Towing A Lambo On A Trailer In France - *Advice*

Towing A Lambo On A Trailer In France - *Advice*

Author
Discussion

H4HOW

Original Poster:

107 posts

194 months

Tuesday 15th March 2022
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Hi All ✌

Looking for some friendly advice from a continental PH'er or someone with good knowledge of road law in France.

This summer I'm heading to the South of France for a long overdue holiday followed by a slow journey up to Lake Como to attend a wedding, heading back to the UK after the wedding.

The original plan was to drive my Huracan Performante from my home in the North of England to the SOF however, the thought of 1000 miles there and 1000 miles back in carbon bucket seats does not errrr, how to say.... "remplis moi de joie."

SO. After considering having the car hauled there and back via road freight for a fee of roughly £6000 which would not be my preference, I would like to know if it's possible to tow a trailer carrying my Lamborghini?

My research leads me to believe that subject to the total laden weight of the two cars and the trailer not exceeding 3500KG i can legally do this on a standard license, is anyone able to confirm this for me?

I anticipate that the total weight would marginally surpass the 3500KG limit, maybe hitting 3800KG. Acknowledging that i am breaking the law, am i lightly to have any serious issues with the Gendarmerie?

Thanks In Advance 👍

Ziplobb

1,410 posts

291 months

Tuesday 15th March 2022
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I think you need to sit yourself down in a corner and have a long hard chat with yourself. You have Lambo and the opportunity of a European roadtrip and you think the answer is towing the Lambo ???

Seriously my mate has driven his Caterham all over Europe. Others drivebold cars from the 60s and 70s

Take the Lambo

arfur

3,893 posts

221 months

Tuesday 15th March 2022
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I'll drive it down for you ...

H4HOW

Original Poster:

107 posts

194 months

Tuesday 15th March 2022
quotequote all
If i could take 3 or 4 days getting down there i would but i leave Northern England on the Friday and need to be in SOF by Sunday morning 10am latest, all motorway miles so would be wasted on a Lambo!

Matt_E_Mulsion

1,713 posts

72 months

Tuesday 15th March 2022
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Well I've done The Midlands to the Nurburgring (approx 500 miles) bent double on a super sports bike with my luggage in a rucksack in one hit more than once. 1000 miles in a Lamborghini sounds a breeze in comparison.

Super Sonic

7,250 posts

61 months

Tuesday 15th March 2022
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Guess you could lighten up the Lamb by emptying the petrol and maybe removing some nonessential parts like the engine.
Or get some cushions!

Chris Stott

14,532 posts

204 months

Tuesday 15th March 2022
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£6k???

Someone I do some work for here in Marbella has just had an etype and an SLS shipped down n a covered transporter for around £2.5kea.

harrycovert

452 posts

183 months

Wednesday 16th March 2022
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H4HOW said:
If i could take 3 or 4 days getting down there i would but i leave Northern England on the Friday and need to be in SOF by Sunday morning 10am latest, all motorway miles so would be wasted on a Lambo!
Read Motoring My Way by Stanley Sedgwick for inspiration especially the section were he takes a RR Corniche to the South of France and back for the day.

AndrewCrown

2,320 posts

121 months

Sunday 3rd April 2022
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H4HOW

Interesting conundrum but you maybe over complicating it.

Calais to say St Tropez is easily a 10-11 hour drive from Calais. You could so that on a Saturday.
The French autoroutes are in general a breeze to drive, nothing like the UK.. and they collect huge amounts of data on them so you can almost predict by the day how long this will take.

There is also a very well trodden path of Brits sending their cars down to be with their yachts & villas and back again.. £6k is ridiculous..Put the job in Shiply or uship and transporters will compete for the job. I have done this plenty of times... easy secure and well insured.







Oilchange

8,761 posts

267 months

Sunday 3rd April 2022
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"total laden weight of the two cars and the trailer not exceeding 3500KG i can legally do this on a standard license"

What is this please?

If you take a Land Rover Discovery, you can tow behind it 3500kg.
So Disco plus 3.5 tonnes.

CarCrazyDad

4,280 posts

42 months

Sunday 3rd April 2022
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Drive your car man FFS!!!!

