Petrol VRS towing

[magicpants]

I'm getting fecked off with diesels costing me a constant fortune, so I'm considering buying a used petrol VRS. However, I would also like to use it for the occasional towing of trailer for camping (no caravan).

 

So I guess I'm asking if anyone has any experience in towing with the petrol version, and whether a removable towbar can be fitted? 

[gRoberts]

19 minutes ago, magicpants said:

I'm getting fecked off with diesels costing me a constant fortune, so I'm considering buying a used petrol VRS. However, I would also like to use it for the occasional towing of trailer for camping (no caravan).

 

So I guess I'm asking if anyone has any experience in towing with the petrol version, and whether a removable towbar can be fitted? 

 

A towbar can be fitted to anything (seen motorbikes towing small caravans) but it's just how the clutch will cope. 

I imagine that the VRS however will have a better clutch than that of a 1.0 TSI, so should be ok with it.

[grumpytwig]

My tsi has the factory removable tow bar, only tow a small camping trailer myself.  Works great.

[Ootohere]

Diesel costs about 5-7 pence a litre more than petrol just now and maybe less than Super unleaded so how does buying a petrol car than needs more litres of petrol for the same journeys save money?

Edited 16 October, 2018 by Offski

[magicpants]

12 minutes ago, Offski said:

Diesel costs about 5-7 pence a litre more than petrol just now and maybe less than Super unleaded so how does buying a petrol car than needs more litres of petrol for the same journeys save money?

 

Sorry should have been clearer,it's not the fuel, it's the repair costs, e.g £800 dmf, £600 egr replace, injectors, etc... Haven't had DPF issues, although it's just a matter of time.

 

[magicpants]

24 minutes ago, grumpytwig said:

My tsi has the factory removable tow bar, only tow a small camping trailer myself.  Works great.

 

Thanks Grumpytwig, just what I wanted hear. Did they have to cut any of the bumper away to fit it?

[SuperbTWM]

1 minute ago, magicpants said:

 

Sorry should have been clearer,it's not the fuel, it's the repair costs, e.g £800 dmf, £600 egr replace, injectors, etc... Haven't had DPF issues, although it's just a matter of time.

 

 

You do realise the petrol engines come with a DMF also and come with their own issues such as timing chains, burning oil.....

 

 

I don't recall any diesel engine on this forum ever having to be replaced.

[pist0nbr0ke]

8 hours ago, SuperbTWM said:

You do realise the petrol engines come with a DMF also and come with their own issues such as timing chains, burning oil.....

 

And now a GPF too...!

 

Although I'm hoping my next car will be petrol. Because powerrrrr.

[grumpytwig]

9 hours ago, magicpants said:

 

Thanks Grumpytwig, just what I wanted hear. Did they have to cut any of the bumper away to fit it?

 

Not that I can see.

 

Tuck the electrics up and remove the tow arm and you wouldn't know it'd been fitted.

[ScoutCJB]

9 hours ago, magicpants said:

 

Thanks Grumpytwig, just what I wanted hear. Did they have to cut any of the bumper away to fit it?

 

The factory towbar is invisible once removed (certainly on the Scout), but some of the aftermarket ones are not (assuming you might be fitting an aftermarket one).  I fitted an aftermarket Westfalia one on my Oct 2 Scout which was invisible when removed but some of the others (the brands escape me) weren't as I trawled Google for pics.

[KjetilRos]

13 hours ago, SuperbTWM said:

 

You do realise the petrol engines come with a DMF also and come with their own issues such as timing chains, burning oil.....

 

 

I don't recall any diesel engine on this forum ever having to be replaced.

 

Most of those seem to be 2009-10. 

 

The latest 2.0tsi is a really good engine. 

[logiclee]

19 hours ago, gRoberts said:

 

A towbar can be fitted to anything (seen motorbikes towing small caravans) but it's just how the clutch will cope. 

 

 

Not so since 1998.

 

Any passenger carrying vehicle including all road cars have to be type approved for towing and has to have a type approved towbar.

 

There have been some noticeable exceptions. The ST220 Mondeo wasn't type approved but the ST TDCi was, some S-Line Audi's were not type approved as well as some AMG spin off Mercs.

 

If a vehicle is not type approved for towing it will not have a Gross Train Weight stamped on the cars weight plate.

 

Fortunately the VRS both petrol and diesel are type approved for towing. 

