towing questions

[ChugBug]

This weekend, my NB tdi, the bf, and I are embarking on a camping trip in Nor cal(approximate 4 to 5 hour drive) with a teardrop trailer. Trailer weighs about 800 pounds loaded. I've never towed anything with a car before, only with pickups or vans. Would it be ok to have cruise control on while towing as long as conditions are good (sunny, not too windy)? Anything I should be concerned about in general? It is an automatic by the way, and I plan on throwing some dieselKleen into the tank before I fill up tomorrow. Any other advice? thanks much

ChugBug

 

[Wagon man]

I have never towed with a TDI as well. I know from towing though. Do not to use cruise control and to feel what the car can do. Is it auto manual. 800lb is not much of a load but the wind is a killer. You will feel what you can do in the first 60 miles.

When ever I tell someone about towing I say pretend the trailer isn't there "even in most corners" and think that your mom is in the passenger seat "drive with more distance and don't kill your car on the hills, it will tell you when it needs to be eased off of".

PS

 

[dld]

I've towed trailers with both my Passat TDI and with my wife's NB TDI. We have a small tent trailer that we have taken all over the western USA and Canada, and it has caused no problems at all. We have towed our 16' power boat 700 km to and from our summer place up north each spring and fall for the last several years uneventlfully. We also have a small utility trailer which is used freqently. Weights vary from about 500 lb for the tent trailer to about 1500 lb for the fully loaded boat trailer.

Our cars are both manual transmission, so I can't comment on how an automatic would do, but I suspect that if you are reasonably careful you will have no trouble.

Have a great trip and enjoy your TDI.

Doug

 

[A4tdi110]

it states in the uk manual that the auto can tow slightly more than the manual shift (dont know why).
i have a manual tdi 110hp and has no problem towing over 2500lbs (we are permitted this in europe)

 

[Sc0]

It seems that most Automatics are rated at higher towing capacity's than manuals, probly due to the torque multiplication of the torque converter in the automatic.

I still prefer manual trannies when I don't have any broken bones. (Next best thing would be the new manual automatic tranny that Audi/VW has $$$$.)