Aberdeen Chris Posted November 2, 2017 Share Posted November 2, 2017 I do get 36mpg towing a caravan on B roads Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogconker Posted November 2, 2017 Author Share Posted November 2, 2017 I drove from Stafford to Angelsey and back on the M6, M56 and A55, and it averaged 78mpg for that journey. To be fair I wasn’t in a rush on that day. basically I was pulled into M6 just behind an Irish Lorry and followed bit most of the way there on cruise control. That’s not normal driving, I got we over 600 out of that tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marcothio Posted November 2, 2017 Share Posted November 2, 2017 Yep! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogconker Posted November 2, 2017 Author Share Posted November 2, 2017 7 hours ago, Aberdeen Chris said: I do get 36mpg towing a caravan on B roads That’s good to know, I’m just getting a caravan, how do you find the XV towing, I imagine it’ll be quite good but I’ve never met anyone who as actually towed a decent size caravan with one. we’re getting a 1450kg caravan so be interesting to see how it acts under actual towing Conditions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aberdeen Chris Posted November 2, 2017 Share Posted November 2, 2017 My van is only 1200kg, but I find the XV to be a very good towing vehicle. I have fitted a motor mover to my van as the clutch on subaru's are "A bit soft" and the hill start feature can be bad on the clutch also. The torque is fantastic and pulling 1ton van acceleration is easily enough to keep a pace with any traffic including overtaking on B roads, I have fitted a rear camera on the van hard wired to a removable 7"sceen so knowing when to pull in is easy. Driving a long distance is no problem although small corrections on the steering is the only slight weak point. Stability at speed with stabilizer fitted is awesome. Having a short distance from the rear axle to towball is a big bonus. 70kg is the max weight on the ball and the rear suspension is brilliant at coping without any sagging. I had a tow ball fitted by the dealer so got the EU 13 pin socket so I rewired my van. If you tow quite a lot diff oil and gear oil needs changing more often. But I think the XV Diesal is a great towing vehicle and should handle 1450kg ok, although your van will weigh almost the same as your car, and it helps if the car is heavier than the van. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogconker Posted November 2, 2017 Author Share Posted November 2, 2017 17 minutes ago, Aberdeen Chris said: My van is only 1200kg, but I find the XV to be a very good towing vehicle. I have fitted a motor mover to my van as the clutch on subaru's are "A bit soft" and the hill start feature can be bad on the clutch also. The torque is fantastic and pulling 1ton van acceleration is easily enough to keep a pace with any traffic including overtaking on B roads, I have fitted a rear camera on the van hard wired to a removable 7"sceen so knowing when to pull in is easy. Driving a long distance is no problem although small corrections on the steering is the only slight weak point. Stability at speed with stabilizer fitted is awesome. Having a short distance from the rear axle to towball is a big bonus. 70kg is the max weight on the ball and the rear suspension is brilliant at coping without any sagging. I had a tow ball fitted by the dealer so got the EU 13 pin socket so I rewired my van. If you tow quite a lot diff oil and gear oil needs changing more often. But I think the XV Diesal is a great towing vehicle and should handle 1450kg ok, although your van will weigh almost the same as your car, and it helps if the car is heavier than the van. We’ve looked at the tow weights, the car tow weight isn’t going to be the kerb weight, we’ve looked at the kerb weight when towing and it’ll be nearer 1700kg for the car mass with me, the wife, a load of kit and the dog and his cage. So we’re under the 85% car to caravan. So should be ok. We don’t have a motormover. But I’ll see whether we need one later, most of the site were looking to go to are pretty flat. when we looked at car weights etc it had a warning saying that the XV cab easily pull a caravan beyond safe speeds. I read a test as well where the XV pulled a 1400kg van 0-60 in 14 seconds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aberdeen Chris Posted November 2, 2017 Share Posted November 2, 2017 It is surprisingly good at accelerating with van in tow. And you are well within capacity. You just got to watch what the wife tries to cram in the van lol. It's often just my wee dog and self offgrid in the woods, so the mover's handy for getting the van into difficult locations off road. Not easy reversing a caravan uphill at the best of times! My longest tow was Aberdeen to the Eden Project in Cornwall about 1500miles return trip. Traveling with a Van is a delight when you stop at service stations or in a layby because a decent cuppa and