towing a mini plus trailer with a Clio
Turbo Mini Forums

Hi all sorry about the 20 questions this morning. Just been on the DVLA web site to see if I can use my Renault Clio as a tow car for the track day mini.

My license allows me to drive the following with a trailer?

Motor vehicles with a MAM not exceeding 3500kg having not more than 8 passenger seats with a trailer up to 750kg. Combinations of towing vehicles in category B and a trailer, where the MAM of the combination does not exceed 3500kg and the MAM of the trailer does not exceed the unladen mass of the towing vehicle.

I take it that I can use the Clio (1000kg). If the trailer (750kg max) + car does not exceed 3500 kg. Would anyone disagree with the above?

If not then how much does a trailer weight as the mini (standard 638kg) will probably be tipping the scales at about 550kg (does this seem reasonable for a track day mini with CDS cage and glass front end no interior) at a guess.

Hopefuly if the trailer is less than 100kg i should be fine however i cannot seem to find the weight of a trailer anywhere Help!

I looked into this for work. For something like a clio the trailer and mini should be less weight than the tow clio. I was trying to tow something behind a transit van and i can only just drive the 3500kg transit.
Hope the clio isn't a 1.1!!!

No the Clio is not a 1.1 its a 1.4 16v with 98 bhp

yes you can, good luck!

get some practice in locally at pulling the trailer

I'm going to stick my neck out here, and say that I'd happily tow something like that a few ,miles - but no way would I want to tow any distance in that. Think more along the lines of a Focus as a minimum IMO. I always understood the rules to be trailer combination must weigh less than the tow-vehicle.

I'd be looking at a different towcar like the focus; Or even better - something like a Mondeo or Vectra.

That said - I know JF used to tow his mini behind his Fiesta many years ago.

Edited by turbodave16v on 28th Oct, 2006.

Check the max gross train weight with a braked trailor, it should be in the user manual for the car. Its roughly 3/4 of the max gross kerb weight of the towing car. If you are over this weight, you are one your own where the law is conserned, even if its a couple of miles.

Id suspect a mini with a twin axle trailor is in excess of the max gross train weight of a renault clio. Renault cars are one of the lightest cars on the roads.

u have the same licencing rules as me mate. regardless of towing vehicle weight the total gross weight of the trailor can not exceed 750kg (mini n trailor combined). Altho the gross vehicle weight on our licence is 3500kg the gross weight of the trailor your towing comes off this, so if the trailor weight is actually 750kg then the towing vehicle can not exceed 2750kg.

Lets also say your mini weighs 550kg is a 200kg trailor possible?
If you do get pulled over at all for the size of your towing vehicle its the gross trailor weight the police will look at!

Is it worth the risk?

hope this helps.
si.

it may b small but it purfectly formed
http://photobucket.com/albums/v340/1976_mi...roject%20turbo/

Dave i understands your concern and the car wil be changed eventualy but if i buy a tow car i dont have enough money to build the mini :(

I just has to last a year or two

from the clio book Maximum permissible towed weight, braked 1200kg (driver only)

permissible towed weight, braked 900kg (other cases)

either way that is a lot more than the 750kg i am a legaly allowed.

total train weight is 2400kg apparently according to the book which supprised me.

1976_mini
from my maths 750kg trailer + 1000kg kerb weigth clio = 1750kg which is well under the 3500kg limit so i am not sure if i get your point. or i have not factered something else into the calculation which you have.

edit just read your response again are you saying that a trailer weighs more than 200kg?

Edited by Stig on 28th Oct, 2006.

I don't think you're factoring heavy vehicle combinations. What it's saying is YOU can't tow something grossing more than 3500 combined.
This isn't saying a clio can tow upto this.

The towing weight is the important one. if it says it can tow 1200kg, then I'm surprised - but that is the fact there in black and white LOL!
So - you need a full braked trailler combination of 200kg max, where the trailer itself weighs 1200kg minus the mini weight. (so that's around 500kg?)

A decent braked trailler, complete with spare will be (i believe) more than 200kg - unless you go for a nice expensive alloy unit, or a lightweight hand-made affair...

Edited by turbodave16v on 28th Oct, 2006.

Thanks for the help chaps. Looks like i need another car. Anyone know where you can get some to transport a car from a to b?

I'd have a look at lightweight traillers first Check out the Brian James stuff.

They are expensive for sure, but they retain their value VERY well. John Haston has a very nice one he tows his mini with - anyone have a picture of it?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=320040974289

"Unladen weight - 375kg"

Edited by turbodave16v on 28th Oct, 2006.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=280042771287

Just seen something simlar on piston heads Dave thanks for looking for me, Looks like i am bolloxed with the idea of trailering it to the track with the clio anyhow. :( Either that or a spend £££££ with carl in order to getthe mini down to about 1kg lol

Thanks for you time and info chaps

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/108544.htm

no problems, always willing to offer help if i can.

it may b small but it purfectly formed
http://photobucket.com/albums/v340/1976_mi...roject%20turbo/

my turbodiesel mondeo witha years MOT and a tow hitch was £300 tis a bit rough around the edges but if you cough up a little more you can have a very nice tow car. economy's great too. just a shame i never use it .. minis to much fun to drive!

turbo 16v k-series 11.9@118.9 :)

Denis O'Brien.

i stand corrected gents

like dave says the clio is a shade small!!

Another thing that a lot of people couldnt give two fucks about is the trailor nose weight. should be no mor than 75kg for the average car.

Its too easy to adjust to forget about!!!!

Well I'm actually saying that according to the specs presented - that a small trailer, and a 700Kg mini, should be within the legal towing limit of the car surely?

Toyboy front wheel lift device perhaps ??

Are they even legal ?

9.85 @ 145mph
202mph standing mile
speed didn't kill me, but taxation probably will

Metro turbo weekend driver,Mini turbo in the making again!

everything you need to know should be in here click on the safe legal towing bit at the botom of page. i wouldnt tow with a 1.4 clio. ive towded my mini with a few cars and at the moment im towing with a non turbo 2.0D corolla estate and on hills it struggles a bit, id imagine with a 1.4 on hills youd be slowed down way to much to a dangerous speed. imho sell the clio and buy something bigger/ more powerful

no longer a series, but still 1.3 turbo.

opps forgot link.
http://www.ntta.co.uk/law/index.htm

no longer a series, but still 1.3 turbo.

Type 02: trailers on overrun brakes - max. 3500kg gross trailer weight

So thats almost any car and trailer behind a 306 for example isnt it?

Alex

AlexF