Towing tips please

[skippernicky]

Hi. I'm taking the boat up to Windermere this weekend. Brand new Surf owner and brand new to autos!!, Could someone please give me a few pointers regarding driving and set up for the Surf (i.e, When to use/Not use, O/D, ECT, manual gear selection etc). Sorry if this has been de but can't seem to find any threads on this
Many Thanks

Skippernicky (Still Grinning)

[dirtydog]

HI mate - you will find it better to press the ECT button and leave it on (Electronically Controlled Transmission). It will downchange earlier on hills and stop you from having to boot it to kickdown.
You can use OD off if you want to stop the box hunting between gears on slopes etc etc...
As for the manual selection it can come in handy when decending steep hills and and you can stick in 2nd or whatever and save your brakes.

Have a good trip

[firefly]

ditto above.
if your going up some big steep hills just remember not to gun the throttle too much 2500rpm is ample to use the torque of the car and it will pull for england.......you should have no problems at all with the car.

[Wheelrepairit]

Ooopppsss

Towed a 24ft boat down from manchester yesterday to essex, not doing any of the above, kept forgeting the boat was on there.

Surf is a treat to tow with, faultless,

[surfin]

Monster towing machine ..

I tow a caravan and a fully loaded Surf (maybe 1 1/4 tonnes load weight) to S.Spain and back each winter.The only thing I did was to fit an additional gear box oil cooler.I dont even use ECT - no need - I just take off the O/D sometimes on hills (mountains).
It tows anything superbly - with great stability as well - in side winds.

[Linda]

Mine towed a trailer with another surf on the back all the way from Middlesborough to Hants last week, didnt do anything different to normal driving, Tony just had a problem keeping her down to 60!!

Tows like a dream.

[surfin]

Did,nt know ..

Mine towed a trailer with another surf on the back all the way from Middlesborough to Hants last week, didnt do anything different to normal driving, Tony just had a problem keeping her down to 60!!

Tows like a dream.

I did'nt know they have Surfs in Middlesborough

[dirtydog]

Mine towed a trailer with another surf on the back all the way from Middlesborough to Hants last week, didnt do anything different to normal driving, Tony just had a problem keeping her down to 60!!

Tows like a dream.

Dont forget you all have 3.0
Towed the Zuki and trailer (1600+)kgs to Newmarket the other week and its not bad but I bet the 3.0 are even better .

Same as Firefly, if you floor it all the time the car will be revving with ECT on and will never change up. I floor it for hills then slip back to a nice cruise.

[surfin]

Oh yes !!!!

Dont forget you all have 3.0
Towed the Zuki and trailer (1600+)kgs to Newmarket the other week and its not bad but I bet the 3.0 are even better .

Same as Firefly, if you floor it all the time the car will be revving with ECT on and will never change up. I floor it for hills then slip back to a nice cruise.

Oh yes the 3 ltr,s (Turbo Charged etc.etc.etc.) are definately better,oh yes!oh yes! oh yes! oh yes!Is there anything else to buy?

[ship]

I did'nt know they have Surfs in Middlesborough

yea, even got em here in Hartlepool, would you believe

ship

[skippernicky]

Thanks for the great feedback, Really helpful.
How do I change from drive to 2nd? as I may need to do this coming down Windy Hill (Big hill on M62 Yorks to Lancs).
Are there any speed restrictions if I can change whilst moving? Sorry to be a pain but i've now got my dream machine and I want to keep it that way
thanks
Skippernicky (Still Grinning)

[da SLUG man]

you wouldn't want to stick it in 2 on the motorway!... bit fast!... maybe just switch off O/D!!... or use the brakes?... assuming its big then it should be a braked trailer anyway?

[da SLUG man]

you wouldn't want to stick it in 2 on the motorway!... bit fast!... maybe just switch off O/D!!... or use the brakes?... assuming its big then it should be a braked trailer anyway?

but to put it in 2 if you want to, just shift the lever and it will change.... putting it in R while driving cuts out the engine!... (i found out!!)

[firefly]

Nicky ive been down here in mine with the van on and you wont need to do that, keep it in drive and just let the car cruise down dontforget even if you take your foot off the accelerator you still have your gear engaged and it is pulling you along, the car is stable and honestly you wont need to do it, i went up the hill doing 55mph at 2500 revs and it pulled up easy, just a note of caution if you do find the temp needle rising just put the heater on full (hot) open a window this will help it to cool the temp, PS i didnt need to do this but its handy to know in extreem circumstances

[mud-ge]

keep checking in the rear mirror to see if it is still there,i swear that if the caravan flipped, it would be a mile on its side before i checked again