how to drive an automatic when towing a caravan?
 

greetings all, I wondered if anyone could tell me how best to set up the auto for towing a caravan...its not a large caravan,it will be unloaded and quite light i should imagine....and how does one use the sport and normal button?...do you change these while in motion?...any other driving tips related would be great...thanks ;)...oh, anyone in plymouth who would like to meet?...id really love to chat...my newly acquired 75 is unlocked with key only and it just feels wrong when i turn the key anticlockwise...stiff...and i wondered if thats just mine or whether its normal?

I very occasionally used my previous V6 auto whilst towing a Coachman 520/4 which is a fairly heavy van.
90% of the time I simply used drive ie fully automatic but if climing a hill I would pull the lever back to select a lower gear.
In 16 years of constant 75 automatic ownership I’ve only used the sport setting on a handful of occasion and the ice mode even less.

I leave my 2.5 in normal auto mode for towing. Doesn't behave any different to normal to be honest. :) I don't think I've ever used sport though. I suppose I drive like a girl lol

Dawn :)

how to drive an automatic when towing a caravan?
 

Drive it like you stole it. :D

I tow a 1420kg Coachman and have a 160 remap. I generally tow in auto in Drive.
If the terrain is fairly level then the car will cruise fine at anything above 1500rpm, on undulating A roads and motorway gradients I find cruising is better in 4th, the engine is more 'relaxed' and I have found gives better fuel consumption.
If your van is quite light you may find you can stay in D all the time but of course you will find journeys differ depending on car loading, headwind etc. I have tried using sport mode but found that sometimes the box is too quick to drop a gear when you maybe don't need to, I drop down manually.

This style has suited me fine generally and on several long haul return trips to the Algarve. As you gain experience you will find the style that suits you and your outfit best, good luck.

thanks everyone, think i will make the occasional change into 4th...ive heard good things about the 75's towing ability...maybe i will just let it get on with it!

Put it in drive and go! Simple as that, I have towed caravans from 1100kg to 1600kg and the diesel with a remap tows really well.

The V6 also tows well, just the mpg drops to about 18!

I drive the Tourer for towing she is a 160 BHP Diesel with the C/C set at 60 mph in real time 65 on the speedo 60 on my road Angel.
I find that she tows better and responds better with the box in sports mode. If towing at 50 real speed she needs to be in S mode or you need to change down. In sports mode with 1545kg on the back I find the car gets 25 mpg in the country 28 on the motorway.
Without the van she gets 44 in the country and 52 on the motorway the best I have managed over 340 miles going down south at night light traffic car set to do 60 real speed running just the wife dog and me so I guess 320kg in the car box in E mode running BP expensive diesel she gave me 62 mpg as good as a manual.
I have found with the remap she needs to change down 5 mph before she does with the box in E where in S mode the changing down is just perfect with the van on the back in the country on the motorway S till we hit cruising speed then slip it into E. Just to stop her going down the box too early when she does not need to
If we are towing with the saloon 115 BHP she will tow fine in E but the mpg is down at the 20 mark in the country and 36 on the motorway.
The remapped diesel is the best of the range foe towing the 1.8 turbo is underpowered the 2 litre V6 needs a different ratio of auto box no mater what gear in what mode the car is just left in the wrong place, the 2.5 V6 manages well but the lack of mpg is just not viable for distance towing .
With the beast I have only ever towed a 5 by 8 single axel trailer. What trailer 4.6 litre of mustang. Now retired I can't justify the beast we run a remapped tourer and a 115 saloon. The tourer is all BMW and was a nightmare to remap had to remove all BMs protected software before I could remap her.
Hoping to have the pair of them for another ten years.
Alan

I tow with a 160 diesel and find D is great at 60 if I encounter a hill it starts to blow a little black smoke and labour so i drop down to 4th and its fine. The only problem I have is that it feels so good I often get up to 70 without noticing.