eggs and bacon are always on hand, plus a clean loo ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogconker Posted November 2, 2017 Author Share Posted November 2, 2017 2 minutes ago, Aberdeen Chris said: It is surprisingly good at accelerating with van in tow. And you are well within capacity. You just got to watch what the wife tries to cram in the van lol. It's often just my wee dog and self offgrid in the woods, so the mover's handy for getting the van into difficult locations off road. Not easy reversing a caravan uphill at the best of times! My longest tow was Aberdeen to the Eden Project in Cornwall about 1500miles return trip. Traveling with a Van is a delight when you stop at service stations or in a layby because a decent cuppa and eggs and bacon are always on hand, plus a clean loo ! Well this is our first caravan, I’ve towed caravans before and driven LGVs with trailers so I’m ok with towing. But it’s all a bit new to us, I don’t think we’re doing the stuff of camping thing to be fair, although we could. I think we’ve Scotland in our sights for a 2 week holiday stopping off at different points Lake District, then west Scotland, across to east and then down through to kielder forest area and home. Probably pass your place on the last leg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aberdeen Chris Posted November 3, 2017 Share Posted November 3, 2017 Well your welcome to pop in for a cuppa. I'm Royal Deeside on the best road for the Cairngorms national park. Follow the road through the mountains and it brings you out just passed Dundee heading south and you pass Balmoral Castle as you enter them. Quite beautiful landscape this time of year although in winter the snow gates get closed occasionally. If your joining the caravan club there's banchory caravan park nearby which is quite nice or Ballater too. But heading south through the mountains is less of a struggle than heading north because there's a long stretch down a mountain. My old Volvo v40 needed 2nd gear to get up, for about 1/2 A mile lol. But it's got to be one of the most scenic roads in the UK. That is if you get this far north 😁 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogconker Posted March 16, 2018 Author Share Posted March 16, 2018 Well I towed my caravan to a campsite today, no real problems with the car initially. Got to tge site dropped off the caravan and drove down to shop at the bottom of the hill, on the way back up I had my window open and the engine sounded like I had an irate dwarf trying to chisel his way out of the engine block, it was a really bad knock, not the first time I’ve told the dealer I’ve heard a knock. This sounded particularly bad though. To say I’m slightly concerned is an understatement, at least the drive train is under warranty until the end of the year. looks like I’m phoning the dealer again tomorrow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aberdeen Chris Posted March 16, 2018 Share Posted March 16, 2018 May I ask if the oil was changed recently, and did it sound like valve tap or big/small end. A long screwdriver used carefully to avoid moving parts makes an awesome stethoscope for identifying internal sounds location more accurately. Good luck with your dealer and I hope you get a positive outcome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ernieb Posted March 16, 2018 Share Posted March 16, 2018 @Dogconker, at least getting the dealer involved logs the problem into the system, hope you can get it resolved ASAP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogconker Posted March 16, 2018 Author Share Posted March 16, 2018 30 minutes ago, Aberdeen Chris said: May I ask if the oil was changed recently, and did it sound like valve tap or big/small end. A long screwdriver used carefully to avoid moving parts makes an awesome stethoscope for identifying internal sounds location more accurately. Good luck with your dealer and I hope you get a positive outcome. Serviced last saturday, sounded like big end if I was to choose, proper deep metallic noise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aberdeen Chris Posted March 16, 2018 Share Posted March 16, 2018 They were support to have resolved this by the series three diesal ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogconker Posted March 17, 2018 Author Share Posted March 17, 2018 7 hours ago, Aberdeen Chris said: They were support to have resolved this by the series three diesal ! Mine’s a euro 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aberdeen Chris Posted March 18, 2018 Share Posted March 18, 2018 The DPF light started flashing on mine yesterday🤤 It's gone off now, so it may be the oil dilution, because it's never done a regen. I'll plug in the OBD2 scanner and see what fault codes have been recorded !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogconker Posted March 18, 2018 Author Share Posted March 18, 2018 Strangly, drive up the same hill today at the same speed in the same gear and not a hint of a knock? