Towing - small car engine

[cheekywelshie]

So I test drove the car - which has towing capabilities of 1500kg. But the engine is 1.5lt. My dad who has had a freelander reckons there's no way anything with that size engine should be towing...despite the fact that all the caravan magazines gave it good reviews...aghhhhh i am going potty trying to find a car to tow on B license with one horse. I was all set for going and they were going to put a towbar on but now i don't know what to do! http://www.practicalcaravan.com/blog/29527-new-dacia-duster-a-tow-car-bargain

 

[catroo]

It should tow fine as its with in the weight limits but you will be putting a lot of strain on a small engine.

How frequently, how far and what is the terrain like?

 

[Count Oggy]

You've read my mind. My husbands car is ten years old, has nearly 160,000 miles on the clock and I've been looking at the Duster as a replacement so I don't have to rely on my father in law's van for towing. Like you though, I can't see how such a small engine could cope, the Skoda Octavia has a 1.6 4x4 model that can apparently pull 1500kg too but I'm similarly sceptical about this. I'm interested to hear others experiences of towing horses rather than caravans with these cars.

 

[lindsay1993]

I personally wouldn't. We have a 2.0 diesel freelander 2003 model. It is crap! I would never tow a trailer with a horse in. It lacks the torque of the bigger engine diesels and the short wheel base means it is terrible for towing, it struggled to tow an empty sheep trailer up a steep hill! We tow the horse box with one 15.3hh mare in it with a 2.5l izuzu pickup 57 plate and it pulls no bother, even up the steepest of hills. It has also towed same box with a 700kg 17.3hh horse no bother at all, as well as 40 lambs to the mart. 1.5l sounds far too small an engine to be towing with something as precious as a horse on board. :-/

 

[cheekywelshie]

I should add I'm looking at 1 horse 575kg with a single horse trailer either ifor 4o1 or the Bateson/bar well 650. I think there is one trailer that is 600 unladen!

 

[ROG]

If I was choosing a vehicle it would be something like this = http://carleasingmadesimple.com/bus...octavia-diesel-estate_3/60611/technical-data/ with a Bateson Derby trailer down plated to 1450 so at 675 empty it would leave 775 for the horse/trailer load
The vehicle has a 2ltr diesel engine and is a 4x4 with a 2000 towing capacity and a GVW of just over 2000

 

[alainax]

I had a 2 litre BMW X3 (2000kg capacity) towing a hb401 single and 600kg horse. It was awful! So under powered and really felt it struggle on hills. Now have a 3 litre jeep that doesn't feel like there is anything there. I would be very hesitant to have such a small engine towing a horse.

 

[Fiona]

I have towed with a 1.6 and even 1.4 previously. Short local journey with single trailer and 14.2. Not sure I'd be keen now tbh.

Hubby's 2.0 octavia is a great towbar though...

Fiona

 

[cheekywelshie]

Yes it would only be for local journeys of ten/twenty miles. I would hire a transporter for others. It just gets expensive when it cost 150 say to go ten miles and back!

 

[cheekywelshie]

I found this ! https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=FYxgEs0Cg2M

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/dacia/duster/66324/dacia-duster-15-dci-ambiance-4x4-special-award

 

[Michen]

Strange because my 2litre Tiguan with the same towing capacity tows my 900kg trailer and 500kg horse beautifully even up hills. In fact it barely even used that much more fuel with the trailer than without!

I had a 2 litre BMW X3 (2000kg capacity) towing a hb401 single and 600kg horse. It was awful! So under powered and really felt it struggle on hills. Now have a 3 litre jeep that doesn't feel like there is anything there. I would be very hesitant to have such a small engine towing a horse.

 

[Michen]

Yes it would only be for local journeys of ten/twenty miles. I would hire a transporter for others. It just gets expensive when it cost 150 say to go ten miles and back!

How about the Nissan x trail? Very popular for b license towing and gives you a bit more breathing space on the towing capability?

 

[Procrastination]

Strange because my 2litre Tiguan with the same towing capacity tows my 900kg trailer and 500kg horse beautifully even up hills. In fact it barely even used that much more fuel with the trailer than without!

Same! I tow with a 2L diesel VW caravelle (the people carrier type vans you see about). It tows really well, and even with a ifor 505 and 1 Tonne of horse on board it gets up steep hills no problem?!

 

[cheekywelshie]

Cheers - I'm going to ring the trailer companies see if they have any advice? I have limited budget .. I like the sandero stepway easy to drive obviously not for towing. The duster felt a heavy beast in comparison but granted horse trailers are not caravans

 

[dancingkris]

A girl I know tows with a Ford focus and a cheval liberte single horse trailer - she has a 16hh sport horse. I wouldn't personally as I'd be too worried about the cars lack of power.

 

[cheekywelshie]

A girl I know tows with a Ford focus and a cheval liberte single horse trailer - she has a 16hh sport horse. I wouldn't personally as I'd be too worried about the cars lack of power.

OK - I just spoke to Bateson trailers and Ifor Williams and went through the kerbweight, torque, GVW and MTW in relation to their single horse lw trailers and they said no problem. I also spoke to the car manufacturer directly rather than the dealerships.

 

[ROG]

OK - I just spoke to Bateson trailers and Ifor Williams and went through the kerbweight, torque, GVW and MTW in relation to their single horse lw trailers and they said no problem. I also spoke to the car manufacturer directly rather than the dealerships.

to down plate a trailer the original is removed and a new one put on usually by either you or your agent but admin costs can vary depending which make of trailer it is
About £50 for IW
About £10 for Bateson
Not sure about others

 

[Shutterbug]

I tow with a 2L Santa Fe Diesel that has a tow weight of 2ton - I only ever tow one horse and it copes really well with the towing, even up steep hills and is a great running car. Personally I wouldnt tow with anything under 2L - I bought my car 2.5 years ago when it had 78,000 miles on it and it cost me £2.5k so quite reasonably priced

 

[cheekywelshie]

to down plate a trailer the original is removed and a new one put on usually by either you or your agent but admin costs can vary depending which make of trailer it is
About £50 for IW
About £10 for Bateson
Not sure about others

Hi Rog
Interestingly the chap at Bateson said ruling doesn't apply any more - that so long as you are within the legal limits you dont need to downplate anymore apparently its been like that for two years??? BUt there is nothing on the DVLA website that suggests this.

 

[ROG]

Hi Rog
Interestingly the chap at Bateson said ruling doesn't apply any more - that so long as you are within the legal limits you dont need to downplate anymore apparently its been like that for two years??? BUt there is nothing on the DVLA website that suggests this.

He is confusing B and B+E rules and the only rule which changed in 2013 was the rule where the MAM of the trailer could not be more than vehicle kerb weight for B towing