Looking forward to the festive season with your family? It’s always exciting to spend some much-needed quality time with your loved ones, road tripping to your favourite destination. This adventure should always include your pets and children, but what about your boat or your son’s new quad-bike you might want to tow along with you? For some additional packing space, you can also consider renting a trailer… but none of this could be possible without the right vehicle to transport these additions.
Many small cars cannot be fitted with a tow bar, so as your family and hobbies grow, it’s important to consider a bigger vehicle in order to enjoy these quick getaways or fun events. Now, you might have a dream vehicle in mind when you think of something that is big and luxurious. But, the bigger the vehicle, the more expensive the cost and repayments are. All you need is the correct information on how to search for a vehicle that is capable of towing, and what to consider as non-negotiable elements:
During your search for pre-owned vehicles capable of towing, you need to have a clear understanding of your towing requirements and what exactly you will need to be towing. Always look at the tow capacity on a vehicle you are interested in, as this will allow you to transport your needs legally. This can, of course, sway your decision as your lifting requirements might put you into a new vehicle price range.
Towing heavy equipment will take a toll on your fuel consumption. It will become extremely expensive, so be sure to weigh up your needs with your budget before it’s too expensive. The curb weight of a tow vehicle refers to the weight lifted when the fuel tank is full but without people in the car. You don’t want to have to double your travelling time to be able to transport heavy loads. If you are transporting a weight that is more than your actual vehicle and passengers, it will be extremely taxing on your car and fuel. It will also slow you down, and depending on the weather, be dangerous too. When travelling in rainy or windy conditions, you could put your passengers at risk if you are unable to control the weight being towed.
If you are going to transport your family, pets and equipment, you need to look for a vehicle that offers you plenty of safety, security and support. The same thought process goes into looking for a vehicle that is fit for towing. When looking for a vehicle, try to find one which has a longer wheelbase for safety and efficiency purposes. It might not seem important, but this is an important feature when controlling the travelling vehicle and keeping the car and towing weight stable at all times. If you end up purchasing a vehicle that has a closer wheelbase and rear axle, your heavy load might put additional pressure on the rear and put your passengers at risk. It also may affect your steering control, so be sure to look into this.
For starters, the driving system you are going to need to analyse is a car with a rear-wheel drive, four-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. This would narrow your vehicle choices down quite a bit to, for example, SUV models, 2x4 and 4x4 vehicles. The reason why these are the best possible choices is because of the engine power. When you are towing a heavy-weight, a bigger vehicle will enable the engine’s power to be directed to the axle and bear most of the weight and control the load. Learning how to tow can be stressful and challenging for beginners, therefore it’s best to have control over your vehicle and the load.
As technology and car engineers become more innovative in their manufacturing, it’s become commonplace for automatic cars to also offer towing opportunities. In the past, it was mainly the manual transmission vehicles that were designed for towing purposes because of their ability to control the vehicle’s power. Now, it’s all about your own personal preferences. For beginners, automatic transmission and towing will always be easier as it allows you more time to focus on the road. But, ultimately your choice comes down to your comfortability behind the wheel and the finance available.
There are other features such as the chassis design and the overall tow package that are important considerations when looking for the ideal vehicle for your lifestyle needs. Some second-hand car dealerships have “tow packages” which are cars that come with better suspension, brakes and transmission. Of course, this type of package guarantees power and strength, as well as safety. here’s so much thought and preparation that goes into shopping for a towing vehicle, especially if you want to transport heavy weights and support your family’s hobbies. So, before you go ahead, try to speak to pre-owned car dealers for assistance and advice on the right choice for your needs.
