Mat's BX Blog

[mat_fenwick]

If I decided to carry out the fifth gear mod, would the car struggle to pull the caravan in top gear on the flat?

Calling all other caravan towing valver owners!
It sounds like it might, certainly you'd be dropping into 4th more often. Worst case may be a bit of a 'hole' between gears where it's not happy in either, so you might have to travel at a slower speed if that was the case.

[mds141]

That's what I was thinking Mat. TBH I stick below 52 mph on the motorway anyway, when I'm towing the caravan. I let the artics sail past and then snick in behind them and let their slipstream do all the hard work. I might just leave towing duties to the XM. I must say though, that the valver and the BX in general is a very good tow car.

[Mike E (uk)]

shoot me if I ever tow a caravan behind my 5th gear moded valver.

[Des Smith]

Shoot me if I ever tow a caravan, full stop. Actually, I'd probably shoot myself!

[Vanny]

Can we all just agree to drive off the edge of the motorway if we ever find ourselves towing a caravan behind a BX?


A trailer however is perfectly acceptable, especially when dragged at very high speeds on a racing circuit fully loaded with fire extinguishers!

[Des Smith]

Can we all just agree to drive off the edge of the motorway if we ever find ourselves towing a caravan behind a BX?

A trailer however is perfectly acceptable, especially when dragged at very high speeds on a racing circuit fully loaded with fire extinguishers!

Trailers are a necessary evil. Towing a caravan constitutes a serious lack of judgement. No self-respecting petrolhead could possibly consider driving a rolling roadblock - the loss of credibility would require disembowelment or self-immolation at the very least. If you must tow a caravan, show some consideration for every other road user and do it at night when no-one can recognise you. I feel similarly disinclined to appreciate campervans, but at least they don't get themselves tangled up in a tankslapper when they have to brake unexpectedly.

I am biased - my last XM was nearly hit by a caravan wheel that had broken loose from a British double-axle caravan on the motorway near Avranche. Keep death of the streets - find a static park and leave it there!

[mat_fenwick]

I feel similarly disinclined to appreciate campervans

Hey, watch it Des! Although I do feel a similar frustration when stuck behind them…especially when they're clearly trundling along while looking at the view. Both frustrating and dangerous, but that applies to tourusts who do that in any vehicle.

[hilarystone]

Yes I have towed a small caravan behind CX Safaris in the past and certainly don't think I have held up traffic - the CXs will easily tow a small caravan at the legal towing limit and to the national speed limit - I have been held up more often by morons on motorways in the the middle lane trundling along at 55 when I want to be going faster but am not allowed in the outside lane. And I have an enclosed box trailer I have towed on quite a number of times behind my 16V and that's ridiculously fast even when fully loaded...

[Mickey taker]

Oh yawn ,not the "lets slag carvanners brigade" how boring.
I love my caravan and if I hold you up , tough, get over yourselves,
I've never had complaints about holding other road users up, you know why ? , the silly feckers cant get oassed me lol.
Seriously though having towed for over 20 years using a variety of cars I have never been unable to keep up with other traffic driving at legal speeds,
I used to tow with a skoda estelle before getting my 19 trs

[Dollywobbler]

Quite. I once towed a caravan with my 2CV. Through the Peak District. Still kept a pretty good head of speed up and even overtook something on the motorway! (a Range Rover towing a Range Rover). Caravan owners aren't half as nightmarish as bloody horseboxes. When have you ever seen one of those pull over to let the inevitable massive queue of cars behind overtake?

[mds141]

I quite like my caravan, aka, BXclub HQ. I certainly don't hold up traffic and if I do, I consider it payback, for all the times I've been held up by traffic when I've been out on the motorbike.

And what exactly constitutes a "petrolhead"? I've been messing around with cars, motorbikes, steam engines, diesel engines and the like since I could wipe my own arse. I don't consider myself a "petrolhead" though.

TBH I think the aforementioned phrase is something conjured up by the trio of middle aged imbeciles that host 'Top Gear'

Anyway, that's my two penneth worth.

[Mickey taker]

Most of thr members here are diesel heads or der(v)brains as I prefer to call them

[Des Smith]

Obviously touched a raw nerve here. I'm not about to change my opinion about caravans because I've seen the end result of too many caravan accidents and near-misses not to treat them as a potential hazard. I don't know whether the driver towing a caravan knows what they are doing or not, so safer to assume they don't. Same with any road user really - Riding a bike taught me that lesson very quickly.

I once towed a caravan with my 2CV.

Frankly, Ian, that image chills my blood. You deserve a VC or a straitjacket for even considering that.

I have been held up more often by morons on motorways in the the middle lane trundling along at 55 when I want to be going faster but am not allowed in the outside lane.

There are morons driving all sorts of vehicles and they don't just hog the centre lane. I've seen plenty of eedjits howling along at 85 in the fast lane with a trailer in tow and they scare me to death as well. It's not the speed, it's the stopping safely in a hurry that's the problem. It's not nice to see matchwood and personal possessions spread across the carriageway and a trashed car surrounded by emergency services. In my experience, the rolling roadblock effect happens on single-carriageway roads with plenty of bends and limited overtaking opportunities, not the motorway.

I used to tow with a skoda estelle before getting my 19 trs

At least no-one could accuse you of not having a sense of humour, Mick

And what exactly constitutes a "petrolhead"?

It's whatever you want it to mean, Mark. Take your pick...

1. A person who is overly reliant on the use of their car, resisting any suggestion to use other means of transport
2. Enthusiast of petrol engines or cars
3. Term of abuse used by environmentalists against car users

I tend to favour definition 2, but you choose.

Anyway, I'm not likely to become responsible for any draconian anti-caravan legislation anytime soon, so rest easy. Quick Mat, it's time we got back on thread - give us an update on your campervan before the lynch mob arrives!

[Dollywobbler]

It was a very small caravan!

[Paul296]

Surely saying all caravanners/caravans are dangerous is like saying all Scotsman are tight wads. It may well be that lots of them are, while many (quite rightly) would be offended at the very suggestion. Everyone pays road tax and that gives every one the right to use the road as the law says they are entitled, and with that entitlement comes the responsibility to drive safely. In my experience most caravanner's do precisely that. If you find yourself stuck behind one for longer than you'd like - chill out and enjoy the view; as far as public highways are concerned patience and common courtesy are very underrated virtue these days.