Towing a car
Hi,
Just moved over to the dark side from a caravan. We have Motorhome and will be towing a small car UK and Abroad.. Do you get charged for an extra car when you stay on sites please?
Cheers. Paul
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We have never been charged. If we go to a non CC site we usually tell them we have a tow car when booking in case they have any charges but with CC that's not necessary.
PS your post will no doubt trigger lots of posts about 'why tow a car 😏' but we think it's a great choice with lots of benefits and so do many others. Enjoy!
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We did the same as you 4 years ago, like you we also tow a car my little Picanto. We have an A frame and have used it abroad but we no longer take it over there, to many problems. we still use it in the UK though. Don't know about other sites in the UK but CC don't charge extra for having a car. Abroad some do, Germany and Holland will charge about 2€ a day and last year in Spain we were charged 2.40€ a day for our trailer which has our trike on it.
How are you thinking of towing your car A frame or trailer, I ask because if you are going to use an A frame please be aware most countries in Europe do not allow them and you can be fined. Many folk do still chance it we did for a few years but having been stopped twice that was enough for us.
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If I may jump in with a question , can you just "bolt" an A frame to any car ,or does the car have to be modified in any way to be towed ??
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A few years ago a few commercial sites tried it on, I used to complain and very often got the charge waived, in fact one site decided to drop the charge from its tariffs as a result of discussions with myself. I have not come across anyone trying to charge for a good few years now so I think it is now generally accepted as being much like a car caravan combination. If it isn't just tell them you will tow the motorhome onto the pitch with the car!
peedee
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The car has to be modified. Attachment points have to be fitted to the front of the car to take the A-frame and a means of operating the car brakes installed, over run or electronic operation. The wiring needs modifying so that the MH operates the lights on the "toad" and triangular reflectors should be fitted when being towed. Basically, the car has to become a trailer.
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An electronic braking system is around £1800 all in, last time I looked.
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The non electronic version ie over run like a caravan is cheaper by about half, we had one fitted by Armitage 4 years ago total cost £850 the only problem with this version we have is that it is quite heavy to lug around, the electronic ones I believe are much lighter.
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Contact " car-a-tow " of Poole ,they supplied mine for the Smart.They fix or you D.I.Y..
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I have been towing cars for about 10 years and have never been charged extra in the UK for the car. However, before changing over to an A Frame (wish I had started off this way) I used to pull Smart cars on a trailer and was charged a number of times for the trailer but never the car. I guess the argument would be that caravaners are not charged extra so why should motorhomers, but the trailer has no argument it was an extra.
On one occasion whilst in Dusseldorf we stopped at a site, cannot remember its name, but we were towing the Smart on a trailer as heading South for a few months. We did not use the car to get into Dusseldorf but opted to use our Vespa we keep in the garage. On checking out we were charged for allsorts, pitch, electric, electric plug in charge, trailer, car, scooter, showers, water and 2 dogs. It came to a small fortune.
If anyone is looking for an A Frame in my opinion having used them for a number of years and having converted a few cars for me you will get all the advice you need from Towbars 2 Towcars in Grimsby. An excellent product with excellent customer care and understanding of the product. They have just moved to new premises with a large showroom and are now supporting a few apprentices which in my opinion is brilliant.
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The car has to be modified, on my yaris a substantial steel frame was bolted to the front, under the bodywork...very strong.I felt safer knowing it was there.
This for me, was also the most expensive bit, as I bought a nearly new A-frame off of e-bay for 195 pounds.mine was a Car-a-tow frame.
Great for towing a car,far easier than a trailer. I couldnt use a trailer anyway because of restricted towing weight.
