Posted on 12/08/2018 21:08
Hi all, I currently use a 2016 BMW X3 to tow my caravan.
Will maybe change cars next year & was just wondering is it always good practice to buy a 4 wheel drive car when towing? My thinking is if I was stuck in wet weather in a field for example, or is a rear-wheel drive just as adequate?
Cheers Tony.
Posted on 12/08/2018 23:07 by lornalou1agree with your statement + when the beast from the east was here what got all the hgv's and others out of the snow, nurses to work and carers to the elderly, the 4x4 owners yet what will they do when there is less and less when they ban the oil burners. moan over.
Posted on 13/08/2018 09:55 by young thomaswon't there be less and less snow as we all permanently fry?
Posted on 13/08/2018 12:36
I managed fine with front wheel drive and all weather mud and snow tyres until 3 winters ago - i got completely stuck on grass which was covered in a thin layer of slushy snow. Had to get the farmers Xtrail to pull out the 'van. So I now have a Passat Alltrack with p/time on demand 4wd combined with all weather tyres and which copes admirably. However the vast majority of caravanners across Europe and the UK tow with their front or rear drive cars without a problem so you need to decide what is important to your use of and style of caravanning.
Posted on 14/08/2018 16:05
There is no doubt that four wheel drive is best when the towing is on wet or muddy ground so if you rally it is probably the best choice. If you normally drive on sites with hard standing on no problem pitches then two wheel drive will manage. Having a motor mover on board I found I could use that when we were on a muddy site with a lot of wet grass to cross on one occasion. It all depends on if you want the extra costs and weight of a four wheel drive and if you think you will need it.
Posted on 14/08/2018 22:44
Bought our first SUV 5 years ago. A Kia Sorento KX3 with intelligent 4WD. Wish I'd bitten the bullet sooner. No regrets, as we use CL's and CS's and have never become stuck towing our 1.6 tonne van onto or off a pitch, even onto a pitch at the top of a site reversing on grass during a storm. No slipping, no problem - easy. This with the car fitted with standard road tyres too. Knobbly tyres granted give better grip, but my how noisy they are on roads where they do most of their running between sites. Also, during the "Beast from the East" I found the tyres I have fitted were fine in the snow in Kent, although I did have the traction set to 4WD on hill ascent and descent. Added bonus is the higher driving position too.
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Posted on 14/08/2018 22:44 by StokerPOBought our first SUV 5 years ago. A Kia Sorento KX3 with intelligent 4WD. Wish I'd bitten the bullet sooner. No regrets, as we use CL's and CS's and have never become stuck towing our 1.6 tonne van onto or off a pitch, even onto a pitch at the top of a site reversing on grass during a storm. No slipping, no problem - easy. This with the car fitted with standard road tyres too. Knobbly tyres granted give better grip, but my how noisy they are on roads where they do most of their running between sites. Also, during the "Beast from the East" I found the tyres I have fitted were fine in the snow in Kent, although I did have the traction set to 4WD on hill ascent and descent. Added bonus is the higher driving position too.
Lunar Tony
Caravanner from East Sussex