Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2016 1:34 pm Post subject: Buying advice for towing a catering trailer?
I'm looking to buy a 14ft (approx 3,000 - 3,500kg) catering trailer that I will use at festivals. I will need to tow the trailer and I don't know the first thing about off road vehicles and was wondering where to start. I would like to buy a used car.
The car would only be used for this purpose and this would be about 10 times a year, so obviously I don't need something with a nice interior.
What I would like to know is what makes should I be looking at?
What sort of milage is a lot for this type of vehicle?
Should I be buying a car with a petrol or diesel engine?
Are there any specific things that might significantly increase the insurance on the car?
Any advice would be great for giving me a starting point to look.
Hi Tom and welcome!
Good question and everyone will have a different opinion!
I'd suggest that for general towing and infrequent use you'd be better off with a diesel and probably something like a Ford Ranger/Toyota pick-up double cab.
Notwithstanding the what car debate - I would recommend doing an off road driving course because then you'd get to understand what a generic 4x4 is capable of doing and what you can do in it. You might think that a muddy/wet field is not like hooning around a deep muddy track (which is what non off roaders think we do) but the skills will get you off the field and home.
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Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2016 9:23 am Post subject:
Big Q - What's your budget?
The 3.5ton towing capability seriously reduces your options so do your research on that before you commit to something...
The best tow car we've ever had was a Mk1 Shogun LWB diesel manual and I would buy another in a heart beat if I had the need (and start looking at Mk2 when I cant find one!).
The more modern stuff I avoid because I don't know a lot about them! __________________________________ Snap On: Turning drawers into status symbols since 1920.
It's only really the newer pickups that can tow 3.5 tonne. The older ones are usually 3tonne and under so I would pick the trailer before you decide the car. Also how much stuff do you want to carry outside of the trailer. I would go diesel for towing.
For 3.5 tonne your looking at;
discovery 1 & 2 - they're getting on so look underneath for the rotten chassis / body. Huge back for carrying stuff.
discovery 3 & 4 - can't tell you a lot about them but the commercial is cheaper if you can get away with 2 seats.
Range Rover classic - hard to find a good diesel, the 2.5vm isn't the best, mostly v8s after that.
Range rover P38 - nice cars but a bad reputation for electrical problems.
Defenders - go rotten, agricultural and a real target for thieves. Lots of body options
Shogun, Land cruiser & Nissan patrol - don't know much about them
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Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2016 7:31 pm Post subject:
Hi,
A 3500kg MGW trailer is going to be one hell of a beast ... are you sure you have the figures right? It will also be a nerve-racking drive.
What Catergory licence do you hold? If it is only Cat.B, I think the combined weight that you can drive/tow is 3500kg ... that's [i]MGW not ALW.
A Cat.B licence can only tow about 850kg with a Discovery S1, due to the ULW, and MGW, of a Disco. They weigh the best part of 2000kg empty.
If you tow more than your entitlement, you will be driving without a licence, which means you will not be insured.
Your insurers will charge you a premium for towing a mobile café. You will need public liability cover, even when you are not moving. Your local Environmental Health Officer will want to inspect your van. (Even pedal powered ice cream tricycles require two sinks and hot water). Try a Google for MOBILE FOOD SELLING REGULATIONS.
There was a feature on fake Ice Cream vans on FAKE BRITAIN (BBC TV) either yesterday or the day before. They cost about £60,000. See if you can find it on iPlayer.
I wish you luck, but please do your reseach.
602 __________________________________ Don't force it, use a bigger hammer, cos if it doesn't fit, the hammer is not big enough.
Maybe look at a proper 4x4 for towing with the towing capacity required.
I spotted for sale recently a rather nice Petrol Toyota Land Cruiser with LPG Conversion.
When towing for Gain or Reward be sure to check out the regulations for that.
When towing for Gain or Reward be sure to check out the regulations for that.
Interesting one that George - I know of a catering trailer outside of Plymouth that is towed by a SWB Mk2 Pajero - I know that the Paj didn't have a tachograph (as would be required for commercial towing) but the guy reckoned that it pulled the trailer well.
None of the older trucks would be able to tow 3.5 tonne legally except for defender - I can't see a catering trailer being 3.5 tonne - would have to be a triple axle if it were (allow 1 tonne per axle)
BTW Pajeros being Japanese grey imports only give the gross train weight on their plates which can be very handy
Everything grey can be useful, Imports, areas, elderly people,
but when you are pulled into a roadside check with DVSA (VOSA) Examiners
all the theory and anecdotal tales and experiences of others count for nothing.
So you need to do your own checking, double checking, insuring etc because if you are put on a weigh bridge and you get it wrong you can be right in the mire.
So knowing the weight of what is going to be towed and transported in the trailer and the vehicle is rather important before buying anything.
If using only 10 times a year and something else can be used to move the trailer in between times, might hiring a commercial vehicle for towing on those 10 occasions might work out more economic as a business plan?
As to 4X4 & Part time 4X4's/AWD's with high towing capacities.
There are those big VW's that can pull down a house, (the kind that often blow you off at the traffic light grand prix) and useful ones from
Hyundai/Kia.
Everything grey can be useful, Imports, areas, elderly people,
but when you are pulled into a roadside check with DVSA (VOSA) Examiners
all the theory and anecdotal tales and experiences of others count for nothing.
George DVSA (VOSA) have to go by the weight shown on the vehicle plate - they can't say is that a Pajero is the same as a Shogun and use Shogun weights because they are 2 different vehicles!
Scrunt44 wrote:
So you need to do your own checking, double checking, insuring etc because if you are put on a weigh bridge and you get it wrong you can be right in the mire.
So knowing the weight of what is going to be towed and transported in the trailer and the vehicle is rather important before buying anything.
If using only 10 times a year and something else can be used to move the trailer in between times, might hiring a commercial vehicle for towing on those 10 occasions might work out more economic as a business plan?
I tried hiring a vehicle with a tow hitch - never found one, plenty of vehicles that could tow but not with hitches
None of the older trucks would be able to tow 3.5 tonne legally except for defender
Oh... and a Fourtrak if you can find one in decent condition (thanks Ged )
you sure about that?
Can you come up with any? Especially those that are reasonable to buy...
Last edited by Xpajun on Wed Aug 31, 2016 7:26 pm; edited 1 time in total
Defenders hired by 4x4 places all have tow balls IME.
Must be a location location thing if they do not have, or maybe not hiring from the right companies.
Got the T-Shirt on being weighed while towing with Land Rovers and
Dual Cabs and Vans.
Been on the scales, and also been allowed to proceed luckily.
Also had to explain to Professionals that should know their job that a vehicle towing commercially did not need a Tacho because it ran on LPG and no other fuel source.
I wish i had bought a V6 Petrol Pickup on LPG years ago when there were lots of imports and they were quite new.
Now an Isuzu Pickup hired when needs must does the job and has all the towing capacity i need & enough comfort and no upkeep. Book in advance, collect, use, return. Not that expensive either over a long weekend.
Much Cheapness sometimes,
VW Tourareg. Check out which can tow what.
Even BMW X5's. Worlds you oyster really and what floats your bought.
Or even tows your cruiser.
None of the older trucks would be able to tow 3.5 tonne legally except for defender
Oh... and a Fourtrak if you can find one in decent condition (thanks Ged )
you sure about that?
Can you come up with any? Especially those that are reasonable to buy...
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