So who tows a caravan?

[Millstone]

Interested to see which other forum members tow a caravan with their Yeti (and with which HP engine)

I (when the d**m thing arrives - just been told it's moved to week 16 this morning!!) will be towing a Fleetwood Heritage 560/4 which has a MTPLM of 1460 KGS (that's gross weight) according to all the matching sites it shouldn't be any problem. I'm more concerned with stability than weight - I know I am only at 73% of the towing weight, but at 95% of the kerb weight. This doesn't bother me too much, I have towed the same caravan with a Touran which is similar in weight and has a much lower towing limit (1500KGS) But the Yeti also has a higher nose weight limit.

I currently tow with a Hyundai Tucson, (tow limit 1600KGS - 140bhp engine) but this has a higher kerb weight and is very stable, I think the Yeti (170 BHP) is going to be a far superior tow car, any opinions?

BTW been towing for over 25 years, all over Europe as well as the UK, never had any problems.

[Bobdog]

Sorry, can't help. Generally I think Clarkson is a t*ss*r, but I agree with him about two things (i) the Yeti is a great car and (ii) caravans are a carbunkle on the face of the earth.

Edited 29 March, 2011 by Bobdog

[JCP]

I keep a motor cycle for caravan infested days-I genuinely believe that British roads are not suitable for people towing large plastic sheds.

[chriskelland]

Hi Millstone,

Looks like you have rattled the cage of the anti caravan brigade.

I pull a 1407 kg Freestyle 520L with my cr170 elegance. Handles a treat and well able to keep up with all the traffic.

Chris.

[Bobdog]

Hi Millstone,

Looks like you have rattled the cage of the anti caravan brigade.

I pull a 1407 kg Freestyle 520L with my cr170 elegance. Handles a treat and well able to keep up with all the traffic.

Chris.

"Keep up with all the traffic" ? Only because all the traffic is being held up by the caravan towing geriatric at the head of the queue!

[JCP]

To be fair I have encountered caravans which make good progress but I'm afraid they are the exception. On typical A roads they usually lead a train of frustrated drivers. They are hard to overtake as they are long and difficult to see past. I regularly travel between St Albans and North Norfolk and when they are out in flocks they can add 50% to my journey time. They are a frustration and -of course-are an eyesore when they are parked.

I have also seen caravans which help the flow of traffic by pulling over at lay bys to allow their personal queues to disperse but very rarely.

[chriskelland]

If you can't say anything nice don't bother posting.

Comments like that are extremely unhelpful to genuine debate.

Now who said that?

Chris.

[Millstone]

"Keep up with all the traffic" ? Only because all the traffic is being held up by the caravan towing geriatric at the head of the queue!

Oh Dear - I have rattled a few cages !!

Perhaps if a few people read the highway code they would understand that anybody towing a caravan is BY LAW restricted to lower speeds than other road users.

Single carriageways 50 m.p.h - unless there is a lower speed limit in force

Dual Carriageways INCLUDING motorways - 60 m.p.h.

Similar restrictions also apply to heavy goods vehicles, and I usually hear the same complaints about them.

When I did an advanced police driving course some years ago I was taught that "It's number 2 who forms the queue"

I find drivers follow much too close, so when the oportunity comes to overtake they can't see past me, I'm the one that will signal left to get them to come past, but most of the time they are transfixed with the attractive sight of the back of my £20,000 + caravan (plain white) and don't notice!!

On the continent (France) there is no lower speed restrictions for towed vehicles so we are able to 'keep up' and overtake - which I frequently do. And if I get behind you in the UK and you are going slower than me expect to be overtaken !!

I may not have sub 10 second 0-60 times, but my caravan can, and has been towed at over 80 m.p.h (my wife usually)

I may be the wrong (?) side of 50, but I am certainly not a geriatric

I started this thread to contact fellow caravanners, and ask their opinions, if you just want to bash an industry that gives employment to thousands through both manufacturing and tourism then don't bother to post.

[Tonyp5a]

Interesting, this is normally such a positive forum, obviously you've have managed to hit a nerve.

Still back to topic, I pull a Bailey Pegasus (around the same weight as yours) with a 140 4x4 Yeti. I was new to caravaning last year, so first van and the Yeti was specifically bought to tow it. I've had no issues at all, having towed in some foul weather and had no issues 'keeping up with traffic'. Yes the car's a little slower off the mark but not bad at all and once moving everythings really stable, with the only real notable difference being the mpg dropping from mid 40's into the 20's.

