Towing (1 Viewer)

Aug 31, 2009
107
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Lot-et-Garonne, France
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8,231
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I'm looking to buy a trailer and small car, maybe an MX-5, to tow down to France and Spain for the winter months. Never having towed behind a motorhome before, I'm looking for advice. We have a Concorde Charisma , manual gearbox, with a a GVW of 6.7 tons. On the weight plate the figure of 10,000 appears, so I'm assuming we can tow up to 3.3 tons? The MX-5 is about one ton.
Can you overnight on an aire with a trailer?
We tend to go non-peage and the extra fare for the trailer on the Brittany Ferries Portsmouth to Caen crossing isn't too much.
 

pappajohn

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Aug 26, 2007
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Can you photo the VIN plate.

10000 doesn't make sense unless it means 10000lbs....which is doubtful today as VIN plates are metric.
 
Jul 5, 2013
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Tunbridge Wells, Tunbridge Wells, UK
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Pappajohn - probably kilograms. 10,000 = 10 tonne.

Peter - I suspect your problem may be with your licence - or have you already checked that? A limit of 7.5t rings a bell, but not sure if that is total weight including trailer or just for the motorhome itself.

As far as I can see trailers are allowed in Aires in France but your problem will be finding somewhere it fits - you will have a very long outfit and most Aires aren't designed for it.

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peter21
Aug 31, 2009
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Lot-et-Garonne, France
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Can you photo the VIN plate.

10000 doesn't make sense unless it means 10000lbs....which is doubtful today as VIN plates are metric.
Yes, it is 10,200 kg or 10.2 metric tons. I rounded it.
 

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peter21
Aug 31, 2009
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Pappajohn - probably kilograms. 10,000 = 10 tonne.

Peter - I suspect your problem may be with your licence - or have you already checked that? A limit of 7.5t rings a bell, but not sure if that is total weight including trailer or just for the motorhome itself.

As far as I can see trailers are allowed in Aires in France but your problem will be finding somewhere it fits - you will have a very long outfit and most Aires aren't designed for it.

DVLA give MAM of 8250 kg, so motorhome of 6.7 and trailer/car of say 1.5 = 8.2 tons should be OK. Good point tho'...I hadn't thought of that.

PS Different rules apply if licence awarded after 1/1/97
 
Jul 29, 2013
9,048
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Salisbury
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We took our car on a trailer last winter down to Spain and used Aires both ways without problems you just need to research a little to make sure there is room as some are a bit tight for space but there are plenty around and in winter months not busy. Take a look at their car transporter an excellent trailer at a good price.
We have an Exsis 4250kg with gross train 6000kg this trailer is plated 1700 kg GVW
http://www.phoenixtrailer.co.uk/product-category/car-transporter/

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pappajohn

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Yes, it is 3500kg, but you are restricted to 8250kg on C1e licence.

1500kg trailer must be plated at 1500kg and the plated weight must not be exceeded......car AND trailer combined...not more than 1500kg.
A 1 ton car on a 1.5 ton trailer may be cutting it close.
 
Jul 5, 2013
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Tunbridge Wells, Tunbridge Wells, UK
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Yes, it is 3500kg, but you are restricted to 8250kg on C1e licence.

1500kg trailer must be plated at 1500kg and the plated weight must not be exceeded......car AND trailer combined...not more than 1500kg.
A 1 ton car on a 1.5 ton trailer may be cutting it close.
Are you sure on that? Information here suggests that with C1+E licence the total train weight can be 12,000kg, although the trailer weight cannot be heavier than the towing vehicle.
 
Jul 29, 2013
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@peterc10 is correct! With your plate you could have trailer gross of 3500kg as long as your licence allows.

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vwalan

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Sep 23, 2008
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Are you sure on that? Information here suggests that with C1+E licence the total train weight can be 12,000kg, although the trailer weight cannot be heavier than the towing vehicle.
should have a code of 107 as well retsicted to 8,250kg . the d1 allows 12 ton . https://www.gov.uk/driving-licence-codes
mind german friends tell me they havnt got the code on there,s depends if uk licence .
 

vwalan

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yes it doesnt . some say their m,homes are built on a bus chassis etc so use the rules to suit .
easier if a pusher rv . thats more coach than truck.
you can spend hours and hours on licences and weights and mot,s .
its kind of good fun , i have spent years at it . still may get it wrong .
i put d1 just now on an above post meant d1e. even that gets us into trouble sometimes . just a minor slip.
the silliest one is b+e on licences before 13 jan 2013 you can have a real big trainweight with the right vehicle .
well 11-12 ton . shall possibly alter my truck to suit if i still have it at 70 yr old .

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peter21
Aug 31, 2009
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Its getting more complicated....I have BE, C1E and D1E on my driving licence, only one of which (C1E) is restricted by the 107 code to a total train weight of 8250 kg......
Is a motorhome a car, a lorry or a bus?
 
Jul 29, 2013
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Salisbury
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Mines listed as PHGV Motorhome on log book for tax purposes so I suppose comes under Lorry ? All a bit confusing isn't it?
 

vwalan

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Sep 23, 2008
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Mines listed as PHGV Motorhome on log book for tax purposes so I suppose comes under Lorry ? All a bit confusing isn't it?
no. if its over 3,500kg gvw its phgv .
all m,homes carry goods or burden . the goods are yours clothes food etc but they arent for sale etc so private .
this was all sorted back in 1991 when driving licences were changed back then.
technically its not a bus . its a car . could be a light car or a heavy car.if its weight exceeds2,540kg unladen its a heavy car.
really there is no such thing as lorry classification .
but if the gvw is over 7.5 ton you need hgv to drive them .
many still say a bus licence or d1 could cover it .
i dont really agree to that but it could hold maybe in a court.
there was a time pre 91 when a car licence driver could drive a coach or double decker but it got took away in 91 . you could keep it if you took the hgv medical and had a statement from police . bank manager etc to say you did drive one on a regular basis not for hire and reward . and payed 20 quid .
not many took it up.
since then classification as been a sore point with many.
i got involved in it all back then and ever since .
been good fun and interesting .
my speciality has become mini artics . licences and mots etc .

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vwalan

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Sep 23, 2008
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mini buses pulling trailers no more than 16seats +driver.max length 8metrs with a trailer over 750kg but gross weight of combination not to exceed 12000kg .
 

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