Loading our Terrano

[andrewk]

Originally Posted by jace

i was told on navara forum that hids conversion to headlights illegal under uk law but as new navs pathfinders etc come fitted and aproved by eu, uk law has to give way,just made me wonder if we could try the angle if worst ever came to worst!

No, it isn't a matter of UK law "giving way". Post98 new vehicles sold into the UK are EU type approved (by UK law). Conversions will be illegal unless they were part of the type approval - but new Navs & Pathfinders will be type approved with hid lamps on them, so that's OK.

The situation's a bit like it is with towbars. Some towbars are type approved with spacers - e.g. the (new) Witter bar on my Patrol comes with a spacer (about 10mm thick), which I can either use or remove. If I'd bought a towbar that is type approved without a spacer, it would be illegal for me to buy one and use it. Similarly, I cannot fit a drop-plate (not that I need one) because the bar wasn't type approved with one fitted.

Cheers
Andrew

[Thomas-the-Terrano2]

quote

I've seen a few wide-bodied Hobby's on seasonal pitches on sites. That might be another option - so you only need to tow it twice a year and it gives you the option of siting it somewhere different each year.


so isnt even towing twice a year towing it at all?? so still illegal.

as i recall, you will invalidate your motor insurance doing so. perhaps not a worry to those who are not insured.

saw a polic camera action type programme other day stolen disco towing wide body van, probably a hobby. it did look too big for the tug but i suppose if you have decent mirrors and weight ratio is correct it could be ok.

as said i once had a hobby booklet which showed the 2.5m vans being towed by bmw x5 and vw t5, both considerably under 3500kg.

is it legal for someone from mainland europe to tow a big 'un here with a car?

[andrewk]

so isnt even towing twice a year towing it at all?? so still illegal.

Yes, you're right - towing even once with an illegal vehicle is still illegal - but I guess you're less likely to get caught.

as i recall, you will invalidate your motor insurance doing so. perhaps not a worry to those who are not insured.

I don't know - maybe. It's something that I assume folks who tow wide bodied caravans, whether Hobby or otherwise, would have checked.

saw a polic camera action type programme other day stolen disco towing wide body van, probably a hobby. it did look too big for the tug but i suppose if you have decent mirrors and weight ratio is correct it could be ok.

It could be reasonably OK safetywise but not legally. The LWB Patrol, Landcruiser Amazon and Disco 3 all have maximum gross weights of around 3200kg - and they're about as big and heavy as it gets for "normal" offroaders in the UK. Driven sensibly, they should be reasonably safe with wide-bodied vans with a MTPLM of around 2000kg - but not legal.

as said i once had a hobby booklet which showed the 2.5m vans being towed by bmw x5 and vw t5, both considerably under 3500kg.

Yep could be - but presumably they would not recommend that in the UK as it is illegal.

Originally Posted by rbrt

is it legal for someone from mainland europe to tow a big 'un here with a car?

If it's legal where the car is registered then my understanding is that it is regarded as OK here.

Cheers
Andrew

i run on traders ins so would just say its a recovery from breakdown,as for insuring actual caravan caravan camping club have no snobbery so long as usual wheel locks fitted!

[andrewk]

Originally Posted by jace

as for insuring actual caravan caravan camping club have no snobbery so long as usual wheel locks fitted!

When you insure a caravan, you don't have to tell the company what you are going to tow it with. It isn't illegal in the UK to tow a wide-bodied van, it's just that the towcar has to be over 3500kg - so maybe companies will insure the van, at a price. Whether they would pay for repairs to the van if you had an accident and it became clear that you'd been towing it illegally is another matter - that I guess you'd have to check with them.

Cheers
Andrew

acident would be car ins id imagine i was thinking theft be most worrying thing even seen reports of those new in wheel locks being gas axed off though,i insured the tabbert i had with ccc for 5k for about £300 yr for theft of van and/or contents

[andrewk]

Originally Posted by jace

acident would be car ins id imagine

Errr ........ the car insurance covers third party risks (when you are towing the van) but not repairs to the caravan. Aren't all motor insurance policies like that?

I doubt that it would matter anyway. Insurance companies, whether for car or caravan, seem not to be overly inclined to pay out if they can find a reason not to. Towing a wide-bodied caravan with a car with a GVW < 3500kg just might be a reason they'd latch on to.

Cheers
Andrew

im fully comp upto 7.5k value and 7.5t weight,motobikes,trailers,recovery,test drives,public liability etc etc.
any claim would be paid out at trade value,if i crashed id have to look seriously before i bothered to claim (if i had that choice)

[theduck]

I insured my caravan , I declared it was 8ft wide and 7.5 length and I also had to declare it has the door on the right side, it's weight is 1630 nose weight is 150kg and the Terrano can tow 2800 my insurance company know I tow as well.

i exspected a right nightmare to ins mine put they didnt bat an eyelid just read them chasis no. etc promissed to use the wheel clamps and thy were very happy i exspected to be told go away you gypo or something daft!

[SteveN]

Hi everyone, not been around for a while, again :roll:

Just thought I would chuck my tuppence worth in,

If you tow a big van like these with a transit etc surely the train weight of the vehicle is what counts, most if not all 3.5 tonne transit type motors have a train weight of 5.5 tonne so no problem.

I have been pulled by the ministry more than once towing stuff like these vans and never had a problem.

Whats the train weight of a terrano?

Might hve to go and have a look in the morning :wink:

cheers
STEVE

[andrewk]

Originally Posted by SteveN

If you tow a big van like these with a transit etc surely the train weight of the vehicle is what counts, most if not all 3.5 tonne transit type motors have a train weight of 5.5 tonne so no problem.

Some of the twin-rear wheeled Transits have a GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight) of over 3500kg so are OK providing, as you say, that you don't exceed the maximum train weight by loading the van heavily and towing something big too.

Whats the train weight of a terrano?

The GVW for a LWB Terrano 2 is 2580kg. Maximum train weight is 5580kg. It's kerbweight is 1870kg.

To the best of my knowledge, there are no "normal" 4x4s (i.e. excluding Unimogs and the like) available for sale in the UK that have a GVW greater than 3500kg. One of the biggest - the manual LWB Patrol 3.0Di SVE has a GVW of 3200kg, a maximum train weight of 6700kg and a kerbweight of 2400kg. I cannot legally tow a wide-bodied caravan with mine. Daft, isn't it?

The caravan industry recommend that for acceptable safety you should not tow a caravan heavier than 85% of the kerbweight of your towcar.

Cheers
Andrew

so in europe it could be hooked upto a passat say and towed legally? yet over here great hulking 3.0td 4x4 cant tow it that is mad!

[theduck]

YOU HAVE HIT THE NAIL RIGHT ON THE HEAD Jace. On the continent you are right you can tow a wide van like this with a normal saloon car. What we have is British beaurocacy. Brussels tell us what to do and then do what they like???? :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: We only use our caravan in europe because it far cheaper

thats only reason i have german vans 2003 english van be 3 times cost! nice to see you taking full advantage wirless internet over there lol