Hi Fred,

Thanks for the info, but.........'wait till you change to an auto'.......Hell will freeze over first

Real drivers have real gearboxes ( and yes, probably face the consequences in Freeby land!)

I think driving style plays a part on the life span of any clutch, and knowing of the apparent weakness, its just a case of driving with that in mind, posts on here show some that have had no problems, towing or not! Kola is the big solid black German Shepherd, Dobbie is.......a breed you've never heard of......yet;)

Sorry, KK - if God had meant us to drive manuals, she'd have given us three feet

Auto is the way to go, as most of the world accepts. It's especially good for towing.

Left foot to stop, right foot to go. You know it makes sense................ Ours - 2008 Stornoway Grey HSE Auto
Tricia's - 2006 Royal Blue Beetle Cabriolet Auto
Mine - 2014 Vespa GTS 300 Super Sport Matt Black
Ours - 2007 White Bailey Pageant Champagne

I was taught only to use 1 foot for an auto.

I get the very clear impression that the clutch problems which members here have experienced have had nothing whatever to do with wear, abuse, towing or anything else - they simply fail. Why some go at 10K miles and others do 100K without problem remains a mystery, but type of use simply doesn't seem to feature. So tow all you like - if your clutch is going to go it would have gone anyway! (Do, however, watch out for reverse - it's far too high and reversing a van up hill is best avoided, not that I've ever actually tried.)

I'd also point out that with the auto costing around £1.5K more than the manual, and drinking around £500 more fuel per year (that's around £4K over 5 years - a not insignificant amount!), you can replace quite a few clutches and still be ahead financially!

Like Kola's chauffeur, I drive a manual because I prefer it (so long as I continue to live in the sticks with very little city driving). But the FL2 really, really needs low range - are you listening Land Rover!

Hi,

Quote "Auto is the way to go, as most of the world accepts." !!!! Where does that come from?

Only maybe the Americans, and wadda they know about cars

Be happy attending your steering wheel;) Kola is the big solid black German Shepherd, Dobbie is.......a breed you've never heard of......yet;)

"I was taught only to use 1 foot for an auto."

Never could quite get my head round that one. I'm an ex driving instructor, chauffeur, taxi driver, bus and coach driver. I love my riding and driving, and positively enjoy the various different uses for hands and feet when piloting buses, coaches, British motorbikes, every other geared motorbike, twist-and-go scooters, manual cars or automatic cars. Keeps the old brain active!

My wife, who normally drives either of our autos, recently had a new Renault as a loan car whilst her Beetle was being serviced. You should have heard her - "all this work to do, SIX blooming gears and a clutch! What's the point of that?"

Can't beat simplicity really - one foot to go, one to stop. Seemples  Ours - 2008 Stornoway Grey HSE Auto
Tricia's - 2006 Royal Blue Beetle Cabriolet Auto
Mine - 2014 Vespa GTS 300 Super Sport Matt Black
Ours - 2007 White Bailey Pageant Champagne

chrisr1806 wrote:

I was taught only to use 1 foot for an auto.

I did the caravaning thing for 2 years (Sort of enjoyed it) No body in our family has misted it

Your freelander will tow that size of Van all day, no problems up and down hill

We towed ours to , Fort William , Northern Ireland. North wales, Yorkshire Dale and the Lakes, We had an experience which we will never forget on most trips, the Experience's were better when the sun was shining
I did Enjoyed the Towing part !!! (Only got 21 to 25 to the gallon every 280 to 300 mile of towing £95.00 on fuel)
There's no joy in all the work to service the van on a daily bases (water, water waste, waste for the Loo, plus all the gas electric hook up, making you bed every day etc.) I go on holiday to enjoy and area and the people.

