Bonjon Posted September 2, 2011 Share Posted September 2, 2011 If you were already licenced for it you will still have it - if you got your licence after that date though then you don't have towing, or minibus either if I remember right. You can still tow, the B part of the license incorporates towing upto 3.5tonne MAM. I passed after 1997 and I can legally tow my caravan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medusa Posted September 2, 2011 Share Posted September 2, 2011 If you don't want to have a 4x4 then I'd think about having something with a decent sized engine and which is, in itself a large enough vehicle to provide a barrier to the trailer moving if something went wrong whilst going up a large hill, for instance. Most of the stress to the car is incurred when either getting the trailer moved from a standing start up to cruising speed and when slowing down to a stop again- it takes very little extra power to maintain a trailer at cruising speed once you've got up to speed. I'd look at a vehicle with plenty of torque at low speeds to get the trailer moving and also with really decent brakes (assuming you're using a trailer which doesn't have its own brakes, of course). I'd suggest going with at least a 2 litre engine if you can afford to insure that (I've known lots of people with big old Jaguars with 4l engines which were fabulous for towing and my old SAABs were great for it too) and make sure that whatever you do, the brake system and tyres are overhauled regularly and are the best you can afford. My biggest tip for towing is to learn properly how to drive, reverse and park with the trailer attached and laden. Trailers feel completely different with and without the load, so whilst you can learn how to do things safely and go through the motions with learning to reverse and move about with the trailer by itself, all reactions, turning points, revs necessary and points to watch in your mirrors will change when your trailer is laden. Learn the theory with an empty trailer and then practice with the load in place before you hit the road. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sony Posted September 2, 2011 Author Share Posted September 2, 2011 What are you looking to tow, and you will more than likley be fine to tow something of that size with a matched vehicle, it will put you close to the 3.5 ton limit but you shouldn't go over. Go 4*4, Hyundi Santa Fe will see you fine. The Santa Fe would be great but if I understand this right, Sante Fe weighs 2500kgs + my van weighs 1400kgs. All together this is over 3.5 ton? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L00b Posted September 2, 2011 Share Posted September 2, 2011 I need to tow a vehicle- weighing in at 1500kgs. What would be the ideal vehicle to do this- I'd like to avoid 4x4's! Think about Subarus. All the benefits of 4x4 (all Subarus are permanent all-wheel drive) in the context of medusa's explanations, without the size, and well within your weight limit. Ideally, a Legacy saloon or estate, diesel model (early models might just be within your budget). Excluding SUVs, and after Volvo estates, these seem to be very favoured by tourers. Note that a petrol model is likely to prove very thirsty though, easily on par with a SUV. EDIT - here you go (don't know if link will work: Williamsons Car Sales near Doncaster, 2008 Legacy 2.0D, 71kmiles, one owner, £10,750, max towing weight (braked) 1700 kg, max towing weight (unbraked) 750 kg, minimum kerb weight 1510 kg) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonjon Posted September 2, 2011 Share Posted September 2, 2011 The Santa Fe would be great but if I understand this right, Sante Fe weighs 2500kgs + my van weighs 1400kgs. All together this is over 3.5 ton? Re-reading the laws( http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/DriverLicensing/CaravansTrailersCommercialVehicles/DG_10013073 ) to tow a van of 1500kgs the unladen weight of the tow vehicle would have to be more than the trailer (1500kgs+), meaning a weight of 3000kg's already, then we have to factor that you are allowed a max of 3.5tonnes of MAM weight. So a vehicle which weighs 1500kg's + would have a MAM weight of 2200kgs ish. Meaning you would be over. So to tow this van on a B license you need to have a vehicle which unladen weight is over 1500kgs but MAM weight is under 2000kg. If that makes sense? this http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/chatter/display_forum_topics.asp?ForumID=20&PagePosition=1&ThreadPage=2 is a very good place to ask this question. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sony Posted September 2, 2011 Author Share Posted September 2, 2011 EDIT - here you go (don't know if link will work: Williamsons Car Sales near Doncaster, 2008 Legacy 2.0D, 71kmiles, one owner, £10,750, max towing weight (braked) 1700 kg, max towing weight (unbraked) 750 kg, minimum kerb weight 1510 kg) Great shout L00b! It does seem to tick a good few boxes! Re-reading the laws( http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/DriverLicensing/CaravansTrailersCommercialVehicles/DG_10013073 ) to tow a van of 1500kgs the unladen weight of the tow vehicle would have to be more than the trailer (1500kgs+), meaning a weight of 3000kg's already, then we have to factor that you are allowed a max of 3.5tonnes of MAM weight. So a vehicle which weighs 1500kg's + would have a MAM weight of 2200kgs ish. Meaning you would be over. So to tow this van on a B license you need to have a vehicle which unladen weight is over 1500kgs but MAM weight is under 2000kg. If that makes sense? this http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/chatter/display_forum_topics.asp?ForumID=20&PagePosition=1&ThreadPage=2 is a very good place to ask this question. Thanks for this Bonjon- will perhaps ask on the site you suggested as it's all quite confusing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonjon Posted September 2, 2011 Share Posted September 2, 2011 Great shout L00b! It does seem to tick a good few boxes! Thanks for this Bonjon- will perhaps ask on the site you suggested as it's all quite confusing! Indeed it is as one min they are referring to the empty weight of the vehicle then in the next breath the laden weight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crookesey Posted September 2, 2011 Share Posted September 2, 2011 A mate of mine bought and attached a sign saying, 'If you can read this I have lost my caravan', to the rear screen of an ardent caravaner workmate's car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truman Posted September 2, 2011 Share Posted September 2, 2011 You can still tow, the B part of the license incorporates towing upto 3.5tonne MAM. I passed after 1997 and I can legally tow my caravan. I'm confised...what does this mean from the gov. web site? "Car driving licence first obtained since 1 January 1997 Drivers who passed a car test on or after 1 January 1997 are required to pass an additional driving test in order to gain entitlement to category B+E and all larger vehicles." Doesn't it mean that if you passed after '97 then you need another test to be able to tow? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimmyR Posted September 2, 2011 Share Posted September 2, 2011 You can still tow, the B part of the license incorporates towing upto 3.5tonne MAM. I passed after 1997 and I can legally tow my caravan. The trailer can only weight 750 max I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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