Anyone tow with a diesel estate?

golddustsara

golddustsara

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I would like a car I can drive for work and an ifor williams 401/403. I've been reading up on towing but there seems to be conflicting opinion.

I like the Passat TDI which has an unbraked towing weight of 1600kg and a minimum kerb weight of 1715kg. The Ifor Williams has a max laden capacity of 1600kg but with my pony in should tip the scales at no more than 1250kg.

This seems to work out ok... Saying that you don't see many estates towing these days so I'm questioning my maths!
 
our mondeo estate tows a dream, she has never bogged down anywhere with the trailer & at one show pulled out 2 trailers that the towing 4x4 wannabes couldnt manage. as long as you check out the weights properly they are fine.

so many people jump on the "only tow with a 4x4" & then go out and buy the crappy intown versions of them & tow without looking at the weights because "its a 4x4"

sorry will get off my soapbox now, can you tell it winds me up!! x
 
The Passat will be fine. I've driven that combination and similar and it works very well. THe mpg will drop considerably when you are towing but the overall mpg makes it a very economical proposition.
 
Yep, I tow my 15.2 gelding with a VW Golf diesel estate. It tows so easily, you don't even know the trailer is behind you.

Doesn't get stuck in the mud or snow either. (Not yet anyway).
 
There's a few around my way that tow with Audi estates and volvo v70's with no problems at all and within the law, you sound as though your's will be fine! I only tow with a 4x4 as a) I leave the trailer at the back of a very muddy field - the trailer is on concrete slabs but getting to it wouldnt be possible!! and b) I tow 2 heavy cobs in a 505 so would be illegal with a car, and I dont do many miles in the 4x4 anyway.
 
I had a Passat estate (never towed with it - no licence) but it was a lovely car to drive day to day, and quite economical too.
 
Housemouse said:
Yep, I tow my 15.2 gelding with a VW Golf diesel estate. It tows so easily, you don't even know the trailer is behind you.

Doesn't get stuck in the mud or snow either. (Not yet anyway).
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Highly
unlikely this is Safe or legal have you looked at the towing capacity v the weight of your loaded trailer????
 
Aoibhin said:
our mondeo estate tows a dream, she has never bogged down anywhere with the trailer & at one show pulled out 2 trailers that the towing 4x4 wannabes couldnt manage. as long as you check out the weights properly they are fine.

so many people jump on the "only tow with a 4x4" & then go out and buy the crappy intown versions of them & tow without looking at the weights because "its a 4x4"

sorry will get off my soapbox now, can you tell it winds me up!! x
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Ditto this!
 
Aoibhin said:
so many people jump on the "only tow with a 4x4" & then go out and buy the crappy intown versions of them & tow without looking at the weights because "its a 4x4"

sorry will get off my soapbox now, can you tell it winds me up!! x
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I agree with what Aoibhin says. I have always towed with cars rather than 4x4's although I have previously toyed with the idea of getting an estate. My first towing vehicle was a Sierra Sapphire, then a Peugeot 406 and now a Vauxhall Vectra saloon. But none of them have ever had problems towing although the Peugeot did struggle with long inclines.:rolleyes:

Yes I only tow one horse weighing in at 700KG, and yes I have a Rice Richardson which weighs in at 600 KG so I am approx 300 KGs inside my weight limit.

There is nothing wrong with towing with a car so long as common sense prevails and diesel estates are just as good as diesel saloons. Its about choosing the right weight for your trailer and the right towing capacity and the manner in which it is towed. I currently do 40.7 mph towing my 727KG horse with my 600 KG trailer which is very good imho. :)
 
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perfect11s said:
Highly
unlikely this is Safe or legal have you looked at the towing capacity v the weight of your loaded trailer????
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Thank you Perfect11s, the Golf has a towing capacity of 1500 kg, my trailer weights 600kg and my horse and trailer have a combined weight of 1100kg.

Safe and Legal. But thanks for your concern.
 
Housemouse said:
Thank you Perfect11s, the Golf has a towing capacity of 1500 kg, my trailer weights 600kg and my horse and trailer have a combined weight of 1100kg.

Safe and Legal. But thanks for your concern.
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yes but what trailer are you towing and what does it plate state? - I have a freelander that can tow 2 tonne and I canot legally tow a 505 even empty as the plate states 2340kg and my vehicle can only tow 2000kg. Its also down to the gross train weight too. - I know about this as was pulled over towing a 505.

I now have a 401 and am legal as plate states 1600kg
 
i have a 401 and have towed with a passat est tdi auto. It does the job and it is legal as the plate on a 401 is 1600kg and towing capacity of passat 2.0 tdi is 1600kg, however i would say although its legal the engine wanted to stay in second gear pulling away didnt want to change up to third and you could feel it was towing (if that sounds daft!) However now have freelander td4 auto and you dont know you are towing.
 
kezimac said:
yes but what trailer are you towing and what does it plate state? - I have a freelander that can tow 2 tonne and I canot legally tow a 505 even empty as the plate states 2340kg and my vehicle can only tow 2000kg. Its also down to the gross train weight too. - I know about this as was pulled over towing a 505.

