Towing Vehicle Advice

[Samarie]

Hi there, I am considering swapping my car for a vehicle I can tow with. I will be using this to commute with work as well as tow, therefore dont want a gas guzzler, and I've seen some with lower towing limits that are more economical (please note I will only be towing one light/middleweight 16.3 in most likely a single trailer). Can anyone recommend a good towing that would be comfortably tow a horse & trailer with tack etc? I have been looking at the Hyundai ix35 with a max towing weight of 2000. Any advice/recommendations would be appreciated

 

[ROG]

If got B+E licence then ignore this

 

[Samarie]

Hi, thanks for the update. To be honest though I dont really understand it. If the max towing limit of the SUV covers the combined weight of the trailer plus the horse, doesn't that cover it?

 

[ROG]

Hi, thanks for the update. To be honest though I dont really understand it. If the max towing limit of the SUV covers the combined weight of the trailer plus the horse, doesn't that cover it?

What year did you pass car test ?

 

[meesha]

I bought a ford kuga yesterday, AWD, pretty good fuel economy and apparently tows 2100kg. Not thinking of towing with it as have horse van but nice to know i have the option. Think there are a few that would tow one ok, newer rav4 etc

 

[Samarie]

Hi I passed in 09 so have a B license.

 

[ROG]

Hi I passed in 09 so have a B license.

In that case you have a plated weight limit of 3500kg which is the plated GVW of the vehicle added to the plated MAM of the trailer

See post number 3000 of the HHO TOWING CLINIC thread - link below in my signature

 

[ROG]

Is this your intended vehicle ?
http://www.carpages.co.uk/guide/hyundai/hyundai-ix35-2.0-crdi-se-4wd.asp
Gross Weight 2140 kg
Towing Limit (braked)2000 kg

If it is then you can have a trailer plated at 1360 max

If you choose a trailer which weighs 750 empty and can get it down plated by the manufacturer to 1350 then that will leave 600 for the trailer load

 

[Samarie]

Hiya, I've been told today that the Hyundai wont legally tow, so I'm back looking at the VW Tiguan 2.0 TDI 4wd. I'm told this has max towing weight of 2200kg, and therefore should tow? Sorry this is all new to me, what do you mean having the trailer plated? When I've visited garages I've struggled to speak to anyone who can actually tell me legally, which car could tow a single horse & trailer. I (naively) assumed add together the horse weight & trailer weight and as long as the car can tow over that then your fine, but obviously not so I'm confused! Thanks

 

[ROG]

Hiya, I've been told today that the Hyundai wont legally tow, so I'm back looking at the VW Tiguan 2.0 TDI 4wd. I'm told this has max towing weight of 2200kg, and therefore should tow? Sorry this is all new to me, what do you mean having the trailer plated? When I've visited garages I've struggled to speak to anyone who can actually tell me legally, which car could tow a single horse & trailer. I (naively) assumed add together the horse weight & trailer weight and as long as the car can tow over that then your fine, but obviously not so I'm confused! Thanks

You are referring to actual weights but the law for B licence towing goes on the plated weights (the possible legal max)

GVW refers to the legal max for the vehicle
MAM refers to the legal max for the trailer

When added together those two legal max weights must not total more than 3500kg for B licence towing

Trailers can be down plated to a lower legal max (MAM) by the manufacturer of that trailer only
Vehicle GVW cannot be down plated

 

[Samarie]

Okay, so what do I need to add together in order to work out what car can tow what? Do I go on the vehicles max towing weight? & braked or unbraked?

 

[ROG]

Legal example fpr B licence towing

https://www.carleasingmadesimple.com/car-leasing/skoda/yeti-outdoor-estate/62837/
Skoda YETI OUTDOOR ESTATE 2.0 TDI CR SE 4x4 5dr
GVW 2115
Max tow limit 1800

http://www.batesontrailers.com/shop/horse-trailers/derby-lightweight-horse-pony/
Derby Lightweight Horse Trailer
Empty 675
MAM 1700 but can be down plated to 1350 by Bateson for about a tenner

At 1350 the trailer can be loaded with 675 (675+675=1350)

Total GVW+MAM=3465 so under the 3500 max for B towing

 

[ROG]

Okay, so what do I need to add together in order to work out what car can tow what? Do I go on the vehicles max towing weight? & braked or unbraked?

GVW (max permissible weight on the V5 keepers doc) (top number of the 4 listed on the weight plate usually hidden under the bonnet or in a door frame)

 

[Samarie]

Okay, I'm still lost so I've emailed towinghorsetrailers.co.uk to see if they can help me, I dont have a car yet so I dont have the documents, I have just been googling, but I dont know what to google for so Im stuck! Thanks for your help though.

 

[ROG]

Okay, I'm still lost so I've emailed towinghorsetrailers.co.uk to see if they can help me, I dont have a car yet so I dont have the documents, I have just been googling, but I dont know what to google for so Im stuck! Thanks for your help though.

They know less than I do - some info on their site is over 4 years out of date !

The lower the vehicle GVW the more MAM the trailer can be

There is no list of vehicle GVWs anywhere so you have to see a vehicle then check out its GVW either with the seller or online

For example GOOGLE - skoda yeti gvw kgs or nissan qashqai gvw kgs

GVW stands for Gross Vehicle Weight

 

[Samarie]

Okay, so for example the Volkswagen Tiguan gross vehicle weight is 2270kg. If I was to buy the Ifor Williams HB403 single horse trailer its gross weight is 1600, unladened weight 767kg and horse is 700, could this car tow? or what else do I need to take into consideration?

 

[ROG]

Okay, so for example the Volkswagen Tiguan gross vehicle weight is 2270kg. If I was to buy the Ifor Williams HB403 single horse trailer its gross weight is 1600, unladened weight 767kg and horse is 700, could this car tow? or what else do I need to take into consideration?

