Help with Trailer/daily hack ideas...

[MrLizard]

Hey,

I have now, having stripped my zed, put a roll cage in, the car isnt really suitable to drive on the road now, its difficult to get out of without bucket seats and a door bar...

anyway, i need something of a daily hack for work, which i would like to be able to pull a trailer with the car on, and yes, i dont want to spend 'that' much money. Maybe upto £2000

I was looking at a 306 tdi but having spoken to someone else been told there is no way that would be able to pull a trailer with a 1200kg car on the back and if it got it moving probably wouldnt be able to brake (even with brakes on the trailer)

Any ideas??

landrover?

If £2000 isnt enough for something 'safe' ie, be able to stop etc then ill shelf the idea until i can afford something.

Also, i passed my test 4 years ago, im being told i might have to take another test to tow something?? is this right?

Sorry for the essay..

ta
Steve

[andy97]

How about an old Audi A4/ A6 Tdi - I towed behind an A4 1.9 Tdi for a fair while and it was fine.

[BenElliottRacing]

andy97 said:

How about an old Audi A4/ A6 Tdi - I towed behind an A4 1.9 Tdi for a fair while and it was fine.

2nd that. Track club had one - it could tow a heavy car at stupid speed and return 30mpg at the same time.

[MrLizard]

sounds like an idea, german reliability would be good.

i need to take another driving test according to the DVLA site

http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roads/vehicles/vssafety/...

[muppets_mate]

How about a Vauxhall Omega? Comfy, safe, large enough for spares/tools, and becuase they're not 'prestige' you should be able to get a decent one in budget.

For example

[andy97]

Further to my earlier comment, I'd recommend the Audi Avant/ Estate versions - with the seats down its ideal to get all the kit in an out of, & if all else fails you can kip in it! I swapped my TDi saloon for an estate, although they do tend to be a bit dearer.

[Count Johnny]

MrLizard said:

i need to take another driving test according to the DVLA site

http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roads/vehicles/vssafety/...

No you don't.

[CNHSS1]

up until recently i had an Omega 2.5Tdi, which has the BMW 6cylinder diesel as std, but without the prestige as mentioned of a 5 series BM. i owned it for 3 years and in the last couple only ever used it as a 3rd car and occasional tow vehicle for the racer. It was the most useful car ive ever owned. Transports 4 people and all their luggage in comfort, can be parked anywhere and bits are cheap. if its for towing ignore the autos as they are thristy and can be hard work shunting in crappy paddocks, also get one with air con. economys not bad, probably better than equiv 4x4. reckon on spending £800-£1500.
the later 2.2dti isnt as good for towing.

[CNHSS1]

oh forgot to mention, sold it to a mate to pull his racecar, so went to good home lol

[stifler]

Count Johnny said:

MrLizard said:

i need to take another driving test according to the DVLA site

http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roads/vehicles/vssafety/...

No you don't.

Yes you do. You will need to take your B+E test if you wish to tow a total weight of over 750kg.

If you had your licence before 1st Jan 1998 this will be on your licence automatically, same as C1 category, 7.5 tonne truck.

[frodo_monkey]

No you don't!

So long as you are driving a car with less than 8 seats, and towing less than 3500kgs (total weight of car plus max permissible weight on the trailer chassis plate) then you are sorted on a Cat B licence...

See here:

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/DriverLicensi...

The 750kg limit is for UNBRAKED trailers... I do wish people would stop reciting something 'they heard from a mate' as if it were gospel

And for what its worth, I use a Skoda Octavia TDi estate (an A4/Passat underneath) with a Brian James Clubman (max gross weight 1600kg, max load 1200kg) and its great - although I'm only towing a lightweight kit car...

[spcmarine]

frodo_monkey said:

No you don't!

So long as you are driving a car with less than 8 seats, and towing less than 3500kgs (total weight of car plus max permissible weight on the trailer chassis plate) then you are sorted on a Cat B licence...

See here:

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/DriverLicensi...

The 750kg limit is for UNBRAKED trailers... I do wish people would stop reciting something 'they heard from a mate' as if it were gospel

And for what its worth, I use a Skoda Octavia TDi estate (an A4/Passat underneath) with a Brian James Clubman (max gross weight 1600kg, max load 1200kg) and its great - although I'm only towing a lightweight kit car...

Actually this is nearly right but not quite, you may actually be towing without a licence.

