33 replies to this topic

[bode5997]

I have just been looking at buying another mini,i tow a small camping trailer,and have forgotten at what year the mini cannot tow from,any help please~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Model:
Year:
Description of problem (please be as in depth as possible):



Any non-standard parts that might be involved with the problem?

[Wil_h]

As long as it was built before 1 Jan 1998 then you can tow with it.

[spi-bwk]

Why are minis after that not allowed to tow?

[Wil_h]

They changed the law so that only cars that are approved for towing and have a specified maximum towing weight can legally tow. Additional to this all approved cars must have the tow-bar mounting points as part of the cars structure, not just bolts through the floor like on a Mini. Obviously in 1998, Rover were not interested in making the Mini comply, so after '98 you can't use them to tow.

You'd be amazed what cars you cannot tow with, the fiest ST for instance.

Edited by Wil_h, 10 January 2011 - 01:45 PM.

[Bungle]

when did you pass your test ?

if you are a youngster you might not be able to tow very much

if your not sure check your license

[ado15]

I've never been keen on the Mini tow bars anyway. They mount from the subframe and boot floor. This rigid mount is in conflict with the rubber mounted subframe.

[Carlos W]

when did you pass your test ?

if you are a youngster you might not be able to tow very much

if your not sure check your license

If you passed your test after the 1st January 1997 you can only tow an unbraked trailer with a maximum authorised mass of 750kg without doing another test

http://www.direct.go...cles/DG_4022564

I haven't got a clue what you can legally tow with a mini, I looked it up, and it started talking about train weight, etc and I didn't have a clue what it meant!

[AVV IT]

when did you pass your test ?

if you are a youngster you might not be able to tow very much

Even if you have the newer post Jan 97 licence you can still tow a small camping trailer, I think you would actually have to be towing one seriously large camping trailer before it became a problem. From memory I think you can tow up to 750kgs... now thats enough room for one very, very big tent, a commercial sized camping kitchen and whole row of camping toilets!!

Edited by AVV IT, 10 January 2011 - 05:20 PM.

[Carlos W]

when did you pass your test ?

if you are a youngster you might not be able to tow very much

Even if you have the newer post Jan 1997 licence you can still tow a small camping trailer, I think you would actually have to be towing one seriously large camping trailer before it became a problem. From memory I think you can tow up to 750kgs... now thats enough room for one very, very big tent, a commercial sized camping kitchen and whole row of camping toilets!!

The 750 kgs includes the weight of the trailer too!

[Carlzilla]

Personally, i wouldnt tow anything more than 500kg in a mini, including the trailer, they were never designed for towing.

[Dan]

No, they aren't type approved for towing, there's a difference. Minis built before the law was changed do have a published train weight, which means they have spare capacity in the engine and brakes at full weight to allow towing.

And just to clarify, the important date is all cars REGISTERED on or after 1st August 1998, whenever it was built.

The 750 kgs includes the weight of the trailer too!

750kg unbraked is massive anyway and since the maximum weight of an unbraked trailer is half the kerb weight of the towing vehicle, you would never get near 750kg with a Mini. 350 - 400 is more like it. I can't remember the actual train weight off the top of my head.

[minisilverbullet]

According to the Swedish "dvla" I can tow 400 kg max. I suspect the UK must be the same!

[frog998]

Wouldn't bother me knowing how much i could tow it would worry me about how fast i could stop.
Think that although there is a recommended towing weight you can legally tow i always thought it also went on the braking capacity of the towing vehicle

[spi-bwk]

I also have a punto works van with a towbar and tried looking into what and IF I can tow a trailer. The jargon on the DVLA website confused me so I dont tow at the moment. can anyone put it in simple terms? I passed my test 24-09-00 (and instantly became the greatsest driver known to man )

[Dan]

i always thought it also went on the braking capacity of the towing vehicle

Can you find anywhere that specification might be recorded then? It's calculated on weight because the weight is what the brakes have to control and it's a known and easily proven specification of the vehicle.

The jargon on the DVLA website confused me so I dont tow at the moment. can anyone put it in simple terms?

It is in simple terms already, you just have to find out what each of the various terms means which is all mentioned on the DVLA site if you look. If the van was reigstered on or after 01/08/1998 then check the vehicle data to see if it is type approved for towing, if it's not then even having the tow bar fitted to it is illegal. If it's older than that, check the VIN plate. This mentions the vehicle gross weight, or MAM, which is the maximum the vehicle is allowed to weigh fully loaded. It also mentions the gross train weight, which is the maximum weight the van and a trailer can be. That towed weight would normally apply to a braked trailer. If you are using a trailer that does not have it's own brakes, it may only weigh half the kerb weight of the vehicle, or 750kg (whichever is the lowest). The kerb weight is the weight of the vehicle, unloaded but full of fuel and fluids, sitting ready for use at the kerb and should include an allowance of 75kg for a driver. All trailer weights apply to the full weight of the towed load, that is the weight of the trailer and whatever it's carrying combined.