1.6 ok for towing a caravan?
 

Would my 1.6 440 be ok towing a large caravan? Anybody have experience of this? Planning a trip for the spring, mostly motorway miles but I will be travelling a long distance!

I towed a caravan using a 1.6 and found it quite difficult as car wasnt powerful enough...really struggled on hilly roads..but the car was not a Volvo..but i shouldnt imagine it being to different..

I don't have experience of towing with a 1.6 but have driven an S40 1.6 and even unladen it felt underpowered. I would expect a 1.6 to really struggle with a caravan, especially a big one. Your handbook should give the max towable weight for your car and this may give some idea as to its suitability or otherwise.

Sarge
'99 V70 AWD:Dancing_chief:

A 1600 car would tow a smaller caravan but as with many things in life, bigger is better. Id expect to be down to 40 mph revving the engine hard on steep sections of motorway.

1.6 towing
 

having previously owned a 1.6, i totally agree with the previous three answers,i now have a diesel, plenty of torque for towing, and economy too.

paul

My aunt used to two a small two berth caravan with a 53 plate Vauxhall Agila. It had a measly three cylinder engine. She travelled all of the country in it. The only problem she found with it was going up the hill on the A9 south out of Inverness!!

She then went and got a diesel scenic and blew the gearbox up. Apparently the scenic wasn't up to towing?

DavieC

Didn't mean to thank you there! clicked wrong button
but a damn fine post all the same!

I trust said Caravan has it's own independant brakes?

Hi,
I would suspect that the scenic wasn't up to much to start... :D

I would say that 1.6 is a bit on the low/small side for towing.
It does, of course, depend on what it is you are towing..
A light 800 kg caravan would be Ok, but if towing something round the 85% rule for the car then it may well be struggling.

Yes, diesels are better as they have better low end torque to handle tugging..
But again, depends on what you're towing... Overall weight may still kill you!

BTW anything over 750Kg will need brakes as it is the max weight for an unbreaked trailer.

Des. . . ;)

Honest opinion, your car would be a danger on the road towing anything near a large caravan, possibly a small lightweight van of around 800 kilos, its not only the engine but the kerbweight of the car, definately a case of the tail wagging the dog if you know what I mean.
look here,,,,,,,,,,,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRXmE5XNVCw
John

Hi,

That YouTube vid is such a good example. And so damn funny too..!

+ YouTube Video

Enjoy in a box..

Des. . . ;)