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I wonder how a car that's been modified for a towing A frame would compare to the original NCAP test. I'm sure the same car would hurt a lot more when it hits you when fitted with the 'substantial steel frame' than it would have done without
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+ 1
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Exactly why I selected Towbars to Towcars where the car is not altered with the exception of a small cable coming from the computer under the drivers seat to the underside of the brake pedal. Only change to the front is the addition of an extra hole at the opposite side to the manufacturer towing eye, nothing else is bolted onto the car that would effect the NCAP ratiing
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If you are comparing it pound to pound I guess you are correct. However, using that calculation of value I would be a lot cheaper flying to some of the places we visit and staying in a luxury hotel :-)
Its all horses for courses, some of us like the idea of having the freedom a car brings, arriving on site and its there if need be. We also like the flexibility of using the motorhome on its own when he have no need for the car, try doing it that way with a caravan :-)
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The substantial steel frame, certainly gives me more confidence being Inside the car, than the tin it replaced, as i said it is all contained under the bodywork, so no projecting Bull bar,
Personally, i would fit such a frame in the rear as well if i could, I prefer Non- crumple zones to crumple zones, and after seeing cars rear ended by HGVs whoses drivers were not attentive, an armoured Humvee would be an ideal vehicle for UK roads.
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Unfortunately the front towing eyes on cars are not designed for long term towing and the sideways pressures that A- frame towing produces and just tacking on another on the other side, does not a sturdy towing platform make. A few cars have broken this extra towing eye off, causing the car to break away. Far better with a proper towing frame securely bolted to the chassis of the car. NCAP or not.
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I have to disagree. Towbars to Towcars do strengthen the towing eye to take into consideration the extra stresses you mention. They have modified thousands of cars and I alone have towed using the system for close onto 50,000 miles in 5 years. To date not one of there systems has parted or cars broken away. Remember their systems have gone through strenuous off road testing
Taken from their website:
Millbrook testing:
Attached image from testing at Millbrook proved that the towed cars stability actually increased under heavy braking when the Tow-Bars 2 Tow-Cars electronic system was activated.
Tested at 60kmh and 80kmh. Mean Fully Developed Deceleration (m/s2) plotted against pedal effort in dN.
Millbrook is one of Europes leading locations for the development and demonstration of every type of land vehicle, from motorcycles and passenger cars to heavy commercial, military and off-road vehicles. The Tow-Bars 2 Tow-Cars electronically braked A-frame was sent on an intensive testing programme to ensure that the braking system fitted complied with all laws. The system had to meet the 50% braking efficiency test: it passed with flying colours, easily achieving this goal.
Destruction testing:
The aim of this test was to put the system "through the mill" ensuring all parts could handle the toughest abuse possible. A Toyota Aygo with the Tow-Bars 2 Tow-Cars conversion was taken to the Kirton Lindsey off-road course behind a Mitsubishi L200 4x4. The off-road course is usually used to put extreme 4x4 vehicles through their paces. After a full day of being towed around the course using our electronically braked A-frame the Toyota Aygo was disconnected and driven home with the A-frame performing perfectly. This proved beyond all doubt that our sturdy A-frame system will take any gruelling punishment.
NCAP rating is data insurers use when working premiums. To have an accident where you have not declared the vehicle has been altered could and would most probably have serious consequences. Something anyone doing should consider.
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As regards towing with Aframes we do in the UK however as we winter in Spain they do not like it and we have met a few Motorhomers who have been stopped and fined and heard of one who had to leave his car and had to buy a trailer as he was solo and had no one to drive the car seperately, as others have said they will not allow it here and apparently only tolerate it in the other countries. Any other info is available on the Motorhome facts forum were it is often discussed.
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As regards towing with Aframes we do in the UK however as we winter in Spain they do not like it and we have met a few Motorhomers who have been stopped and fined and heard of one who had to leave his car and had to buy a trailer as he was solo and had no one to drive the car seperately, as others have said they will not allow it here and apparently only tolerate it in the other countries. Any other info is available on the Motorhome facts forum were it is often discussed.
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We got our A-frame from Armitage trailers in Leeds its the over run system but works fine we have towed our 107 thousands of miles and never had an issue Armitage put a new fromt cross member on our car and converted it to take the frame all for £900 great deal and a good compaby to deal with
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