Is an automatic a good choice as a towcar?

[TBird1]

While browsing for tips on driving my Auto 2003 V70 D5 with the caravan for the first time I came accross this on the Caravan Club web site and thought it would be worth sharing . . .

I'm off to Fortwilliam in Scotland for a 2 week holiday with the family leaving on 9/7/09 from Northern Ireland. Driving our recently acquired V70 with the caravan for the first time. Got a nice warm glowy smug feeling after reading this :-)

Regards

TBird1

Automatics
Q. Is an automatic a good choice as a towcar?
A. One way to avoid problems created by less than ideal
torque is to choose an automatic gearbox. They’re ideally
suited for caravan towing because their torque converter
allows crawling pace, where a manual's clutch would slip
and wear. Also when starting off from rest the action of
the torque converter gives a torque magnification factor
approaching 2:1, i.e. when the converter output is at rest
or turning slowly the torque is maximum and the output
torque exceeds the input torque – ideal when towing.
Other benefits are less wear and tear on the
transmission, easy re-starts on hills and reversing to
hitch up, and perfectly adequate gear control with the
selector. With all these advantages there must also be
some disadvantages surely? One penalty with older three
speed automatics is higher fuel consumption, loss of
performance and increased heat production. However,
with more modern five, six, seven (and soon eight) speed
automatics these problems have virtually been
eliminated. As there are occasionally exceptions to this,
it is still worth checking the manufacturer’s fuel consumption data. The manufacturer’s towing limit is
sometimes lower with automatic transmissions.
Although automatic diesel models remain comparatively
rare, if you can find one they are worth hunting out.

[BillG]

Hi Iv'e got a 99 v70 diesel and bought a caravan, took it down to the local automatic transmission specialist and had it checked out he said there would be no problems with it but suggested having an extra oil cooler fitted to the gearbox at a cost of about £200.00 I then went away and thought about it. Having just bought the car it was a bit out of my budget, been away all over with the brother inlaw and no problems what so ever. He has a 53 V70 D5 manual, big caravan loaded up with awnings tables chairs and every cubby hole filled to the brim and has not had any problems, we have gone with him to Whitby quite a few times, fair old hills on the way there and still everthing went fine so for me it doesn't seem a problem Cheers Bill

[Dav]

Originally Posted by TBird1

While browsing for tips on driving my Auto 2003 V70 D5 with the caravan for the first time I came accross this on the Caravan Club web site and thought it would be worth sharing . . .

I'm off to Fortwilliam in Scotland for a 2 week holiday with the family leaving on 9/7/09 from Northern Ireland. Driving our recently acquired V70 with the caravan for the first time. Got a nice warm glowy smug feeling after reading this :-)

Regards

TBird1

Automatics
Q. Is an automatic a good choice as a towcar?
A. One way to avoid problems created by less than ideal
torque is to choose an automatic gearbox. They’re ideally
suited for caravan towing because their torque converter
allows crawling pace, where a manual's clutch would slip
and wear. Also when starting off from rest the action of
the torque converter gives a torque magnification factor
approaching 2:1, i.e. when the converter output is at rest
or turning slowly the torque is maximum and the output
torque exceeds the input torque – ideal when towing.
Other benefits are less wear and tear on the
transmission, easy re-starts on hills and reversing to
hitch up, and perfectly adequate gear control with the
selector. With all these advantages there must also be
some disadvantages surely? One penalty with older three
speed automatics is higher fuel consumption, loss of
performance and increased heat production. However,
with more modern five, six, seven (and soon eight) speed
automatics these problems have virtually been
eliminated. As there are occasionally exceptions to this,
it is still worth checking the manufacturer’s fuel consumption data. The manufacturer’s towing limit is
sometimes lower with automatic transmissions.
Although automatic diesel models remain comparatively
rare, if you can find one they are worth hunting out.

"Hi -I've recently bought an "R" plated S70 2.5Tdi with the intention of using it to tow my caravan. The car is in excellent condition both bodily and mechanically having covered 182,000 miles FSH (fully documented with receipts) at Vovlo dealers/specialists.

Having past experience of good mileage diesels and automatics. I am preparing the car for towing, it already had a genuine Volvo tow bar and electrics, so far I have added spring assistors, and an extra autobox fluid cooler, flushed the auto box and have done an oil/ filter change (the car had a full 80,000 mile service including cam belt change at 178,000).

What I would like to do as a precaution against over heating is to fit a manual over-ride switch (I want to retain the automatic functions) for the cooling fan so that I can control the fan particularly when climbing hills. Can anybody help with the best way to wire this switch up?"

I posted this a short while ago since then have towed the caravan for more than 600 miles in both the high peak and Snowdon national parks and although I did wire in the said switch so far I have not needed it dispite the very warm weather. I have towed caravans with both manual and automatic boxes and have found the auto far better and much more relaxing. The only downsides I can think of is the lack of engine brakeing and the slightly higher fuel consumption of the auto.
Dave

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[pdr944]

my last 5 towcars have all been volvo auto,s and all have been excellent no matter what the conditions.i,ve also had manual volvo,s but its auto for me everytime.smooth powerful towing.

peter.

[dodgyken]

The latest V70 D5 tows superbly - strong, stable and with more than enough grunt for you to sometimes forget you have an extra 1800-1900KG on the back.

[outnumbered]

Originally Posted by dodgyken

The latest V70 D5 tows superbly - strong, stable and with more than enough grunt for you to sometimes forget you have an extra 1800-1900KG on the back.

just out if interest whats the kerbweight of the new d5.
mike

[dodgyken]

Originally Posted by outnumbered

just out if interest whats the kerbweight of the new d5.
mike

Less than a planet - and slightly more than a small country - you can feel the continent tipping as you drive across it

The D5 starts around 1850KG in geartronic guise - and increases the more kit you have on it. It makes towing rather easy.

[charlotte001]

I tow with an automatic and have no problems also I find as long as you dont race the engine the transmission fluid doesnt over heat infact I've only ever had one car that over heated the transmission fluid and that was a dreadful Citroen BX 19 as it had the towing characteristic of one of those orange bouncy things from the 1970's and would use £40 of petrol to go 79 miles.

Just make sure your License covers you if you past your test before 1996 you're ok otherwise you may need to take another test.

[kev ryder]

i tow with a v70 2.4d 6 speed auto and it is briliant ,puling away ,on the flat,or up steep hills ,but onlly does about 25 mpg towing a1500 kg
caravan .dont know if this is good or bad, but that is more than it does
on short runs solo 18/22 ithink this is verry poor, even thou it as onlly
done 5000 miles. i hope this improves as it takes the nice edge of the car.
it is usually driven for economy rather performance.]

[kev ryder]

as previously stated i tow with a 2.4d auto.
ihave had no problem with engine braking down even very steep hills
using the manual mode.
i usually use the manual when aproatching roundabouts on fast roads
or on verry bendy roads.
did these problems start from new or have i got them to come.
my onlly problem is the silly solo fuel consumption
the car as onlly done 5000 miles sofare and goes up hills towing
better than some of my cars would solo