If the truth is know and the maths are worked out, it really does not pay to caravan in the UK or abroad.
I like my Holiday abroad, in the sun and to enjoy the area I'm staying in, Not just a farmer field in the rain
Last Year we drove to Italy, France, Spain in the same trip, this year we are off to Californian all with kids)

Many on the site will totally disagree with me for many reasons
But It's your hard earned cash, Not mine,
Hope you enjoy what ever you choose, all the best

Quote
"waste, waste for the Loo, plus all the gas electric hook up, making you bed every day etc.) I go on holiday to enjoy and area and the people. "

We have fixed double bed so that solves that and we have pitches with all service posts & use mains water plugged straight in the van and a 10 mtr waste hose straight into an all service waste so no fetching and carrying. Simples and fab in Europe with great weather and meeting great people.

Enjoy California, we spent a month touring California & Arizona and it was great but seriously wallet bending for a family of 4 staying in top hotels and doing all the sites . We did Los Angeles , Anahiem, Calico, Vegas, Hoover dam, grand canyon, death valley, yosimitie, lake tahoe, Sacremento, San fransico, San diego, great holiday but blew serious dosh !

America has found out how to charge for parking now, 45 dollars a day in San Francisco and 20 dollars a day most other popular places !

America may have found a way to charge for parking, Luton Airport has found a way to charge also, you have to pay to drop someone at the Airport, it's only £2 but pay to drop off  p****d off with a Digital Keyboard Warrior

Hi,

Thanks JP & Oldgezzer for two contrasting but interesting replies, just the sort of debate we were after!

I can see valid points in both, and yes we were only interested in a fixed bed version!
Another factor for us is we like to holiday with our 'kids'; these kids all having four legs apiece!
So overall and as time goes on we will slowly have more 'us' time to please ourselves, we just think we might just take the plunge and go for it!

Thanks all Kola is the big solid black German Shepherd, Dobbie is.......a breed you've never heard of......yet;)

If it's got a motor mover fitted, then that's one of the biggest problems solved.
I went to a site and they offered me one of (if not) the best spots, but only because without a mover mover it would have been nearly impossible to put the van on it.
Did it with ease, remote control (boys toys) and got it inch perfect.
Yours has the Reich, the same as mine, and it is a godsend.
Buy it and enjoy.

oldgeezer
I agree with you on all the hook up's it make life a little easy and we did do that at times, but not all site have them and the one that do need to be booked up 6 month in advance

The trip you did, we are almost doing the same but in in the other direction (spending the last week cruising back up the coast to Frisco) spending just over 3.5 weeks doing the trip, Boy I can't wait

bish789
With you on the move's for the bigger van or a double axle or for a first timer towing ! But I have spent to long in the motor trade driving assorts. The Mid size van we had was great to tow with the freelander plus I found it easy to park almost any where !!
As I say the Towing was the best bit for me (Yorker bar on the dash board) apart from the fuel costs

We can say that we have done it, Enjoyed some of it , but it's not for us as a family
If somebody whats to pay the fuel cost etc I would Tow a van anywhere for them for them, But they pay for the Hotel for me to stay in !!!
UK weather over the bank holiday or main summer holiday in a muddy field is all yours

Hope you all enjoy your trips this Year

I,m blinded the view is at its best when she lights the table candle, Ive trained the kids to keep blowing out the candle

no good vanning here in Austria its absolutly stair rod-ing it down.

great kids holiday , biker fest is on all weekend in the town below, trucks and trucks full of ale keep arriving.

there a proccesion of harleys etc tommorrow should be a good watch, followed by poker and table dancing, I shall spike mrs G,s drinks and sneak out after she falls asleep
http://www.saalbach.com/en/summer/events/s...Mania.html At work
At home

"I can't always believe facts I read on the web" - Charles Dickens

winner by default of the tractor vs caravan race

Hi,

Well thanks for all the input, as a result well.........we've gone and done it! Deposit paid, collection 12th June!

Excitement mixed with a bit of trepidation! Will be the best thing we've ever done, or just maybe the worst, it seems there is no middle road, and only time will tell!!

One thing for sure, our future holidays will not be as much of a risk to eyesight as CG's is at the moment  Kola is the big solid black German Shepherd, Dobbie is.......a breed you've never heard of......yet;)