Billy23 Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 I do hope this hasnt been done to death, but: I was looking at the "A Frame debate" and it started me wondering, with the cost of the A Frame, the cost of the toad put with the extra cost on a ferry, not forgetting the extra cost in Fuel to tow it and then of course the "Worry" Is it legal or not and the possible fine (in Spain) OMG. Would it not be better to just hire a car as and when you need it, phone before you get to site, have it delivered and collected....End of worry, dont have to tax it, or have it standing on the drive, nothing to depreciate or insure. Just a thought! What do YOU think? Cheers Billy23 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnerontheroad Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 We rent but not all car hire firms will deliver/collect, it depends how far your site is from thier office, but must be a lot cheaper than towing. Ours is due back on Sunday had it for a month euro300 with no excess insurance 240 without. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pelmetman Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 Sounds cheap as chips when compared to the other options :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 Billy, I must admit that does make sense - unless someone needs to have an 'adapted' car or already owns a suitable 'toad' car which they use normally when at home (and therefore it isn't an added cost to get it), then this would appear to be a viable alternative. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayjsj Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 Billy23 - 2012-02-10 7:26 PM I do hope this hasnt been done to death, but: I was looking at the "A Frame debate" and it started me wondering, with the cost of the A Frame, the cost of the toad put with the extra cost on a ferry, not forgetting the extra cost in Fuel to tow it and then of course the "Worry" Is it legal or not and the possible fine (in Spain) OMG. Would it not be better to just hire a car as and when you need it, phone before you get to site, have it delivered and collected....End of worry, dont have to tax it, or have it standing on the drive, nothing to depreciate or insure. Just a thought! What do YOU think? Cheers Billy23 Billy, I have been doing exactly that, except only in the UK, The Caravan Club has a 'deal' with Enterprise renta car, My missus is disabled so it's handy to have a 'runabout' on site, rather than driving the van into town centres. Fo us, the cost of the 'Toad' car is already paid, it's my wife's converted Toyota Yaris, so, just the cost of getting the 'Metalwork' on the front. The cost of the A-frame ? I was hoping to pick one up Second hand, (as all these people who used to tow to Spain, start to give it up as a bad job.). So, for use in the UK only for me it (an A-Frame) looks very attractive. Rental costs are NOT cheap, even with a good discount. So, over a year or so, i believe an A-Frame would be cheaper and more convenient. People have said 'why not get a Caravan' but that would mean driving a Heavy vehicle ALL the year, Just to tow a caravan, when we go on tours. And there is the 'Storage' problem. No, for us, an A-Frame makes perfect sense. Ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lennyhb Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 Makes sense to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onecal Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 Hi,,,,,don't forget they will up the prices on the car rental,,,,,how about using a trailer and small car,,,,,,never give up,,,,,,costs are high to buy both trailer and small car bit if you break that down over the use you may get out of them both at home and abroad,,,,,,it may make it worth while to buy them,,,,Regards Brendan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T8LEY Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 I've noticed more hire cars at each site we've been to in Spain this year. Looks like hiring is catching on already. However, I could never see the logic in putting the car behind the accommodation. Surely, if your 'van' is not going to move for six months, why have an engine in it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayjsj Posted February 11, 2012 Share Posted February 11, 2012 T8LEY - 2012-02-10 11:23 PM I've noticed more hire cars at each site we've been to in Spain this year. Looks like hiring is catching on already. However, I could never see the logic in putting the car behind the accommodation. Surely, if your 'van' is not going to move for six months, why have an engine in it? Nobody said they were not going to move for 'Six Months', we tour, we are not 'Static' vanners, However to tow a caravan 'safely' you need a 'Substanstial' towcar, which is expensive to tax/insure/ fill with diesel ALL the year. Which is why a Motorcaravan towing a small car, which is used ALL year at home, while the motohome is parked is a more sensible option. Not everyone can 'manhandle' a car trailer or has the space to store it at home, plus the extra weight + car goes above max weight for M/H.to tow. SO, an A-Frame makes perfect sense......for me, and the missus. ;-) Ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basil Posted February 11, 2012 Share Posted February 11, 2012 Origionally we were going to tow a car behind using an 'A' frame from Caratow, we had already bought the car before we got the motorhome as we were in the caravaners mindset. However having read all the legal not legal issues in the early days and having started to reuse a motorhome we decided that to have a tow car was completely uneccessary. If we need a car whilst away then we hire, particularly using the special Caravan Club rates from Enterprise who come to the site and pick you up, the cost is so small at around £20 a day it is as cheap as using public transport and by far cheaper than having your own car in tow IMO even though we still have a second small car that could be towed. We have never hired abroad as we have not found the need so far as we never stay longer than a couple of days in one place and normally we are on an Aire which tend to be in easy walking distance of where we wish to go. So again IMO I would use rental cars in preference at all times, its cheaper (certainly with the CC scheme) and you don't have to be concerned about extra charges for ferries, some sites etc and upkeep and depreciation of the towed vehicle. To me you are better off having a car and caravan than the other way round. Bas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyishuk Posted February 11, 2012 Share Posted February 11, 2012 Done this and came to the conclusion after rejecting a scooter, car, A-Frame and trailer that it was easier from our point of view to buy a couple of electic bikes and hire a car for a couple of days if need be . One thing that might interest those that hire a car is that we have insurance that covers the excess insurance cover that the car hirers try to sell you @ lodsa pounds per day. It insures your liability, or the amount that the hirer will claim from you in case of an accident. Cost is about £40 a year and is a bolt-on to the house insurance. Rgds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith T Posted February 11, 2012 Share Posted February 11, 2012 tonyishuk - 2012-02-11 4:17 PM Done this and came to the conclusion after rejecting a scooter, car, A-Frame and trailer that it was easier from our point of view to buy a couple of electic bikes and hire a car for a couple of days if need be . One thing that might interest those that hire a car is that we have insurance that covers the excess insurance cover that the car hirers try to sell you @ lodsa pounds per day. It insures your liability, or the amount that the hirer will claim from you in case of an accident. Cost is about £40 a year and is a bolt-on to the house insurance. Rgds Yes, we've gone donw the route of hiring through Enterprise, and it's very good. The purchase of additional annual 'top up ' insurance is veyr good value - in fact in 2011 we spent several weeks in Canada (no, not with the motorhome!) and whilst we got a very good rate for hiring a car over there, purchased an annualtop-up insureance, for I think about £60 which was excellent value and so mouch more convenient (and cheaper) than the daily costs offered through the hire car company. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barryd999 Posted February 11, 2012 Share Posted February 11, 2012 What about a scooter on a rack? Wouldnt have a motorhome without one now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayjsj Posted February 11, 2012 Share Posted February 11, 2012 Barryd999 - 2012-02-11 4:34 PM What about a scooter on a rack? Wouldnt have a motorhome without one now. Would be fine for me, but unfortunately the missus is disabled, so bikes and scooters are out.Ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted February 11, 2012 Share Posted February 11, 2012 we use a mixture of car hire, public transport and taxis..Main transport these days are our e bikes. Handy for shopping, sightseeing and meals out in evening, as you can have a few dwinks and not worry about riding home...plus its lovely in decent weather! :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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