Manual or Auto for towing

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hobo

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Our 1995 Discovery is falling apart and maybe looking to upgrade to about 2005 but I seem to be limiting our choice by looking for manuals only what our your views. It is very hilly around here and we do very little motorway driving if that is realavent?
 
We got our first disco about 8 weeks ago, it took us ages to find a manual exactly the spec we wanted.
We have a very good friend who works in a 4x4 garage and phoned for his advice on autos and he said they are ok for towing but so much more juicier than a manual, :eek: so that made our mind up really!
Hope this helps:o
Kate x
 
i dont tow my self yet ( im working on my licence)

but i do know land rovers, and I'd always tell you to get a manual, too many thing to go wrong in an auto, and you may run the risk of not quite getting the torque right plus it'll eat your diesel, stick to a manual, x
 
I prefer a manual. I prefer the more precise speed control and I'd rather slow down by dropping a gear than riding on the brake (and I know autos have lower gears but they're not as easy to regulate).

You just have to be smooth with your take-offs and shifting. I was actually taught to pull a trailer by hooking up an empty and driving with a full cup of coffee on the dash. If you don't spill it, you're not knocking your horse about! :p
 
Auto!! I never want to drive a manual again! Used to tow with manual Defender, very hard work much as I loved the car, then went to auto Range Rover, bliss, now on auto Disco, not quite so bliss but so easy to tow with especially when you're tired after a show. Much smoother for the horses and makes mincemeat of hill starts.
 
Towed with both. Like the auto :D. Currently tow with a Disco auto diesel - I don't look at the fuel consumption (probably make me ill :rolleyes:), but have towed up and down large hills with heavy horses and the auto has handled it all beautifully :)
 
I have an auto Range Rover, i must say i would never go back to a manual.
I feel it gives a much smoother ride & tbh i don't see much of a difference in the fuel consumption either from my previous Discovery which was a manual.
 
Very timely thread as our Fourtrak has almost died (too big a welding job for MOT next week otherwise still perfect!) and we're looking at a Disco now. We're sticking with a manual simply because neither of us have ever driven an auto (too old to learn new tricks) and we're both smooth drivers anyway but it's been interesting reading your views.
 
If autos are looked after properly then there souldn't be a problem with them. They are very nice to tow with but do take more fuel!
 
Having towed with both, a manual Disco and now an auto Merc 4x4. I much prefer towing with the automatic although it is a 4.0 litre petrol so loves to guzzle away.

I find it much smoother for me and the horses. Personal choice I guess.
 
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