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aberdeen Chris Posted March 18, 2018 Share Posted March 18, 2018 Sounds like Ecu got confused. Technology's great when it works; and a pain in the derriere when it doesn't! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ernieb Posted March 18, 2018 Share Posted March 18, 2018 Whilst I’m not at all familiar with current Subaru diesels I have noticed strange noises etc., when the engine in entering or leaving a regeneration cycle. Again, I’m not sure how the Subaru does a regen., but a possibility? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogconker Posted March 18, 2018 Author Share Posted March 18, 2018 8 minutes ago, ernieb said: Whilst I’m not at all familiar with current Subaru diesels I have noticed strange noises etc., when the engine in entering or leaving a regeneration cycle. Again, I’m not sure how the Subaru does a regen., but a possibility? I’m wondering if its Diesel knock from the injectors playing up, apparently they have a but of AI in them to learn how you drive. Its fine on full tap, sweet as a nut but in town it canbe a bit rattly and as I said the other day it was a proper knock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aberdeen Chris Posted March 18, 2018 Share Posted March 18, 2018 I suppose its to the dealer, but not before I plug in and get the fault code and run a diagnostics of my own. I'll pick up some more oil from them and do my 6month oil change at Easter. I don't care what they say about 12 month oil change being ok as I've stripped and rebuilt enough engines to know c**p always builds up internally and clean oil is the only way to keep the insides clean in use. I've stripped a couple of engines where oil changes were missed and been amazed how tough engines can be. But I'll keep doing an inbetween change and it's so easy to do and the small cost will pay if I keep my car for another thirteen years or more lol. The car I traded in was just touching on twenty years old and ran perfectly 😚 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogconker Posted March 18, 2018 Author Share Posted March 18, 2018 36 minutes ago, Aberdeen Chris said: I suppose its to the dealer, but not before I plug in and get the fault code and run a diagnostics of my own. I'll pick up some more oil from them and do my 6month oil change at Easter. I don't care what they say about 12 month oil change being ok as I've stripped and rebuilt enough engines to know c**p always builds up internally and clean oil is the only way to keep the insides clean in use. I've stripped a couple of engines where oil changes were missed and been amazed how tough engines can be. But I'll keep doing an inbetween change and it's so easy to do and the small cost will pay if I keep my car for another thirteen years or more lol. The car I traded in was just touching on twenty years old and ran perfectly 😚 I get mine done every 6 months. I get the dealer to do it as it only costs £70 and that includes subaru oil and filters. It isnt wirth me getting my hands dirty for the saving I’d make. It’d cost me nearly as much to buy the parts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aberdeen Chris Posted March 18, 2018 Share Posted March 18, 2018 I take an empty oil container to the dealer. They fill it and give me a new filter for under 40 pounds. I have the receipt as proof the correct oil was used and it takes about twenty mins to complete. The filters at the top of the engine so easy to access, and I can for an old kitchen sink bowl under and the drain plug is easy to access also. I just like fixing my own car as I can see the condition of other components while I'm there. Re-setting the oil dilution on Ecu is a series of steppes with lights and pedals. There is a flashing icon when done successfully. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogconker Posted March 18, 2018 Author Share Posted March 18, 2018 26 minutes ago, Aberdeen Chris said: I take an empty oil container to the dealer. They fill it and give me a new filter for under 40 pounds. I have the receipt as proof the correct oil was used and it takes about twenty mins to complete. The filters at the top of the engine so easy to access, and I can for an old kitchen sink bowl under and the drain plug is easy to access also. I just like fixing my own car as I can see the condition of other components while I'm there. Re-setting the oil dilution on Ecu is a series of steppes with lights and pedals. There is a flashing icon when done successfully. For £30 assuming theyd even sell me the oil, id get them to do it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aberdeen Chris Posted March 18, 2018 Share Posted March 18, 2018 Lol. Well I have a very well equipped garage with airtools and allsorts. That and a pair of insulated overalls makes for quality time with the Scoob 😊 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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