How to choose a tow car for caravans
Picking a vehicle can often be a difficult compromise - especially if you want to hit the road for extended periods.
Caravans have ancient appeal. By hitching a load to the back of your vehicle, you can take more with you – even a home away from home.
But towing isn’t easy, nor is choosing the right vehicle for the job.
Towing is Tim van Duyl’s passion and profession – no wonder, van is right in the middle of his name.
The off-road adventurer and host of Towing with Tim on Youtube specialises in adventures with a load hitched to the back of a four-wheel-drive, and has hit the road in everything from compact machines and electric cars to monstrous wagons and huge American pick-ups.
When choosing a new vehicle, van Duyl reckons “reputation is everything”.
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“Good tow vehicles aren’t built overnight — brands earn their reputations over decades of customer feedback,” he said.
“Stick with mainstream makes that have good local support, and make sure you understand the vehicle’s real limits and capabilities.”
It pays to have a good understanding of a vehicle’s limits, including its maximum payload.
While it may be tempting to choose a top-of-the-range car with heated and electrically adjustable seats, a premium stereo and powered tailgate, those luxury features often mean flash versions of cars carry less than more basic models.
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Some cars that claim to tow 3.5 tonnes can only do so with minimal passengers or cargo in the cabin.
“Many vehicles can only tow at their maximum rating with a very light load on board,” van Duyl says.
“Ute-based SUVs, for example, often have Gross Combined Mass limits that leave as little as 200kg for passengers and gear when towing a 3500kg van.”
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Caravan expert Kimberly Olsen runs a learn to tow business teaching people how to safely manoeuvre while towing a heavy load.
Accidents surrounding caravans are not infrequent, and drivers who have overloaded their car, or chosen too large a van, may face fines and find their insurance voided if the worst occurs.
Olsen says couples often turn to her before a big trip, or after getting into trouble.
“I’ve had people have had a scare on the road and I’ve come to training for that reason,” she said.
“The additional risk is added by a vehicle that doesn’t accelerate well, doesn’t brake well, is less stable or movable.
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“There are all these very important things to discuss and how you modify your behaviour.”
The best-selling cars in Australia, Ford’s Ranger and Toyota’s HiLux utes, are popular due to the versatility offered by a vehicle that promises to do it all.
The caravan coach believes utes often aren’t the best tool for the job.
“In my opinion at least, the least suitable vehicle is often the dual cab ute,” she says.
“What the issue is predominantly is that in order to fit the cab they have to push the tray backwards, that means the tow bar is further away from the rear axle … it puts a multiplier effect on the rear axle.”
That can make cars feel unstable while towing.
Many utes have small four-cylinder engines that work well enough without a serious load on board, but can feel stressed and underpowered when put to work.
At the other end of the scale, V8 options such as the Nissan Patrol and Chevrolet Silverado have plenty of punch, but you might need to take out a second mortgage to cover fuel costs.
Originally published as How to choose a tow car for caravans
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