Towing question

TomKat · 22 November 2012, 08:31

CHanging my company car next year and am very tempted by hybrids due to low tax. Most can't tow so would have to tow using my wife's car, a vw polo sdi! Question is would it tow my boat? It is a 4.8m rib on an unbraked trailer, no idea how heavy it is so any advice most appreciated. Not sure if I can stomach a hybrid but would save me £6000 or so over the 4 years I will have the car.

Anyone else running one? Looking at Ampere or DS5 hybrid.

Mextli · 22 November 2012, 08:41

I'm towing my SR4 albeit with a braked trailer behind my Fiat Panda which only has 54 HP. It works, as the car is allowed to tow 800 Braked and my boat +trailer is around 600.
I'd get your boat weighted and have a look if the Polo can do it.

Tim M · 22 November 2012, 09:07

If it's legal it should be fine. I used to recover a Ribtec 585 with a Fiat Punto when I first started driving. Clutch didn't last long however!

Trailer Guy · 22 November 2012, 09:29

If it's the 1.9 then manufacturer's spec, unbraked, is 500kg. Braked is 800kg.

Should be in your handbook I'd have thought. May be worth checking.

SW Boat Transport · 22 November 2012, 11:28

What is the plated GVW of your trailer? As the ULW of your towing vehicle must be at least double it.

Anchorhandler · 22 November 2012, 12:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by TomKat

CHanging my company car next year and am very tempted by hybrids due to low tax. Most can't tow so would have to tow using my wife's car, a vw polo sdi! Question is would it tow my boat? It is a 4.8m rib on an unbraked trailer, no idea how heavy it is so any advice most appreciated. Not sure if I can stomach a hybrid but would save me £6000 or so over the 4 years I will have the car.

Anyone else running one? Looking at Ampere or DS5 hybrid.

I appreciate the tax incentive but otherwise i just dont understand Hybrid's....

At the end of the day it will always take a certain, definate amount of energy to move a vehicle. Whether that energy comes from burning fossil fuels or electricty, it will amount to the same. If you run on electricity then the energy dispensed will need to be recuperated so when the battery dies, the petrol/diesel engine will not only be powering the drive wheels but will also be having to re-charge the batteries representing an extra load on the engine. If you plug it in to charge at home then your local (probably fossil fuel burning) power station is having to put the energy back into the cells.

Sorry, i know this is off topic but it annoys me how the marketing departments of major car manufacturers (and the govt) try to sell this crap to the public.

Incidentally, doesnt the Ampera only manage around 70miles on battery power alone?

Simon

TomKat · 22 November 2012, 13:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trailer Guy

If it's the 1.9 then manufacturer's spec, unbraked, is 500kg. Braked is 800kg.

Should be in your handbook I'd have thought. May be worth checking.

Yeah its the 1.9SDI, there are no plates on either my trailer or boat, any guesses about what a 4.8m boat would weigh?

TomKat · 22 November 2012, 13:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anchorhandler

I appreciate the tax incentive but otherwise i just dont understand Hybrid's....

Incidentally, doesnt the Ampera only manage around 70miles on battery power alone?

Simon

They dont make any sense IMHO unless as a company car user you will save money. I am looking at an XC60 (about £12,500 in tax) 5 series touring (about £9000 in tax), DS Hybrid about £5k in tax or Ampera £3-4k in tax. Basically saving enough to make me take notice. Will most likely go down the XC60 route in semi skimed 2WD format to reduce the tax bill but weighing up options...

Mextli · 22 November 2012, 13:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by TomKat

Yeah its the 1.9SDI, there are no plates on either my trailer or boat, any guesses about what a 4.8m boat would weigh?

That's for the scales to say.
most garages have scales for cars, try and ask there :P

Trailer Guy · 22 November 2012, 16:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by TomKat

Yeah its the 1.9SDI, there are no plates on either my trailer or boat, any guesses about what a 4.8m boat would weigh?

Agree with Mextli - you could go to a weigh bridge for an exact weight.

With a 55 on the back? I'd punt at about 400kg. Get it weighed and know for sure though.

Rokraider · 22 November 2012, 16:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by SW RIB Charter

What is the plated GVW of your trailer? As the ULW of your towing vehicle must be at least double it.

Is that right? A Duffender is rated to 3500 Kgs towing weight. That would mean the Defender could have to weigh 7 Tonnes unladen to comply?

TomKat · 22 November 2012, 16:53

Cheers Chaps

Will see about getting it weighed.

SW Boat Transport · 22 November 2012, 17:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rokraider

Is that right? A Duffender is rated to 3500 Kgs towing weight. That would mean the Defender could have to weigh 7 Tonnes unladen to comply?

It is correct for a unbraked trailer, which was what the original question was concerning. The maximum GVW of a unbraked trailer is 750kg.

SW Boat Transport · 22 November 2012, 17:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by TomKat

Cheers Chaps

Will see about getting it weighed.

Our 5.3m Humber with Honda 90hp, trailer, normal kit, etc is just over 900kg

kerny · 22 November 2012, 17:53

My 5.4 Air-Craft including 60 Etec engine on the trailer weighs in at 680kg which leaves me only 70kg to play with to keep it legal

That's without fuel tanks or equipment, anchor etc.

Max total weight of my unbraked trailer is 750kg

2x 22ltr full fuel tanks weigh in at 44kg

Anchor chain and warp 15kg

A spare 20ltr fuel can weighs 20kg which has to go in the car or it will put me over the limit.

It's very easy to go over.

Rokraider · 22 November 2012, 18:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by SW RIB Charter

It is correct for a unbraked trailer, which was what the original question was concerning. The maximum GVW of a unbraked trailer is 750kg.

Ah! I see what you mean Doh!.

The Freeloader is going to struggle with a 750kg unbraked trailer, the 1.8 actually can't legally tow it without adding some ballast to the car. Wonder how much ballast you can actually add before the vehicle becomes too heavy to stop whilst towing an unbraked trailer?

parm · 22 November 2012, 20:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by TomKat

Cheers Chaps

Will see about getting it weighed.

take it up to Sprucefield there is a public weighbridge there

TomKat · 22 November 2012, 20:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by parm

take it up to Sprucefield there is a public weighbridge there

nice one, have packed it away for the winter but it does look like it might be OK weight wise behind a Polo. Now has a 75HP Mariner but hopefully will be OK.