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MG ZR ZS ZT Technical Towing with a ZS BBS discussion at MG-Cars.info
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MG ZR ZS ZT Technical - Towing with a ZS
| I accept it may not be the done thing, but is anyone out there towing a caravan with a ZS180? I would be interested to know what weight it can tow as I have not seen any figures / reviews on the subject. |
| Neil |
| Neil Its only exceptable to tow a caravan in the 180 if the cavavan is colour coded and has a spoiler on top. |
| MG STYLE POLICE |
| Somehow I don't think my wife would let me paint our new caravan Trophy Yellow! Wives don't understand you see! |
| Neil |
| Neil a trophy yellow caravan with 17 inch wheels would look awesome :) ps wasn't the rover 45 caravan lugger of the year? |
| MG STYLE POLICE |
| I was thinking of maybe getting a tow bar on my ZS 120. The thinking is that a small trailer will be better for transporting mountain bikes than it would be if they were on the roof. John |
| JLD |
| I think it was the Rover 75 that was a towcar of the year. Plenty of weight in that model. The ZT would undoubtedly be suitable but it's the extra cost involved in buying it that puts me off the ZT, and of course the depreciation factor. There's a bit less to lose with the ZS. Perhaps. |
| Neil |
| I dont see any Rovers!! (or MG) I found this in the archives!! THE CARAVAN CLUB TOWCAR OF THE YEAR 2001 RESULTS Overall WINNER VOLKSWAGEN GOLF V6 4MOTION CLASS WINNERS £15,500 and Under Class Volkswagen Polo S TDI PD £15,501 - £19,000 Class Vauxhall Astra Coupe 2.2i £19,001 - £24,000 Class Volkswagen Golf GT TDI PD Over £24,000 Class Volkswagen Golf V6 4MOTION All-Terrain Class Mitsubishi Shogun 3.5 GDI SWB MPV Class Fiat Multipla JTD 105 ELX THE CARAVAN CLUB TOWCAR OF THE YEAR 2001 ENTRANTS £15,500 and Under Class Citroën Xsara Picasso LX Proton Wira 1.6 LXi Volkswagen Polo S TDI PD £15,501 - £19,000 Class Fiat Multipla JTD 105 ELX Kia Sedona SX diesel Mazda Premacy 2.0 GXi diesel Mazda 626 2.0 Estate GXi diesel Mazda 626 2.0 Sport Mitsubishi Shogun Pinin 1.8 GDI Nissan Almera 2.2 Sport+ Nissan Almera Tino 2.2 SE² Renault Scenic RX4 Sport Alize 1.9 dCi Seat Leon TDi 110 SE Subaru Legacy Saloon 2.0 GL AWD Toyota Avensis 2.0 GLS VVTi Toyota RAV4 2.0 GX 4WD Vauxhall Astra 2.0 DTi Estate Vauxhall Astra Coupe 2.2i £19,001 - £24,000 Class Ford Galaxy Ghia 1.9 TDi Hyundai XG30 Land Rover Freelander Td4 Peugeot 406 2.2 SRi Estate Seat Alhambra TDi PD SE Toyota Previa 2.4 GLS Volkswagen Golf GT TDI PD Volkswagen Sharan SE TDI PD Volvo S40 diesel Volvo V70 2.4 140 Over £24,000 Class Audi A4 Avant 1.9 TDi 115 Audi A6 2.5 TDi 180 Audi allroad quattro 2.5 TDi Ford Galaxy Ghia 2.8 V6 Isuzu Trooper 3.0 TD Insignia Mitsubishi Shogun 3.5 GDI SWB Mitsubishi Shogun 3.2 DI-D LWB Nissan Patrol GR 3.0 SE+ Volkswagen Golf V6 4MOTION Volvo Cross Country All-Terrain Class Isuzu Trooper 3.0 TD Insignia Mitsubishi Shogun Pinin 1.8 GDI Mitsubishi Shogun 3.2 DI-D LWB Mitsubishi Shogun 3.5 GDI SWB Nissan Patrol GR 3.0 SE+ MPV Class Citroën Xsara Picasso LX Fiat Multipla JTD 105 ELX Ford Galaxy Ghia 1.9 TDi Ford Galaxy Ghia 2.8 V6 Kia Sedona SX diesel Mazda Premacy 2.0 GXi diesel Nissan Almera Tino 2.2 SE² Renault Scenic RX4 Sport Alize 1.9 dCi Seat Alhambra TDi PD SE Toyota Previa 2.4 GLS Volkswagen Sharan SE TDI PD |
| Kelvin |
| The ZS180 would make a good towcar IMO. I've towed a fair bit in the last 5 years, using Rover 420 and now Honda Civic VTiS (same shell). Perfectly adequate with a BJ trailer and Montego, although this is probably a little over the recommended limit. Max towing weights recommended will be in the handbook. |
| David |
| JLD I would stick the bikes on the roof. I have driven a Rover 420 SDi across France many times with three or four bikes on the roof with few problems. On French motorways I cruise at 80-85 mph and things only get interesing when there is a strong cross wind. Apart from crosswinds the overall driveability of the car remains remakably good and this should apply equally to the ZS. I will be putting my bikes on top of my ZS 180 when the weather gets warmer, my only worry is the fuel bill. Of course your bike should be suitably mean looking to go with the car. |
| Chris |
| The limiting factor of my 416 is the 12% hill start, which limits it to a tonne towing, Metro plus trailer, interstingly the 200 can tow a tonne as well, wouldn't like to try though the trailer brakes are better than the rovers. Jon |
| Jon |
| Thanks for the advice. How many bikes could I safely get on the roof though. If the whole family go it means taking 5 bikes with us. I used to use a rear fitting cycle carrier as well as the roof with my R400 but that didn't have a nice curvy spoiler on the back. John |
| JLD |
| I cant believe you spend all that money on that nice shiny MG then go and ruin it by trying to stack five bloody bikes on the back!!.Leave the bikes at home!,cycling is for environmental lefties anyway.The only pedals you should be pushing are the three in the footwell!!.Worse still you want to drag a Caravan behind it,are you sure its not an Austin Montego Countryman you want for towing?. |
| Kevin Davis |
| To JLD It is possible to get four bikes on the roof. You will have to put the bikes facing first forwards then backwards across the roof and you may have to remove the saddles. For the fifth one you could remove the wheels and then the whole thing will fit in the boot (if you have no luggage). I have a Scott Tacana which fits into the 5 door boot with no problem. |
| Chris |
| If you're going to fit a tow-bar, you could probably use one of the tow-bar mounted carriers. They fit behind a Witter type tow ball so the bikes don't obstruct the rear vision so much. > cycling is for environmental lefties anyway Kevin, it leaves a bit of space for you on the road though. |
| dan |
| Thanks for all the advice folks, I'll give it some thought. Funny how these threads develop, this one started out with neil asking about towing a caravan. |
| JLD |
| At last someone has noticed what the original thread was about! Yes towing a caravan with a ZS. I don't think I'll use a ZS for it. I'll find a better use for it. |
| Neil |
This thread was discussed between 20/01/2002 and 22/01/2002
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