Towing with T5 128kW Auto Multivan

[BobD]

Towed my caravan with the Multivan last weekend for the first time. I've got to say it is the best tow car I have ever had, much better than the 4.1l Falcon wagon I used to use a few years ago.

According to the trip computer it was getting around 12.6l/100km at 100 or up to about 13.6 when I pushed it a bit more and cruised up hill and down dale at around 115. This is excellent and surprising because we struggle to get better than 12l/100km around town without the caravan. It was quite warm and the aircon was left on auto also. We had four adults and 1 13 year old boy on board as well.

The T4 TDI manual got about the same consumption with the same caravan but averaged better than 8l/100km around town. It also had much less power reserve for towing and slowed much more up hills.

Anyway, anyone who wants a fantastic luxurious and extremely comfortable and roomy tow vehicle for their round Australia caravan trip could do much worse than the Multivan. It is up there with the best tow vehicles on the road for caravans up to about 2t in my opinion.

[Bluerex]

Hi Bob,
Your timing is perfect!
Kelly and I had just come back from looking at a T5 crewvan. We intend to campaign the Golf MK1 Rally car next year, this will involve a fair amount of towing both locally and interstate. Our current tow-car is Kelly's turbo Forester - a great car but only rated at 1800kg (braked), rally car + fuel + tires + trailer is getting very close to that figure... :(
The crewvan gives us plenty of weight margin (2.5t braked) seats for service-crew/driver/navigator, and room (once a cargo barrier is fitted) for tools, tires etc etc

Hearing that it tows like a dream (and quite economically too) is great news.

This does mean that instead of either a Golf or Polo GTI I was planning on, we will have something a little larger j:

[95vr6]

I have a T5 128kw man. towing a pulsar GTIR plus spares, average fuel is 10.5l/100k. Crusing at 105/110k is perfect.A PD module from Berrima diesel makes a big difference

[phaeton]

WOW great testimony Bob :D

and look our T5 Member group is growing :o

95vr6 please post piccys of your T5 please.

[shogun2]

Hey Bob,
Great to hear your comments. I am just about to get a tow hitch installed so I can do something similar.

[BobD]

Hey Bob,
Great to hear your comments. I am just about to get a tow hitch installed so I can do something similar.

If you get a Hayman Reese hitch like I have, make sure you get a higher tow ball than the standard. For some reason the recommended hitch is way too low and when I queried it and looked in the catalogue the one they gave me was correct. They gave me a higher hitch free of charge, mainly because there was a suitable one in stock. However, I did need to drill new holes in it for the pin to get it the correct distance back from the receiver. The tow ball holder is now located about 100mm higher than the top of the receiver, which is a perfect fit for all the trailers I have towed. The standard one was level with the top of the reciever and I couldn't even get the caravan jocky wheel off the ground.

[shogun2]

Thanks for the info. Will talk with your dealer tomorrow.