I now have a 401 and am legal as plate states 1600kg
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only ilegal if you Dont have a B+E or pre 97 car licence otherwise perfectly ok actual weight not design weight is what matters and would be perfectly legal to tow a 505 with a freelander so long as the actual trailer and load dosent exceed 2000kg
 
kezimac said:
yes but what trailer are you towing and what does it plate state? - I have a freelander that can tow 2 tonne and I canot legally tow a 505 even empty as the plate states 2340kg and my vehicle can only tow 2000kg. Its also down to the gross train weight too. - I know about this as was pulled over towing a 505.

I now have a 401 and am legal as plate states 1600kg
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Plate states 1350. I am well within the plate boundaries.
 
Just to back up what perfect11s said -

The towing capacity = the actual weight of the empty trailer plus the load being towed behind the vehicle can be

The plated trailer MAM = the maximum weight the empty trailer plus its load can be

There is no law which states the MAM cannot be more than the towing capacity - its one of those towing myths

For a B+E licence holder or those driving on a supervised provisional B+E, there will not be a MAM problem if the vehicle has a GVW of 3500 and the trailer has a MAM of 3500 as long as the actual max towing capacity, the vehicle GVW, the trailer MAM and any GTW are not exceeded

For towing with a B licence then there are stricter rules but I will not go into those unless needed ....
 
I find this thread very interesting as I am contemplating buying a large diesel car e.g. mondeo, to tow a small trailer and a 300kg pony. However, how do I stand with an older trailer where maybe there is no information on the actual weight of the trailer? What do people do when they have new floors fitted, surely this will alter the original weight?
 
We tow with a volvo estate - 505 and single horse.

Tows a dream and has LOADS of space which I think is something alot of 4x4s can lack.

I agree with the coments on how people tend to get any 4x4 and two with it without checking limits at all, I seriously doubt many of them are legal to tow whats is in the back!
 
sue_ellen said:
I find this thread very interesting as I am contemplating buying a large diesel car e.g. mondeo, to tow a small trailer and a 300kg pony. However, how do I stand with an older trailer where maybe there is no information on the actual weight of the trailer? What do people do when they have new floors fitted, surely this will alter the original weight?
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Take it to a public weighbridge , or a private one at a feed merchant, scrap yard etc
and they will weigh it and give you a print out costs about £5 ... then you will know where you stand , hope that helps ....
 
sue_ellen said:
I find this thread very interesting as I am contemplating buying a large diesel car e.g. mondeo, to tow a small trailer and a 300kg pony. However, how do I stand with an older trailer where maybe there is no information on the actual weight of the trailer? What do people do when they have new floors fitted, surely this will alter the original weight?
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If there is no plated weight then the TYRE LOAD RATINGS will determine what the max MAM is

If it originally had a plate then contacting the manufacturer or finding the specs on the internet are options available

The only way to find out the unladen/empty weight is to take it to a weighbridge
 
Following this thread with interest as have been considering towing with our 2l 16v Mondeo Estate.

We don't have a trailer (as yet) but presumably it would have to be a lightweight one like a Rice/Richardson etc.

I would assume that it would be illegal to tow with our 15.1 sec D and 14.3 arab x cob at the same time? We could put the tack/water etc in another vehicle and follow so that wouldn't be an issue, and we'd only be travelling 15 - 20 miles max to local shows
 
CatStew said:
Following this thread with interest as have been considering towing with our 2l 16v Mondeo Estate.

We don't have a trailer (as yet) but presumably it would have to be a lightweight one like a Rice/Richardson etc.

I would assume that it would be illegal to tow with our 15.1 sec D and 14.3 arab x cob at the same time? We could put the tack/water etc in another vehicle and follow so that wouldn't be an issue, and we'd only be travelling 15 - 20 miles max to local shows
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Distance makes no difference just the actual weight you pull so horse/s
+trailer less than the towing capacity then ok otherwise no...
 
CatStew said:
Following this thread with interest as have been considering towing with our 2l 16v Mondeo Estate.

We don't have a trailer (as yet) but presumably it would have to be a lightweight one like a Rice/Richardson etc.

I would assume that it would be illegal to tow with our 15.1 sec D and 14.3 arab x cob at the same time?
Click to expand...
Put what weights you have available on the towing thread in my signature below and I will assist you :D
 
perfect11s said:
Distance makes no difference just the actual weight you pull so horse/s
+trailer less than the towing capacity then ok otherwise no...
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Thank you. I know it's highly unlikely to be legal, but maybe worth investigating.

ROG said:
Put what weights you have available on the towing thread in my signature below and I will assist you :D
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Thank you, it's my mums car and she would be the driver (I have a post '97 license), I'll see what I can find out and post on your thread! :)
 
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