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[wheelchairkid]

Hi to all
           I am after as much info and advice about towing a caravan with a automatic Omega Before I buy a caravan and try
   I have got a 2.5 V6 auto estate with a tow bar on and I want to buy a caravan,
the max weight a caravan can be is 1,650 kg, do any of you tow with a auto caravan :question if yes, what weight is your caravan :question and how long is it :question and have you got any good advice or tips :question and what are they like going up hills :question
                 thank you for all of your help
                          Jason
                    The wheelchair kid

[Darth Loo-knee]

Hi to all
           I am after as much info and advice about towing a caravan with a automatic Omega Before I buy a caravan and try
   I have got a 2.5 V6 auto estate with a tow bar on and I want to buy a caravan,
the max weight a caravan can be is 1,650 kg, do any of you tow with a auto caravan :question if yes, what weight is your caravan :question and how long is it :question and have you got any good advice or tips :question and what are they like going up hills :question
                 thank you for all of your help
                          Jason
                    The wheelchair kid

Paintshoptec tows his caravan with his 2.5, he says they tow well. Think his van is about 17-18 foot long... As for going up hills any car you tow with will slow down and have to change down, also your mpg will drop....
I went to a caravan dealers and he had a print out on the wall of how good a towing car the Omega is, he also said an Omega would pull nearly all single axle vans...

[bigall]

I tow with an omega 2.2 auto. van is 1400 kg max and tows at permissable speeds fine. Slows on long drags uphill but less slowly than 30 ton artics - sports mode is good for up hills

If you have not done so get the latest gearbox ecu upgrade - designed  to help gearbox cope with towing - stops it hunting for gears around 50 mph. Has the autobox oil and filter been changed recently

Caravan weigt should not exceed 85%  of the cars  kerb weight  (CaravanClub recommendation) but never exceed the kerb weight of your car you dont want the tail wagging the dog. Length of van is of no importance - hopefully it follows where the car goes

Look in your handbook for weight of your car

On a personal note I had an extra oil cooler for the box put in.Vxall  gearbox cooler is a pipe in one side of the radiator

[Golfbuddy]

Hi there Wheelchair Kid. I tow a five berth 1998 Crown Sovereign caravan with a 2.2 Auto CD Saloon and it tows just fine. We have towed it around Cornwall and Devon which are not known for their long flat stretches of road.

Fuel consumption obviously takes a bit of a knock but we still get over 20 mpg which is not bad considering the van is about 1200kg, the car is full of people and the boot is full of all of our stuff.

I find the best advice is to plan your journey well in advance and to take your time. Keep an eye in the mirrors and if there is anything like a queue behind just pull over at the next layby and let them past. Not only does this take any desire to speed up away but you will also feel quite smug that you are a very considerate caravanner who does care about other drivers.

I recently went to Bude and pulled over half a dozen times on the way, although I kept within the speed limit (50 mph on single carriageway unrestricted roads), on the way home there was less traffic and we never had to pull over at all. The point is that, all in all, we only saved 10 minutes on the journey but we never had a load of stressed drivers behind us or carrying out dangerous overtaking manoeuvers to get past.

Do buy a caravan, it is the best thing we ever did. You will be pleasantly surprised at how quickly you get into it. Also have a look at http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk where you will find loads of information and assistance. One other thing, if you can find a van with a remote control power mover it really does save a lot of hassel with manoeuvering it in tight spaces and it looks really cool driving your caravan without a car

[TheBoy]

One other thing, if you can find a van with a remote control power mover it really does save a lot of hassel with manoeuvering it in tight spaces and it looks really cool driving your caravan without a car

Mrs TheBoy's dad has one of these on his van, and its a godsend to him, allowing him to keep caravanning, even though he is beginning to lose the strength to move the van by hand...

[MickAP]

I tow with a 2.5TD estate, it's a manual though. It tows my 18ft / MTPL 1460kg van ok. I get 25-28 mpg towing which is good for the size of the van. Beware you will probably not get anywhere near these  mpg figures with an auto petrol Omega. I don't know how suitable Omega autos are for towing but I think you would have to be careful not to wreck the box, I'm sure someone else could comment on that. Definately up to the job of towing, mine feels really safe and secure but of course it all depends on how it's all loaded, take care.

