Mel B Posted September 12, 2006 Share Posted September 12, 2006 Mel E Your description of a Fiat 126 reminds me of something else ... you! Like all things, some people love 'em, others hate 'em, we had a brilliant one and we have many friends with 'micro' cars of various sorts (we help run a microcar club). I wouldn't like to tow some of the cars you suggested due to the weight you would then be pulling. But then, I'm into little weird things!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
W3526602 Posted September 13, 2006 Share Posted September 13, 2006 Hi, The thought crosses my mind that it would be useful if therunabout coud also tow it own trailer. But then, the trailers MAM would be too high for the little car to tow, or too low to carry the little car. Reverse enable trailer brakes! Wouldn't it have been cheaper to have retained the old-fashioned reverse detent lever, and had a piece of string so it could be engaged from the drivers seat? The de Luxe model could have a solenoid to move the lever, activated from the reverse lamp switch. 602 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marcob Posted September 13, 2006 Share Posted September 13, 2006 Re brake disconnetion in reverse. I had caravan in the 1980s with a solenoid to disconnect the brakes when in reverse, it worked from the reverse lights. The old flipover lever would not be legal as it must work outomatic when reversing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel E Posted September 13, 2006 Share Posted September 13, 2006 Mel B, This site is NOT a place for personal comments of the type you have just made. I gave my opinion of the Fiat 126 as an objective view having test-driven one. It WAS noisy, DID have rust, and IS now an old design. There are far better choices for very little money in the used marketplace. To suggest that such comments about a car apply to me, personally, is not on and not at all funny. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Madge Posted September 13, 2006 Share Posted September 13, 2006 [QUOTE]W3526602 - 2006-09-13 7:09 AM Hi, The thought crosses my mind that it would be useful if therunabout coud also tow it own trailer. But then, the trailers MAM would be too high for the little car to tow, or too low to carry the little car. Reverse enable trailer brakes! Wouldn't it have been cheaper to have retained the old-fashioned reverse detent lever, and had a piece of string so it could be engaged from the drivers seat? The de Luxe model could have a solenoid to move the lever, activated from the reverse lamp switch. 602[/QUOTE] Hi 602, Welcome :-D :-D :-D Your age is showing :-D bits of string indeed :-D many on here don't go back as far as us. B-) Don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel E Posted September 13, 2006 Share Posted September 13, 2006 Don and 602, To meet the letter of the specific regulation, the piece of string (or solenoid) would have to be connected to the towing vehicle's gear lever, as manual intervention is not permitted! Piece of string connected to the gear lever? I like it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted September 13, 2006 Share Posted September 13, 2006 Mel E I can't for the life of me see why you have taken offence at what I said, especially taking into account the light-hearted comments I've made on this thread to/about others?!?!?! See my several 'fun' comments to Dave Newell, he didn't take offence even when I questioned his intellectual status! I therefore thought you would see the funny side of my comments regarding you being like the car, but obviously I was mistaken and am very sorry to have upset you. To get back on topic, I have owned two Fiat 126s in the last 4 years and have driven a few and know a lot of enthusiasts for them, they are like all cars - there are good ones and bad ones. Our first (air cooled) had a bit of rusty (only cost £160) but it was a lovely little runabout and great fun to use as well as practical, we sold it to a nice young couple who thought it was wicked! Our second (cost £300) was a 'mint' (water cooled) little yellow beastie, it ran like a dream and was a pleasure to use, we did have the head gasket done as the water cooled ones unfortunately blow their head gaskets but once done they are fine. We only sold it because we weren't making the most of it as we didn't have the time. It went to a good friend of ours for his 17 year old son who was about to take his driving test (although he'd been driving since he was 10 in his Father's classic cars), he and his son are cherishing it for what it is, a lovely little car in excellent condition. If we had been wanting a tow car we'd never have parted with it but of course it would've been trailered. It's okay to buy newer cars if that's what you want but sometimes it's more fun to have something that bit different to use, if I had a choice between taking a less common/classic car or a modern box on wheels, I know which I'd choose every time. Each to their own. Talking of things being dangersous (ref your Aixam comment), you don't get much more dangerous that moped/bikes ... Clive, over to you - no doubt you'll beat me up on this one!?!?!? Be gentle, I'm already in pain tonight! