ?

Extra oil cooler to be fitted with such a big tow weight?

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Fri 2 Jun 2006 01:32
Diesel/auto estate -suggestions please! - Avant
If it were me I'd go for an Audi A6 Avant or Volvo V70 - obviously the bigger your budget the less tired they'll be.

You ought to get some advice fromn caravanners - I'm not sure if there are any others on this forum. They may not be admitting it as there are some 'antis' who rear their heads when caravans are mentioned. There are I'm sure magazines for caravanners, and the Caravan Club may give advice.

4wd is a possibility, but even the diesels aren't very economical, and Land Rovers are either very good or a whole heap of trouble.

As Henry implies, I'm not sure we can be much more help without further information.
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Fri 2 Jun 2006 09:38
Diesel/auto estate -suggestions please! - Chips with everything
My father uses a BMW 530d to tow a large 2 berth caravan.
0-60 in 16 seconds (with the caravan on) apparently, so it's got plenty in reserve.

Plenty of reasonably priced ones at the car auctions, which is where he got his from - 4 years ago with only minor problems so far.
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Sat 3 Jun 2006 01:24
Diesel/auto estate -suggestions please! - Timaru
I think the Citroen C5 regularly wins tow car of the year, something to do with the trick suspension.
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Sat 3 Jun 2006 15:40
Diesel/auto estate -suggestions please! - pafosman
Kia Sedona? either slide the rear seats forward or remove them depending on the model and then transfer some of the heavy carp(awning, tables, chairs, BBQ, bikes, water carriers, bats, balls etc) from the caravan to the car. Its never just a caravan is it?
Papho
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