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Message board > Miscellaneous topics > What tow car for Pilot

Message 20 of 20
Posted by member alan whitlock on Friday 27 May 2016

Hi guys It was the same with me,ford focus dropped dead through towing,and big bill every mot for repairs so I now have a discovery 2.5 auto much better and not bad on fuel either. Al.

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Message 19 of 20
Posted by member Peter on Monday 9 May 2016

Hi, I tow with my Discovery 2 Auto and have no problems. The boat is Navigator with only a 15 hp on the back and the fuel consumption is not bad. Driven carefully on its own it will return approx. 28 mpg with the boat in tow it will drop to about 24 mpg. No problems in launching on most slip ways. One thing to check is the insurance. You will find most standard insurance will cover you to tow a trailer but ask as I found out that I was covered for a single axel trailer but not a twin !! Also the boat insurance does not cover the boat in transit if on a trailer, that's an extra !!! Most insurance for boats assume that if the boat is in transit it is covered by the company moving the boat. Don't forget that there is also a max. length of trailer and draw bar permitted which is 7 metres for a tow vehicle of 3500Kg. and under. A handy link t0 look at is here:- http://www.parkers.co.uk/company-cars/news-and-advice/advice/2013/april/Towing/ Peter

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Message 18 of 20
Posted by member Simon Kidd on Monday 9 May 2016

Hi Colin. I've always err'd on the cautious side, though I see pleanty of rigs that "take it to the max" - it's not for me however. Ref trailer weight - sometimes it's plated on the trailer (i.e. They plate Trailer Gross weight and capacity weight - thus one minus the other should = trailer weight. If it's a trailer company still in business, then they should be able to tell you. Ref the boat weight - a normal Pilot was about 1000kg I think, thus with the engine drive and some kit - you're likley in the right ball park. Remember the weight of an aux engine, full up fuel tanks and water tanks can make a difference. - Oh - when you do go towing - always check you're nose weight - You'll probably want something like 80Kg at least at the front to help stability. Have a gpod read with the caravan club, they are the experts. Best Regards Simon.

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Message 17 of 20
Posted by member Colin Seagers on Sunday 8 May 2016

Correction In my previous post, that should of course have read 'boat + trailer' in place of 'car + tow' re the 85% of gross car weight limit. regards Colin

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Message 16 of 20
Posted by member Colin Seagers on Sunday 8 May 2016

I have a Suzuki Grand Vitara DDis 1.9 Diesel 4x4 with 129bhp and relevant official Government car data weights of: Gross Weight 2170 kgs Kerb Weight 1654 kgs Towing Limit (braked) 2000 kgs I am looking at purchase of a Pilot 20SE with 105hp Volvo diesel outdrive estimated to weigh around 1400-1500kgs. So I was more than interested to read that a twin axle roller trailer weighed around 450kgs, making a potential total of up to 1950kgs. Do these estimated weights seem about right for the boat and a typical twin axle trailer, and would it be safe to be so close to my tow limit with their combined 1950kgs weight? I believe caravan users avoid going above 85% of gross(?) weight for combined car + tow, which for me would indicate 1845kgs as the potential safe limit. regards Colin

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Message 15 of 20
Posted by member Brian Grant on Sunday 25 December 2011

Forgot mention fuel consumption, well I can't remember now but I know it was not a helluva lot more different. I am particular about fuel consumption with any vehicle (considering the cost of diesel). I was not swearing about the cost of any extra fuel burned so it must have been o.k. Mr. Ford must have got it right all those years ago. You even get a choice other than black. Keep the hull wet and the rest dry. The Grant Crew.

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Message 14 of 20
Posted by member Brian Grant on Sunday 25 December 2011

Forgot mention fuel consumption, well I can't remember now but I know it was not a helluva lot more different. I am particular about fuel consumption with any vehicle (considering the cost of diesel). I was not swearing about the cost of any extra fuel burned so it must have been o.k. Mr. Ford must have got it right all those years ago. You even get a choice other than black. Keep the hull wet and the rest dry. The Grant Crew.

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Message 13 of 20
Posted by member Tim Guest on Wednesday 21 December 2011

Towed our Pilot with a 75hp Mariner on the back for many miles with a Discovery 3. Admittedly at rather lower speeds than normal, but it made no difference to the performance or fuel consumption. From glancing in the mirrors, I kept thinking that someone was tailgating me until I remembered the boat! Haven't used it to launch though. It's a good trailer, but only single axle, so I'd only tow now out of sheer desperation!

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Message 12 of 20
Posted by member Brian Grant on Monday 19 December 2011

Towed our Pilot 20 for a hundred miles with a Ford Transit motorhome 2.4 litre from the East Coast of Scotland to our berth at the Moray Firth. Did not even know there was a boat behind us. What more can I say. Launching and retreiving could be another matter as this was done by our terrific boatyard people. Keep the hull wet and the rest dry. Happy Boating. The Grant Crew.

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Message 11 of 20
Posted by member Andy Mcm on Friday 2 December 2011

All good points here. Don't forget that you have to add your trailer weight into your calculation. I think my twin axle rollercoaster is in the region of 450Kg. I'd be interested on hearing what other people are using to tow their Pilots with and how anyone manages with front wheel drive or rear wheel drive cars on slipways. Cheers

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Message 10 of 20
Posted by member Lodds on Monday 15 August 2011

Think I'll take Dominic and Nicola advice and go for a Discovery TDI, they seem cheap enough on ebay, just got to wangle something with the insurance company for a second car. I understand the discovery 2.5 tdi can pull around 3500kgs. With pulling power might buy a battleship instead of a pilot.

