Would you tow with an automatic?

[Limbo1]

As in the title. My car has died and looking at replacemnets. I want the freelander 2 as will only tow ponies locally and not that frequently. Should I stick to a manual gearbox?

 

[Lanky Loll]

We tow with an automatic shogun - much smoother ride

 

[doodle]

I used to tow with an automatic, car say there was much difference but probably gives a smoother ride.

 

[Orangehorse]

We are all so nervous of automatics in the UK. I have only heard good things and in other countries most people drive automatics anyway.

We are thinking of getting an automatic for towing as Disco has massive heavy clutch, which makes me hesitate about driving it.

 

[AandK]

Yes, and have only towed with an auto. A Disco 3 and a Jeep Cherokee.

 

[Tiddlypom]

We tow with an automatic shogun - much smoother ride

Me too.

I wanted another manual Shogun when we upgraded, but they are like hen's teeth. The auto model we bought instead is great, though.

 

[Annagain]

Personally, I prefer a manual but have towed with automatics too and there's nothing wrong with them. I'm just more used to manuals and like to be able to hold it in a gear going down hills etc. There's no reason why you can't do that in an auto but I just forget you can and automatically go for the brake instead. My issue, not the car's!

 

[FfionWinnie]

Would hate to go back to a manual. God knows why we've stuck with them in this country. Automatic all the way!

 

[blitznbobs]

I prefer to tow with an auto - I had an auto toureag that towed stupendously- I tow at present with a defender but I find it hard going (tows brilliantly but am used to my creature comforts!) I much prefer the auto - one less thing to think about.

 

[tda]

I thought I'd prefer a manual to auto when towing, but have had auto hi-lux for three yrs now and love it!
Like annagain, I do worry about it changing up when going downhill, but we seem to be managing

 

[Scatterbrain]

Yes, and have done for many years. Lovely smooth ride for the horses and takes the stress out of steep hill starts at traffic lights etc for me!

 

[Goldenstar]

I tow with an automatic Range Rover lovely and fab for long trips .

 

[rachk89]

No. I wouldnt trust an automatic in winter for starters and up here winter can be pretty bad. I like the extra control I have from being able to choose gear changes as and when needed, I dont want a car telling me how to do it. Fine for you guys who dont get any snow, but we get snow and we have a council that forgets how to use its snow ploughs haha.

 

[Micky]

Yup old disco was a v8 automatic and towed like a dream, even in ice etc..fab ride for all ! Feel I use the clutch too much in my manual now..

 

[Sprout]

Yes, its so easy, and such a smooth ride.

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

When I used to tow a horse trailer I first had a manual Discovery which was fine but when it went to the great garage in the sky I replaced it with a 2800cc Pajero Auto. The Pajero was superior in all respects. It had more power, towed very easily, it was smooth as silk, plenty of space inside & very comfortable to ride in. The only downside was it was more thirsty that the Discovery.

 

[Red-1]

I have always had a manual, but when I hurt my left hip I struggled with the clutch. Both cars were changed, and then OH bought me a 3.5 van for the horse. It too was an auto, and I was quite concerned, but now I love it. TBF it does change down on a hill, don't know if that is because it was designed as a goods vehicle though.

It is slightly more jerky setting off if it is cold, so we just run it for 10 minutes before setting off and then it is fine.

 

[YorksG]

I don't tow with the disco, but do drive it in snow and ice (our council seems to forget about us on our hill!) and can put it in low gear to slow it down, I'm sure that would also work when towing.

 

[trailer guy]

I tow a great deal, in my line of work, and have owned both. Currently, for the heavier duty towing I have a commercial Defender 110 hard top, which is a manual. However, previous tow wagons have included two automatic Shoguns (the last one being a 3.2 V6 24v) and it was excellent. So, to answer your question: no, in my opinion, you shouldn't be even remotely worried about towing with an auto. Unless it's a Fiesta, of course...

 

[oldie48]

I used to tow with a volvo automatic and it was fab, you could over ride the automatic if you wanted to and select a gear. It's a few years ago now but I would imagine they are even better now!

 

[ester]

No. I wouldnt trust an automatic in winter for starters and up here winter can be pretty bad. I like the extra control I have from being able to choose gear changes as and when needed, I dont want a car telling me how to do it. Fine for you guys who dont get any snow, but we get snow and we have a council that forgets how to use its snow ploughs haha.

Ffion gets plenty of snow though and seems to like her auto?

I drove an auto for the first time a few weeks ago, I was towing too - not a horse just my life, moving house. I would certainly consider it for towing livestock.

 

[dizzyneddy]

I tow with an automatic Range Rover lovely and fab for long trips .

I'm the same as Goldenstar my rangey tows effortlessly we also have a manual Isuzu Trooper that is just as good to tow & puts our old landrover discovery to shame. Both ours have gone through muddy show grounds without getting stuck like some poor souls. When my rangey dies there's no question that l'll replace her with another but hope that doesn't happen for a long, long time!

 

[Darbs]

The best tow car in the world is only available in an auto.

In fact to quote the Tow Car of the Year Awards "If this were a horse race, the bookies would have stopped taking bets on the Discovery. Having won the heavyweight class two years in succession, it was always the red-hot favourite. The big Land Rover is even better than before, thanks to the addition of an eight-speed automatic gearbox, the Discovery 4 is crisp, assured and entirely in control. In fact, there’s little on our list of what makes a practical towcar that the Discovery doesn’t have".

This is mine, and I absolutely love it...

 

[FfionWinnie]

No. I wouldnt trust an automatic in winter for starters and up here winter can be pretty bad. I like the extra control I have from being able to choose gear changes as and when needed, I dont want a car telling me how to do it. Fine for you guys who dont get any snow, but we get snow and we have a council that forgets how to use its snow ploughs haha.

They do also have selectable gears. That said my auto pick up with road tyres is better off road than the defender with mud and snow tyres I had previously "go figure"

 

[Greylegs]

I use an automatic short wheelbase Shogun. Brilliant for towing horses and has also towed a caravan on occasions. Much easier imo.

 

[Clannad48]

I have towed with both manual and automatic and would take an automatic over a manual every time. For good reasons twice I have had to tow the trailer with a human in the back as well (Yes I know it's not safe etc but in both cases there was no other option) after the rides I asked the human which she preferred, she answered automatic, a lot smoother ride especially when pulling away from lights, up a hill and round corners - now I know that there are some out there who will say a well driven manual is better than an auto but I have to disagree in this instance.

 

[1rocky1]

auto every time .

 

[PorkChop]

Absolutely, towed for years with an automatic - it does make you a lazy driver though!

 

[ExmoorHunter]

auto every time .

Absolutely! Toyota Landcruiser automatic gives the smoothest ride ever. And there are still gears for steep hills (we have lots).

 

[Clare85]

I tow with an automatic and love it. Wouldn't go back to a manual now