Towing a Geist van

By Tom Olthoff

Since their first appearance at the 2004 Brisbane Caravan and Camping Show, the high-quality, German-made Geist caravans have impressed audiences near and far.

At the 2005 Adelaide show in February it seemed as if every patron at one time or another was at the Geist stand. A common question asked was, "How do they tow?", and fortunately CW was given the opportunity to find out.

Geist importer Oakhurst International Caravans is located in Maryborough, 250km north of Brisbane. Wayne Moller, the company's sales director, was keen to get as many new models to the Adelaide show as possible, but finding suitable transport wasn't going to be easy. During a weak moment this journalist suggested that taking a van from Maryborough to Adelaide would make a good towing exercise and story. Coming up with the idea was one thing - making it work was something else. With Wayne's assistance, as well as that of Mitsubishi and Family Parks of Australia, it all came together.

The return journey saw us go through Dalby, Moree, Dubbo, West Wyalong, Hay and Ouyen. By the time we were back in Adelaide, nine days after we departed, we had added nearly 5000km to the odometer.

The tow vehicle
Geist caravans, compared to their Australian counterparts, are generally much lighter in construction as a result of innovative manufacturing processes. To take advantage of this we decided to use a passenger sedan that normally might be overlooked for towing a van of these dimensions. The model LV485 that CW was entrusted with has an internal length of 4.8m and a Tare of 1200kg, including the spacious shower and toilet area. We chatted to the helpful people at Mitsubishi who offered us a top-of-the-range Verada. Like the Magna, the Verada's towing capacity is 1500kg and is allowed 150kg on the ball.

These days the Magna/Verada range all have the high-tech 3.5 litre V6, that provides great performance combined with excellent economy. Its on-road manners are impeccable and after sitting in the car for nearly 5000km over eight days, comfort rated highly. It is not only the supportive seats with multiple adjustments, but also the quietness and smooth ride that impress.

Another plus is the size of the boot, which easily accommodated our Waeco fridge/freezer, towing equipment, as well as tools and personal belongings.

Mitsubishi's electronically controlled five-speed automatic transmission with sequential manual shift works a treat. Having five ratios to choose from means that, irrespective of the conditions, there is always a gear that suits. On downhill runs when engine braking is helpful, it is a simple matter of pushing the gear lever to the left and selecting the appropriate gear by 'flicking' the lever back.

The van
The six Geist models currently available in Australia range from a single-axle 4.7m interior length caravan to the 6.6m luxurious tandem Utopia. Tare weights are between 1145kg and 1600kg. All models have a large shower, toilet and vanity, or more correctly bathrooms, as the toilet is separate from the shower, except for the five-berth model.

Owning a Geist doesn't mean going without. Across the range you'll find a galvanised V-Tech chassis specifically designed for Australian conditions, independent suspension, double glazing, alloy wheels, water heater, battery, ducted heating and insulated walls, floor and roof, to mention just a few of the many desirable features.

Like all Geist models, the Lifestyle LV485 that we hitched behind the Verada is a conventional full-height caravan. There are no pop-tops in the range, so if you want to store your van under a low carport or garage you will miss out on the state-of-the-art Geist features.

In typical European fashion the huge front lounge that easily seats six adults converts to either two single beds or one very spacious double. The kitchen takes up the centre section while the bathroom is at the rear.

As far as an efficient use of space is concerned, you can't do much better.

Stability
Having heard a lot about the low ball loads of European vans, I have to admit initially being a little apprehensive about towing the van. Although Geist claims that with the standard Winterhof stabiliser there is no need for additional towing equipment, according to Mitsubishi's towing advice we should use a weight-distribution hitch for the loads and speeds that would be involved.

Because of the neat design of the drawbar it is not easy to fit any load-levelling equipment. At departure time when we lowered the Geist onto the Verada, the sag in the back of the car indicated that there must be a reasonable amount of ball weight. Travelling some of Queensland's undulating roads it was soon apparent this was not an ideal arrangement.