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michele Posted September 13, 2006 Share Posted September 13, 2006 Dear all, we considered a 126 Fiat, but found it also a little bit noisy and cramped. We presently tow a 960 series Volvo estate. Our only concerns are very poor fuel economy whilst towing & very restricted access on most sites. Ps is it legal to keep the dog in the rear of the Volvo whilst towing ;-) ;-) ;-) ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michele Posted September 13, 2006 Share Posted September 13, 2006 PPS Lighten up guy's Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted September 14, 2006 Share Posted September 14, 2006 Michele I'm not surprise a Fiat 126 wasn't suitable for you, the thought of you trying to get your whole family plus paraphanalia into one doesn't bear thinking about! :D As for leaving the dog in the Volvo whilst towing it - not a good idea I think ... you don't know if it's making rude gestures at the motorists behind you!!! ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vixters other half Posted September 14, 2006 Share Posted September 14, 2006 Looks Vixter started something here - she normally does at in the local pub! Since this thread started we have got a tow car and trailer so many thanks for the comments and verbals! Re Michele's dog in the car on tow, presumably he is classed as the user of the vehicle and should by rights have a licence after all, he does have access to all the controls. Can you get a class C1+E dog license? What about hand signals, does he paws at give way signs or hose them down? Over to you Michele my belle VoH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted September 14, 2006 Share Posted September 14, 2006 Come on the VoH, tell us what you've got ... don't keep us all in suspenders!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michele Posted September 14, 2006 Share Posted September 14, 2006 I never said the Dog was driving, I would never let the Dog drive, She's on a six month ban. Why do you think the Goat is there? although he has only got a provisional ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vixters other half Posted September 15, 2006 Share Posted September 15, 2006 Mel B to remove your suspenders your question I will answer. Behind following our Car Smart is. With trailer it must be on and the force be with me in reverse! VoH (aka Yoda) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted September 15, 2006 Share Posted September 15, 2006 VoH Sounds like you've been at Michele's dog's sherry...... Oo-er, am I in bother now for being funny & off topic????? Better get back on ... (tee-hee). Is the car easy to get on and off the trailer? Do you drive it on/off or winch it? Is it easy to move the trailer around with the car on when not attached to the van? I'm sure others would be interested to know if they are contemplating purchasing a tow vehicle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vixters other half Posted September 16, 2006 Share Posted September 16, 2006 Mel B Our towing experience to date has not been a problem, but there are afew things to bear in mind. 1) the towing regime is opposite to towing a C*****n in that the towing vehicles wheel base is much longer than the trailer. Mine is 4.2 metres and the over hang is 2.6 metres. The trailer wheel base to the hitch is also 2.6 metres. 2) the trailer is narrower than the MH so you cant see it in the mirrors when in a straight line. I have the reversing camera on if I cant see the trailer shadow in the mirror. 3)reversing is not difficult providing you keep your speed to an absolute crawl and watch the trailer move in the camera. As soon as you detect a wander apply the opposite lock to correct it. This needs care as over correcting will have the front end of you motor home zig zagging all over the place. Not to be recommended if you are between other vehicles such as Motorway services. When reversing round corners put sufficient opposite lock to get the trailer starting to turn and then remove the lock and follow the trailer. Always keep an eye on the front end of your motor home as it will be swinging outside the turning circle of the trailer. No point in parking the trailer pretty if you have left your front bumper on a gateway! 4 we have a winch for the trailer but drive the car onto the trailer when it is hitched to the MH. As it is a Smart car specific trailer only the smart will fit on it. There is not a lot of room to maneouvre and you must be square on to the trailer when mounting the ramp. 5 The trailer came with four ratchet straps for securing the wheels to the trailer bed and we found that they stretched with first use. So we did a few strap check stops on route to Dover. 