flyboyprowler Posted May 9, 2021 Share Posted May 9, 2021 We recently had a couple of trips away and took the car with us, with me in the van and my wife following behind. We enjoyed the convenience and after considering a scooter, have decided to go for a small car and trailer. So, any recommendations for usability and convenience would be gratefully received. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gman Posted May 9, 2021 Share Posted May 9, 2021 We have a Peugeot 107 active 4 door, great little car very nippy and no road tax. Got it from towbars 2 towcars, It weighs in at 880kg so on a trailer, obviously more, you will have to check your towing limits to be safe. Hope this helps. Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don636 Posted May 9, 2021 Share Posted May 9, 2021 Have you thought about a caravan? We have been spending longer at UK sites since the pandemic started and have taken a small car with us a few times when not too far away and have found it very useful. Our normal type of holiday is moving on to a new site every day or so and walking/sightseeing on the way. This is proving not to be so easy in the UK where pre-booking is generally required. We have seriously thought about going back to a caravan but are holding off until next year when hopefully we can get back to the normal touring over the water. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinM50 Posted May 10, 2021 Share Posted May 10, 2021 Same boat as Flyboy. We decided a towed car behind the M/H would be a good move. So sold SWMBO's Civic and bought and Aygo. Then looked at towbars and a trailer and spoke to a very nice man at a campsite near the NEC who was unloading his Smart car from it's trailer and he advised not to do it. Says it's a real pain, taking the car off the trailer before unhooking it and a lot of campsites don't have pitches with room for a M/H, car, trailer and awning. Was really disappointed in what he'd done. I then checked on costs. IIRC towbar to fit my M/H was going to come out at c£800 fitted, a trailer was c£2,500 and of course need to find somewhere to store the trailer at home. In the end we shelved the idea and have been relying on the occasional, "SWMBO follows me" but more often Enterprise car hire. Can rent a similar size car for around £30 a day all in and under normal circumstances they deliver it to site too. Ignoring increased fuel consumption, wear and tear on the M/H and the diddy car, it'd take over 3 months to break even. So IMHO a car on a trailer is a no-no from a convenience and cost pov. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickydripin Posted May 10, 2021 Share Posted May 10, 2021 Hi I had a towbar put on my Aygo and used it for two years in the UK and France other countries are not so happy and do not allow them. it was great as I could use the car in France as I went there for 3 or four months at a time but it was a pain at times as the front brakes kept on coming on whilst towing and I had to stop every now and again to sort it, we got stuck on the ferry once so they were not very happy very embarrassing draging your car up the ramp with the brakes on the car I went back to the place in Warrington where they fitted it and they checked it over but said there was nothing wrong, on the way back home the brakes came on again. When I got home from france again I had the caratow taken off the car (at a cost of about £200 plus I had to have the brake discs front grill and pads changed) I only had the car to tow on my motorhome. If you go along this road use it a few times in the UK to get used to it as there are a lot of things to remember to do before you drive off. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PJM Posted May 10, 2021 Share Posted May 10, 2021 There are different types of tow car which will give different experiences. I have a towbars2towcars and am perfectly happy with it and the instructions for setting the system up, connecting etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keithl Posted May 10, 2021 Share Posted May 10, 2021 But do take note that Ainsley, the OP, is based in Spain so cannot use an A frame. Hence why he specifically asked about trailers. Keith. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyboyprowler Posted May 11, 2021 Author Share Posted May 11, 2021 Thanks to everyone for the input. I have just been offered a substantial tipping trailer that may well take our RAV4 and that may solve the problem of buying a car for the job. Price yet to be confirmed and a towbar to fit which, at Niesmann and Bischoff is an eye watering 1800€ despite having the preparation done when the van was new! When we were away a couple of times previously, we tried the hire locally but the company would not deliver to the site and it was expensive. Also, I don't like being Billy-no-mates with SWIMBO and dog following behind for some quite long journeys! We have space to store a trailer here in Spain, and it will certainly not be used for all our trips but should be useful when required. I fully appreciate that the costings are quite high to set it all up, and that hiring would be the better option, but convenience tends to rule that out. Also as Keith rightly says, an A frame is not legal here in Spain where most of our travelling is done. A caravan? Sadly no as a lot of the places we travel to do not accept caravans, and I have seen a few people damage their vans manoeuvring in small spaces. I take my hat off to those that manage them, but not for us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted May 11, 2021 Share Posted May 11, 2021 I wondered what the “I” in SWIMBO was for and it apparently stands for “Instantly”. This is based on advice within this longish discussion about SWIMBOs in this 2004 YBW.com thread https://forums.ybw.com/index.php?threads/whats-a-swimbo-and-should-i-have-one.47745/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rajohno Posted May 11, 2021 Share Posted May 11, 2021 Thanks, for the link, brightened my day :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyboyprowler Posted May 11, 2021 Author Share Posted May 11, 2021 Derek Uzzell - 2021-05-11 9:16 AM I wondered what the “I” in SWIMBO was for and it apparently stands for “Instantly”. This is based on advice within this longish discussion about SWIMBOs in this 2004 YBW.com thread https://forums.ybw.com/index.php?threads/whats-a-swimbo-and-should-i-have-one.47745/ Thanks Derek, actually hadn't noticed the "I" but that discussion bought a smile! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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