VZ Commodore economy please

Most likely expensive and downright deadly!

I just like to look at an issue which will put my family and other road user at risk.

Why are you intending to tow a van with a vehicle at almost the same weight? By the time you will load up you will certainly be over 2 ton and you using a vehicle which weighs less.

Suggest you look at an upgrade of vehicle with better capacity to tow what you like or stay off the road altogether.

You are putting my family and other road users at risk. I cannot emphasis this point enough.

Cheers.

Dave,
Not sure what economy you would get.
Friend has the model before and gets about 16 to 18l/100k towing a 1300kg van on the highway at 90km/hr.
Had to do a few mods to make it work though.
Tranny cooler, weight transfer bars. Went for the heaviest to bar he could get, and a few mods to the rear end to attach it.
Still had a cooling problem, got to keep the nose down on the commodores.

What mods are you doing to yours to tow the van?
Just interested to see if Holden have changed the car design very much.

HI Dave as Feral has said mate not a good idea. No I dont own a van (camper only) but have towed my old mans many a time and let me tell you what I think of towing a 1600kg van behind a VX spack 3.8 153kw auto, deadly is my answer. Brakes are bleep house on the commodore, front brake shudder will be a guarantee and so will fade at the slightest down hill run even with electric brakes on van. Fuel will be roughly 18 per 100 and rear tyre wear due to the bleep house IRS set up on commodores will see your rear tyres stuffed at about 25/30 thou. Holden are crazy. They sell three different rated genuine bars 1200kg, 1600kg and 2100kg, now there is no way on earth I would pull anything 2100kg behind a commodore. I presume you have the 2100 on yours and it should have come with boot bracing for either side, acouple of heat shields for exhaust. Now for holden to offer bracing for the boot thats telling me straight away this thing aint meant to pull that sort of weight, you would also need to add a tranny cooler as you will cook it. Not sure what bracing they give you for a wagon ?? You will be well over 2 tonne with all the gear,water, fuel. For memory my commodore weighed 1520kg yours would be a tad more still not enough. I bet the caravan sales man said no worries mate commodore will tow it a piece of bleep ?? The comodore also has cramp low down grunt, a falcon will out pull it no problem. Pulling up the f3 mooney mooney will see you in second gear (auto) foot flat and hunting revving its nut out between first and second. Just my opinion from towing with as said my old VX commodore. Regards Steve M PS by the way Im commodore mad so not being judgemental on what your driving. Can check out my members pics of my garage wall next to prado.

With the correct rated towbar (uo to 2100 kg) installed and auto trans oil cooler the Commodore has proven to be a capable and reliable tow vehicle. With an 1850 kg van fullly loaded I suggest that you will be at maximum or over the capacity of your vehicle. You will then run into problems with (recommended) 10% (minnimum) to 15% tow ball weight (210 - 300kg) which may well be exceeding the capacity of your towbar. At such weights you will be placing maximum load/strain onto your rear suspension and tyres. You would most definetly require a WDH (Weight Distribution Hitch probably a 350 kg model). You then have to consider the maximum carrying capacity of your vehicle and subtract the towball weight which won't leave you with a great deal of carrying capacity in the vehicle and may in fact reduce you to only 2 passengers. I don't have the VZ handbook so check it for maximum carrying capacity, kerb weight subtract low from high (obviously) and that's all you can load into the vehicle after subtracting towball weight. As for fuel consumption. Irrelevant when towing. WIth an extra 2 tonnes or so plus wind resistance you could expect to use 50% - 100% extra fuel.

I'm confused?

When I lived in Europe I towed a 22' (7m) twin axle caravan, complete with shower, water system and central heating plus two children, one wife (who needs more? :) and all the usual kit all over Europe including across 8000 feet high passes with an automatic (no cooler) Rover 2.6lt SD1, straight six. This was considered to be a more than adequate rig for the job and was proven to be so.

Drive down any autoroute in Europe and note the number of 1600cc/2lt cars towing 15 foot vans.

Mike Harding

Hello Dave, Yeah a pity, but I think previouse responses hit the nail on the head.
We bought a new V6 3 Litre camry and later bought a van, Tare weight about 1150 Kg & by the time we load it up with essentials etc we are up about 1400/1450 Kg. We have got the Hayman Reese weight distribution kit etc which does a great job on levelling the lot out.
Before we bought the van all the experts told us the Camry would be OK. And yes we are as I understand it, ball weight etc, Legal. But.......... We are on the "edge"
& that worries me, and so it should!! So, while we like our van & intend to keep it & my wife likes her Camry(wish she didn't), We are about to buy a more suitable vehicle that will both satisfy my work needs @ double as a tow vehicle. We are @ the moment considering a Freestyle cab, 3 Litre intercooled turbo diesel which has a towing capacity of 3000 Kg and a ball weight capabily well beyond our needs. We are going this way for ours & other road users safety.
For what it is worth we did a trip last September, pulling the van with the Camry, from Newcastle, out though Bourke, Central western Qld. across to the "three ways", Ayres Rock, Cooper Pedy, Broken hill, Cobar, Dubbo, Home. Distance was about 9000 Ks. Average fuel consumption for total trip was 18 Litres/100 KM. Worst leg(strong headwind, but it happens,often!!) was 28 Litres 100 Ks, best leg 16 Litrres/100 Km.Without van the Camry returns 9 Litres 100 ks on Hwy & about 13 Litres 100 Ks around town. Best wishes on your travels

Hi Dave,

Is your wagon a V6 or V8?
My wagon is a VYII but the following might help a little.
I tow 1900kg from time to time, usually 1/2 hour in town and 3/4hr on highway.
If I recall correctly, I average 19 to 21L/100 depending on number of red lights and traffic flow. I haven't used a full tank whilst towing so the figures are just a guide.

I use the WDH, have 2100kg kit, wagon came standard with big brakes all round, 270kw/475nm and self levelling rear suspension which works a treat, all wheel drive. A V6 will probably use more fuel as will be working a lot harder.

(the specs on my wagon show the absurdity of towing regs i.e. a standard, poverty pack falcon sedan without all wheel drive, with piddly little brakes, 30% less power, standard tyres and suspension - can LEGALLY tow 200kg more. What a joke.)