BMW 320d for towing...

NJ64 · 19 July 2020, 20:08

Curious... Do any fellow RIB owners tow with a BMW 320d? If so, would you mind telling me what boat you tow and how the car copes?

Thanks in advance!

gtflash · 20 July 2020, 07:54

Never tried it. Mrs had one, it’s not one of BMW’s most reliable engines and I was glad to see the back of it for fear of it costing a fortune.

Atsang · 20 July 2020, 21:54

Currently towing a 5.5m Humber coupled with a F100 yamaha with a f30 330d. Not the best car for towing. The auto box and engine are heavy enough on fuel when towing. Launching isn't a problem. But on a steep ramp the trailer can bottom out on the jockey wheel.

It's does the job, but to be honest, it will adventually become something more suitable.

The 330d is getting round 18mpg towing on a flat motorway at 60mph

Nos4r2 · 21 July 2020, 19:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by Atsang

The 330d is getting round 18mpg towing on a flat motorway at 60mph

That's shocking, I was getting that towing 2.5 tonnes of Ballistic 7.8 behind a 3 litre Hilux surf , including running round Cornwall with it

69cmw · 21 July 2020, 20:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by Atsang

Currently towing a 5.5m Humber coupled with a F100 yamaha with a f30 330d.
The 330d is getting round 18mpg towing on a flat motorway at 60mph

Ive been towing a caravan with a 335d xdrive tourer and got a lot more than that and some of that was a few mph faster than 60 ....

Tim M · 21 July 2020, 20:51

Not quite the same but I've had a 120d auto (same engine as 320d) for a couple of years. Have towed a 4m RIB to Sweden and back, and a 5.6m RIB around the South Coast. No issues at all on the road; plenty of power, get's up to cruising speed nicely, although the 1 series does feel very small with a trailer on the back. I'm sure my fuel consumption has been better than the 18mpg quoted above but I've never really monitored. That engine as mentioned above is known for a few issues including the turbo; if towing hard and it's got a few miles on the clock its worth swapping the turbo out for a reconditioned unit as the cost is pretty minimal and it's very common fault.

beamishken · 21 July 2020, 21:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by Atsang

Currently towing a 5.5m Humber coupled with a F100 yamaha with a f30 330d. Not the best car for towing. The auto box and engine are heavy enough on fuel when towing. Launching isn't a problem. But on a steep ramp the trailer can bottom out on the jockey wheel.

It's does the job, but to be honest, it will adventually become something more suitable.

The 330d is getting round 18mpg towing on a flat motorway at 60mph

Sounds like you have an issue with the car have you checked its getting up to temperature properly? The stats fail and they run cold which cripples fuel consumption on them

A1an · 21 July 2020, 21:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by Atsang

The 330d is getting round 18mpg towing on a flat motorway at 60mph

It’s broken.

Atsang · 21 July 2020, 23:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nos4r2

That's shocking, I was getting that towing 2.5 tonnes of Ballistic 7.8 behind a 3 litre Hilux surf , including running round Cornwall with it

Yeaaa it's terrible! I don't think the power band suits towing. As the box is always dropping gears to keep the pull on the trailer.

To be honest, I think it'll be getting swapped out for something more suited. But unfortunately that's going to have to wait, as a house and a wedding has to come first... Or so I'm told... 😂

Without the trailer on she will sit around 38 mpg that's a mixture of fast motorway miles and in and out of town.

Atsang · 21 July 2020, 23:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by 69cmw

Ive been towing a caravan with a 335d xdrive tourer and got a lot more than that and some of that was a few mph faster than 60 ....

Towed my mates caravan last week as his new q7 hasn't a towbar fitted yet. And it was round 16 to 18mpg on the motorway round 60ish...

I would of thought the xdrive would of been worse than my non x drive 330d...

Atsang · 21 July 2020, 23:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by beamishken

Sounds like you have an issue with the car have you checked its getting up to temperature properly? The stats fail and they run cold which cripples fuel consumption on them

Yea she heats up nicely from cold, but another comment above mentions the turbo may need looked at........

Never thought I would be diagnosing upcoming car trouble from a thread on towing a boat... ��

But I'd love it if I could get more than 18mpg when towing... As it is crippling!!!!

Searider · 22 July 2020, 09:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by Atsang

Yea she heats up nicely from cold, but another comment above mentions the turbo may need looked at........

Never thought I would be diagnosing upcoming car trouble from a thread on towing a boat... ��

But I'd love it if I could get more than 18mpg when towing... As it is crippling!!!!

My 3.5 V8 petrol Range Rover used to get almost 20mpg towing a 5.5m RIB!

Bjohnson · 23 July 2020, 12:34

Thats shocking fuel economy for a diesel! I've got a 335D XDrive, whilst i dont use it to tow my boat, it rarely dips below 42mpg and thats a combination of town driving, motorways and some very spirited driving.

I have a T5.1 with a DSG (auto) box (a 180hp engine) that i use to regularly launch my 6.5m rib, plus towing if i have to move the boat for servicing, winter storage etc. Towing is usually round some pretty narrow lanes and roads in Devon so never really gets a chance to stretch its legs and its always up and down hills. The T5.1 regularly returns high 30's mpg and when towing the rib will drop to mid 20s given the types of roads i usually have to tow along.