Car for towing for an under 25?

Bav

Bav

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Today I've lost the will to live with lack of transport so I really need to pull my finger out and get my own. Sorry if this has been done to death I'm just not sure what my options are.

Can anybody recommend a cheap(ish) car for towing that an under 25 (me!) can get insured on? The problem I have is it may have to be a second car or relatively fuel economical as I can drive up to 50miles a day (although some of it is paid.)
It would be for towing an ifor Williams 510 And a 16hh ISH.
My dad normally tows us in his newish landrover discovery but he absolutely hates it and guilt trips me every time I ask. He said I could borrow the car, but we struggled to find insurance for my age, even with 6 years no claims history.

Just to add, I'd have to bite the bullet and take my towing test, which I've heard can be pricey all on its own :(
 
Never had a problem finding insurance!? Main high street type firms don't like 4x4s with young driversthough.

Try Adrian Flux? Keep the car you already have as any decent 4x4 will have the same issue with insurers.
 
My 20 year old daughter has an Audi Q5.
We changed to a multi car insurance to help her with the cost, and it was about £800 for her including business use.
The car averages about 50mpg unless towing.
 
We found it difficult when retrieving quotes to find a 4x4 that wouldn't be stupidly expensive on the insurance front what with me only being 23. Such a PITA!
 
Spottyappy said:
My 20 year old daughter has an Audi Q5.
We changed to a multi car insurance to help her with the cost, and it was about £800 for her including business use.
The car averages about 50mpg unless towing.
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I love love love the look of the Q5's! Never really saw it as a towing car though! Shows how much I know, I suppose when I think about towing a trailer I immediately think Land Rover or jeep!
 
I tow a single horse with a Dacia duster and downplated Bateson derby without the partition. I guess that doesn't help if you already have a trailer but the combination I have is within the legal requirements without needing to do the test
 
Bav said:
I love love love the look of the Q5's! Never really saw it as a towing car though! Shows how much I know, I suppose when I think about towing a trailer I immediately think Land Rover or jeep!
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The Q5 is not the best if on wet grass, but she rarely needs to tow on that, luckily.
I have a Land Rover discovery,and you can tell the Audi doesn't have the same power, but it serves her fine for what she does.
The towing test cost about £800 in total, but she failed twice on the most stupid things, through nerves. You are trainign, to be honest, to pass a test, not be able to tow safely!
As you live quite near me, PM me if you like, also on who to avoid as we had to change instructor as first was was totally unprofessional after she failed initially. It wasn't one who is in MK and who she went with and was very good.
 
I have a number of under 25 friends (or more precisely my daughter does) and my daughter is facing the same dilemma shortly. All found getting a small 2 horse van style lorry easier. And you don't have to take your towing test! If you are looking at a second vehicle anyway it won't cost you much more and the insurance is actually relatively cheap.
 
If you get a second car a point to consider is you won't be able to use your no claims history on your insurance which puts the price up. Your no claims can only be used on one policy at a time, if you have a second car on a new policy you have to start on 0 and build up your no claims on that vehicle. We didn't realise this until we brought another car for towing, some insurers will take into account you have a no claims history on another policy. Axa was the cheapest for us, although still £200 more than if you could use your no claims history for a discount.

We've had a 3.5 tonne box but were stuck to carrying one horse or we would of been slightly overweight. Sold the box and have done trailer test and have a Nissan Terrano towing machine and trailer and can easily take 2 big horses without worry of being overweight. It suits us much more and it's handy to have the bigger car as well especially in bad weather.
 
If it's going to be a second vehicle anyway and you only need to take the one horse, I'd sell the trailer and buy a little 3.5T box.
 
I'm an American driver so have similar issues with expensive insurance! What we did was insure the Nissan Navara for everything EXCEPT commuting, and that dropped the price by over 50%... worth a thought.
 
I have just brought an 14 plate Freelander and I'm 20, and my insurance is £52 a month. I have passed my trailer test but it was extremely expensive! I was contemplating getting a 3.5 but I couldn't afford the upkeep of 2 vehicles, if I don't use my trailer for a month it doesn't cost me anything, all be that my fuel consumption more it does save me more in the long run :)
 
I'd love a 3.5tonne, but the cheapest even second hand I've seen is about £15,000 although I haven't discarded older ones, the only ones I've seen wouldn't be suitable for a 16hh! In an ideal world I'd win the lottery. But I'd have to play the lottery first....EURGH! So frustrating :(
 
Well in my opinion passing the trailer test needn't be expensive and people shy away from it.

All you need to do is get some L plates and insurance on your 4x4 and start towing your horse to the shows with dad sat in. We set out the trailer reverse exercise in a field, had three lessons with a professional instructor, practised every day in the field, swatted up on the rules and took the test in our own trailer and 4x4 to pass first time. It took no time at all.

There are videos all over you tube to show you how to re-couple etc, you don't need to pay loads of money for professional lessons. All you need to do is practice and become relaxed around the trailer. We found the examiners to be lovely and they really did not mind us turning up with our own vehicle which saved loads of money. Seeing as you already have the 4x4 and trailer it seems silly to buy a 3.5t lorry.

If you get the insurance and the L plates, maybe a grandma, older friend, mum etc with a licence from before 1997 could sit in with you? Thus, even if they have no idea how to tow, you are still legal and you have freed up your dad to do what he wants.
 
