Towing
Posted: Wed Sep 02, 2015 2:30 am
Took possession of Tekna 1.6d auto just over a month ago. Wrote a quick review at the time which was posted under the heading of 'initial thoughts'. In that review there were a few things I could not report on e.g. its towing ability and the user friendliness of its technology. I did report on the auto box and was full of praise on its performance and smoothness; the auto box features in this review as well. Technology: I use Nissan connect in its basic form - I do not communicate via apps, don't download anything and have no desire to read my emails sitting in my car, [ok, I'm and old guy"]]. I do, however, like everything else. The display is bright and clear and has a good range of adjustment to suit my eyes. I like the cameras with high praise for the reversing monitor. I have read some poor reports regarding the radio sound quality but I think it's ok and the system linked to my iPod and phone without trouble. The two big items for me are the Parking Assist and the Sat Nav. The self parking system was something I wanted as I thought it would help ease the pain in my aching shoulders, eventually, I got it nailed. However, I advise you to practise in a quiet car park and not do as I did and use the local Tesco on a Saturday morning. Horns a blaring, fingers wagging and me, red faced but determined to carry on; what a plonker... Now I can park fairly quickly and it works a treat but BEWARE, sometimes if the lanes are narrower than normal, or your starting position is a little too far out, the 'blue box' on the monitor can take you into obstructions e.g. a parked car!! It's easy to override but watch out. The Sat Nav is quite easy to set up and so far has been accurate. Towing: I have been caravanning for over 20 years and have experienced manual and auto towing. My previous car was a Merc 1.8 petrol auto, I had the car for 10 years. It was never brilliant at towing but it wasn't a bad one either. The secret of safe towing is to make sure the car is the boss, that means it must be heavier than the caravan when the caravan is fully loaded. Towing with an automatic is probably the best way to relax when towing but check the log book as the towing limits for autos are usually lower than manuals. The limit for my QQ is 1400kg; the caravan when fully loaded is about 1200 so the margin is good. Just got back from a trip to a regular haunt in Pembrokeshire so I had a good comparison with the Merc, i.e. same route. The diesel engine pulled well and it was easy to keep up with traffic. The hills/inclines were well taken - the Merc would need to be slowed to 40/45mph to keep the engine revs sensible but the QQ flew up at a steady 50mph. I toyed with keeping the transmission in wholly auto and then experimenting with the semi auto to see if there were any tricks to learn. However, I found keeping it in full auto was best for the car and for me - just point and go. The only issue I came across was the front wheel drive. I found that the traction was different to the Merc on the wet grassy field [no mud, just wet grass"]]. The weight of the trailer on the hitch meant the Merc [rear wheel drive"]] was able to pull away without a problem; the QQ slipped until I eased off the throttle. Once I remembered it was front wheel drive it was ok. just a little embarrassed when people saw me arriving in a 4x4 lookalike and failed to move on a flat field!! The Merc pulled away faster from a standing start but the QQ is by far the better tower [petrol v diesel"]] So, after a month I'm really getting to like the car. The Merc was more comfortable and quieter but after 5 weeks or so I'm getting used to the sound of the diesel and the comfort levels are not a million miles apart. Sorry it's a long post but I hope it's helpful. Mike