Zt-t160 Versus Caravan

[ScottyDog]

HI,JUST WONDERING IF ANYBODY OUT THERE IS TOWING A CARAVAN WITH THIS MODEL MG?IF SO CAN YOU LET ME KNOW HOW SHE TOWS,NO SARCASTIC COMMENTS PLS LOL:getmecoat:

[Tatts]

http://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/forum/imagehosting/97483305bddc532.jpg

;)

[ScottyDog]

http://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/forum/imagehosting/97483305bddc532.jpg

;)
OOOPPPSSS :shrug:

[SolarPAFC]

My mum had two Scottie dogs....they were lovely dogs too!!

I tow an Avondale Dart 515/4 (laden 1200kg) with my ZT 160T and it tows like a dream. Plenty of power when needed. The stiffer suspension helps as it helps reduce the bouncing with the van on the back. I also use a Bulldog stabiliser. Never had a problem with it towing and hill starts are a breeze although I try to be as kind as possible on the clutch. Important to keep the noseweight correct as you probably know.

Shame that all the caravan magazines want to feature new cars in their towcar guides. We're not all able to afford new stuff!! The ZT is a damned good towcar and dare I say better than the equivalent 75 due to the stiffer suspension. I'd recommend it as a tow car to anyone. Ifn fact the fact that I pull a caravan was one of the major considerations when I bought my car.

[adrenalin rush]

Was that you at the front of the long long Queue on the A35 now I know It (the van) was being dragged by a ZT Sorry I take it all back.
















If It was not you I meant every WORD!:):)

[SolarPAFC]

Never get queues behind a caravan being pulled by a ZT!!!
I'd like to think I would be polite enough to pull in if a queue formed behind me. That said, if I see a white-line hogger in his rep-mobile in my mirror behind it's always nice to keep him waiting, just because I can!!
With the caravan I do try and plan routes which include motorways, dual-carriageways as far as poss, to allow the members of the Anti-Caravan Brigade to go past and get to their destination 10 seconds quicker than they might have!! Never ceases to amaze me how many idiots see a caravan as a target on the road....got to overtake it (and to hell with the double white lines!!) or make sure they get out of a junction before the caravan, no matter if it means the carvan having to jam on it's brakes!!

[Vulcan190+]

Yep I was a caravanner and the only time anyone would ever get stuck behind me was on a single track road with no passing places... mind you they would have been stuck behind in that case even if I was driving a mini.:lol:

A caravan unit being pulled by a reasonably sized car can do the speed limit on most roads easily and 60 on a motorway which when you consider there is an outside lane should allow for speed freaks to overtake.
Therefore if you are doing the limit you won't be holding anyone up anymore than any other larger vehicle on the road ie buses, coaches, large vans and trucks.

I only ever held up one guy in all my years of 'vanning and that was when I was 2 miles down a single track road to a caravan site, 200 yards from the site entrance when "Mr Range Rover" came at me from the other direction. We got to nose to nose and he gestured for ME to reverse.
Now I'm good at reversing a car/van unit but 2miles!!! Not a hope... so I shrugged my shoulders and shook my head.
This made Range Rover man irate and he stared screaming obcenities at me.... (forgot to mention I had the wife and two small children with me) so I responded by getting out of my car (at which point he wound his windows up) I went round to the van and got the handle for the legs, put a back leg down and got in. I waved the kettle at him and asked if he fancied a cuppa.

He got out of his car and shouted something like "you aren't serious?" I nodded and he got back in and reversed... waay way back till he disapperaed out of sight.
Result, leg up and into the caravan site.
Obviously the fool had no idea what it entails to reverse a caravan but he learned that 18 stone skinheaded Geordies aren't intimidated by a new Range Rover and a posh accent.

:jig:

[SolarPAFC]

Absolute quality!! I'm off to get my head-shaved!

[Hampton Caught]

The ZT is a damned good towcar and dare I say better than the equivalent 75 due to the stiffer suspension. I'd recommend it as a tow car to anyone. In fact the fact that I pull a caravan was one of the major considerations when I bought my car.

From my experience, I would agree that the ZT is an excellent towcar. I'm not sure about the comparison with the 75. Yes, the ZT's suspension may be stiffer but the 75 could be fitted with self-levelling rear suspension. Now, that's a feature I would like to have, but have fitted spring assisters instead.

I'd always thought that the 75 rode a little bit higher, giving a bit more clearance for the tow bar, jockey wheel etc, but looking at the car data, both cars run the same height after all! Must be the 18" alloys that give the impression of a low-rider? :shrug:

My only 'concern' about the MG as a tow car is the clutch. It's quite easy to stall my CDTi (with Ron Box) whilst solo and more so when towing... and I try to avoid hill starts with the caravan if at all possible. :eek:

Steve