Member Since: 09 Aug 2020
Location: Edinburgh
Posts: 7
Towing damage potential?
Can anyone suggest anything in particular to look out for in D3s that have been used for towing (with a fixed towbar)? Any common damage patterns that forum members have come across? Anything in particular that D3s succumb to having done a lot of towing?
Thanks
13th Aug 2020 7:33 am
jenseneverest
Member Since: 12 Jun 2017
Location: somewhere
Posts: 769
i often see "never used for towing" when peeps sell cars, like it makes the car better somehow....i just dont get it TBH
A car driven badly with or without a trailer is still the same IMO
I guess if used a lot for towing, say a very heavy horse box, the drive train / clutch / auto gearbox would see some extra loading's. But then if it was driven boy "racer style" its whole life is that any better than towing ??
What i am basically saying is if used a lot for towing, and driven correctly, it should not be an issue.
13th Aug 2020 9:16 am
rrhool
Member Since: 28 Aug 2014
Location: Norfolk
Posts: 4445
I've don't recall any discussion about towing causing specific damage to D3/D4. Some members tow all the time, some never tow, and still have diff/transfer/propshaft issues.
My D3 had never towed anything till I bought it at 90k miles, and the front diff went at 120k miles. I'd only towed a caravan and a car trailer a few times.
I don't think towing is the biggest issue to worry about with these cars!Richard
D3 SE 2007. Triumph 2.5Pi 1973. Ferguson TEA20 1948.
Discovery 2 4.0 ES 2001- Gone
Discovery 1 300Tdi ES '95 - Gone
Range Rover Classic '79 - Gone
13th Aug 2020 10:08 am
John C
Member Since: 28 Aug 2007
Location: East Yorkshire
Posts: 3292
If it was used to launch boats into sea water regularly, it's likely there will be above average corrosion if it's not rinsed off.
Driven hard with a heavy load in tow will undoubtably put more wear on the transmission, so I'd check for any judder under load by forcing it into to higher a gear and low revs on a hill.
I've done 270K and had two gearbox rebuilds which I am guessing towing heavy loads regularly in the past didn't help...
I did one particularly hard drive back up through France with a loaded car, roof and caravan as we were running late for a ferry. That definitely sped up the decline of the gearbox and had it refurbed a couple of weeks later.2020 SDV6 D5 HSE, Carpathian Grey +
2022 Tesla Model Y LR... almost Carpathian Grey
Previously : 2005 TDV6 SE Auto, Cairns Blue (288K) - ours for 16 years
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