We decided to empty the 75 litre water tank, which was near the front of the van. While this reduced the weight on the ball, it had the effect of increasing the pitching of the van, which made for an uncomfortable ride, to say the least. Interestingly, during this period, or for that matter the entire trip, directional stability was never a concern. However, as the Winterhof stabiliser discouraged movement between the ball and the coupling, any sideways caravan movement caused by buffeting side winds was transferred to the car.

At our first overnight stop at Goondiwindi I decided it was time for some experimentation. With the help of Gundy Star Tourist Park owner Gerry Golder we managed to fit a weight-distribution hitch to the rig. The next day the ride was noticeably better as most of the pitching was cancelled out by the spring bars of the hitch. We could have opted to travel more slowly, but as the van was needed in Adelaide we didn't have a day to spare.

Economy
Based on previous experiences with the Magna and Verada we had high expectations for the fuel economy - we weren't disappointed. On the solo journey from Adelaide to Maryborough the car averaged 8.9L/100km with an average speed for the trip of 94km/h. The best was 8.6L/100km on a cool, windless morning, with the worst being 9.3L/100km - this included driving through Brisbane accompanied by a tropical downpour.

We had hoped for some really impressive consumption figures with the van in tow, but head and side winds most of the way put paid to that idea. Nevertheless, considering that we were towing a full-height caravan and the average speed was 82km/h we were very happy with the 15.1L/100km we achieved.

It indicates that if we had towed at more sedate speeds and the winds had been kinder the consumption would certainly have been impressive. No doubt the Geist's smooth lines would help greatly in this respect.

Our best for the trip was 13.5L/100km: we set the cruise control on 80km/h, with the average speed being 74km/h when blessed with a slight tail wind. On the stretch between West Wyalong and Hay - while pushing into a strong wind and with the cruise control set on 90km/h - consumption increased to 18.8L/100km. This shows that faster speeds, particularly when towing, use up more fuel.

The bottom line
There are still many who believe it is necessary to own a large 4WD to tow a van or travel around our country, but that is certainly not the case. I believe that in the next few years, due to the ever-increasing cost of fuel, we are going to see fewer thirsty, petrol-engined 4WDs towing big vans on our roads. Of course if you are spending the kids' inheritance, go for what your heart desires, but those with budget constraints can still enjoy the leisure lifestyle of caravanning without having to rough it.

Our towing exercise with the Mitsubishi Verada and Geist caravan proves that if you use a well engineered vehicle and tow a well designed caravan, it doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg to tow your accommodation behind you. And when you drive a car such as the Verada or Magna, and tow a creature comfort-laden caravan, you can relax and do it in style.

As far as onroad stability is concerned there is no doubt that if you want to tow a trailer safely you have to make sure that the majority of the load is in front of the axle. However if in relation to layout, suspension and load carrying space, a caravan is designed from the outset to tow with a reduced amount of ball load, and a compatible tow vehicle is used, there shouldn't be any undue concerns.

It is worth noting that the Geist brochure only shows layouts that have centre kitchens. No doubt the manufacturer realises it is an advantage to have the heavier items centrally located above the wheels.

At the Adelaide show I noted recommendations for minimum and maximum ball weights for each Geist van. My suggestion is that you stick to the maximum loads unless you want to drive slowly on mainly smooth roads. Most will agree that the latter doesn't reflect caravanning conditions.

The German-built Geist caravans are a welcome addition to the large range already on the Australian market. While their price may put them out of reach of the budget-minded buyer, there will be enough discerning caravanners to appreciate the different approach and high quality provided.

According to Wayne Moller, the number of orders taken at the show by local dealer Global Caravans was well above expectations, indicating the range is already enjoying strong sales.

Where possible CW stayed in parks that come under the banner of Family Parks of Australia (FPA). Since its inception in 1990, FPA now has over 150 parks Australia-wide. We found the staff to be most helpful and the facilities in keeping with FPA's aims.

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