[Allams Skoda]

I don't really have much of an opinion of towing a caravan since I've never done it and in fact I hardly ever get held up by them in the UK.

I once saw a guy in a V10 TDi towing a car trailer with a decal'd up 911 GT3 doing 110mph.... Rather impressive but embarrassingly it was on British plates in Belgium...

[Helgestahill]

Towing a Solifer 560 MH -11(1420kg) with my Yeti 4x4 170 TDI.

Great towing performance.

[Llanigraham]

The anti-brigade need to realise that on A roads we tin-snail tuggers can go 10mph quicker than most lorries are now regulated. So perhaps it is one of those at the head of the queue!

Personally I tow an Adria Altea 360LT, which has a gross weight of 1075kg, with my 140bhp 4x4. I keep to the speed limits (mostly) and am more than willing to pull over if needed.

[Millstone]

I Have just driven into my nearest town - about six miles away - along an 'A' road - 60 m..p.h. speed limit.

I was number 3 in the queue, at the front was a new-ish Fiat Punto, he did not go over 39 m.p.h all the way,(We have a Fiat Punto and I know they will go quickly if needed.) when eventually number 2 and I got past, I observed it was being driven by a man in his 30's with Mrs sat next to him.

I also noted that there were at least 10 cars behind me - and NOT ONE OF US was towing a caravan!!!

If you get held up behind a caravan, pull back a little and have a look to see what's in front !!

[Bobdog]

Magic! I guessed if I slipped in a little anti caravan note that I'd generate a ranting response, but this is beyond my expectations. Love it!!!

[mdk1]

I've had it the other way, we used to have a bailey that was 1200kg loaded, being towed by a 2.0tdi Oct'y, all i can say is, the look on car drivers faces when they relise they have been overtaken by a caravan.

The Oct'y felt very stable at 80mph with the van on the back in France.

Would sit at 60mph all day long up and down hill in the uk.

So not all vanner's are slow!!

Oh and i do 100,000 a year in my Artic, so maybe more used to towing than the Harold and Hilder, who go out twice a year on there Hol's.

[stanjackos]

I keep a motor cycle for caravan infested days-I genuinely believe that British roads are not suitable for people towing large plastic sheds.

By the way Caravans are not Plastic. I personally think there are not enough caravans on the road, there should be loads more and before you say it, I do not own one (just because I sell them does not mean I am biased).

Caravans, horse boxes, tractors, JCB`s and swarms of maniac motorbikers. Don`t you just love driving!!!

[lee67]

anyone towed a caravan with the 1.2? we used to tow many ,many years ago with real skoda's and never had any problems, and have been considering a modern lightweight caravan again..the 1.2 ceratianly has enough power to tow, but now sure on weights etc...??

[Llanigraham]

Stan

mmmm, caravan dealer and not too far away....................

Can you let me know where you are?

[IainM1970]

If you get held up behind a caravan, pull back a little and have a look to see what's in front !!

Too true.

The wind up merchants on this thread obviously have nothing better to do ... as someone once said some people have no air in the windmills of their minds!

[Little-Brit]

anyone towed a caravan with the 1.2? we used to tow many ,many years ago with real skoda's and never had any problems, and have been considering a modern lightweight caravan again..the 1.2 ceratianly has enough power to tow, but now sure on weights etc...??

I'm hardly the wolds leading authority on the subject but my wife and I have recently picked up an Abbey Vogue two berth caravan which is inside our 1200 Kg limit. After much research and advice from friends we will be loading the car with as much as possible and towing the van with the minimum amount of gear possible.

Our very first towing experience was in hauling the caravan 90 miles back from near Guldford to Bedford via the M25 and M1. Everything seemed OK to me.

Rather more will be revealed this weekend when we set off for our very first caravan trip.

Incidentally we have a 1.2 SE DSG. The gearbox definitely had more work to do but the car didn't appear to be struggling. We opted to travel at Skoda's recommended speed of 50 mph. With more experience I'm sure that value will increase!

[JCP]

I'm sorry if I have offended anyone but two thoughts to share with you.