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Message 9 of 20
Posted by member Dominic And Nicola on Friday 12 August 2011

Hi Roger From what I can quickly Google, the Honda CRV Sport seems plenty man enough from the spec (manual and auto versions). Will officially pull 1500 kg, assuming you are using a twin axle trailer. Nice car too! Regards Dominic.

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Message 8 of 20
Posted by member Dominic And Nicola on Thursday 11 August 2011

Hi Lodds We move our boat with trailer approx. 4 times per year. These are normally over large distances eg. Herts to south coast or Herts to Western Isles etc. We also crane in now as we find it saves a big sevice bill at the end of the year to the trailer (Brakes, cables, bearings affected by inevitable salt water corrosion damage). If I had the time I would do this servicing myself but just too busy with work/family. Best wishes Dominic and Nicola.

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Message 7 of 20
Posted by member Roger Beese on Thursday 11 August 2011

As a point of interest is a Honda CRV Sport suitable for towing 1994 pilot

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Message 6 of 20
Posted by member Lodds on Sunday 7 August 2011

Hi Dominic and Nicola, Thanks for the info. Ford reckons that the Focus Hatch should be able to tow 1500Kgs okay. Hopefully will not be anywhere near that. I am also planning to get a twin axle trailer so the weight sits more central rather than on the nose. However I will look again at this, better to be safe than sorry. Really appreciate the information, all information is good especially when people talk from experience. If this don't work then I'm not sure what to do buying a discovery just for towing i think is a bit excessive, not sure if it would pass the financial adviser o) also do you tow your pilot a lot or just occasionally? I'm hoping to move it around from place to place visiting rivers and coastlines around the South coast. best regards Tony

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Message 5 of 20
Posted by member Lodds on Sunday 7 August 2011

Hi Dominic and Nicola, Thanks for the info. Ford reckons that the Focus Hatch should be able to tow 1500Kgs okay. Hopefully will not be anywhere near that. I am also planning to get a twin axle trailer so the weight sits more central rather than on the nose. However I will look again at this, better to be safe than sorry. Really appreciate the information, all information is good especially when people talk from experience. If this don't work then I'm not sure what to do buying a discovery just for towing i think is a bit excessive, not sure if it would pass the financial adviser o) also do you tow your pilot a lot or just occasionally? I'm hoping to move it around from place to place visiting rivers and coastlines around the South coast. best regards Tony

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Message 4 of 20
Posted by member Lodds on Sunday 7 August 2011

Hi Dominic and Nicola, Thanks for the info. Ford reckons that the Focus Hatch should be able to tow 1500Kgs okay. Hopefully will not be anywhere near that. I am also planning to get a twin axle trailer so the weight sits more central rather than on the nose. However I will look again at this, better to be safe than sorry. Really appreciate the information, all information is good especially when people talk from experience. If this don't work then I'm not sure what to do buying a discovery just for towing i think is a bit excessive, not sure if it would pass the financial adviser o) also do you tow your pilot a lot or just occasionally? I'm hoping to move it around from place to place visiting rivers and coastlines around the South coast. best regards Tony

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Message 3 of 20
Posted by member Dominic And Nicola on Saturday 6 August 2011

Hi Lodds A cautionary tale: When we first purchased our Hardy Pilot we towed it (for a while) with a Ford Focus 2.0 litre Ghia petrol hatchback. Bad idea! We wrecked the suspension, bearings and brakes towing it from Hertfordshire to Poole throughout one Summer. Admittedly the petrol Focus is less powerful than the diesel version but the running gear (suspension & brakes) are much the same. It is worth noting that even lightly loaded, a Pilot with say a 60 or 75hp engine (inboard more again) is approaching 1.3 to 1.5 tonnes. Check whether you are exceeding the safe gross towing weight for a TD Focus. If what you are towing exceeds your vehicle's kerbside weight, its an accident waiting to happen. Since we regularly trailer-sail, in the light of this we opted for a Disco TD5. Have not heard of anyone launching and recovering Hardy Pilots by cable winch, though I am sure someone will prove me wrong. If you have a steep slipway it could be a little scary trying to control the noseweight on the trailer, especially if you are near the same weight as the boat and trailer combined. The trailer may rear up uncontrollably. Sorry to sound such a kill-joy. Just our own experiences/observations. Best wishes Dominic and Nicola.

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Message 2 of 20
Posted by member Lodds on Wednesday 3 August 2011

Hi Andy, in the same position as you really, I'm going to tow the pilot with a 2.0 focus tdci 6 speed. Launching I'm going to get a tow-ball winch (9000lb) this will let me stand off the ramp and stop car and boat ending up in the water. the focus returns a genuine 49mpg nd apparently 35 mpg when towing (caravan) although this last figure was taken from a website. there are also a large number of slips where you can pay for launch and recovery, although this may be a bit expensive it may still save money in the long run due to cost of fuel. Hope this helps. I have just joined this site, not sure how active it is. Anyway good luck

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Message 1 of 20
Posted by member Andy Mcmullan on Friday 1 July 2011

Just wondering what tow cars people are using for their Pilots and how they find them? I have a Land Rover Discovery TD5, which is ideal for launch, recovery and towing, but is a bit expensive to run all year for the couple of times that I have to tow the boat and it's not that nice to drive. I'm not sure whether front wheel drive would cope with recovery on the slip way and have read that rear wheel drive is better but obviously worse during the winter. Cheers, Andy

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