Towing in Ireland!

[IrishCobMontague]

Hi everyone! Not sure if this is the right place for this but I couldn't find a specific towing area!
I have a car with a 1.6 litre engine which obviously isn't enough to tow my Cob and the trailer. I don't want to change my car because I travel 700km a week and it runs so nicely and cheaply. However, I'm finding it difficult to hire a large SUV with towbar. I was thinking of buying an old land cruiser or similar to tow with just 3-4 times a year for beach rides/summer shows etc. However, I don't want to pay to insure 2 cars (especially something with that big of an engine) when I'll hardly ever use it. Has anyone ever bought a similar vehicle and kept it on private property (so as to avoid taxing it for the year, only the summer when it's in use) and just added it as a temporary vehicle to their full-time car's comprehensive insurance as a temporary vehicle? I will not be partaking in any illegal activities, just a heads up! Thanks a million for any advice/experience!

 

[Tiddlypom]

I don’t know of the tax and insurance implications, but large old 4x4s don’t take kindly to sitting around doing nothing for most of the time. They last much better with regular use.

 

[m1stify]

You can’t tax for a portion of the year AFAIK you will have to pay arrears for the months you have missed before you renew the tax. Could you hire a horse van?

 

[Rowreach]

Could you find a buddy and share transport for when you need it in the summer? You don't say where you are but there are quite a few hacking buddies type groups in Ireland.

 

[IrishCobMontague]

You can’t tax for a portion of the year AFAIK you will have to pay arrears for the months you have missed before you renew the tax. Could you hire a horse van?

I wouldn't mind taxing it for the year to be honest, I know about the arrears thing

 

[stormox]

If you aren't eligible for commercial tax you have to tax a commercial vehicle privately, which is expensive!!

 

[Old school]

Hi everyone! Not sure if this is the right place for this but I couldn't find a specific towing area!
I have a car with a 1.6 litre engine which obviously isn't enough to tow my Cob and the trailer. I don't want to change my car because I travel 700km a week and it runs so nicely and cheaply. However, I'm finding it difficult to hire a large SUV with towbar. I was thinking of buying an old land cruiser or similar to tow with just 3-4 times a year for beach rides/summer shows etc. However, I don't want to pay to insure 2 cars (especially something with that big of an engine) when I'll hardly ever use it. Has anyone ever bought a similar vehicle and kept it on private property (so as to avoid taxing it for the year, only the summer when it's in use) and just added it as a temporary vehicle to their full-time car's comprehensive insurance as a temporary vehicle? I will not be partaking in any illegal activities, just a heads up! Thanks a million for any advice/experience!

You can tax it on a three monthly/quarterly basis, no problem. But you must submit the paperwork for the periods it is going to be off the road while it is currently taxed. So say your tax runs out Sept 2024. You intend parking it up until April 2025, your paperwork with the intention to do this must be submitted before end Sept 2024.

 

[Old school]

The vehicle type determines eligibility, not you. If you have a garage to store it in out of weather and make sure no mice/rodents get at wiring and can give it a spin every now and then on your private property, you should be grand. Talk to your insurance broker re off road periods.