Towing

[snow white]

Hi lads thinking of buying a Nissan np300 auto it’s a 2017 model it’s got a tow bar on it i am a bit worried about tow bar do you think it would hurt the gearbox. 

                 Thanks for looking Tony

[Dave at kelton]

Guess it depends what you what wait you are towing. I know a few people who have deliberately bought auto pickups as it makes towing easier.

I tow light weight trailers with mine.

[strimmer_13]

My boss is getting rid of the manual 18plate and getting the auto just because he hates towing in manual (tows a 750kg chipper). 

[Vince Green]

All towing vehicles in USA are auto box. Trucks, vans and cars.

But auto or manual, towing your max weight is a strain on the gearbox, Really you don't want to tow more than two thirds of your max

Coming up the M3 this afternoon I saw a Ford Focus  sized vehicle towing a really big caravan. It might have been legal (just!) on paper but his gearbox oil would be boiling and he would have been working very hard. All right on the motorway but he was going to hit the stop start traffic on the M25 about 5pm on a Friday. Good luck with that!   

[chrisjpainter]

2 hours ago, snow white said:

Hi lads thinking of buying a Nissan np300 auto it’s a 2017 model it’s got a tow bar on it i am a bit worried about tow bar do you think it would hurt the gearbox. 

                 Thanks for looking Tony

Can I just check something? Are you looking to tow, or are you worried about what the towing by previous owners would have done to its gearbox? The answer to this is above to. If you're able to, find out from the previous owners what's been on the back. If it's a small caravan, or a small boat you'll be fine, but a big double horse box carrying two clydesdales is a different kettle of fish! The weight guidance above is good advice, so if the car's been towing close to its maximum, there's going to have been a lot of work put on the gearbox and that's a potential expensive bill just around the corner.

[al4x]

11 hours ago, snow white said:

Hi lads thinking of buying a Nissan np300 auto it’s a 2017 model it’s got a tow bar on it i am a bit worried about tow bar do you think it would hurt the gearbox. 

                 Thanks for looking Tony

They are built to tow so buy on condition.  If it looks like an ex farm vehicle be a little scared but if it’s had usual use then I would take it as a £500 plus point as that seems to be the rate to fit a pickup tow bar. I’ve had a fair few now and touch wood never had gearbox problems 

[snow white]

Chrispainter I am worried what been on the back of it I was looking for one without tow bar but this right price and not to far to go and few.

             Thank you all for your reply’s.

[Centrepin]

Some dealers remove towbars to make vehicles more appealing. 

These days all buses, all lorries especially artics are auto, im not sure you can even get manual as special order anymore.

If in doubt, do a gearbox oil change and flush. Unless it's been driven hard and there will be other tell tale signs of that methinks it should be fine.

Although outdated, for anyone unsure of towing, the caravan clubs advice of no more than 85% of the kerb weight for an inexperienced driver is still good. 

[London Best]

14 hours ago, strimmer_13 said:

My boss is getting rid of the manual 18plate and getting the auto just because he hates towing in manual (tows a 750kg chipper). 

If you can even FEEL a 750kg tow you need a better tow vehicle! That is so light it does not even need to be braked.

[stumpy69]

I have never had a np300 but on my third D40, all auto, all regularly towing 2.5tonne plus and a twin axle caravan. First one did 189,986 miles before I blew the engine when the thermostat stuck and I was towing a twin axle caravan up a hill. Second one I got rid of at 142,000 miles only gearbox problem I had with that one was a leak on the transmission oil cooler which is mounted at the front of the truck and had corroded, would have happened even if I had never towed with it. Now have a V6 which has done 92,000 miles and no problems.

If I was you I wouldn't worry too much about it having a tow bar on, they seem to cope pretty well.