Smart car and A frame (1 Viewer)

xjrchris

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Apr 17, 2012
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We are thinking of getting a smart car/small car to tow behind our motorhome using a A frame , has anyone else done this ? if so what car do you tow ? Do you use a A frame ?
I understand that you need to fit brackets onto the car and was wondering how much this would cost ?
If anyone knows of one for sell please let us know::bigsmile:::bigsmile:
 

Xabia

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Jan 20, 2011
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We are thinking of getting a smart car/small car to tow behind our motorhome using a A frame , has anyone else done this ? if so what car do you tow ? Do you use a A frame ?
I understand that you need to fit brackets onto the car and was wondering how much this would cost ?
If anyone knows of one for sell please let us know::bigsmile:::bigsmile:

I have the full kit for a Smart car but unfortunately it is stored in the garage of my house in Spain and I won't be back from my next trip out there until early May which I imagine will be too late for you.

Mike
 
Jul 29, 2011
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Had a Fiat Panda done a couple of months ago at Armitages near Leeds.
Cost about £900.
Make sure your vehicle has the capacity to tow, gross vehicle weight and gross train weight shown on metal tab under bonnet.
Mine is GVW 3500kgs and GTW 5500 kgs, therfore there is a 2000 kgs towing capacity.

So much easier than messing about with the trailer i used.

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Snowbird

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Although I have used an Aframe for many years with no personal problems, after hearing of several funsters being fined in Spain I decided to go down the trailer route. If you only intend using the outfit in the UK, then the Aframe is fine, but its becoming a nono in Europe. A purpose built trailer can be purchased for around the same money as an Aframe and wont lose much when you sell it. Here are a couple of my towcars on there trailers, winter and summer.
 

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camcondor

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Jul 27, 2007
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We use our Smart Car on a Towtal A frame. Its great, works really well. However, Snowbird is right about Europe being a potential issue as a load of people have ended up with problems particularly in Spain.

We bought a Brian James Smart trailer for it originally, which is delightful to tow but not so delightful to move around on a steep driveway when you are getting old and tired, so we ended up never using the trailer and selling it a few years later :Sad:

The A frame OTOH is much easier to use and in the UK should be no problem, except that various EU stupid rules and guff are due again to wreck our lives and trailers / A frames are included this time. May be worth waiting to see how the UK takes these amendments on before committing to a big spend.
 

haganap

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I'm an oldbie MH number 9
I have my racing panda a framed,

Use it occasionally

Personally I wouldn't take it abroad and tbh for the amount of dosh it costed, I wouldn't do another, but now I have one it can be handy, if that makes sense.

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g8ysn

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g8ysn

use mine 2 pull out picanto no probs,got jockey wheel easy a pie to couple up:thumb::thumb::thumb:
 
Apr 27, 2008
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Got one one on a Chevrolet Matiz. We did use a smart but found it too small for two of us and the dog. The Matiz has 5 doors and 5 seats (at a pinch) plus dog room and is not much heavier than the Smart.
We only use it in the UK though.
 

canopus

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Seat Mii towed with a Caratow A frame fitted by

Link Removed :thumb:

Don't know you're towing a car :thumb:

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aba

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I have a smart with a towtal a frame I have used it mainly for getting the smart home when its engine expires.

my advise unless you are buying a new smart get a couple of electric bikes as the engines in the earlier smarts are crap at around 50,000 miles they start to burn oil which leads to expensive engine failures unless they have been serviced on time with the correct oil ( which few have ).

a Peugeot 107 or Toyota iq would be a much more reliable toad.
 

Trikeman

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We have an 'A' framed (Towtal) Peugeot 107 5 door. We looked at the Smart car too, initially the one we wanted, but found they just don't have enough room - the 107 (same as Toyota Ayego and the Citroen C1) has loads of room, like the tardis inside, and tows superb - the towbar system folds up and fits perfectly in the boot too. We couldn't do without it now, the flexibility is great once you get to site.

.

Hope it helps.

