Mickydripin Posted April 19, 2011 Share Posted April 19, 2011 Hi all I am thinking of towing a small car behind my motorhome to south west France on a Caratow what is involved I know that I need a towbar on my van and a caratow or A bar LOL but what else is involved in the braking system or electric department does the caratow have a brake on it or electrical conection and how do you get around the stearing lock on the towed car how does it all work and what would be the average cost for all this. Before anybody says why do you want to take a car we are staying in one place this time for around three months so a car would be very handy. I have enquired about loan cars but they want around £490 for twenty eight days I thought about buying a cheep car over there but there seam too many complications has anybody got any better sugestions Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike B. Posted April 19, 2011 Share Posted April 19, 2011 Hi Don't know much about the 'Caratow' system but we have the 'towbars-2-towcars' system and it works perfectly. Has an electronic braking system they developed and it is hidden behind the dashboard. This works the car brakes/lights/indicators and is not an 'overide' system on the A frame which is to be illegal from 2014. Power comes from 13 pin plug which they also fit to your van. Service was very good, system works perfectly, you get a legality document with it and I can't fault them-even to the point I lost the bung for the bumper and tried to buy one from them and they sent me 3 foc! They will also deliver/collect for you. Re the steering lock-you put the spare key in the ignition to release the steering lock, then lock the doors (Without alarm on!) with the ignition key which then locks but doesn't immobilise it. Hope this helps Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickydripin Posted April 19, 2011 Author Share Posted April 19, 2011 Hi Mike can you please give me some idea to the cost of converting the car. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pilote742 Posted April 19, 2011 Share Posted April 19, 2011 Hi Before making any purchase it would be advisable to check with your insurance. I was looking at this option and my insurance company (Dolmans) would not give any cover they insist that the only method of towing a car would be with all four wheels of the ground, in other words on a trailer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosbotham Posted April 19, 2011 Share Posted April 19, 2011 Insurance : coverage for the towed vehicle comes from that vehicle's policy. The motorhome policy will cover the towed vehicle 3rd party while on tow, but that's not really sufficient unless it's an old banger. Companies that will provide cover fully comp while being towed are Peart, Comfort and (I think) NFU. If you're scared into using a trailer, don't assume that your conventional motor policy will cover the car when on the trailer - my experience is it's just as difficult to find insurers who'll cover it fully comp on the trailer as it is on an a-frame. In terms of brakes, when on an A-frame they must be operable - unbraked a-frames are illegal, period (law says that if a trailer has brakes, they must work - I'm unaware of a car that has no brakes). There's two basic approaches, namely over-run and electronically controlled. Over-run may become illegal when EU legislation is enacted into national law, but that's approx 5 years away. If you install an a-frame that works on an over-run system, I'm sure it'll be upgradeable to work with an electronic system should you ever want to. As a broad brush, an over-run (car-a-tow, Chris Cox, towtal, Armitages) comes in at approx £900 fitted, electronic (towbars2towcars, brakebuddy) are more like £1500. Hope this helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest peter Posted April 19, 2011 Share Posted April 19, 2011 There's another one, that I saw at Peterborogh that also has a vaccuum pump which gives full braking force. Their name escapes me at the moment but it was £2000 inc' vat. Very impressive but not cheap. We are looking for a system as well. The law also states that the trailer (car) must be capable of being reversed without the brakes being applied. Which is not possible with the overun system. So the only option really is some sort of electronic braking control. Another one with vacuum system is here. http://www.smart-tow.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enodreven Posted April 20, 2011 Share Posted April 20, 2011 Hi, Has anyone resolved the steering problem while reversing. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enodreven Posted April 20, 2011 Share Posted April 20, 2011 Hi, Has anyone resolved the steering problem while reversing. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted April 20, 2011 Share Posted April 20, 2011 braunston - 2011-04-20 8:54 AM Hi, Has anyone resolved the steering problem while reversing. Thanks No. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BGD Posted April 20, 2011 Share Posted April 20, 2011 Other "cheap" option ideas (maybe?) if you're over there for a significant chunk of time: Couple of 2nd hand pushbikes. Maybe 100 quid. Local Public Transport......possibly the best option. You'll get a helluva lot of bus journeys for say 100 quid total. 