TOWING WITH AN AUTOMATIC

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sarahsylvie

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im about to buy a jeep grand cherokee 2.8l CRD sport automatic to tow 2 14.2 ponies. however im really worried about the fact that its an automatic! anyone tow with an automatic jeep? id really love some advice/experience from anyone about towing with automatics.
 
sarahsylvie said:
im about to buy a jeep grand cherokee 2.8l CRD sport automatic to tow 2 14.2 ponies. however im really worried about the fact that its an automatic! anyone tow with an automatic jeep? id really love some advice/experience from anyone about towing with automatics.
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Many consider the modern autos a dream to tow with - great reports on various caravanning sites

Are you intending to tow under B or B+E licence rules?

PS - WELCOME :)
 
I knew someone who switched from a manual to an auto of exactly the same car, and the only thing she noticed was that she used rather more fuel.
 
ROG said:
Many consider the modern autos a dream to tow with - great reports on various caravanning sites

Are you intending to tow under B or B+E licence rules?

PS - WELCOME :)
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well the car we are getting is 05 number plate, so 7 years old! would you consider this as a 'modern' auto?
 
They are pretty decent to tow with, the only thing I would say is (and same goes with any vehicle) do keep an eye on your speed on the motorway. With very powerful cars you can easily go just that little bit too fast and also ease off the gas a bit going downhill as this is when you are most likely to snake.
 
We use an ancient auto Merc - still flies through its MOT's every year.

Its great. Just sometimes have to stop it changing up when it thinks it wants to.
 
I borrowed a friends auto Disco a few years back when my car blew up the day before a show. Having never driven an automatic before I was pleasantly surprised and was just the same as towing with a manual.
 
Its no different to towing with a manual BUT driving an automatic is rather nice.

Try not to press the brake when you go for the clutch that's not there tho :D
 
I have an auto Kia which is really beautiful to tow with. It gives for a very smooth ride for the horses. The only thing I don't like about it is that I don't feel in control on icy roads as there is no clutch to help you slow down. I suppose that is the trade off point. However as a towing vehicle it is wonderful.
 
I tow with an automatic (warrior) and its fab! totally smooth for the horses and nice to pull away with from junctions/on hills. I took my husbands landrover last weekend and didnt find that half as nice to tow with. so yes id recommend it :-)
 
i was always told that towing with an auto was better as it will change gear up and down as often as it needs whereas in a manual you sometimes strain the car a little before you change.
we had an auto Omega estate for a while, lovely to drive and my fave bit was the sports button when you want that extra power for overtaking:D was a juicy old beast though being a petrol and i wouldn't want to have to fill it up on todays prices:eek:
 
I have been towing with the same spec auto Jeep and it was wonderful. I now have a manuel tow truck and miss the auto.

If you are worried about going too fast on the mway, use the cruise control.

You will not regret buying an auto for towing.
 
FfionWinnie said:
Its no different to towing with a manual BUT driving an automatic is rather nice.

Try not to press the brake when you go for the clutch that's not there tho :D
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lol i did this the very first time I drove an automatic, I learned very quickly to never use my left foot for anything from then on!! :eek:
 
It's supposed to be far better on the vehicle - make sure that it has an additinal cooling system - can't remember exactly what! - I was the accountant in a big transmission company and they aleays suggested the additional cooling system when towing heavy loads.

I love driving my automatic car
 
digger66 said:
It used to be the case that the towing capabilities of an automatic were a bit less that the geared version of the same car. ROG - Is this still the case?
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This particular vehicle has it the other way around - more towing capacity with the auto

I think that may now be the same for others
 
I have a 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee 2.7CRD automatic

It is a much smoother ride for the horses in an automatic as the gear changes are effortless.
It is also an awesome car to tow with. :D
 
I tow with a 54 plate 2.8 Jeep Cherokee automatic. I love it' it will tow up to 3500kg as if there is nothing there. I find it gives a smoother ride for the horse. I usually get 22 - 25 mpg towing an I for Williams 505 with a 17.2 Dwb on Board
 
We have two cars we use for towing, an X trail (manual) and an automatic Discovery (mine, all mine), X trails tow ok but we know the trailer is there, my disco is just a dream car, a good allrounder, I always dismissed an automatic as a lazy persons car, but having a dodgy knee and being unable to drive a manual, I have done a complete U turn, brilliant things
 
Ours is a 2006 Jeep Commander with the 3 litre diesel, obviously an auto. I towed previously with a manual and I much prefer the auto. It's very smooth and no lurching gear changes to upset the passengers. We tow a 16.2 and a 14.2 and barely notice a difference, they pull like a train. Fuel economy when towing is 22-25mpg. The car weighs nearly 3 tonnes, so with trailer and horses we get close to 5 tonnes all up - takes a lot of stopping and no engine breaking as in a manual!! I find I can completely lift off a full half mile away from a roundabout and still have to break to stop! This for me was the biggest difference in switching.
 
Flashpaddler said:
.... takes a lot of stopping and no engine breaking as in a manual!! I find I can completely lift off a full half mile away from a roundabout and still have to break to stop!
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That seems to me that it has been stuck in 'D' and left there without considering any other available gear options BUT if there are no other options available then you have no choice but to do that

Most autos have options available and to see if the right option has been selected simply take foot off gas - if it slows down then the right option has been selected
 
FfionWinnie said:
Its no different to towing with a manual BUT driving an automatic is rather nice.

Try not to press the brake when you go for the clutch that's not there tho :D
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Ha, ha!

We have a Range Rover Sport and a Disco - both autos and they tow amazingly. Most modern autos still offer you the option to overide the auto system and select the gears manually giving you the best of both worlds - have a look for paddles on the steering wheel (less common) or a +/- sign or numbers next to the gearbox.
 
Baggybreeches said:
They are pretty decent to tow with, the only thing I would say is (and same goes with any vehicle) do keep an eye on your speed on the motorway. With very powerful cars you can easily go just that little bit too fast and also ease off the gas a bit going downhill as this is when you are most likely to snake.
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We tow with our VW Toureg which is automatic. It tows really well. But I'll agree with the above, watch your speed as its seems much easier to go faster in an automatic than a manual and you dont realise it!
 
HI i tow my 511 with 2 16`2 with a 2003 auto jeep grande cherokee and love it, automatic makes towing soooooo much easier!! wouldn`t want to go back to a manual for towing now!!
 
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