what car is best..?

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oliviacharley

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We are not too sure which car is best to pull a horse box.
We are after an estate diesel and have been looking at A4 Audi's 2.5 diesel. Can you please let me know your thoughts...??
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I bought a BMW 330d estate - or my company did - thinking it would tow an Ifor 505. Well it did with one pony - but it wasn't great -far too low - kept hitting pot holes.

Eventually, bought a Shogun - what a relief a real difference.

After my experience I would not recommend a car - I would look at a 4 x 4.
 
Dont try it with a car, any car!! The trailer, neds, and all your kit need to weigh less than 85% of the kerb weight of the car.

eg Average trailer = 600kg + 2 x horses @ 500kg each = 1600kg. This means the towing vehicle needs to weigh in at 1840kg at least.

Kerb weights can usually be found in the manual if that helps
 
My friends dad used to tow with an Audi estate-(1 pony) It managed OK unless he had to park in field as it didnt have the power to pull away in thick grass (mud). Steep Hills were also a bit of a struggle!
Personally I would get a 4X4-you will feel much safer!
 
That is the same as the BMW - look at 85% of that for safety and then add the weight of the trailer - the Ifor is 950kg - the weight of the tack, water, passengers - and you are close to if not over the limit. Most 4 x 4s will give you 3500kg towing weight.
 
Have to agree with everyone else ,4x4 is the way to go . You will have to go a very long way to beat a discovery for towing and makes a really great family car as well!
 
the 85% rule is only a caravan club guideline based on a normal family estate type car that is towing a caravan, legally you go by the gross train weight, (GWT) this can be found under the bonnet on a plate along with the chassis or VIN number.eg
1840kg = kerb weight
3500kg = towing limit braked trailer
5025kg = gross train weight this is the limit you must NOT exceed the wieght of the whole outfit
towing capacity is also important this is the manufacturer's limit on what the car is safetly able to tow, eg my fourtrack has a towing capacity of 3500kg whereas a freelander can only tow 2000kg, and a ford focus can only tow 1500kgs depending on exact model. the reason 4x4 vehicles come into their own towing is that the suspension and brakes are much heavier to cope with the excess stresses placed on them, plus the vehicle is a lot heavier and reduces the risk of the trailer driving the car, it is not so much getting up hills taht you need to worry about but coming down them! it also depends on what you are towing i.e if you had only 1 pony of say 400kgs in an ifor 505 which wieghs 905kgs a total weight of 1395kgs and were towing with a volvo V70 estate capacity of 1800kgs you would have 405kgs left for driver tack etc and should come within the weight to stay legal. hope this helps!! i know a lady at my riding club who tows with her vectra 2 horses in an ifor 510
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i wouldn't even tow my one horse on the back of my vectra and mine is newer with a bigger engine!!
 
thanks very much everyone - we really would like to try and get a A6 Avant Audi estate as it is more economical and we only plan to use the horse box 1 a month. I understand the safety issues and will speak to the manufactors about the details...
please keep your comments coming :0)
 
If you are towing a Rice trailer you need a 4X4 or something of that weight to tow and to be able to stop it, as those are one of the heaviest horse trailers on the road.

If you get an older 4X4 they are not hit by the new road tax and they are getting very cheap now due to the cost of fuel, but go for a 4X4 thats built for the job like a Disco, Shogun, Pajaro, Landcruiser, Fourtrack etc but avoid the likes of a Suzuki, Frontera and any light weight type.
 
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