Towing and fuel consumption

I'm thinking of buying another Defender, having been without one for three years now. If I do, it will be used for towing a caravan (an Eriba, which is comparatively low and light,and more streamlined than most). It's something I haven't done before so I've no idea how it would effect fuel consumption. Driving carefully on motorways I used to get 30/32mpg with my 300tdi. I know it's a question which is impossible to answer with any accuracy, but how much might this drop by? Would I be right in assuming that a Defender's fuel consumption, would be less effected by towing, than a Ford Focus for example?

Pants! Double post!

With both my 300tdi and now TD5, towing around 1.5 tonnes it wasn't that noticeable the difference....maybe 10-15% maybe more, at a guess, but then I drive much slower and carefully towing pony so hard to tell.

I tow a 3.5t trailer on a regular basis - normally get about 400 miles out of a tank but with towing about 350 give or take - 110 Defender td5.
Personally I find the Td5 doesn't tow as well as my old 200 Tdi and it seems to struggle when under load although I'm pretty certain I'm going to get it chipped as a few people have said it's made a big differance to theirs when towing

Towing an Eriba (Puck ?) with a defender should be virtually un noticeable , as the frontal area of the landy will be probably more than the Eriba , and they are very lightweight . So yes less noticable effect than Focus etc . HTSH

Hi to give you an idea I went to pick up a caravan for my brother with my 300 90 and I worked out roughly on the way down empty it did 28mpg and return towing 26mpg so not much difference really

I towed a caravan to billing and barely noticed it was there in my 300tdi

Scott90 said:

Hi to give you an idea I went to pick up a caravan for my brother with my 300 90 and I worked out roughly on the way down empty it did 28mpg and return towing 26mpg so not much difference really

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that could just be the fact the way there was down hil and way home you were going back up etc.

i notice things like that in a little 1.4 civic.

i tow 2 tonne down country roads and pput my foot down as i dont want to cause a traffic jam behind or at least limit it. i rekon i was getting 22 - 24 to the gallon and same journey not towing 26 - 28.

I often tow a lot of weight, my trailer weights just over a tonne empty but when loaded up with work stuff (steel fabrications) can often be up to 5/6 tonnes and my 200 pulls it no problem not using much more fuel. Towed a camper weighing 3tonne on the same trailer from Surrey to Wakefeild for £140 in doosel!

My bullometer just exploded

blue beasty said:

My bullometer just exploded

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i hope you dont mean me ! but i may know who you are refering to

richard_paradox said:

i hope you dont mean me ! but i may know who you are refering to

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No not you

Apart from the legality, put 5 or 6 tons behind a Fender and you'll be in low box most of the time and you'd either leave your crossmember on the road or it'd be shoving you out the windscreen

Callum-d90 said:

I often tow a lot of weight, my trailer weights just over a tonne empty but when loaded up with work stuff (steel fabrications) can often be up to 5/6 tonnes and my 200 pulls it no problem not using much more fuel. Towed a camper weighing 3tonne on the same trailer from Surrey to Wakefeild for £140 in doosel!

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Then you are a ****!!

^ what he says

Callum-d90 said:

I often tow a lot of weight, my trailer weights just over a tonne empty but when loaded up with work stuff (steel fabrications) can often be up to 5/6 tonnes and my 200 pulls it no problem not using much more fuel. Towed a camper weighing 3tonne on the same trailer from Surrey to Wakefeild for £140 in doosel!

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sible88 said:

Then you are a ****!!

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I'm afraid I have to agree with sible88.......5 to 6 tonnes

How bigs the fecking trailer? Also can you smell burning?our work landies probbably reach that weight gtw.

my caravan weighs about 1.2T fully loaded, got about 29mpg towed within a week of getting the fender, so still rough on the economy etc, im now getting about 30 ish round town in a 110 csw

goonarmy said:

How bigs the fecking trailer? Also can you smell burning?our work landies probbably reach that weight gtw.

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30ft drawbar to tail, all independent braking system n when it's got farm buildings or machinery on it it gets to a fair old weight, but old girl tugs away fine n stops better with the trailer brakes

Callum-d90 said:

30ft drawbar to tail, all independent braking system n when it's got farm buildings or machinery on it it gets to a fair old weight, but old girl tugs away fine n stops better with the trailer brakes

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Maybe true but way illegal!!

Callum-d90 said:

30ft drawbar to tail, all independent braking system n when it's got farm buildings or machinery on it it gets to a fair old weight, but old girl tugs away fine n stops better with the trailer brakes

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sible88 said:

Maybe true but way illegal!!

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Aye!! It's the size of a bloody lorry trailer. Honest to god Calum-d90, if you ever get pulled owwer by plod you will be royally fcuked.