Legislation actually states that for drivers that past their test post 1997 are restricted to a combined MAM (maximum mass the car and trailer are RATED to carry) of 3,500kg aslong as the MAM of the trailer is not greater than the unladened weight of the car.

You will most likely find that your skoda has a mam of around 1800kg and an unladened weight of 1200kg. Your brian james trailer has a mam of 1600kg so together equal 3400kg, which is fine. However the Mam of the trailer is higher than the unladen weight of the car. It is this weight that is used - so even if the trailer is empty you cant tow it.

Dan

[andy97]

Not sure whether the £2k limit is hard & fast but as an example of what can be bought there's an 1990 Audi A4 TDi quattro Sport Avant (estate) in this month's quattro owners club newsletter. All the usual features, Tax & MoT, "Average miles" (whatever tha means these days) etc etc for £3K. Its a similar spec to my daily driver/ tow car & I'd have no problem recommending a car like that.

[frodo_monkey]

spcmarine said:

Actually this is nearly right but not quite, you may actually be towing without a licence.

Legislation actually states that for drivers that past their test post 1997 are restricted to a combined MAM (maximum mass the car and trailer are RATED to carry) of 3,500kg aslong as the MAM of the trailer is not greater than the unladened weight of the car.

You will most likely find that your skoda has a mam of around 1800kg and an unladened weight of 1200kg. Your brian james trailer has a mam of 1600kg so together equal 3400kg, which is fine. However the Mam of the trailer is higher than the unladen weight of the car. It is this weight that is used - so even if the trailer is empty you cant tow it.

Dan

Yep, that has been on my list of 'things to sort out' for a while... Valid point. Luckily in my case the race car weighs bugger-all so it is easily sorted by replating the trailer down to 1300kgs! Why the Govt made the rules so ambiguous is beyond me

[onomatopoeia]

Glad I passed in 1987. I tow my race car on a trailer using a minibus, albeit with the bench seats removed (D1+E entitlement IIRC).

My trailer is very old and pre-dates them having plates, just to add to the confusion.


OP - Subaru Legacy?

[MrLizard]

Not a bad idea, im trying to find out how much this additional test will cost, i have driven a 7.5tonne before and towed a caravan before, assuming it was legal as when i got the insurance the company took my license and said all was ok...

ANyone know when it was changed?

i will be looking at a twin axle braked trailer due to the weight of the car... so if the trailer and car weigh about 2200kg then will i be able to get away with a powerful estate...?

[stinkysteve]

Change was 1st January 1997.

I passed 7th January 1997 which means i'm limited to 3.5 tonnes. A real bummer. And i've just had the same dilemma.

I manage to tow a car on a trailer though, just be careful what you buy. The info posted earlier is accurate, basically 3.5 tonnes total limit and the trailer can't be heavier then the car.

Range Rovers are out!

If you buy a 'home made' trailer they often don't have rating plates however Frodo has offered a devious solution that opens up other opportunities.

Best buying something around 1.8-2.0 tonnes to tow. The Legacy suggestion would be a good bet.

Whatever you do, get to a weighbridge and get a certificate. It only costs £1.50 and you could, potentially, get a certificate weighing the tow car and trailer (without the car on the trailer).

If, heavens forbid, a nice man from the DVLA or Police stopped you, show them the certificate and they'll be impressed with your responsible approach to checking things properly and probably take it at face value that you're ok weight wise.

ETA;

Sorry, just noticed you're looking to tow 2.2 tonnes. (how did i miss that?)

You can't legally tow that with anything on your current license. sorry fella. get a lighter trailer/race car or do your test.

Edited by stinkysteve on Wednesday 17th June 11:59

[MrLizard]

350z was a very heavy car, its now just quite a heavy car

bah, thanks for the advice ill take a look at taking my test, getting a braked trailer, and something suitable, for now i think ill just spend £1k on something i can get to and from work in

[pistol pete]

Just do the test. It's not that hard & only cost me about £250-300. Once it's done, you can tow a 3.5 ton trailer with a 3.5 ton van...

Pete

[Zumbruk]

BTW, you can't do the test with a car trailer (IOW, the one you need the test to tow..)

From;

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/LearnerAndNew...

"The cargo compartment of the trailer must consist of a closed box body which is at least as wide and as high as the towing vehicle; the view to the rear should only be possible by use of the external rear-view mirrors of the towing vehicle."

Likely one of the dumbest things I've ever seen.