It’s the age-old question when you’re buying a car: new or used? Working out the answer becomes that bit more complicated if you also need to tow a caravan. There’s so much to consider before you decide.
Pulling a tourer takes a lot out of a vehicle. As a result, you’re going to want an option which is stable, practical, reliable and comfortable. But whatever your budget, here’s our expert guide to choosing between a new and a used tow car.
Buying a new car or used car – the points to consider:
Setting a budget
Before you make your way too far along the decision-making process, you’ll need to set a budget for your caravan tow car. How much of your savings can you spare? If you will be buying on finance, how much can you afford to pay off each month without being overstretched?
The cost of new vehicles has increased considerably in the past few years. Many superminis, for example, now cost more than £20,000, with mid-sized family cars often priced at well over £30,000.
So the less you have to spend, the more likely it is that a used car is going to be your most sensible option.
In fact, buying in the pre-owned market could be your only option for affording a car that’s going to be heavy enough and powerful enough for towing a caravan.
However, a tight budget isn’t a barrier to towing – a 10-year-old Kia Sorento can cost from around £7500, for example, and there are capable tow cars that cost less.
Value for money
Whichever way you cut it, you get more for your money with a secondhand car. The difference is most stark at the more affordable end of the market, but it holds true as prices increase.
For example, £53,995 will buy you a new Honda CR-V e:PHEV Advance Tech. It has a kerbweight of 1919kg and a maximum towing figure of 1500kg.
For a similar price, you could buy a BMW X5 45e M Sport on a 71-plate with around 30,000 miles on the clock. The BMW has more power, a higher kerbweight of 2510kg, and a superior maximum towing capacity of 2700kg. It’s also a 4×4 for towing a caravan, whereas the Honda is two-wheel drive.
Whether you buy new or used, you can expect the car to be worth less over time. However, the most rapid loss in value is over the first year on the road, so you’ll get back more of what you spend now in a few years’ time if you buy secondhand.
Peace of mind
The obvious counterargument is that a new car offers greater peace of mind. You know that your new vehicle has been driven with mechanical sympathy and serviced on time, because you’re the one taking care of it.
While you can check up on the service history of a used car, you won’t find it so easy to discover if the previous owner has driven carefully, or whether the dealer’s air freshener is disguising the smell of cigarette smoke or wet dog.
Perhaps the most powerful argument for a new car is the longer warranty cover. This typically lasts three years or 60,000 miles. The mileage may be unlimited.
A number of manufacturers offer much longer cover. A new Hyundai comes with a five-year unlimited-mileage warranty. Choose a Kia and the cover will last for seven years and 100,000 miles.
Toyota is now offering cover for up to 10 years and 100,000 miles, but there is a condition – the car must be serviced within the franchised network to keep adding a year to the warranty package.
If you buy a used car within the original warranty period, you can expect the warranty to be transferred over to you. Even if the manufacturer’s warranty has expired, used car dealers will generally offer buyers some cover.
Manufacturer-approved used cars from main dealerships usually have a one-year warranty package. Independent dealers might include some cover, perhaps for three months, with longer policies being available at extra cost.
It’s simple enough for a used car buyer to arrange their own warranty from the likes of Motor Easy (motoreasy.com) or Warranty Direct (warrantydirect.co.uk). Cover can include extras such as roadside assistance and MOT insurance, which covers the cost of an MOT failure.
Fitting towing gear
You’re going to want to consider matching a car to a caravan when picking any vehicle, whether it’s new or pre-owned. With a new car, buyers can usually specify that the car is built with factory-fit towing gear. In some cases, the vehicle may not be available with factory-fit towing equipment, but it can be added at the dealership before delivery to the customer.
Modern factory-fit towbars and electrics are often of the drop-down kind, which is concealed when not in use and moves into place at the push of a button. This handy convenience costs, however – you can reckon on paying £1000 or more.
With a used car, you might get lucky and find a model that already has a towbar and electrics fitted. Nine times out of 10, this is a good thing, but pay attention to whether the clutch is slipping on the test drive. This could be a sign that the car hasn’t been driven very sympathetically or that it has been asked to tow a very heavy caravan or trailer.
If a used car doesn’t have towing gear, you should make sure that the vehicle you are thinking of buying is approved for towing. For example, most recent Škoda models can only tow if the car has been prepared for towing when built. If it hasn’t, it won’t be possible to fit towing gear later.
You can check by looking at the VIN plate, which will show four numbers. Take the first weight (the gross vehicle weight) away from the second weight (the gross train weight) to check how much the car can tow. If the second weight is missing or listed as 0kg, the car cannot tow.
Some models have different towing limits, depending on whether the towing gear is factory-fitted or not, as extra cooling is installed on the production line as well as the towbar and electrics. Again, check the VIN plate.
Don’t forget a pair of the best caravan towing mirrors either, to help you stay safe and legal when you’re on the road.
The verdict on buying a new or used car
There’s no hard and fast rule as to whether buying a new tow car is a better buy than a used one. Personal preference will pay a big part – some of us crave that new car feeling, others are happier knowing their budget is going as far as possible.
New cars have longer warranties and the latest technology, and can be specified to suit the owner. But a quality used car makes your budget go further, allowing you to buy a bigger, heavier, more powerful tow car.
If you’ve settled on a pre-owned vehicle, knowing where to buy a used car will be the next step, with a range of pros and cons to consider to help you find where to shop.
Future Publishing Limited, the publisher of Practical Caravan, provides the information in this article in good faith and makes no representation as to its completeness or accuracy. Individuals carrying out the instructions do so at their own risk and must exercise their independent judgement in determining the appropriateness of the advice to their circumstances and skill level. Individuals should take appropriate safety precautions and be aware of the risk of electrocution when dealing with electrical products. To the fullest extent permitted by law, neither Future nor its employees or agents shall have any liability in connection with the use of this information. You should check that any van warranty will not be affected before proceeding with DIY projects.
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