You would need to contact IW to have it down plated to a max of 1230 for a cost of about £50 but at 1230 less 767 would only leave 463 for the trailer load which is well short of the 700 you need

 

[Samarie]

How did you come to that calculation? I was told at the garage today that it would tow. Many thanks

 

[ROG]

How did you come to that calculation? I was told at the garage today that it would tow. Many thanks

B licence towing law is max 3500

GVW 2270

max 3500 minus GVW 2270 = 1230 left for trailer MAM

1230 MAM minus 767 empty weight = 463 left for trailer load


With a 700 horse (very heavy horse !!) and lets say an empty trailer weighing 800 means you need a trailer MAM of 1500 so leaving a max GVW for the vehicle of 2000


Using a lighter empty weight trailer such as the Derby at 675 empty ( lets say 700) and a horse at 700 needs a trailer MAM of 1400 which then leaves 2100 for a vehicle GVW

 

[ROG]

https://www.carleasingmadesimple.com/car-leasing/skoda/octavia-hatchback/78679/
Skoda OCTAVIA HATCHBACK 2.0 TDI CR vRS 4x4 5dr DSG
GVW 2017
Max tow limit 1800

http://www.chevaltrailers.co.uk/gold-one
Empty 720
MAM 1600 but down plate to 1450

Max trailer load 730

 

[Samarie]

Okay so if the horse was a little lighter, and so was the trailer like you suggested, would the vw be able to tow?

 

[ROG]

Okay so if the horse was a little lighter, and so was the trailer like you suggested, would the vw be able to tow?

Using the VW tiguan at GVW 2270 with a down plated Derby trailer at 1230 the max weight for the trailer load would be 555
1230-675=555

 

[holeymoley]

Not aiming at the Op, but it's amazing how much people are still in the dark over this towing . I read an article recently which said you couldn't tow at all on a B license and have had people query my combination ! I've seen some horrific trailer combinations from people of the pre 1997 laws , where the car and trailer actually buckling at the coupling !

 

[Spiritedly]

Op I think you and ROG may be at a bit of a cross purpose as to what is being said/asked....ROG is giving you details of what YOU can legally tow with a 'B' licence which is different to what the car is capable of towing.
On your current licence the weight of car, trailer and load must not exceed 3500.
The cars maximum towing weight is what the car is capable of towing but it isn't necessarily what you will be legally allowed to tow on your current licence.
Using the Vw Tiguan as an example the car may be able to tow 1600kg but combining the.1600 laden weight with the cars weight of 2270 the total is 3870 so more than the 3500 you are allowed to tow on your current licence.
Does that make sense?

 

[Samarie]

Hi there, thanks for your response . Yes I am aware of what I can tow on my license, I will only ever be towing 1 horse, maybe 700kg was a bit heavy, most probably around 600-650kg but rounded up to cover myself. The car I've been looking (VW Tiguan) at has a kerb weight of 1655 (weight of the car minus any occupants/tack etc right?), towing capability of 2200kg. So Am I right in thinking the combination of a horse at say 650kg + cars weight of 1655kg, plus lightweight trailer unladened (?) at 950kg = 3255kg? And would plating the trailer down help? As would never be towing MAM? Thanks

 

[ROG]

Hi there, thanks for your response . Yes I am aware of what I can tow on my license, I will only ever be towing 1 horse, maybe 700kg was a bit heavy, most probably around 600-650kg but rounded up to cover myself. The car I've been looking (VW Tiguan) at has a kerb weight of 1655 (weight of the car minus any occupants/tack etc right?), towing capability of 2200kg. So Am I right in thinking the combination of a horse at say 650kg + cars weight of 1655kg, plus lightweight trailer unladened (?) at 950kg = 3255kg? And would plating the trailer down help? As would never be towing MAM? Thanks

You have made the cardinal mistake of quoting actual weights in regards to licencing

Licence restrictions go on the plated weights such as the vehicle GVW and trailer MAM - those two added together must not by law total more than 3500kg when towing on a B licence with a trailer over 750kgs plated MAM

The MAM remains a fact even if nothing is in the trailer

I do not make the laws - I just pass the legal info onto members on here

If you tow under your scenario then you would be driving not in accordance with your licence which in turn invalidates the insurance and can end up with a confiscated vehicle plus 6 points and a £200 fine


PS - with the Tiguan at 2260 GVW and a trailer weighing 950 with a 650 horse would mean the trailer MAM must be at least 1600 so that is a total of 2260+1600=3860 so 360 over the B licence limit

 

[Samarie]

Hi there
Okay well I am at a loss again then as it seems ever scenario I am over the legal weight, so how to people tow on a B license?

 

[ROG]

Hi there
Okay well I am at a loss again then as it seems ever scenario I am over the legal weight, so how to people tow on a B license?

By getting a towing vehicle with a GVW between 1900 and 2100 approx if they have a horse around 650 along with using the lightest empty trailer they can find where the manufacturer is still trading so it can be down plated = loads do it on here

 

[holeymoley]

With vey few combinations . Try and see if you can get a car no heavier than 2tonne and with a towing weight of 1500 or thereabouts then you can sort out the trailer .

 

[Samarie]

So Kia Sportage GVW is 2140. Rog quote:
'http://www.batesontrailers.com/shop/...ht-horse-pony/
Derby Lightweight Horse Trailer
Empty 675
MAM 1700 but can be down plated to 1350 by Bateson for about a tenner

At 1350 the trailer can be loaded with 675 (675+675=1350)'

GVW of sportage @ 2140 + MAM of downplated trailer @ 1350.

Total GVW+MAM= 3490 so under my 3500 max for B towing...?