A towbar for my Focus or buy a Citroen Berlingo?
Should I buy a Citroen Berlingo (or similar) or put a towbar onto my 2000 Focus? I need something to carry lots of trees/logs for firewood. Is it a waste of money putting a towbar on my 13-year old Focus 1.6 petrol saloon and purchasing a trailer or would a three-seat van be better value and more economical? I have two small kids so I need something to carry them and all their gear also (for school runs etc.). Or would some sort of pick-up or SUV suit me better? Motor tax, fuel economy etc. are all factors to consider, thanks
K C (Cork)May 2013 Filed under: towing
Expert answer
Hi Keith,
No, it's not a waste of time at all. It's almost always better value to keep and fix an existing car rather than pay the cost-of-change to upgrade to something newer. That said, if you're convinced you need a better solution, then you won't do better than to go for one of the many car-vans on offer now. The Renault Kangoo and Citroen Berlingo are the best known versions, but there are also similar models available from Fiat, Volkswagen and Peugeot. My personal pick would be the Fiat Doblo, fitted with the 1.6- or 1.3-litre MultiJet diesel engines. You'll find the cabin surprisingly comfy, it's quite pleasant to drive, very economical and good on tax and massively spacious in the back. There's even a seven-seat version available if you want to be really popular at the school gate.
Neil Briscoe - Complete Car Adviser@neilmbriscoe