towing with superb 2.5 auto

[yerrmann]

(1) I tow a caravan, (Lunar lexon and yes I know it's sad but there you are). My last superb 1.9 diesel towed great but 2.5 is an automatic.

Will i need to have any cooling put in place for auto gearbox?

(2) i have big dog (Doberman) and read that from 2006 on the superb backseat is able to fold down.

Can anyone confirm this please

Many thanks

rjimw

[Burnsey]

I'm not a tower myself but wouldn't think you have anything to worry about. and yes the seats go down from a certain build date

http://www.caravanclub.co.uk/NR/rdonlyres/0C7A46CF-36FC-4B3A-89AC-EF410D84CDE3/0/TowcaroftheYear2003.pdf

[Gizmo]

(2) i have big dog (Doberman) and read that from 2006 on the superb backseat is able to fold down.

Can anyone confirm this please

Many thanks

rjimw

Split folding rear seats were introduced in May 2004

Edited 1 October, 2008 by Gizmo68
spelling

[rotodiesel]

I bought my Superb specifically as a towcar and test drove a few before buying one.

The autobox is really not much use for towing a heavy trailer as there's too much slip in the torque convertor when starting off. The worst problem, however is the reluctance of the gearbox to select first gear when approaching, say, a junction slowly. It sits in second with too high a drive ratio to make progress and no boost - useless! The 2.5 engine is old technology, has no better performance than a manual 130 PD and has poor emissions and fuel consumption. Its long term reliability is suspect and belt changes are expensive.

I bought a 1.9 130 PS AWX engine mated to a 5 speed manual box. It tows really well and gives excellent fuel consumption when unhitched.

The seat fold (MY '05>) is really useless as the squab is fixed - pathetic "design" especially as the seats on the previous model Passat did fold properly. I suppose it's a bit better than nothing, but a dog wouldn't like it.

rotodiesel.

[Burnsey]

Remember you can always put a harness on your dog and keep him on the back seat with a sling type thing that covers the seats and goes over the headrests of the front seats to keep hairs at bay. As a dog owner myself and having swapped from superb to octavia i really couldn't see a dog being happy in the boot of superb, seats folded or not.

[yerrmann]

i really couldn't see a dog being happy in the boot of superb, seats folded or not.

Thanks to all for replies

Idea was to fold down rear seats and put dog in the back--- not the boot.

My last 3 cars been skoda, Octavia then Octavia elegance estate but found thsoe bit light for stopping the van, so I had bought a Superb 1.9 comfort which took a real hammering in the back seat with dog jumping after her walk and a swim in river. I live in a city and need to travel a few miles to be able to let dog out for a run and exercise.

This was main reason why I changed and went for vauxhall signum, but after just 6 months i really missed my superb and gone and buying another.

My last was Comfort 1.9 on 54 plate and was an excellent towcar with absolutely no problems other than daft dog but i wanted an auto this time around, so Signum is going traded in for a superb 2.5 elegance on a 06 plate with 18k on clock.

I cannot believe what dealers were only prepared to offer me on a signum 2 years old and 15k on clock. It really is scary.

One offered less than 5k trade in.

rjimw

[Bluefox]

I cannot believe what dealers were only prepared to offer me on a signum 2 years old and 15k on clock. It really is scary.

One offered less than 5k trade in.

rjimw

Yeah. The Signum (as with most other "flagship" models) suffers like the Superb in terms of depreciation.

Which is why you can now buy a Phaeton (£70k+) for about £10k, so it works both ways!

[philc]

I cannot believe what dealers were only prepared to offer me on a signum 2 years old and 15k on clock. It really is scary.

One offered less than 5k trade in.

rjimw

Think how I feel, with a 4 year old 3.0 Cdti with 42,000! :confused:

Phil