I am not good on insurance costs but how about something like a Skoda Octavia (perhaps a 4x4 if needed) and a single horse trailer down plated so you can tow on your B licence ?
 
horsse said:
All you need to do is get some L plates and insurance on your 4x4 and start towing your horse to the shows with dad sat in.
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I'd happily do this, but can't get insured on the 4x4 until I'm 25, that's the issue. Its so frustrating also I'm not insured to drive anybody else's car (3rd party fire and theft) on my own insurance until I'm 25 either, so would have to obviously be added to the current cars policy, which they won't do at my age.

It's so ridiculous. I'm 23 married with a child and am too young to get insured on a landrover discovery. Makes me feel like such a child have to rely on my dad xD
 
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Bav said:
I'd happily do this, but can't get insured on the 4x4 until I'm 25, that's the issue. Its the frustrating cause also I'm not insured to drive anybody else's car (3rd party fire and theft) on my own insurance until I'm 25 either, so would have to obviously be added to the current cars policy, which they won't do at my age.
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Try the NFU, they'll insure for sensible money from 18.
 
ROG said:
I am not good on insurance costs but how about something like a Skoda Octavia (perhaps a 4x4 if needed) and a single horse trailer down plated so you can tow on your B licence ?
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Probably daft question but I haven't got a clue, how do you go about down plating a trailer?
 
21 years old here. I have a Vauxhall Antara and a Cheval trailer.
Only gets about 40mpg on a good day! Insurance is about £800 and I have 3 penalty points!
 
Bav said:
Probably daft question but I haven't got a clue, how do you go about down plating a trailer?
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Call the manufacturer and then pay them some money - usually between 10 and 50 quid - send them current plate then they send you new plate
 
It doesn't have to be a 4x4 unless you're towing on mud / wet grass - I've got a 4x4 with the option to switch between two wheel drive and four wheel drive, and I have needed the latter precisely twice in four years - if I hadn't had it I would just have avoided those surfaces.

I'd buy an estate of some sort, and upgrade (if you need to) when you get to 25.
 
An offbeat suggestion I've had has been an ex-RAC RWD transit 330 with uprated rear axles so it can tow 3.5T.
Could be kitted out in the back quite neatly and even slept in.

I think it's the sort of thing you need to have a chat with a proper specialist insurer than try to do a general search online.
 
cootuk said:
An offbeat suggestion I've had has been an ex-RAC RWD transit 330 with uprated rear axles so it can tow 3.5T.
Could be kitted out in the back quite neatly and even slept in.

I think it's the sort of thing you need to have a chat with a proper specialist insurer than try to do a general search online.
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thats a commercvial vehicle so difficult to insure under 25s
 
Bav said:
I'd happily do this, but can't get insured on the 4x4 until I'm 25, that's the issue. Its so frustrating also I'm not insured to drive anybody else's car (3rd party fire and theft) on my own insurance until I'm 25 either, so would have to obviously be added to the current cars policy, which they won't do at my age.

It's so ridiculous. I'm 23 married with a child and am too young to get insured on a landrover discovery. Makes me feel like such a child have to rely on my dad xD
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Have you actually spoken with your parents current insurers as most will happily add you as a named driver even if they dont insure under 25s straight off .We have an 18yo on one of my Navaras and it cost £100 extra for the year. With your driving record you should find it easy. A lot will depend on whether your father is actually with a mainstream insurer or a cheapy. I have found over the years internet insurance is very rarely the cheapest you can get as several companies will not use that means of marketing . I used to use NFU however then found Rural insurance which saved the farm a packet you can only access them through a broker though.
 
Will your Dad's insurance company definitely not let you on the policy? Me and my sister are on my Mum's Mitsubishi L200 we have been named drivers on the policy since we were 17 (22 and 24 now). I did my towing test last October in the pick up and our IW505 - wasn't that expensive, I practiced with my Mum for a few weeks, had a few lessons with the instructor in my rig £30/hr and the test was £120 (tip for the test: you are not being tested to tow livestock so drive faster and less considerate than you would if you had your horse on board - my tester told me to hurry up!!)
 
horsse said:
Well in my opinion passing the trailer test needn't be expensive and people shy away from it.

All you need to do is get some L plates and insurance on your 4x4 and start towing your horse to the shows with dad sat in. We set out the trailer reverse exercise in a field, had three lessons with a professional instructor, practised every day in the field, swatted up on the rules and took the test in our own trailer and 4x4 to pass first time. It took no time at all.

There are videos all over you tube to show you how to re-couple etc, you don't need to pay loads of money for professional lessons. All you need to do is practice and become relaxed around the trailer. We found the examiners to be lovely and they really did not mind us turning up with our own vehicle which saved loads of money. Seeing as you already have the 4x4 and trailer it seems silly to buy a 3.5t lorry.

If you get the insurance and the L plates, maybe a grandma, older friend, mum etc with a licence from before 1997 could sit in with you? Thus, even if they have no idea how to tow, you are still legal and you have freed up your dad to do what he wants.
Click to expand...

This is very good advice, however do bear in mind that the test requirements are that you have the extra mirrors on the car for the examiner and the trailer has a load in it either 650kgs of water lbc smaller version full or sand in marked bags all stowed appropriately. So sometimes it's easier to use a B+E instructor's car/trailer.
 
I found the Bateson Derby was the lightest trailer, it is rear unload but the get used to it. I downplated it cost a tenner. Tow car is 1.5 diesel and weight of horse / trailer still less than 85 percent rule if you go by that (I think that's for caravans) I removed the partition and travel one 15hh. It isn't suitable for over 16.2hh
 
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