2nd hand scooter on a rack. Maybe 500 for an older but sound scooter, and 300 for a rack. But insurance & Tax on top. Buy a couple of those French pushbikes with the little petrol engine attached, 2nd hand, once you're over there. Buy cheapo, beat-up but still-working French scooter once there, for a couple of hundred euros, and at the end of your stay either flog it on, or give it away, or bring it back to the UK to flog on ebay etc for spares. Start asking around in shops/bars for local car hire once you get down there - someone will know someone who knows the bloke at the local garage who's got a couple of old courtesy cars or something, for (I bet) a helluva lot less than the rates that Hertz etc would fleece you for. It ain't gotta be shiny and brand new; any old banger would do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mondo Posted April 20, 2011 Share Posted April 20, 2011 There is another one just about to come on the market (Try this site) www.unibrake.co.uk it is being developed to allow reversing with the toad still attached..it is worth a look all the necessary is there Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest peter Posted April 20, 2011 Share Posted April 20, 2011 Thanks for the link Mondo. That's the one I was on about that I couldn't remember yesterday. I was very impressed with this system and am considering having it fitted. The is a unit that goes in the M/H that you can adjust to increase or decrease the braking force from the car, to balace the combo. It's an american system that has only been on sale here for 6 months. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosbotham Posted April 20, 2011 Share Posted April 20, 2011 I'd be interested if someone could explain how that system differs from a Brakebuddy, other than moving the sensitivity adjustment from being on the unit itself to a remote box in the motorhome cab. The problem with electronic systems such as this is where the power comes from. There's a legal requirement that any braking system does not rely on power from the trailer (do an internet search on braking regulations around imported 5th wheelers if you wish to research), so it shouldn't be powered from the toad battery. So the question is, does the power on this come soley from the toad battery, or were it to fail could it derive its power - and the power to brake - from the motorhome? If not, it's replaced one set of (potential) legal non-compliances with another. The material about lack of servo assist on the website is, with respect, erroneous. The servo assist, particularly on small cars, is more about driver experience than ability to brake. Anyone who's towed using an a-frame and got the position of the breakaway cable wrong when pulling away at an acute angle can attest to this - e.g. my previous toad was a Smart and when that cable pulled tight it was sufficient that the motorhome was unable to move forward with it attached. It is true that things could be different if you were looking to pull a 4x4 like many Americans do, but that's not what happens over here. As to reversability of over-run systems. Well first things first, few a-frames will allow much reversing because the steering caster will send it straight into the gutter. However, with care, it is possible to reverse an over-run system slowly, on the flat - not uphill. This said, having towed using a car on a trailer, I would contend that the large overhang on most motorhomes means it's pretty difficult (if not impossible) to reverse reliably in that configuration unless you're an ex-HGV driver - move the steering wheel a millimetre and the trailer will be off at a large angle. As to suggestions to avoid the need...well I don't tend to bother with our car in Europe as the public transport is that much better. However, cycling with two dogs isn't really a good idea... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickydripin Posted April 21, 2011 Author Share Posted April 21, 2011 Hi and thanks for all your reply`s. It is a car that I need in France to carry small items like shopping,washing to laundry and things around the camp as I have been asked to look after a few chalets in return I get a free stay gas and electric on a five star site we know this site as we have been there before with a caravan and know them to be OK plus we would like to do some sight`seeing as we will have a lot of spare time it is a good idea as one suggested to ask at the local garages to see if they have a cheep runabout car they can rent any other good ideas would be appreciated. Thanks Mike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flicka Posted April 21, 2011 Share Posted April 21, 2011 Micky From your description of use, BGD's suggestion to rent/hire a cheap banger, sounds the most practical solution, especially if you add-in the extra Ferry costs to taking a Car with the Motorhome. It would also save the abuse of your own vehicle, whilst working on the Campsite. Another option may be to use the Site's runabout if they have one, offering to pay any additional Insurance premium. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickydripin Posted April 22, 2011 Author Share Posted April 22, 2011 Has any body towed a car behind there motorhome and what would it cost extra on the ferry EG Portsmouth/Caen etc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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