For those of you who have done your towing tests......

[ribena73]

.....what did you use to do it?

I failed mine recently

- long story but mainly cos car broke down day before so sat it in training company's minibus (not a chance with S shaped reverse!

). Am wanting to retake it but having given the training company so much money, I've done the lessons, know the principles, so was wondering about doing it in my car with horsebox on tow?

Has anyone done that and (a) was it acceptable by the test centre, and if so,(b) how did you go about practising the reverse, especially the positioning of the cones and the hatched box?

 

[DiamondSR]

Have you tried asking the training people if you could use the more suitable combination to take the test again, free of charge?

I think it's a bit unfair that they expected you to be able to pass it with a completely unsuitable vehicle. Afterall it wasn't your fault their car broke down.

I feel your pain having just parted with £500 odd to get through mine, but I would definitely try and get them to at least give you a hefty discount.

 

[ribena73]

It was my car that broke down

, and then they charged me for 3 hours extra plus transport for them to retrieve the trailer (even though it was a 40 minute round trip from depot to training ground and they had a trainer in the area who could have picked up the trailer). So, once I've paid that I'm loathe to give them any more money.

 

[DiamondSR]

Ah I see sorry.

I don't see a problem in doing the test with your own car/trailer. I was advised against it by my instructor, but then he would say that wouldn't he??

I didn't use my own car/trailer but only because it doesn't cope that well with reversing, and I didn't want the added pressure of the smell of a burning clutch in my test!

Have you got a car park you could go and practice the reversing manouver in, maybe after 4pm on a Sunday at a supermarket? I have got the distance diagram which shows you how to set up the course if you need it...

 

[Law]

[ QUOTE ]

Has anyone done that and (a) was it acceptable by the test centre, and if so,(b) how did you go about practising the reverse, especially the positioning of the cones and the hatched box?

[/ QUOTE ]

The exercise dimensions are here http://www.trailertraining-wales.co.uk/diag.html and there is quite a bit of info on the whole thing (although you've done it already so will know!)

You also need to have an audible relay so the examiner can hear that your indicators work and also you will need additional mirrors for the examiner (caravan extenders and an internal one iirc).

 

[hellspells]

I used my instructors car and a box trailer thing - it was obviously big enough for the catergory, but truthfully with the reversing exercise I had to do there was no way my trailer would of fitted round it.

Does anyone have a largish trailer of this type you could borrow?

 

[JC1]

I did mine with my discovery and ifor williams 510 trailer

 

[ribena73]

Thanks for that- that company looks quite good and I'm now wondering if I can find someone who wants to "share" a lesson and save a bit of money, especially seeing as I've laready had lessons.......

 

[meemzul]

Sorry to hijack your post but could i do the test in an automatic?

 

[MagicMelon]

Yes, I did my test in my own jeep and own trailer. Just make sure you have the right additional mirrors on it (those extending ones which go on your wing mirrors and one for the instructor/tester inside so she can watch you!).

 

[Befney3]

I did my test in my Discovery with the training centres Ifor 505. They were fab about letting my use my car & provided the extra mirrors for me.