Mick

[Andy B]

My wife & I have just bought a Lunar Delat 520/2, max weight of around 1400 with a shipping lenght of about 23', and so have only been out in it the once. Apart from the temp rising into the red on one particularly long steep(ish) hill (as posted on OOF) it towed fine. The fact it's an auto rather than a manual won't make any difference.
I've never used a stabliser of any description before and never had any cause for concern but this 'van has an Alko stabiliser hitch fitted to it and it really does tow like a dream (I do know it there though as I can see it in my rear view mirrors!  )
Load the 'van sensibly ie keep heavy items on the floor over the axle, keep an eye on the nose weight - an Omega's nose weight is 75 kg, take your time & give yourself a bit more distance and you'll be fine.

[Andy B]

.......
One other thing, if you can find a van with a remote control power mover it really does save a lot of hassel with manoeuvering it in tight spaces and it looks really cool driving your caravan without a car

Mine has one, only cos it was already fitted - they're £1000   - and although it wouldn't be too difficult to manouvre it down the side of my house by hand, the mover really is brilliant. A remote control caravan that you can spin on its own axis if you want to.

[Martin_1962]

Yes I have towed with an auto for a while the V6 is an excellent tow car, much less stressfull than a 2.0.

It will maintain motorway limits up any hill

[Chopsdad]

I pull a 15.5 ft 5 berth lightweight caravan - only 850kg unladen with my 2.2 manual.

Ave fuel 22/23 mpg and tows better at 65 mph due to extra torque - a 2.5 V6 would not have any issues.

IIRC Omega was voted as tow car of the year in it's day and is an accomplished tow car.

Check out lots of vans first and get the best one you can find.  Mine has hot/cold water, shower, oven, fire, CD player, TV aerial with booster built in, cassette toilet, 5 beds, double glazing, black out blinds, fly screens etc - and it's a 1995 and worth only a couple of grand.

[Varche]

We towed around 6000 miles trouble free with our auto 2.5 V6 saloon a few years ago whilst we were house hunting.  The single axle van was a massive 1850Kg (so we were above the recommended 85% max)  but towed very well once we sorted out the overheating problems by having a new radiator and a gear  selector switch. Towing definitely shows up any weaknesses in your car and I agree that a gearbox filter and oil change is a must . We stowed everything very carefully and only took what we actually needed. You can get your car and car and caravan weighed at a council weighbridge for a few pounds.

Our temporary home was a Bailey something or other and the recommended nose weight was 75Kg MIN. the saloon MAX nose weight was 75 Kg. We bought a nose weight gauge which was an excellent device. We had an Alko stabiliser (the latest friction plate job) and it worked a dream. If you have one you don't oil the towball!  

Join the caravan club particularly if you are taking the van abroad. Their deals on insurance and channel crossings in particular are unbeatable and you get some discount on some sites. They also do courses for people to learn how to tow, reverse and so on (or you can read about it in the free handbook!) . If you are going long distances change drivers religiously every 2 hours max. You really will hone your planning ahead and awareness skills! Bit like being an HGV driver - you will understand why someone overtakes at 60 when the other guy is doing 59!!

olive  

[Darth Loo-knee]

I pull a 15.5 ft 5 berth lightweight caravan - only 850kg unladen with my 2.2 manual.

Ave fuel 22/23 mpg and tows better at 65 mph due to extra torque - a 2.5 V6 would not have any issues.

IIRC Omega was voted as tow car of the year in it's day and is an accomplished tow car.

Check out lots of vans first and get the best one you can find.  Mine has hot/cold water, shower, oven, fire, CD player, TV aerial with booster built in, cassette toilet, 5 beds, double glazing, black out blinds, fly screens etc - and it's a 1995 and worth only a couple of grand.

Pikie

[wheelchairkid]

Thank you very much to all of you,
                 I have taken all of you info in mind, and now feel sure about going caravaning.
                       Thak you
                          Jason

[Chopsdad]

I pull a 15.5 ft 5 berth lightweight caravan - only 850kg unladen with my 2.2 manual.

Ave fuel 22/23 mpg and tows better at 65 mph due to extra torque - a 2.5 V6 would not have any issues.

IIRC Omega was voted as tow car of the year in it's day and is an accomplished tow car.

Check out lots of vans first and get the best one you can find.  Mine has hot/cold water, shower, oven, fire, CD player, TV aerial with booster built in, cassette toilet, 5 beds, double glazing, black out blinds, fly screens etc - and it's a 1995 and worth only a couple of grand.

Pikie

Ok £2000 to you and I'll throw a dag in with the deal  

[Auto Addict]

What's a dag?