Motorhome tow car

Bam Bam
Bam Bam Forum Participant Posts: 10
edited July 2020 in Towcars & Towing #1

Hi,

My wife and I are awaiting the delivery of our MH due in September. We are new to motorhoming after years of caravanning and then a 10 year gap. We are considering having a tow car also and wondered if anyone has used a Mini auto JCW as such a vehicle?

There appears to be so much conflicting opinion as to whether you can tow an automatic vehicle or not. 

Also, if using the Motorhome to tow a car does the length of the A frame and car add to the vehicle length when booking a site?

Kind regards

Comments

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,138 ✭✭✭
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    edited July 2020 #2

    BamBam. I have replied to this in response to your other post. I’ll attempt to copy it below.

     

    As posted by me in the other thread -

    If I were you I’d try using the van solo and see how you get on before deciding whether to tow a car. I expect you are aware that towing on an A-frame is not legal in Europe.

    I can’t help on the auto question but, if in doubt, carry it on a trailer. Either way, take care not to exceed your Gross Train Weight, max towing weight, rear axle load or towball weight limit.

    The outfit length on club sites refers, usually, to the max length you can fit on a pitch - think car and caravan where one parks beside the other - so it would be just your MH that would count. However, there are a few sites where access can be tricky for long units, eg Brora.

  • Bam Bam
    Bam Bam Forum Participant Posts: 10
    edited July 2020 #3

    Hi Tinwheeler,

    Thank you for your response. Thanks for your advice and confirmation of the issues I’ve been contemplating. Extremely helpful. I’ve picked up that the A frame isn’t legal abroad but it would only be for use in the UK if we decide to go down the tow car route. 

    Kind regards

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
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    edited July 2020 #4

    Car manufacturers will cover their backside & give a blanket NO to towing automatics, no matter what kind of auto they are. I have a Smart, which has an automated manual gearbox & have on occasion towed to/from various places ... even towed 100 miles home when I first bought it, with no ill effects.

  • Apperley
    Apperley Forum Participant Posts: 254
    edited July 2020 #5

    I agree with other comments. I would speak to an A frame installer as the car in most cases, needs modifying to accommodate the A frame fittings and for the braking system to be adapted in some cases. 

    The motorhome tow bar will add weight to the MH, and then the weight of the A frame itself on the two ball. We two a manual car in the UK with no problems whatsoever.

  • Bam Bam
    Bam Bam Forum Participant Posts: 10
    edited July 2020 #6

    Hi Tinwheeler,

    Ive just done a little research following your reply and it looks like the Mini JCW is just over the towing capacity for the Autotrail Tracker LB. So thank you very much. You’ve saved me a lot of time. 

     

    Cheers

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,138 ✭✭✭
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    edited July 2020 #7

    Happy to have helped even if it did lead you to a discovery you didn’t want to make.

    How big is your MH? We manage without additional transport - no bikes, car or public transport - but our van is only 6m long. Many people also get around successfully with bigger vans than ours. Tbh, if you can manage without a car, life could be simpler which is why I suggested trying the van solo first. It’s personal preference, obviously.

  • peedee
    peedee Club Member Posts: 9,387 ✭✭✭
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    edited July 2020 #8

    To a certain extent I agree but you can tow some of the semi autos. My Suzuki Celerio handbook even explans how! My view, always be guided by what the manufacturer says. Incidently the Suzuki is the best tow car I have had and I have had three, two of which were manuals.

    peedee

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,138 ✭✭✭
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    edited July 2020 #9

    I’ve just looked up the AutoTrail Tracker LB. It's 7.6m so I can see why a toad is under consideration but that's some overhang at the rear which could have implications for towing. Wonder what weight the garage can take?

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
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    edited July 2020 #10

    Mercedes just say that the Smart can not be towed ..... (but it can 😏)

  • rayjsj
    rayjsj Forum Participant Posts: 930
    500 Comments
    edited July 2020 #11

    Hello,

            We used to tow our Toyota Yaris manual 2010, behind our Autotrail Savannah  2012, we did that for 3 years. Here are some notes, We used a 2nd hand Car-a-tow A frame that we bought of of E bay,  £250,   it was nearly new, We had our Yaris converted by a Car-a-tow dealer which cost £300.

      The most expensive bit was getting a Witter type approved towbar fitted, recommended by Autotrail because of the long overhang at the rear, it took the fitters all morning to fit as the rear chassis needed strengthening bars, all part of the Witter kit.  £760.

     We did several thousands of trouble free miles but all in the UK. The Savannah 150  HP pulled the Yaris effortlessly. We only downsized because I reached 70 and was having heart Surgery, now have a 6metre panelvan Autotrail.

    Watch your weights, a Trailer plus the Yaris put it well above the max tow limit, so it HAD to be an A frame, never considered towing an Auto, so cant help there.

    Insurance, insured both Yaris and Motorhome with the Club and discussed it all with them SO  we were always fully insured when towing or solo. Check!

    Good Luck

     

     

  • Francis
    Francis Club Member Posts: 2,021 ✭✭✭✭
    edited July 2020 #12

    We used to have an Autotrail Apache 700SE and tiowed a Peugeot 107 on an A-Frame. The a-frame was from Armitage trailers near Leeds it was an excellent bit of kit and they even converted the car for us so that the lights etc worked without the need of a trailer board also it was a braked A-Frame. We towed for thousands of miles with this system and never had any issues the max weight our van could tow was 1000kgs and the car weighted 830kgs so within the limit.

  • Bam Bam
    Bam Bam Forum Participant Posts: 10
    edited July 2020 #13

    Hi Ryajsj,

    thank you for your help. Particularly with reference to the insurance. Sometimes worth paying a little more to make sure your fully covered. 

     

    Thankfully our MH is having the towbar fitted at the factory. 

     

    Once again many thanks

  • Bam Bam
    Bam Bam Forum Participant Posts: 10
    edited July 2020 #14

    Hi Francis,

    l’ve been looking at Armitages as they are not far from us and notice that they sell vehicles already kitted out for A frame towing. It’s great to have a recommendation. 

    Cheers

  • Bam Bam
    Bam Bam Forum Participant Posts: 10
    edited July 2020 #15

    Thanks Tinwheeler,

    We will try it without the tow car and see. I want to get as much advice and recommendations before we jump into anything. Really impressed with the feedback I’ve got from my question. Forgot how good it is to be a member of the club and looking forward to touring again. 

     

    Cheers

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,138 ✭✭✭
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    edited July 2020 #16

    Good luck and enjoy your van.

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