Edited 17 October, 2018 by logiclee

[PetrolDave]

46 minutes ago, logiclee said:

some S-Line Audi's were not type approved 

Also some RS Audi's - Audi claimed that the B7 RS4 wasn't suitable for towing due to "cooling issues" which seems most unlikely given that it was fitted with 3 coolant radiators (main plus an auxiliary beside each fog light). Much more likely is the Audi didn't want to spend the extra money getting Type Approval for towing on a model that would only be made in limited numbers.

 

The need for Type Approval for towing makes sense where the vehicle is clearly unsuitable (such as my other car a Citroen C1) but where the lack of Type Approval for towing is down to penny pinching by the manufacturer IMHO it's frustrating and makes a mockery of the system.

[magicpants]

6 hours ago, KjetilRos said:

 

Most of those seem to be 2009-10. 

 

The latest 2.0tsi is a really good engine. 

Thanks for the heads-up on this, I also got the impression that there didn't appear to be any newer models being listed with issues.

 

Does anyone know when the tensioner issue got resolved?

Edited 17 October, 2018 by magicpants

[KevC_Derby]

2 hours ago, PetrolDave said:

Also some RS Audi's - Audi claimed that the B7 RS4 wasn't suitable for towing due to "cooling issues" which seems most unlikely given that it was fitted with 3 coolant radiators (main plus an auxiliary beside each fog light). Much more likely is the Audi didn't want to spend the extra money getting Type Approval for towing on a model that would only be made in limited numbers.

 

The need for Type Approval for towing makes sense where the vehicle is clearly unsuitable (such as my other car a Citroen C1) but where the lack of Type Approval for towing is down to penny pinching by the manufacturer IMHO it's frustrating and makes a mockery of the system.

 

My mates Golf R Estate isn’t Type Approved for Towing either.

[logiclee]

13 minutes ago, KevC_Derby said:

 

My mates Golf R Estate isn’t Type Approved for Towing either.

 

I don't think the hatch is either

[Gerrycan]

Found this old post about using a 1.4tsi Octavia to tow a caravan so a 2.0tsi would have no issues.

 

 

Edited 17 October, 2018 by Gerrycan

[logiclee]

I have two trailers that I tow with a 1.2TSi.

 

A 750kg unbraked trailer (Can't fill it) and a 1250kg braked trailer.

 

Tow either without issue.

 

The OP will have no problem with a camping trailer on a vRS

 

Lee

[SashaGrace]

Just to add though that the lower diffuser is cut, but it can’t be seen. The does have to be a cut no matter what you do. The Scout has a flap to cover it but the others in the range don’t. You have to honestly lie on the floor to see it though as the shape of the diffuser hides it. Fitting a towbar to a petrol is a bit of task as you’ll need a bit pry bar to move the exhaust on both sides, whereas fitting one to a diesel is easy on one side thanks to the lack of dual exit exhaust

[teescom09]

On 16/10/2018 at 23:13, Offski said:

Diesel costs about 5-7 pence a litre more than petrol just now and maybe less than Super unleaded so how does buying a petrol car than needs more litres of petrol for the same journeys save money?

And get only 4-5 mpg more in the REAL world similar driving with 60HP less, petrol is dam good value for money then. Not to mention the horrible noise, messy filling, more  expensive servicing etc etc.

 

And the point about timing chains etc is totally wrong. That was a previous totally different engine. Current version is extremely robust and reliable.  

[teescom09]

Its 8p per litre more At my local BP garage

[Ootohere]

Really only 4-5 mpg difference from a TDI vRS compared to a 220, 230 or 245 ps TSI?

 

Current versions of Euro 6 TSI's robustness and longevity will be known in another few years, but they certainly appear good enough.

Obviously they are discontinued and have had to get new Engine Management and Software and a GPF, 

but for now there are plenty about to choose from and they are not expensive.  Cheap in fact if the fuel economy or price per mile is so near that of a Euro 6 TDI before they have SCR.

 

[teescom09]

Absolutely ive driven both 43-44 diesel 37-9 petrol same driving

Edited 19 October, 2018 by teescom09

[magicpants]

4 hours ago, teescom09 said:

And get only 4-5 mpg more in the REAL world similar driving with 60HP less, petrol is dam good value for money then. Not to mention the horrible noise, messy filling, more  expensive servicing etc etc.

 

And the point about timing chains etc is totally wrong. That was a previous totally different engine. Current version is extremely robust and reliable.  

 

Would a 2014 TSI be free from tensioner issue?

[teescom09]

Never heard of any issues with the 1.4 fsi engine. There were some with the previous old twin boost engine a miliion years ago. 

 

TBH you would be really unlucky for any engine to fail these days.