Trikeman. :winky:
 
Nov 4, 2011
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Another vote for a Peugeot 107, this time using a Chris Cox frame( but he is no longer doing them) , very easy to use, it gets used as a trailer when moving.

Nick

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lavalamp

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Nov 24, 2012
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We have an 'A' framed (Towtal) Peugeot 107 5 door. We looked at the Smart car too, initially the one we wanted, but found they just don't have enough room - the 107 (same as Toyota Ayego and the Citroen C1) has loads of room, like the tardis inside, and tows superb - the towbar system folds up and fits perfectly in the boot too. We couldn't do without it now, the flexibility is great once you get to site.

.

Hope it helps.

Trikeman. :winky:

This thread is very interesting ,as I am considering using this system ;

http://www.tow-bars2tow-cars.co.uk

whilst the price is higher than competing A frames, I have seen this in action, talked to a user, and like the fact this complies with all current EU requirements and certifications with documents in european languages to support . Would welcome comments.

Silly question; Insurance, Do you ask or tell your insurance that you want to use an A Frame?
 

Snowbird

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This thread is very interesting ,as I am considering using this system ;

http://www.tow-bars2tow-cars.co.uk

whilst the price is higher than competing A frames, I have seen this in action, talked to a user, and like the fact this complies with all current EU requirements and certifications with documents in european languages to support . Would welcome comments.

Silly question; Insurance, Do you ask or tell your insurance that you want to use an A Frame?

Without getting into the legalities of Aframes. This one like all others is illegal in Spain for the reason that its illegal to tow a vehicle in Spain. I have had all the paperwork re, Aframes in every language for years, BUT, the Spanish wont recognise any EU regs or laws on this subject. Loads of paperwork in your hand telling Spanish plod that its legal in country of origin will not get you far when stopped at the side of the road.
 
Jul 29, 2011
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This thread is very interesting ,as I am considering using this system ;

http://www.tow-bars2tow-cars.co.uk

whilst the price is higher than competing A frames, I have seen this in action, talked to a user, and like the fact this complies with all current EU requirements and certifications with documents in european languages to support . Would welcome comments.

Silly question; Insurance, Do you ask or tell your insurance that you want to use an A Frame?

Mine also came with all the paperwork in different languages, but after reading various threads on here i would not take it to spain.
Prob cheaper to hire a car when you get there.

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aba

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for some reason which I cannot get my head around as basically it's the same vehicle but with a different badge on but the Peugeot 107 seems to be cheaper to buy than the Toyota Aygo and the Citroen C1 this is also reflected when it comes to insurance with the pug being the cheaper and the Toyota being the most expensive certainly in these parts anyway.

maybe it's the Chav appeal of the Citroen
but it don't explain the Toyota being more expensive.
just a little food for thought.
 

Trikeman

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Aug 22, 2012
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for some reason which I cannot get my head around as basically it's the same vehicle but with a different badge on but the Peugeot 107 seems to be cheaper to buy than the Toyota Aygo and the Citroen C1 this is also reflected when it comes to insurance with the pug being the cheaper and the Toyota being the most expensive certainly in these parts anyway.

maybe it's the Chav appeal of the Citroen
but it don't explain the Toyota being more expensive.
just a little food for thought.

Its seems to be true aba.
New - the Peugeot was the cheaper one when they came out and insurance is peanuts. In fact to insure ours we had to increase the premium by having EU breakdown cover just to make it worthwhile our insurer doing it
::bigsmile:
"no money in it for us insuring those" was one quote we had - 4 companies wouldn't insure ours for that reason. If you include just £20 per year tax and 65+ mpg - who's going to moan.
:roflmto: (where's my Christmas hat gone)......
However, it appears the second hand dealers 'prefer' the Peugeot over the other two,,,,, and I quote, "the Peugeot has the younger driver in mind - cred and cheap to get on the road - they are not on the forecourt before being sold".
I can see very little difference in them to be honest.

Trikeman. :winky:
 

francour

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Mar 13, 2012
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A frame

It is not recommended to tow smart car on a frame as da mage can be caused:Smile:

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