Towing with a Passat?

[meandmyself]

Went to the beach today after work and saw two lovely arabs being loaded (well, one went in, the other didn't at first). They were towing a Ifor Williams with a Passat. Was it safe? I followed them out of the car park and the trailer was very wobbly when they braked!

 

[meandmyself]

Never mind- I sorat worked it out and think that it was over loaded.

 

[apkelly01]

I use to have a 2002 1.9tdi red di (130bhp) Passat for towing a large double horsebox (510) and it pulled it just as good as a jeep. I didn't find it wobbly at all, and I once towed two horses - 16.3 and 15.2. But I prefer pulling with a jeep!

I think as long as the biggest horse is put in on the right it should stay stable.

Where they braking hard? It could all do with their driving and might explain why one horse was harder to load (bad loaders aren't born!)

 

[meandmyself]

No, they didn't really brake hard IMO.

It was quite un nerving to see it move about so much and can't have been comfy for the horses.

I'm sure they were towing over the car's max towing weight.

 

[conniegirl]

It is most likely illegal

 

[SecretSquirrell379]

I've just come back from a show with some friends and they towed their double Ifor Williams with a Passat. The horse is 15.2 and a 14 hand pony, it tows fine

 

[LauraBR]

[ QUOTE ]
It is most likely illegal

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree. I'm sure it is fine on flat roads at reasonable speeds etc but I wouldn't want to be towing on any steep hills or muddy showgrounds. It would pull it fine, it's the braking that would worry me.

 

[conniegirl]

it may tow fine but is it legal? if its not legal (within the manufacturers tow limit of the car) then thier insurance is void and if pulled over you can get points on their liscences or loose them entirely

 

[PennyJ]

I've just checked this and depending on what sort of Passat it was, the towing limits vary between 1300kg up to a massive 2200kg for the 4motion great big engine model. So, it might not have been illegal. combined weight of horses and trailer was probably around the 2,000kg mark.

 

[meandmyself]

The car was a 1.9 TDI. The max towing weight for it is 1500/1600kg.

The trailer weighs roughly 900kg. Say each horse weighs 500kg, and allow 50-80kg for tack, water, hay etc.... It would be overweight. Very scary to think of it like that!

Do you think I should have said something to them?

 

[meandmyself]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
It is most likely illegal

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree. I'm sure it is fine on flat roads at reasonable speeds etc but I wouldn't want to be towing on any steep hills or muddy showgrounds. It would pull it fine, it's the braking that would worry me.

[/ QUOTE ]

The braking worried me too and I was only following the bloody thing!

 

[VictoriaEDT]

very illegal and very silly! why people do it is beyond me......especially the amount of accidents that happen with trailers.

Dont shoot me down its just my opinion!

 

[apkelly01]

[ QUOTE ]
The car was a 1.9 TDI. The max towing weight for it is 1500/1600kg.

The trailer weighs roughly 900kg. Say each horse weighs 500kg, and allow 50-80kg for tack, water, hay etc.... It would be overweight. Very scary to think of it like that!

Do you think I should have said something to them?

[/ QUOTE ]

There's 3 types of 1.9tdi Passats - if the writing on the back is all chrome = 90bhp, if the 'td' is in chrome and the 'i' is in red means 110bhp and if the 't' is in chrome but 'di' in red means 130 bhp.

If you are towing the 130bhp is the one to go for as it has more pulling power. But now that I think about it, when I was towing with my Passat I did on occasions feel like I was getting 'pushed'. I'd the Ifor Williams 510 box and a 16.2 Irish draught mare in it! I never tried to work out what I was towing

 

[conniegirl]

Akelly it doesnt matter if it has a bigger engine or more powerful engine or not, the fact remains that it is above the manufacturers MAM which makes it illegal and your insurance void.
the police could seize the car and trailer when you are weighed and found overweight (hence driving without insurance). At the very least it means a fine (in the thousands) and points or loosing your liscence