Alex@POD

6,326 posts

222 months

Monday 4th April 2022
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Oilchange said:
"total laden weight of the two cars and the trailer not exceeding 3500KG i can legally do this on a standard license"

What is this please?

If you take a Land Rover Discovery, you can tow behind it 3500kg.
So Disco plus 3.5 tonnes.
You can't exceed 3.5t on a standard licence, unless your trailer is less than 750kg then you can go up to 4250kg total. Beyond that you need to pass the trailer test.

Mike-tf3n0

573 posts

89 months

Monday 4th April 2022
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I've just sent a Lotus back to the UK from SOF and it cost less than £2k through Shipley. They were a complete pain to deal with constantly changing collection times and days, that went on for a week but when they did arrive the pick up and subsequent transport and delivery went OK.

jfdi

1,139 posts

182 months

Monday 4th April 2022
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Alex@POD said:
You can't exceed 3.5t on a standard licence, unless your trailer is less than 750kg then you can go up to 4250kg total. Beyond that you need to pass the trailer test.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/new-rules-for-towing-a...

UK the rules have all changed. No idea about the rules for France though.

Alex@POD

6,326 posts

222 months

Monday 4th April 2022
quotequote all
jfdi said:
Alex@POD said:
You can't exceed 3.5t on a standard licence, unless your trailer is less than 750kg then you can go up to 4250kg total. Beyond that you need to pass the trailer test.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/new-rules-for-towing-a...

UK the rules have all changed. No idea about the rules for France though.
Yes you're right, I completely forgot about this! Thanks for the reminder.

Still doesn't make it a good idea in this case though biggrin

Rushjob

1,982 posts

265 months

Monday 4th April 2022
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Alex@POD said:
jfdi said:
Alex@POD said:
You can't exceed 3.5t on a standard licence, unless your trailer is less than 750kg then you can go up to 4250kg total. Beyond that you need to pass the trailer test.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/new-rules-for-towing-a...

UK the rules have all changed. No idea about the rules for France though.
Yes you're right, I completely forgot about this! Thanks for the reminder.

Still doesn't make it a good idea in this case though biggrin
The only problem you might have is if stopped in France or involved in an accident and you have a post 1994 licence without B&E on it. We know that you're now allowed to drive with a trailer up to 3.5T, but if it isn't currently on your licence it could be an interesting conversation in French.........

ChocolateFrog

28,615 posts

180 months

Monday 4th April 2022
quotequote all
Alex@POD said:
Oilchange said:
"total laden weight of the two cars and the trailer not exceeding 3500KG i can legally do this on a standard license"

What is this please?

If you take a Land Rover Discovery, you can tow behind it 3500kg.
So Disco plus 3.5 tonnes.
You can't exceed 3.5t on a standard licence, unless your trailer is less than 750kg then you can go up to 4250kg total. Beyond that you need to pass the trailer test.
I thought B+E rules had gone now.

Anyone can tow 3.5t assuming their car is rated to tow as much.

iguana

7,055 posts

267 months

Monday 4th April 2022
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Do not use shiply for this type of job seriously!

It's a return load site, the absolute bottom feeders of the industry, cowboys aplenty & usually inadequate insurance, or to CMR prices, does an £8k a tonne payout so say a £14k payout help much for a written off £200k lamborghini?

Call proper transport companies! Sure £6k is a tad ridiculous expensive, so no idea why you got quotes for that much.

I was on a SOF collection last wk, enclosed transporter & a £2 million value car & it wasn't close to a 6k bill!

ChocolateFrog

28,615 posts

180 months

Monday 4th April 2022
quotequote all
Surely you've got a mate who would be only too happy to drive it down for you for moderate expenses and a flight back.

Insurance, Fuel, flight and some food can't come to that much.

Towing it sounds like greater torture than driving it.

Rushjob

1,982 posts

265 months

Monday 4th April 2022
quotequote all
ChocolateFrog said:
I thought B+E rules had gone now.

Anyone can tow 3.5t assuming their car is rated to tow as much.
No, B+E still exists as a category otherwise you couldn't tow a trailer over 750kg behind your car. What has happened is that UK licences have defaulted to the pre 1994 rules where you were awarded a B+E category when you passed your cat B ( car ) test