6 as with all things new a bit a caution should be applied but I have just towed from Bedfordshire to Koblenz with no problems at all. AS far as unloading goes, the car is off the trailer in under two minutes Hope this is of use VoH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olley Posted September 16, 2006 Share Posted September 16, 2006 Hi I agree with voh, mines a micra on a brian james trailer, I would think it takes about 5 mins to unload and maybe 15 to load. Never moved the trailer on its own with the car on it, I doubt unless you where garth you could, as its a pig to move unloaded on anything other than tarmac roads I had a towbar fitted to the micra so if neccessary we can unhitch ofsite, this makes negotiating site roads easier, which is more of a problem for me with a 31' RV than you european guys. Only drawback with mine is that the ramps are stored in the middle of the trailer so you have to get down on your hands and knees to replace them when you have loaded the car. Not a problem when I put a smart on it the other week as it's that much shorter. Olley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted September 16, 2006 Share Posted September 16, 2006 Voh Just a word of caution, be careful driving the car onto the trailer when it's attached to the motorhome, we saw someone do this once and the trailer hitch let got and ran into the back of his tow car ... not a pretty site! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vixters other half Posted September 17, 2006 Share Posted September 17, 2006 Hi Olley and Mel B, good points there. Our Brian James trailer has a Keyed hitch lock so you can be sure that the trailer is securely fixed to the tow bar. I know what you mean though as many older types of hitches give the apperance of being hitched when they are not! Got that tee shirt! One other point the UK is way behind in trailer legislation and BRian James trailers can be issued with all the support documention needed for type approval if the trailer is permananetly exported to Europe. I suppose this is drifting off topic but I think the whole A frame/ trailer issue will soon get the beaurocratic magnifying glass over it . That is why I opted for a new BJ trailer - there could well be a surplus of home made trailers on the market not mention A frames. Olley how do you get insurance cover for your trailer? ie the third party risks for any damage the trailer does and also for theft when unhitched I suppose fire is unlikely! VoH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olley Posted September 17, 2006 Share Posted September 17, 2006 Hi voh is it the "triple lock" you have? I specified that when I bought it, as you say, you need a key to get it off and on and unless its on properly you can't get the key out. I thought that made it nearly thiefproof until someone pointed out that they only had to unbolt the ball :-( I have it insured with Stoneways, £96 for a value of £1700 odd theft and damage, 10% of value excess. I believe the RV insurance covers any damage the trailer does, (have to look that one up) and as long as the trailer is fitted with an approved anti-theft device, its covered while unhitched. How I would prove that, after its been stolen I don't know. When on site I usually loop a chain through the hitch handle and around one of my jacks. Olley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vixters other half Posted September 18, 2006 Share Posted September 18, 2006 Hi Olley Yes tried Stoneways £160 a year, but they wanted £23+ per week when on the Continent!! One month away and you've doubled your premium!! Looking at OAMPS special risk at £165 pa up to £5000 and Europe included. RE hitch lock the bolts are enclosed with hardened shroud so cant be unbolted unless you have a gas axe. Biggest problem is four blokes could lift empty trailer onto a pick up I suppose. Most people are basically honest just need to keep temptation at a minimum for the minority. VoH ps off topic but Koblenz is starting its Oktober Fest this week - Prost Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel E Posted September 18, 2006 Share Posted September 18, 2006 Triple Lock: Built a large glider trailer with a triple lock. BIG mistake. You need three hands to hitch it up: one to hold out the key/lock barrel which springs back into the locked position otherwise; one to lift up the hitch; and one to lower the screw jack so the hitch drops onto the tow ball. On one retrieve when we'd field landed, both I and my partner in the glider had our triple lock keys on our key rings - with us. Hence a double round trip was needed. came to really hate the thing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olley Posted September 18, 2006 Share Posted September 18, 2006 Hi Mel mine doesn't have that problem, after putting the key in and pulling the lock out, I yank the handle up and it stays there. Never having taken it abroad, i didn't realise insurance was so dear, got to be another argument in favour of a "A" frame. (lol) Olley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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