Towing question please

[911hillclimber]

I tow my race car and 4 wheel trailer about 10 weekends a year.
Each towing journey is about 50 to 70 miles, the gross weight being towed is 1100Kg.
I use a Skoda Superb which is a diesel, 2014 so dirty.
I will be changing the tow car soon.

Has anyone comments on using a hybrid as a tow car?
My cueing thinking is a much younger Superb petrol, about 2020 or younger, though another diesel appeals.

[Cortina]

Be kind to the environment ! .............. just keep what you have . I tow with a 2010 Hyundai ... and will continue to do so till it falls apart.

[hot66]

we have a hybrid BMW330e .. these cars are fundementally company car tax dodgers due to the way emissions are calculated . in reality we have upto 20 miles electric and then were back onto a 4 pot turbo petrol. If you were towing might as well say goodbye to the electric bit pretty quickly then you'll be burning through petrol at a faster rate than diesel.

Having had two 330e's over the last 4 years, I've got to say they are not a car I particularly like. Give me my v6 diesel pick up truck any day . As it is the BMW goes this week , with a full electric Audi comin g.. just in time for UK's electricity blackouts

[911hillclimber]

Hmmm...
I'm torn between the green bit, co2 and this kills the planet we have, diesel emissions killer affect people, and there are a few in this world.
I like many are not sure of diesel supplies into future years, but I like the one I have, it tows so well, but at 75k getting a bit rough around the edges ( light resonating above 70) which is sure to be expensive if I Knew what it was!

The Superb will do 55 to 60 easy on long runs at 70 and 32 when towing, petrol could be 45 and 20?.

I'm sure hybrid electric will be almost pointless with the trailer on the back.

[gridgway]

Also, I'm not sure of the towing capacity of hybrids. It looks like for example, the current bmw 330e and the last couple of years may not be type approved to tow and before that It looks like 1300kg. Not that you would be looking at a BMW Graham, just one I looked at.

[Nine One One]

Hmmm...
I'm torn between the green bit, co2 and this kills the planet we have, diesel emissions killer affect people, and there are a few in this world.
I like many are not sure of diesel supplies into future years, but I like the one I have, it tows so well, but at 75k getting a bit rough around the edges ( light resonating above 70) which is sure to be expensive if I Knew what it was!

The Superb will do 55 to 60 easy on long runs at 70 and 32 when towing, petrol could be 45 and 20?.

I'm sure hybrid electric will be almost pointless with the trailer on the back.

You went through this two years ago Graham???

Keep what you have, it does the job and does it perfectly. One car with emissions changed to petrol is going to make no difference whatsoever, as someone else will be driving it - just not you if you change it. How many more years do you intend hillclimbing. Will the Skoda see that out - if it will KEEP IT!!

As for the resonance - yours is four wheel drive. There is a rubber doughnut encapsulated within an alloy outer and inner ring on the rear axle before the diff. It is a two piece joint, and slides within itself, which takes up the slack of the prop shaft and allows forwards and backwards movement. They become solid with age, which starts to resonate and make it feel like the wheels are out of balance as it gets worse. If you get under the car and hold it with both hands you should be able to press the inner and outer apart, only small amounts, but proves it is still flexible. They normally last around 60K so yours is probably on the way out, unless replaced already, if so ignore all the last!

I have known people change DMF’s tyres, wheel bearings, drive shafts etc.etc. when if you feel anything this thing should be the first to check on a Quattro/all four/4x4 or whatever else Vw Audi group want to call their systems.

It is about a half hour job to change and fairly straightforward.


https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/172347677258

[911hillclimber]

Thanks as ever.
It is the wife driving this.
That large damper on the rear diff was changed for new just 14k miles ago, a £400 ticket.
Was an MoT issue, done with other things at the time.

Worth checking again mind.

Doubt I will be doing the Lola for too many more years, my body will be giving up soon.

[hot66]

in that case, keep the Skoda for another 24 months and see how you feel then .. I wouldnt be jumping into buying any hybrid or electric car .... lease one yes , but not buy

[arbitrate]

A 2014 diesel can’t be that dirty - EU5 at worst. Could even be EU6?

[911hillclimber]

EU5 so dirty in most cities such as Birmingham. The pollutant class is not a concern, just would like mt 12K miles a year to be cleaner.

[Nine One One]

EU5 so dirty in most cities such as Birmingham. The pollutant class is not a concern, just would like mt 12K miles a year to be cleaner.

Use the Boxster then as the everyday car, and just keep the Skoda as the tow car. Failing that, use the Boxster as the everyday car, sell the Skoda, and just hire a car to tow to your events. Most hire cars with a tow bar will be a van, which will be...............DIESEL.

You also have the Citigo, just economise on using the petrol cars if you are that concerned about the environment. If the Superb is doing 12k miles a year, there is a lot of loafing around with it, as that mileage is not being used to tow to events surely??

[911hillclimber]

The Superb is the daily, bought it new, nice car but getting to show its age a bit.
Boxster is the fun car, back tonight from a 2 week tour of northern France in it, fabulous.
Citigo is the wife's, so used around town.

We prob do about 16k miles a year between them.

[majordad]

I’ve a Mercedes GLC de 350. it’s a diesel hybrid and I’ve done 17,000 Kms , 11,000 of them on electricity. Works very well for me. I specified a factory tow bar and it tows great , mostly on Diesel. It’s rated to tow 2000 kgs braked.