First: a thread designed to contact "caravanners" would not attract those who are not fans if it were on a "caravanner" forum-this is the Yeti section of a Skoda forum.

Second: Those that tow large objects at a lower speed than permitted for general traffic ought to be aware that they are not always welcome-just like people who cruise at 2/3 of the posted limit and allow a queue to form are, in fact, allowing their own free and legal choice of speed to adversely affect others.

There are experienced drivers of large towing rigs who drive so as to minimise their impact on other road users and many who either can't or don't.

Those who do not appreciate the inconvenience they are causing others are driving without reasonable consideration even if their speed itself is legal.

[Millstone]

I'm sorry if I have offended anyone but two thoughts to share with you.

First: a thread designed to contact "caravanners" would not attract those who are not fans if it were on a "caravanner" forum-this is the Yeti section of a Skoda forum.

Second: Those that tow large objects at a lower speed than permitted for general traffic ought to be aware that they are not always welcome-just like people who cruise at 2/3 of the posted limit and allow a queue to form are, in fact, allowing their own free and legal choice of speed to adversely affect others.

There are experienced drivers of large towing rigs who drive so as to minimise their impact on other road users and many who either can't or don't.

Those who do not appreciate the inconvenience they are causing others are driving without reasonable consideration even if their speed itself is legal.

Firstly the original purpose of the topic was to find fellow caravanners WHO TOWED WITH A YETI, and ask their opinion(s) - If I had posed this question on a caravan forum ( Touring & Tenting or Caravan Talk) I am sure I would not have had as many replies from Yeti drivers, so a Yeti forum seems the obvious place to ask - and it's very interesting to read the comments of those that replied with caravans.

Secondly, Your comment regarding towing "at a lower speed than permitted" just because the speed limit is 60 mph (or 70) it doesn't mean that is the speed you have to drive at - after all everybody should drive at a safe and reasonable speed to suit the traffic conditions (see the highway code). I would also point to some of the earlier comments on this topic reminding you that both Caravans AND HGVs are restriced to lower speeds than other vehicles

Also it actually takes a reasonable amount of skill and expertise to tow a trailer sucessfully - just ask any of the HGV drivers on this forum - could you put 7 meters of trailer backwards into a gap just 6 inches wider than the trailer using just your mirrors? - I can !! - try that with 10 or 12 meters...

Driving isn't just about 'flat out all the time' it's about arriving safely, hopefully not stressed, and having enjoyed the drive (see lots of posts on this forum).. If you are always in such a hurry, and you are effected by " the inconveniance they cause others" may I suggest you leave a little earlier !!!

[JCP]

I'm sorry that I have offended you but I'm afraid my experience of caravans has not been marked by admiration for their skill. Although I have lived and worked in London/St Albans for 35 years my roots and much of my free time are in Norfolk and (even since the M11/improvements to the 505) it still involves around 60 miles of almost all single carriageway A roads. The journey is about 2 hours if the roads are flowing well but 3 if there are long tailbacks.

As you probably know the lead vehicle does not set a speed which the queue then maintains but if it gets to, say,30 vehicles the rear will be slower.I take your point that the limit is the highest speed you can lawfully reach on any given road. If the roads are suitable I like to use that right rather than be subject to someone else's idea of their appropriate speed.

I do understand how skilful you must be to pilot a rig with precision but the fact you are good at what you do doesn't absolve you from considering the others who wish to use the road legally. I accept that HGV vehicles are an unavoidable feature of modern life and their speed is not their choice and we all need the services they provide. caravan towers are merely making a leisure choice.

I have often been impressed -for example-by the skill of those who ride unicycles but my view of them would not be so favourable if affected by a queue behind one on the road.

If you can say you have never built up a snail trail of people backed up behind you I take off my hat and apologise for my remarks as they are not warranted in your case.

I'll leave the matter here. As you say it is your thread which is meant to help you find out what other Yeti owners tow and I wish you all great pleasure in your caravans.

Edited 29 March, 2011 by JCP

[stanjackos]

Stan

mmmm, caravan dealer and not too far away....................

Can you let me know where you are?

I like keeping a low profile. But if it is to help a fellow Yetite (or prospective customer) why not:- Staffs/Shropshire border.

[rockhopper]

I remember about 20 years ago I had a range rover and was asked to tow a light small caravan about 10 miles. Not may people expected a caravan to be overtaking them :roll: