Towing Vehicles??

[barneyandem]

Hi there,
Just wondered if anyone could give me advice on towing capacities of cars, and any recommendations when buying one?
My dad currently tows the trailer but he is working away more often now and i cant get out as much, and as im 21 i thought i could take over.
However im completely baffled by weights and capacities and i just wondered if anyone could shed any light on what they use to tow?
As i would have to get a new car, i just wondered what the 'smallest car' you could get that would cope with towing one horse and a trailer. As it would be my only car, it has to be economical (or as economical as poss!)and not to expensive as i will have to buy it myself.
Sorry for all the questions-i know im probably asking alot but i just wondered if there was such a vehicle out there?
Thank you for any advice

 

[Snowberry]

It depends on what type of trailer you have, how heavy your horse is? Whether you are carrying more than one horse etc...??
You'll need to take your trailer test too, I would have thought??!

I personally wouldnt ever tow a trailer with a car, its just a personal choice thou, lots of people do. You see all sorts on the show ground but I am pretty sure they're all over weight (towing capacity not fat people!!

)

I used to have a Daihatsu Fourtrak as my towing car and that was small ish and nippy, cheap to fill up with fuel and pulled like a dream.
now I have a LWB pajero and thats lovely to tow with but costs a bloody fortune to fill up!!

(and for repairs!)

 

[Theresa_F]

I use my car which is a nissan primera - 2 litre TD. Not ideal but it does and I am within the safe weight.

I am fine on hills and it travels beautifully on the road, so far I have been fine on dryish fields but would avoid very muddy venues or ones with huge ruts - I also only go a max of 60 miles one way, normally no more than a 50 mile round trip.

My trailer is the little Bateson Derby - 675 k or 650 with the partition removed. It has 7' head room and is ok for 2 x 14.2 ponies. If you take out the partition it is fine for one horse up to 16 hands. I only tow my 14.2 gypsy cob and he is currently about 420 k. If he grows above 15.1 I will remove the partition and if he goes more than 540 k then I will have to review my car.

You need one of the heavier and powerful cars if you want to tow any heavier trailer than mine or a horse rather than a pony. I personally would not use any car to tow more than one horse or two ponies.

I would prefer a 4 x 4 but at the moment have to live with my car which is a big saloon but does do about 45 mpg as it is a diesel.

Do check out the tow capacity and be prepared that you may be restricted to certain venues.

 

[Iestyn]

Personally I would never tow with a car type vehicle - maybe a pony, but never a horse (even one). What you have to think about is not just the towing capacity of the car, but they also have nose weight restrictions, Gross Train Weight retrictions and the balance ration would be completely out. I would rather buy an older 4x4 than a newer car to be honest. However, if you insist on going down the car route I was quite surprised to see that the newer Ford Mondeo diesel estate has a towing capacity of 1800kg. It all depends on the weight of your trailer empty, the weight of your horse and all the other kit that you would be carrying. On another note, if you are only 21 you will need to have done your towing test. Bear in mind that even though the legal limit is 3500kg they go on the POTENTIAL weight of your outfit and not the actual weight.

 

[barneyandem]

Thanks for the advice-when i said 'car' i didnt mean specifically a 'saloon'type car-i perhaps should have said vehicle so apologies if this was how it sounded!My dad has a new mondeo that im insured on, which has a towing capacity of 1800kg, but i dont really feel comfortable towing so close to that weight!
I am aware of the towing test-this wasnt an immeadiate solution-it was something i was looking to do in the new year, its just im planning on selling my car and thought i would look into suitable cars now.
Thanks for any advice-much appreciated!

 

[Iestyn]

Ah right...well I can certainly recommend a Freelander. I had one and thought it was good for one horse and trailer. Now have a Disco and even though I can't fault it for towing I hate it as a general car - it's just so big and expensive to keep. I would rather have my Freelander!!!

 

[barneyandem]

Really?That was what i was looking at (the freelander), but ive heard that break down alot, i know that this varies with all cars, but it was something that has been mentioned frequently (on this forum and others). How did it fare economically speaking?Any particular model to look out for?

 

[Iestyn]

The earlier models were apparently less reliable, but I had a 52 reg TD4 (diesel) and never eally had a prob. A coolant pipe burst on it but that was a very simple problem that could happen to all vehicles. The TD4 engines are one of the most reliable engines that Landrover have developed. It was fairly economical (more so than the Discovery) and pulled nicely. I did a couple of long journeys with it but it's not comfortable towing on the m/way at more than 50mph - it just isn't a heavy enough vehicle for that. But, for one horse it was fab. There is a new model coming out with a slightly more powerful engine so you could wait for that - but they are rather pricey - but that also means that the current model has some fantastic deals on brand new Freelander's and will continue to be heavily discounted until they have all been sold. If I didn't have to keep my Disco then I would swop back to a Freelander - onyl swopped in the first place because we planned a second horse and it never really worked out!

 

[Salcey]

I have a V reg freelander and I tow a 15.3hh and a 12.3hh in it. It tows wonderfully. and when not towing they drive like a car which is what I like best about them. The biggest downside is the size of the boot, especially when gong to shows.
My freelander has never broken down * she moves slightly so as to touch wood*

 

[Louby]

We have a fourtrak and it does the job brilliantly, not too expensive either. I dont know much about Freelanders but remember reading somewhere that its the older petrol ones to avoid but the TD versions are fine. Friend has one, doesnt tow with it but its lovely to drive.
Someone local used to tow with a Mondeo and it used to make me cringe. Went everywhere though and didnt seem to have a problem with one horse, shes changed it now to a 4 x 4. If you can afford it Id get a 4 x 4.

 

[lilym]

i am currently about to get my 3rd fourtrack! this one is a swb at first i was concerned about towing but they have a tow capacity of 3.5 tonnes and weigh in at 1700kgs so with my trailer of 1 tonne and towing my little cob 460kg, i am well within my weight. with 240kg payload left for water tack etc! very very cheap to insure and 2.8td returns 30 mpg.