Page 1 of 1
Which car to tow with?
Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2014 9:16 am
by julian
Hi folks.
Doing an interstate trip next week.
Have a new steel 6x4 trailer that will be coming with me, empty on the way there and loaded on return. No trailer brakes.
MY04 EJ25 forester with 230,000km, and MY04 EZ30R outback with 180,000km are the choices. Both have factory tow bar kits.
The outback drinks premium in my care, but forester takes whatever she is given.
Round trip of just under 3000km.
What would you take?
Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2014 9:59 am
by julian
Forgot to add, forester is manual, outback is automatic.
Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2014 11:00 am
by Wooster
Intended location, remoteness & terrain would influence my decision mate
Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2014 11:55 am
by sublime
Outback - Flat 6 and auto would make for an effortless trip.
Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2014 12:26 pm
by julian
Orange NSW to Adelaide. All bitumen.
Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2014 3:51 pm
by AndrewT
much of a muchness really, both cars are more than capable of the task at hand, the Outback probably a bit more comfortable. Comes down to personal preference just the same as which one to take down to do the grocery shopping. If it were me, I'd take the Forester to save the petrol money.
Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2014 5:36 pm
by Gannon
H6 outback would be my choice because of the extra grunt, bigger brakes and more comfortable over long distances
Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2014 5:42 pm
by julian
Does anyone know the towing capacity of the respective cars?
Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2014 9:21 pm
by sven '2'
Be guessing around 1.5 - 1.7K kgs
But it is your unbraked that is the limiting factor - in SA you cannot exceed 750kg GMT
Sven
PS safe travels - Outback for increased comfort
Posted: Wed Nov 19, 2014 4:23 pm
by julian
Well ladies and gents, I can report back.
I took the Outback, and she performed beautifully.
Economy was about 11L/100km with an (almost) empty trailer, and about 11.5/100km on the way back quite heavily loaded. I got cooler weather and a tail wind for most of the return leg.
I also broke my own personal best for a single day driving- 1160km. Had to backtrack because of a wrong turn and added 20km right on dusk which was the most excruciating additional time at the end of a day.
The automatic and extra power made it effortless. I'm glad I didn't take the forester.