woolley11
Member Since: 21 Sep 2012
Location: East Yorkshire
Posts: 24
  
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| towing with automatic v manual |
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hi all - can anyone give me any recommendation as to whether its best to stick to towing with a manual gearbox or is an automatic box perfectly fine and robust enough. 
we have a good sized caravan, horse box and a 16ft trailer so will be using it a bit for towing.
I havent bought a disco 3 yet as looking around and am not sure whether I need a manual for towing???
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 1st Oct 2012 7:41 pm |
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Captain Slow
Member Since: 18 Feb 2009
Location: Herts
Posts: 459
 
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absolutely no problem with the auto. it's a great tow car Prince Harry's D3: G4 factory equipped D3 - expo rack, winch, roof lights, ladder, active locking rear diff, RAI, Melville & Moon seat covers, General Grabber ATs/ Goodyear Duratrac
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| 1st Oct 2012 7:42 pm |
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woolley11
Member Since: 21 Sep 2012
Location: East Yorkshire
Posts: 24
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is there much in it economy wise too - meant to ask that in the original post 
i'm currently running a 6spd manual Navara and getting about 27 normal and down to 22 towing.
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| 1st Oct 2012 7:47 pm |
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sean 471
Member Since: 26 Apr 2011
Location: Sheffield
Posts: 2990
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the car says i get 24.8 towing a 1.5 ton caravan.
so maybe around 22 mpg
not bad when i only got 28 with a new passat towing a lighter caravan.
the auto is made for towing so easy.
Set the crusie control and just relax
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| 1st Oct 2012 7:55 pm |
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mickyd4
Member Since: 26 Jun 2010
Location: North
Posts: 786
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Auto- SOO much more relaxing, and no clutch slipping needed for heavy loads on a incline, that would usually result in issues over time as Disco Mikey said!! 2023 Ineos Grenadier 3.0 Diesel Commercial
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| 1st Oct 2012 8:13 pm |
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Captain Slow
Member Since: 18 Feb 2009
Location: Herts
Posts: 459
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having driven both extensively for work I would (and did) go for the auto. Manual is marginally more economical but it's more down to driving style in the end and a well driven auto is almost as economical in the real world - it's also much easier and if you want manual control for manouvering you can select it by going into low range and moving the gear lever to the left and choosing command shift. all the benefits and only a minor fuel penalty
sorry - should have said that the disco in either manual or auto can tow up to 3.5 tonnes so you will barely notice the caravan and that you can use command shift in high range too to change gear if you want to. Prince Harry's D3: G4 factory equipped D3 - expo rack, winch, roof lights, ladder, active locking rear diff, RAI, Melville & Moon seat covers, General Grabber ATs/ Goodyear Duratrac
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| 1st Oct 2012 8:17 pm |
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mickyd4
Member Since: 26 Jun 2010
Location: North
Posts: 786
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Yes, its a minor fuel penalty, for major comfort and drivability gains. I like Auto off road, with no clutch control, and the TR de sensitizing the the throttle, its really smooth! 2023 Ineos Grenadier 3.0 Diesel Commercial
2022 Mini John Cooper Works Hatch
2021 Golf MK8 GTD
1978 Land Rover SIII
1993 Range Rover Classic 3.9 V8
2007- Range Rover TDV8 - SOLD
2020 - Discovery 5 3.0 SD6 Landmark - SOLD
2020 - Defender 110 D240 First Edition - SOLD
2012- Discovery 4 3.0 SDV6 HSE - SOLD
2009- Discovery 4 3.0 TDV6 XS - SOLD
2007- Discovery 3 TDV6 GS- SOLD
2001- Defender 90 Td5 - SOLD
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| 1st Oct 2012 8:22 pm |
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M3DPO
Member Since: 22 Sep 2010
Location: Notts.
Posts: 8156
 
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Once you've driven and towed with an auto you'll never ever want to go back to a DIY box, get up to speed press the auto cruise sit back and enjoy  It can when others can't,
It will when others won't,
It goes where others don't.
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| 1st Oct 2012 8:33 pm |
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devonchilliman
Member Since: 03 Nov 2008
Location: Devon
Posts: 5224
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Having towed Heavy trailers for 23 years and only the last 3 years with an auto(D3 & D4) I would never go back to a manual,the D3/D4 is an awesome,capable machine 
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| 1st Oct 2012 8:36 pm |
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woolley11
Member Since: 21 Sep 2012
Location: East Yorkshire
Posts: 24
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thanks guys, seems that auto is the fave - i'd rather have auto if truth be known.
best go and find one then - anyone got one for sale??
I will probably need a dealer as need to p.ex the 58 plate Nav.
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| 1st Oct 2012 8:38 pm |
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pinhead
Member Since: 20 Dec 2010
Location: yorkshire
Posts: 877
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Well other side of the coin
Mine is manual and last week I brought some big bales of straw home from work for my mate who farms near home
I thought they were pretty heavy but my manual did just fine with the load I ended up in a que on the motorway and used low range to get going made it very easy with the electric range change
Now here is the crux my mate came for a load of the same bales he took his load to the weigh bridge just to make sure he was not over weight because his pickup can only tow 3 Ton including the trailer it was 4.6 ton
So I guess I was probably a bit illegal
So 4&half ton on the back some it still did 55 fine on motorway and then back in Bradford it managed the big hills really well
I was impressed how good it was even more so when I found out how much it weighed
I have driven an auto but not towed with 1 they are nice round town but I could not cope with the fuel use last winter when it was cold mine was down to 24 mpg round town my mate with an auto was at 18 Club original turbo
161k and counting
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| 1st Oct 2012 8:59 pm |
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pinhead
Member Since: 20 Dec 2010
Location: yorkshire
Posts: 877
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Disco_Mikey wrote:Clutches can give issues if used a lot for towing 
Is that the lock up clutch in the torque converter that gives the dreaded judder Club original turbo
161k and counting
general AT's, oval timer, blanked egr's, silicone intercooler hose's
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| 1st Oct 2012 9:02 pm |
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RSAChris
Member Since: 16 Apr 2010
Location: Centurion RSA
Posts: 154
 
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I tow an Xplorer off-road caravan of 2 tons and when I approach an incline just shift to Sport mode. This way the auto-box shifts down earlier and it keeps the tow speed much better. On steep inclines I shift down manually. I just love to play  Proud owner of an IIDTool
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| 2nd Oct 2012 4:46 am |
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Disco_Mikey
Member Since: 29 May 2007
Location: Dundee, Scotland
Posts: 20786
 
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pinhead wrote:Disco_Mikey wrote:Clutches can give issues if used a lot for towing
Is that the lock up clutch in the torque converter that gives the dreaded judder
No, clutches, as in manual gearbox and clutch  My D3 Build Thread
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| 2nd Oct 2012 6:47 am |
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