Whats Diesel, Not French, and Can Tow a Car?

You need a trailer license to tow a car? dayum! Suppose ive been on the wrong side of the law for a few years now...

If you want non-retro.... Astra G estates/vans....

As much as mine bores me (2000 astravan) the thing appears to have been hewn out of granite! and when it does break its not past the limit of a mechanically minded person!
1.7dti aint bad.. newer ones have 1.7 or 2.0 Cdti's!

Ive towed a volvo amazon and heavy trailer on mine fine!

Can I ask why the "not french" stuffs? Not trying to start anything, just genuinely curious.


(And for the record - Peugeot 505 Estate in diesel flavour would satisfy all your towing and lugging needs for the next thousand years. ;D )

I just don't like french cars, tempted by an omega tds or an ovlov, isnt the ovlov a vw straight 5 diesel?

I'm running a audi 80 avant tdi, got to say it's a top car and not bad at towing.

After my father owned an E36 325 TDS I can say they pull very nicely, but if they go wrong (he owned his for 3 years) they are not cheap to fix.

As a result I'd suggest the Volvo 740TD . It has the VW 6 pot engine.

How about a retro 324 Beemer?
LHD though and rare

Needs to be quite big to legally tow anything other than tiny motors, once you've factored in the weight of a car trailer.

Love the fact that one car blowing up is enough to taint all French cars! Engines don't often blow up unless neglected... (hasten to add that the abuse could have been by a previous owner though!).

Depends when you passed your test - us older ones got the entilement automatically - the younger RRr's didn't and have to apply for and pass a test to gain entitlement

Regarding the car to pull a car - be carefull with your selction and make sure it doesn't go over the limit - I'm sure there is a rule for weight of load v the weigt of the tow car

If your just A framing the car then unless its an Axiam or a 2cv (I think) it will be illegal anyway. Its been covered many times here. Most people still do it and the chances are you wont get caught, but it is still illegal. If its on a trailer then that opens up a fair few more options, but looking at cars to tow with I think saying no to french you really are shooting yourself in the foot. Ive got a Saab 9000 to tow with, but used to have a Bmw 525 but the head warped when towing which is very common on the six cylinders when towing. As for the Volvo Estate route its a bit of a myth about their towing ability. Yes its good, but not as good as people think.
The best diesel would be something like a Ford Transit but more car like I would go for a Citroen Xm Diesel, Laguna Diesel, Isuzu trooper (excellent tow car), Daihatsu Fourtrack, or if you don't mind a small petrol engined car that has amazing towing ability (same as my Saab 9000) then the early old Proton's. They could tow comfortably 29cwt which is fantastic (nearly twice the weight of the vehicle).
Ive never worked out how they could tow so well??