Trailer Opinions: Single or Double?

Laafet said:
Depends on the Golf - the estate version has won various awards for its towing capacity.

ETA - just looked at your link and OMG I don't even want to know what the person was on that said you could tow with it.
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yeah i couldnt believe what she told us to start with either, thats another reason for this post: to find out if she was telling the truth
 
VW Golfs are great little cars but like you say you may have to wait to get a bigger one to tow even a single trailer. I have seen people tow them with Mondeo Estates, Volvos, BMWs and the like.
 
skint1 said:
VW Golfs are great little cars but like you say you may have to wait to get a bigger one to tow even a single trailer. I have seen people tow them with Mondeo Estates, Volvos, BMWs and the like.
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how are they cars at towing? ideally we want a 4x4 but they could be the next best thing
 
ISH_lover said:
yeah i couldnt believe what she told us to start with either, thats another reason for this post: to find out if she was telling the truth
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Well good on you for having the common sense to find out more info first! Sadly alot of people would take that persons word as law and start towing :eek:
 
I suggest for the safety of all the other road users, your horse, the person driving the vehicle towing the trailer, any passangers and all the other kit and kaboodle that goes with it, to be safe and sensible and get a decent towing vehicle to start with, For goodness sake!
 
I have an Ifor Williams 403 single trailer and tow it with a Mondeo. The manufacturers laden weight of the trailer is 1600kg but mine has been downrated to 1450kg.
The empty trailer weighs 770kg. My horse weighs 500kg.
My Mondeo has a towing capacity of 1800kg.

I love my single trailer and if I ever got another 4x4 vehicle I would still keep my single trailer.
 
ISH_lover said:
how are they cars at towing? ideally we want a 4x4 but they could be the next best thing
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Personally, I have only towed with a 4x4, an Isuzu Trooper, a Disco and a Tata. There is a website, I can't recall which, where you can put in a make/model/year of a car and it will tell you the towing weights. The longer the vehicle the more stable it will be for towing.

Think about this, the car you want needs to keep the load behind it stable. If you need to brake suddenly (which is scary enough) can the car ALSO stop with the weight of the trailer+horse behind it? Could it pull your trailer and horse up a steep hill, or keep trailer/horse behind down a steep hill? When a lorry comes by you on a dual carriageway or motorway?

It doesn't have to be a 4x4 but it has to be up to the job.
 
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I'm always amazes how much 'should be ok' or 'my car tows fine' type comments appear on towing threads! A regular saloon car with a big engine can physically tow a horse trailer, but just because it can manage to get going does not mean it is legal!!!
This is one situation when the law has been made for a darn good reason, and towing weights really must be adhered to. If the car is too light for the trailer, hills and braking in particular will be dangerous!
Let's face it, your pride and joy is in that trailer, be safe.
There is a website with a lot of info specifically for us horsey folk: www.towinghorsetrailers.co.uk It has all the gen about licenses (don't forget, if you passed your driving test after a certain date you need to take a trailer test by law), towing weights, trailer reviews, towing vehicle reviews, info about what vehicles can tow what weights, etc etc. Well worth a read if you are in any doubt that you are less than 100% clued up.
Sorry, that may read v preachy but it worries me the amount of 'dodgy' set ups that can be seen on any show field!
OP - good luck, hope you find the vehicle and trailer you're looking for.
 
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